Sourdough Discard Raspberry Cream Cheese Danishes (Printer-friendly)

Buttery sourdough pastries with tangy cream cheese and sweet raspberry filling

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1/2 cup sourdough discard (unfed)
04 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
06 - 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)

→ Cream Cheese Filling

07 - 6 oz cream cheese, softened
08 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

→ Raspberry Filling

11 - 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
12 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
13 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch
14 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

→ Glaze

15 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
16 - 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream
17 - 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How to Make It:

01 - Cut cold butter into flour in a large bowl until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Mix in sourdough discard, sugar, and salt until soft dough forms. Shape into disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
02 - Beat cream cheese in medium bowl until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice; mix until creamy and fully combined. Set aside.
03 - Combine raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened for 3-5 minutes. Let cool.
04 - Preheat oven to 375°F and line baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll chilled dough on floured surface to 1/4-inch thick. Cut into 8 rectangles or circles, placing 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Create indentation in center of each piece. Spoon 1 tablespoon cream cheese filling into each center, then top with raspberry filling.
05 - Let assembled pastries rest at room temperature for 20-30 minutes to puff slightly. Brush edges lightly with beaten egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and set. Cool on rack.
06 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over cooled Danishes before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get bakery style pastries without wasting a single gram of your precious starter
  • The tang from the discard cuts through the rich cream cheese making every bite perfectly balanced
02 -
  • The dough will seem shaggy and almost too dry but resist the urge to add liquid
  • Let the fillings cool completely or they will melt out of the pastry while baking
03 -
  • Work quickly with the dough and keep everything cold to maintain those flaky layers
  • Space the pastries at least two inches apart so they have room to puff without sticking

Go back