Sourdough Discard Raspberry Cream Cheese Danishes
Flaky danishes made with sourdough discard, a creamy sweet-tart cream cheese center, and vibrant raspberry topping. A forgiving recipe that rescues discard and yields bakery-style treats at home.
Ingredients
Pastry
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 250 g
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp instant yeast optional
- ¾ cup sourdough discard 180 g (unfed)
- 4 tbsp cold water 60 ml (adjust as needed)
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter 226 g, divided
- 1 large egg for egg wash
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz cream cheese 225 g, softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar 65 g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest optional
Raspberry Topping & Finishing
- ¾ cup raspberry jam or 1 cup cooked raspberries
- Powdered sugar glaze optional: 1/2 cup powdered sugar + 1–2 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Mix flour, sugar, salt, and yeast (if using). Add sourdough discard and water until a shaggy dough forms. Knead briefly until smooth, shape into a disk, and chill 30 minutes.
- Pound 3/4 cup cold butter into a flat square between parchment until pliable but cold. Keep remaining butter cold for extra layers if desired.
- Roll dough to rectangle, place butter, fold, roll, and do letter folds. Chill 20–30 minutes and repeat once for more layers.
- Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness, cut into squares. Mix cream cheese filling and spoon into centers. Top with raspberry jam and fold corners toward center or frame edges.
- Proof shaped danishes 30–45 minutes until slightly puffy. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C), brush with egg wash, and bake 15–18 minutes until golden.
- Cool on a rack and drizzle with powdered sugar glaze if desired. Serve warm.
Notes
- Use puff pastry as a shortcut; fold discard into the cream cheese for flavor.
- Keep butter cold but pliable while laminating for the best layers.
- Freeze baked danishes on a tray then transfer to a bag; reheat from frozen.
Nutrition
Calories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 6gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 18gSodium: 250mgSugar: 11g
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