Gluten Free Danish Recipe – Danish Pastry

Do you miss apple or cheese Danish? How about almond bear claws? If so, you will no longer crave them as this homemade, gluten-free version is better than store-bought Danish. They are not only puffy but flaky as well. 

OMG! (I rarely use this expression, but it is the only thing that seems to fit how I feel.) This is not only the best gluten free danish recipe I’ve ever made but the best one I have ever eaten, even with gluten! My fave is the cream cheese and canned apple filling in the below Tips section.

You have to try this recipe, and be sure to use “superfine” rice flour. I have used Authentic Foods as well as Vitacost brands. I know you will enjoy this recipe! Both work well.

To say the least, while developing this recipe, I had one of those “Ah-hah!” moments. After making my Gluten Free Croissants Recipe, I never wanted to make puff pastry or croissant dough ever again. I used Julia Child’s croissant recipe which takes a very long time to make. Luckily, I found a shortcut, and this recipe may be made in one day, actually, a couple of hours if you use the cream cheese filling or canned pie filling.

The dough is full of flaky layers. Be sure to check out the below photos. It’s my day off; so no fancy photos today. Sorry! If you need step-by-step photos, just let me know, and I will add more.

Note: Read the recipe all the way through prior to making the recipe. You’ll see a note where I update you on the most recent method I use to make them.

Gluten Free Danish Pastry Recipe

51

Prep Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

Yield: Makes 21 Danish pastries

Gluten Free Danish Pastry Recipe

A gluten free Danish recipe that you will swear is the best pastry you've ever eaten, especially when the cream cheese filling is added to fruit or alone. Oh my!

Ingredients:

    For Pastry:
  • 1 recipe Gluten Free Puffed Pastry
  • Your desired filling(s) (see “Tips” section)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • Potato starch, for rolling
  • Filling Suggestions:
  • Gluten-Free Pastry Cream
  • Almond Filling
  • Gluten-free pie filling (Wilderness or Comstock)
  • Cream Cheese and Apple Pie Filling (see “Tips” section)
  • Cream Cheese and Fresh Apple Filling (see “Tips” section)

Instructions:

  1. Make the puff pastry recipe the day before you wish to make Danish.
  2. When you are ready to make them, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat; set aside. (If baking the full batch at one time, you will need additional baking sheets. Just be sure to use a cold baking sheet each time.)
  3. In a cup, whisk the egg yolk with milk to make the egg wash and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
  4. Generously dust a rolling surface with potato starch or cornstarch. Transfer dough to rolling surface. Unfold the puff pastry dough and cut into thirds.
  5. Using a rolling pin, pound out one sheet of dough before rolling it out. (This prevents the thin layers from cracking.) Roll dough to 1/8-inch thick while keeping the other two pieces of dough in the refrigerator. Trim off uneven edges of dough and cut into squares, approximately 4 x 4-inches.
  6. Add filling diagonally, from one corner to the opposite corner. Fold one of the corners without any filling towards the center. Brush the top of that corner with egg wash, as well as the other corner. Fold over the second corner and press down to seal.
  7. Refrigerate uncovered for 20 minutes.
  8. Repeat rolling and folding process with remaining two sheets of dough or freeze for future use. (The more times you refreeze the dough, the less it will puff when baked.)
  9. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  10. Brush the top and sides of the pastry dough with egg wash and bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.
  11. Transfer Danish to a serving plate and allow to cool at least 15 minutes prior to serving.

Tips

Variations:

Cream Cheese and Apple Pie Filling: For each Danish, combine 1 ounce of gluten-free cream cheese, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1-1/4 teaspoons egg yolk. Use this as half of the filling for a Danish. Then top with apple pie filling. Use double the amount of cream cheese filling when using it as the only filling.

Cream Cheese and Fresh Apple Filling: Place thin slices of fresh apples over 1 – 2 tablespoons of cream cheese filling. Once Danish are done baking and while still warm, baste the top with orange, apricot, or peach jam.

8 Replies to “Gluten Free Danish Recipe – Danish Pastry”

  1. I tried making your recipe for Danish and it really didn’t work at all. I baked them and they turned out with flaky layers, but they never rose at all, just stayed flat. and when I tried to proof them a bit, they cracked. Any suggestions?

    1. Hi Monika,

      I can’t believe I missed this comment. Are you’re dairy-free? If you made these with Earth Balance, that’s probably the problem. However, it’s hard to believe it didn’t rise. Did you use 2-1/2 tablespoons of yeast? I may have had the yeast lower when you made them because a few people stated that they used 2 teaspoons (afraid that I had made an error stating “tablespoons”), and it turned out fine. However, I have remade the recipe since then, and tablespoons are what it takes to make them rise enough.

      I hope this makes sense.

      Carla

  2. These recipes of your look wonderful but my only problem is I need to know what the carb count is since my granddaughter who has both Celiac and type 1 diabetic so we need to know the carbs when she eats.

  3. I’m interested to know what exactly “pounding out” the dough means versus rolling it out? How do you perform this is technique?

    1. What I believe the author means by “pound out” the sheet of dough is to lay the dough on a counter-top and forcefully slam a rolling pin on top in alternating positions, creating indents across the surface of the dough.

  4. Hi Carla.. Greetings from Malaysia

    First off, the danish puff pastry looks amazing.. would love to try it but I’m a bit apprehensive as your puff pastry recipe uses ‘Cups’ as a measurement for flour. Forgive me but I’ve had quite a few disasters when it comes to ‘cups’ measures. Would you possibly have the weight measure for the individual flours that make up your flour mix? That would give my confidence level a great boost, which is what I need if I’m gonna take up this ‘challenge’.

    Many thanks in advance.

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