Raspberry Cream Cheese Sourdough Danishes Recipe
These flaky, buttery raspberry cream cheese sourdough danishes combine tangy sourdough with a luscious cream cheese filling and sweet-tart raspberries. They’re the perfect weekend baking project that looks bakery-worthy but comes together easier than you’d think.
Using sourdough discard or active starter, these danishes offer incredible flavor depth. The laminated dough creates those iconic flaky layers, while the cream cheese filling stays perfectly creamy after baking.
Whether you’re serving brunch or treating yourself to a special breakfast, these danishes deliver on both taste and presentation every single time.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These danishes strike the perfect balance between impressive and achievable. The sourdough adds complex flavor that sets them apart from typical pastries, and you can use the discard to reduce waste.
The combination of tangy cream cheese, sweet raspberries, and buttery pastry creates an addictive flavor profile. Plus, the dough can be made ahead and frozen, making morning baking much easier.
They look stunning on any breakfast table and taste even better than they look. Your kitchen will smell like a European bakery while these bake.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Dough:
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
For Topping:
How to Make the Sourdough Danish Dough
Start by mixing your sourdough starter with flour, sugar, salt, and egg until just combined. Add cold milk gradually to form a shaggy dough, then knead until smooth but not overly worked.
Roll the dough into a rectangle and perform a butter block lamination (similar to croissants but simplified). Fold the dough into thirds, chill for 30 minutes, then repeat this process twice more for flaky layers.
After the final fold, refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight. This cold rest allows gluten to relax and makes rolling much easier while keeping butter layers intact.
Read More: The Best Chocolate Chip Cupcakes (Fluffy & Perfect Every Time!)
Raspberry Cream Cheese Sourdough Danishes Recipe
Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate12
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3
hours20
minutes4
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minutesIngredients
- Danish Dough:
100g (½ cup) active sourdough starter or discard
360g (3 cups) all-purpose flour
60g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
180ml (¾ cup) cold whole milk
170g (¾ cup) cold unsalted butter, for lamination
- Cream Cheese Filling:
226g (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
60g (½ cup) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp lemon zest (optional)
- Topping:
1½ cups fresh raspberries
1 egg + 1 tbsp water (egg wash)
2 tbsp coarse sugar
Optional: glaze (1 cup powdered sugar + 2 tbsp milk
Directions
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine sourdough starter, flour, sugar, salt, and egg. Add cold milk gradually and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 5-7 minutes until smooth. Shape into a rectangle, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Laminate: Roll dough into a 12×18-inch rectangle. Flatten cold butter between parchment paper into an 8×12-inch rectangle. Place butter on half of the dough, fold dough over to enclose butter. Roll into a 12×18-inch rectangle, then fold into thirds like a letter. Wrap and chill 30 minutes.
- Repeat folds: Perform two more letter folds (roll to 12×18 inches, fold into thirds, chill 30 minutes between each). After the final fold, refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Make filling: Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag.
- Shape danishes: Roll chilled dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut into 4×4-inch squares. Make diagonal cuts from corners toward center (leaving middle intact), then fold alternating points to center. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Assemble: Pipe 1-2 tablespoons filling into each danish center. Top with 3-4 raspberries. Let rest 30-45 minutes at room temperature. Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Bake: Brush danishes with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake 18-22 minutes until deep golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Optional glaze: Whisk powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled danishes.
Notes
- Make ahead: Dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months. Shaped danishes can be frozen unbaked for 2 months.
Butter temperature: Keep everything cold during lamination. If butter starts melting, refrigerate the dough immediately.
Discard option: Unfed sourdough discard works perfectly in this recipe and doesn’t need to be at peak activity.
No sourdough starter? Substitute with 50g flour + 50g water mixed, though you’ll lose some tangy flavor.
| Nutrient | Per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 400 kcal |
| Total Fat | 20 g |
| Sugars | 20 g |
| Protein | 7 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
Shaping Your Danishes
Roll the chilled dough to about ¼-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into squares (approximately 4×4 inches) or rectangles, depending on your preferred danish shape.
For classic square danishes, make diagonal cuts from each corner toward the center, leaving the middle intact. Fold alternating points to the center, creating a pinwheel shape that holds the filling beautifully.
Place shaped danishes on parchment-lined baking sheets with plenty of space between them. They’ll puff significantly during baking, so don’t crowd them.
Making the Cream Cheese Filling
Beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla until completely smooth and creamy. This should take about 2 minutes with an electric mixer for the best texture.
Add a pinch of lemon zest if you want extra brightness that complements the raspberries. The filling should be spreadable but not runny—if too thick, add a teaspoon of milk.
Transfer the filling to a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner cut off. This makes filling the danishes neat and precise without overfilling.
Assembly and Baking
Pipe about 1-2 tablespoons of cream cheese filling into the center of each shaped danish. Don’t overfill, or it will bubble over during baking and create a mess.
Top each with 3-4 fresh raspberries, pressing them gently into the cream cheese. Brush the exposed dough with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar for a bakery-style finish.
Let the danishes rest at room temperature for 30-45 minutes while the oven preheats to 375°F. Bake for 18-22 minutes until deep golden brown with slightly darker edges.
Tips for Success
Temperature is everything. Keep your dough and butter cold throughout the lamination process to maintain distinct layers. If the dough gets too warm, refrigerate it before continuing.
Don’t skip the resting times. Chilling between folds prevents the butter from melting into the dough and allows gluten to relax, making the dough easier to work with.
Use quality butter. European-style butter (82% fat content) creates the flakiest, most flavorful danishes. Regular butter works too, but you’ll notice the difference with premium butter.
Make-Ahead and Storage
The laminated dough can be made up to 3 days ahead and kept refrigerated or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rolling and shaping.
Shaped, unbaked danishes freeze beautifully. Freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months and bake directly from frozen (add 5 minutes to baking time).
Baked danishes are best enjoyed the same day but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days. Reheat in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to refresh.
Variations to Try
Swap raspberries for other berries like blueberries, blackberries, or sliced strawberries. Stone fruits like apricots or cherries also work beautifully in warmer months.
Add a tablespoon of lemon curd under the cream cheese for extra tanginess. Or fold mini chocolate chips into the cream cheese filling for a dessert-style danish.
Make a simple glaze with powdered sugar and milk (2:1 ratio) and drizzle over cooled danishes. Add a drop of almond extract to the glaze for bakery-style flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use sourdough discard for this recipe?
Yes! Unfed sourdough discard works perfectly in this recipe. You don’t need an active, bubbly starter since the baking powder and yeast-free nature of this dough means it relies on lamination for rise, not fermentation. Discard adds the signature tangy flavor without waste.
Why is my Danish dough shrinking when I roll it?
This means the gluten is too tight and hasn’t rested enough. Always chill the dough for the full 30 minutes between folds, and if it resists rolling, give it another 15-minute rest in the fridge. Cold, relaxed dough is much easier to work with and holds its shape better.
Can I prepare these danishes the night before baking?
Absolutely! Shape and fill the danishes, then cover tightly and refrigerate overnight instead of the 30-45 minute room temperature rest. In the morning, let them sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes while the oven preheats, then bake as directed. They may need an extra 2-3 minutes in the oven.
