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Homemade Cherry Danish | Simmer & Sage

Homemade Cherry Danish Recipe (Bakery Style Pastry)

Swirls of buttery, flaky pastry dough with a delicious, syrupy fruit filling - better than the bakery!
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 30 minutes
inactive 1 day
Total Time 1 day 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 18

Ingredients
  

  • 600 grams all purpose flour
  • 525 grams unsalted butter cold, divided
  • 3/4 cup + 3 Tbsp. milk room temperature, divided
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 4 tsp. active dry yeast 2 packets
  • 1 can cherry pie filling
  • 12 grams salt
  • 80 grams sugar
  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 1/2 cup water 110-115 degrees

Instructions
 

  • Stir yeast into the warm water and let dissolve 10 minutes.
  • Fit a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment. In the bowl, sift flour, salt and sugar. Stir in the yeast mixture.
  • With the motor running on medium low, beat in 1 egg, 3/4 cup milk and 65g of butter. Beat about 4 minutes. Shape into a ball. Cover the bowl with a damp towel. Let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.
  • Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 19x11". Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
  • Slice the remaining 460g blocks of butter crosswise so that they are thinner rectangles. Place them next to each other between two pieces of parchment. Roll them out until they are about half the size of the dough rectangle, approximately 10x6". Place the butter on top of half of the dough. Fold the remaining dough over the butter. Seal the edges with a rolling pin.
  • Turn the dough 90 degrees. Roll into a rectangle approximately 1/2" thick. Fold the two short ends of the dough into the center so that they meet each other. Then, fold one over the other, like you're closing a book. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
  • Roll the dough out again into a rectangle 1/2" thick. Fold into thirds: fold one short end 1/3 of the way, then fold the other end over the first end. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
  • Roll out again and repeat step 7. Wrap and chill 30 minutes.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 18" long. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, slice strips from long end to long end that are about 1" wide. Place them onto the prepared baking sheet. Holding opposite ends of the dough strips, twist them and then wrap them into circles. Tuck the edges in. Cover and let rest 90 minutes at room temperature.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using the back of a spoon, make deep wells in the center of the pastry circles. Fill the wells with 1-2 cherries. Beat the remaining egg together with 1 Tbsp. cold water. Use a pastry brush to brush the pastries with the egg wash. Bake 30 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes on the sheet pan before transferring to a wire rack.
  • To make the glaze, whisk the confectioner's sugar with 3 Tbsp. milk in a small bowl. Drizzle over cooled danish.
Keyword breakfast, brunch, dessert
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