These exquisite Danish pastries feature delicate, paper-thin layers of butter and dough that shatter with each bite, combined with sweet fillings and a glossy glaze that makes them irresistible. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an elegant dessert, homemade Wienerbrød will transport you straight to a cozy Copenhagen bakery. With patience and proper lamination technique, you'll create bakery-quality pastries that will impress everyone at your table.
⏱️265 min
📊Hard
👥12 servings
🍽️Dessert
vegetarianfestivefamily
Ingredients
500 gall-purpose flour
150 mlwhole milk
10 gfresh yeast or instant yeast
2 pieceseggs
5 gsalt
30 ggranulated sugar
300 gunsalted butter for lamination
200 gcustard or almond paste filling
150 gpowdered sugar for glaze
30 mlwater for glaze
50 gpearl sugar or sliced almonds
Instructions
1PREPARE THE DOUGH BASE: In a small saucepan, warm the milk to approximately 37°C (body temperature) to activate the yeast without killing it. In a large mixing bowl, combine 500g of flour, 10g of yeast, 30g of sugar, and 5g of salt. Create a well in the center and pour the warm milk along with 2 beaten eggs. Mix with a wooden spoon or the dough hook attachment of a stand mixer for about 8-10 minutes until a shaggy, slightly sticky dough forms. The dough should be soft and elastic but not overly sticky; if it's too wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time.
2FIRST BULK FERMENTATION: Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let it rise at room temperature (20-22°C) for approximately 60-90 minutes until it has increased in volume by about 50%. You're looking for visible bubbles and a slightly puffy appearance, not a full doubling. This shorter fermentation allows the gluten to develop while keeping the dough manageable for lamination.
3PREPARE FOR LAMINATION: While the dough rises, cut 300g of cold unsalted butter into thin slices between two sheets of parchment paper, creating a butter block approximately 15cm x 15cm and about 1.5cm thick. Place this on a cool work surface. After the first fermentation, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently press it into a rectangle approximately 20cm x 30cm. The dough should feel cool and elastic; if it's too warm, refrigerate for 15 minutes to make lamination easier.
4LAMINATE THE DOUGH: Place the butter block in the center of the dough rectangle and fold the dough sides over the butter like an envelope, sealing the edges by pressing gently. Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the laminated dough to approximately 20cm x 40cm thickness. Perform the first 'turn' by folding the dough into thirds (like a letter), rotating 90 degrees, then repeating the rolling and folding process two more times with 20-30 minute rests between each turn in the refrigerator. After three complete turns, you should see visible butter streaks throughout the dough, indicating successful lamination.
5SHAPE AND PROOF: After the final turn, refrigerate the laminated dough for at least 60 minutes until it's quite firm and cold. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to approximately 5mm thickness and cut into desired shapes such as 8cm squares or spiral shapes. Place a small teaspoon of custard or almond paste filling in the center of each piece, then shape by folding corners to the center (creating a pinwheel), or simply folding into a triangle. Arrange the shaped pastries on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them about 5cm apart to allow for expansion.
6FINAL PROOFING: Cover the shaped pastries loosely with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let them proof at room temperature for 60-90 minutes until they have puffed noticeably and feel light and airy when gently touched. They should increase in volume by about 50-75%, showing visible gaps between the layers when you look at them from the side. If you poke the pastry lightly with your finger, it should spring back slowly and leave a slight indent.
7BAKE THE PASTRIES: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) approximately 20 minutes before baking. Place a small bowl of water on the lower oven rack to create steam for a better rise and golden exterior. Bake the pastries for 18-25 minutes until they are deeply golden brown and the layers have visibly puffed apart, revealing the butter lamination. The bottoms should be crispy and sound hollow when tapped with a fork. The pastries should smell heavenly with a rich, buttery aroma.
8PREPARE AND APPLY THE GLAZE: While the pastries cool for approximately 5 minutes on the baking sheet, prepare the glaze by whisking together 150g of sifted powdered sugar with 30ml of warm water and a few drops of vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. Brush the warm glaze generously over the top of each pastry while they are still slightly warm, then immediately sprinkle with pearl sugar or sliced almonds before the glaze sets. The glaze will harden as it cools, creating that signature shiny, professional bakery finish.