This easy gluten-free puff pastry Danish is light, flaky, and perfect for a quick homemade treat. Filled with a creamy cheese mixture or sweet cinnamon raisins, it’s a versatile pastry you can customize with your favorite toppings. Whether for breakfast or a sweet snack, this simple recipe brings bakery-style Danish pastries to your kitchen.
Ingredients Needed
Gluten-Free Puff Pastry Dough:
- 60 ml / ¼ cup warm water
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ tsp dry yeast (1 packet, Red Star or Fleishman’s)
- 80 ml / ⅓ cup milk (dairy or non-dairy), room temperature
- 1 egg, room temperature, or 1 tbsp flaxseed meal mixed with 3 tbsp warm water
- 371 g / 2 ¾ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (gfJules™ or similar)
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 200 g / 14 tbsp cold butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 225 g / 8 oz cream cheese (dairy or non-dairy alternative)
- 75 g / ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp sour cream or vanilla yogurt (dairy or non-dairy)
- 1 tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour
Raisin Filling:
- 75 g / ½ cup raisins
- 15 g / ⅛ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 30 g / 2 tbsp softened butter or non-dairy alternative
Other Toppings:
- 1 egg for egg wash or mild-flavored oil for a vegan option
- Demerara sugar
- Confectioner’s sugar
- Berries
How To Make Gluten-Free Puff Pastry Danish
- Making the Puff Pastry Dough: In a small bowl, whisk together warm water, 1 tbsp sugar, and yeast. Set aside until foamy, then add the egg and milk.
- Mixing the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk gluten-free flour, 3 tbsp sugar, and salt. Cut the cold butter into ½-tbsp pieces and mix into the flour using a food processor, stand mixer, or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles small pebbles.
- Combining Wet & Dry Ingredients: Slowly pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and mix just until the dough forms. It will be sticky but should hold together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes.
- Rolling & Folding the Dough: On a floured surface, roll the cold dough into a rectangle (approx. 40 x 35 cm / 16 x 14 inches). Fold it like a letter, then roll again. Repeat this folding and rolling process three more times, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Making the Cream Cheese Filling: In a bowl, whisk all ingredients until smooth. Add more gluten-free flour if needed to thicken. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Making the Raisin Filling: In a small bowl, mix raisins, sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preparing the Pastries: Cut the chilled dough in half, keeping one half in the fridge. Roll out the other half to ¼–½ inch thick and cut into 11–13 cm / 4 ½–5-inch squares. Gather and re-roll scraps as needed.
- Shaping the Pastries: For Pinwheels, place filling in the centre, cut from the corners toward the middle, fold alternating corners inward, and press to seal. Brush with egg wash and top with a berry. For Dutchess, fold into a triangle, cut a smaller triangle inside, unfold, fill the center, and fold over the edges. Brush with egg wash. For Swiss Roll, roll the dough into a rectangle, spread butter and sugar mixture, sprinkle with raisins and cinnamon, roll into a log, twist into a bun, and press a well in the centre for filling.
- Baking the Pastries: Cover and let rise for 15–30 minutes. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F. Bake for 9 minutes (Swiss rolls may need longer). Remove when golden brown and cool on a wire rack.
- Finishing Touches: Dust with confectioner’s sugar or drizzle with icing made from sugar and milk.
Recipe Tips
- Use cold butter: Make sure the butter is very cold when mixing with the flour to get those flaky layers in your pastry.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough: Refrigerating or freezing the dough before rolling helps keep the butter cold and prevents it from melting, ensuring a flaky texture.
- Roll the dough gently: Be careful when rolling out the dough, and dust with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Don’t roll it too thin; keep it about ¼ inch thick for best results.
- Fillings should not be too runny: If your cream cheese filling is too runny, add more flour to thicken it up. This prevents the filling from leaking out while baking.
- Let pastries rise before baking: Allow your shaped pastries to rise for 15-30 minutes before baking to ensure they puff up and bake evenly.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover pastries cool to room temperature. Once cooled, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Allow the pastries to cool to room temperature, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store them in a freezer-safe bag. They can be frozen for up to 1 month. To thaw, leave them in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
- Reheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the pastries on a baking sheet and heat for about 8-10 minutes, or until warmed through and slightly crispy.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 Danish (approximately 100g)
- Calories: 362.5
- Total Fat: 22.5g
- Saturated Fat: 12.5g
- Cholesterol: 25.8mg
- Sodium: 126.3mg
- Potassium: 58.1mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 34.5g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.6g
- Sugars: 5.5g
- Protein: 3.5g
Try More Puff Pastry Breakfasts:
- Gluten Free Puff Pastry Croissants
- Gluten Free Almond Puff Pastry Croissants
- Gluten Free Puff Pastry Dough
Gluten Free Puff Pastry Danish
Description
This easy gluten-free puff pastry Danish is light, flaky, and perfect for a quick homemade treat. Filled with a creamy cheese mixture or sweet cinnamon raisins, it’s a versatile pastry you can customize with your favorite toppings. Whether for breakfast or a sweet snack, this simple recipe brings bakery-style Danish pastries to your kitchen.
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Puff Pastry Dough:
Cream Cheese Filling:
Raisin Filling:
Other Toppings:
Instructions
- Making the Puff Pastry Dough: In a small bowl, whisk together warm water, 1 tbsp sugar, and yeast. Set aside until foamy, then add the egg and milk.
- Mixing the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk gluten-free flour, 3 tbsp sugar, and salt. Cut the cold butter into ½-tbsp pieces and mix into the flour using a food processor, stand mixer, or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles small pebbles.
- Combining Wet & Dry Ingredients: Slowly pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and mix just until the dough forms. It will be sticky but should hold together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes.
- Rolling & Folding the Dough: On a floured surface, roll the cold dough into a rectangle (approx. 40 x 35 cm / 16 x 14 inches). Fold it like a letter, then roll again. Repeat this folding and rolling process three more times, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Making the Cream Cheese Filling: In a bowl, whisk all ingredients until smooth. Add more gluten-free flour if needed to thicken. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Making the Raisin Filling: In a small bowl, mix raisins, sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preparing the Pastries: Cut the chilled dough in half, keeping one half in the fridge. Roll out the other half to ¼–½ inch thick and cut into 11–13 cm / 4 ½–5-inch squares. Gather and re-roll scraps as needed.
- Shaping the Pastries: For Pinwheels, place filling in the center, cut from the corners toward the middle, fold alternating corners inward, and press to seal. Brush with egg wash and top with a berry. For Dutchess, fold into a triangle, cut a smaller triangle inside, unfold, fill the center, and fold over the edges. Brush with egg wash. For Swiss Roll, roll the dough into a rectangle, spread butter and sugar mixture, sprinkle with raisins and cinnamon, roll into a log, twist into a bun, and press a well in the center for filling.
- Baking the Pastries: Cover and let rise for 15–30 minutes. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F. Bake for 9 minutes (Swiss rolls may need longer). Remove when golden brown and cool on a wire rack.
- Finishing Touches: Dust with confectioner’s sugar or drizzle with icing made from sugar and milk.
Notes
- Use cold butter: Make sure the butter is very cold when mixing with the flour to get those flaky layers in your pastry.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough: Refrigerating or freezing the dough before rolling helps keep the butter cold and prevents it from melting, ensuring a flaky texture.
- Roll the dough gently: Be careful when rolling out the dough, and dust with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Don’t roll it too thin; keep it about ¼ inch thick for best results.
- Fillings should not be too runny: If your cream cheese filling is too runny, add more flour to thicken it up. This prevents the filling from leaking out while baking.
- Let pastries rise before baking: Allow your shaped pastries to rise for 15-30 minutes before baking to ensure they puff up and bake evenly.
Gluten Free Puff Pastry Danish