Living a sugar-free lifestyle means a constant search for delicious alternatives to traditional sugary desserts, and this recipe is one of our favorite finds. This sugar-free Danish pastry recipe delivers all the deliciousness of traditional Danish pastries without the sugar spike.
The cream cheese Danish pastries feature a perfectly flaky crust wrapped around a creamy, sweet cheese filling, crowned with a light, sweet glaze and a fresh strawberry. The secret? Monk fruit sweetener blend that provides all the sweetness without the carbs (see our comprehensive sugar-free baking guide for more info on alternatives). These pastries are surprisingly simple to make at home, even if it's your first time attempting Danish dough. The recipe does take some time due to the rising period, but the result is absolutely worth it!
Whether you're serving these for a special sugar-free breakfast, weekend brunch, or just with your morning coffee, these sugar-free Danish pastries will impress anyone who tries them. No one will believe they're actually sugar-free!
Serving Suggestions
These Danish pastries are delicious on their own but pair wonderfully with a variety of breakfast and brunch options. Try serving them alongside a hot cup of coffee or tea for a perfect morning treat. For a complete breakfast spread, combine with some fresh fruit like berries or sliced peaches for a touch of natural sweetness.
If you enjoy these sugar-free Danish pastries, you might also love my other sugar-free baking recipes like Sugar-Free Hot Cross Buns, Danish Cinnamon Rolls, or Sugar-free Cinnamon Brioche Rolls. Not sure about converting regular recipes to sugar-free? Check out our comprehensive Sugar-Free Baking Conversion Guide and Sugar-Free Baking Guide to make perfect desserts each time!
Ingredients
All-Purpose Flour: The base of our Danish pastry dough, all-purpose flour provides structure and texture. While not strictly keto, this recipe uses a blend of flours to keep the carb count reasonable while maintaining that authentic Danish pastry texture.
Oatmeal Flour: This adds a subtle nutty flavor and helps create a more interesting texture in the pastry. It also adds some additional fiber to help offset the carbohydrate content. You can make your own by grinding rolled oats in a food processor until fine.
Instant Dry Yeast: This is essential for getting the dough to rise properly. Make sure your yeast is fresh for best results. Without sugar in the recipe, the rising time usually takes longer, so be patient!
Salt: Just a pinch enhances all the flavors without making the pastry taste salty. Don't skip this ingredient, as it's crucial for balancing flavors.
Unsalted Butter: Butter is what gives Danish pastry its characteristic flaky layers and rich taste. Make sure it's at room temperature for incorporation into the dough (but cold when creating the laminated dough layers, if you're making a more traditional Danish pastry technique).
Lukewarm Whole Milk: The liquid that brings the dough together. Make sure it's lukewarm (not hot) to activate the yeast without killing it. You can substitute almond milk for a lower-carb option.
Eggs (1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk): Eggs enrich the dough and provide structure. The additional egg yolk is for the cream cheese filling, adding richness and helping it set properly during baking.
Cinnamon (5g): Adds that classic warm spice flavor that pairs perfectly with the sweet cream cheese filling. You can adjust the amount according to your taste preferences.
Powdered Monk-Fruit Sweetener Blend (4 tbsp): This is our sugar substitute that makes these Danish pastries healthier and lower in carbs. The powdered version blends seamlessly into both the dough and the cream cheese filling without any grittiness. You can use other powdered low-carb sweeteners like erythritol or allulose if preferred.
Cream Cheese: The star of the filling! Use full-fat cream cheese at room temperature for the creamiest result. Make sure to beat it until smooth before adding other filling ingredients.
Water: Just a touch is needed to create the sweet glaze that tops these pastries.
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, oatmeal flour, instant dry yeast (6g), and salt. Mix well to distribute the ingredients evenly.
- Add the soft, room-temperature unsalted butter to the flour mixture. Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lukewarm whole milk and 1 whole egg. Pour this liquid mixture into the flour mixture.
- Using your hands, combine all ingredients until a dough starts to form. Once it begins to come together, transfer it to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.
- Mix on low-medium speed for 5-7 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. The dough will be slightly sticky but should pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for at least 1-2 hours. Because this is a sugar-free dough, depending on the room temperature, the rising time may take longer, possibly 2.5-3 hours. The dough might not double in size but will increase and become more airy and fluffy.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the cream cheese filling. In a medium bowl, mix room temperature cream cheese with one egg yolk and two tablespoons of powdered monk fruit sweetener blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Once the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough using a rolling pin into a rectangle approximately ¼ inch thick. Cut the dough into equal squares, approximately 4x4 inches each.
- Fold the corners of each square towards the center, pressing them lightly in the middle to secure them in place.
- Transfer the shaped Danish pastries to the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each one for expansion.
- Using the back of a spoon, press a dent into the center of each pastry. Fill each indentation with approx. ½ tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown.
- While the pastries are baking, prepare the glaze by mixing two tablespoons of powdered monk fruit sweetener with just enough water to create a runny, pourable consistency.
- Once the Danish pastries are baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly before topping each one with a slice of fresh strawberry and drizzling them with the prepared glaze. Serve while still warm for best results!
Danish Pastries With Cream Cheese (Sugar-Free Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (125 g) oatmeal flour
- 2 teaspoon (6 g) instant dry yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5.5 oz (155 g) unsalted butter
- 6 oz (170 mL) lukewarm whole milk
- 1.5 eggs (1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk)
- 1.5 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- 4 tablespoon powdered monk-fruit sweetener blend
- 5 tablespoon cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon water (1-2 tbsp, adjust to the desired consistency)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, oatmeal flour, instant dry yeast, and salt. Mix well.
- Add the soft, room-temperature unsalted butter to the flour mixture. Using your hands, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lukewarm whole milk and 1 whole egg. Pour this liquid mixture into the flour mixture.
- Using your hands or a spatula, combine all ingredients until a dough starts to form. Once it begins to come together, transfer it to a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.
- Mix on low-medium speed for 5-7 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. The dough will remain slightly sticky but should pull away from the sides of the bowl.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for approx. 2-3 hours. The dough might not double in size but will increase and become more airy and fluffy.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the cream cheese filling. In a medium bowl, mix room temperature cream cheese with one egg yolk and two tablespoons of powdered monk fruit sweetener blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Once the dough has risen, preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough using a rolling pin into a rectangle approximately ¼ inch thick. Cut the dough into equal squares, approximately 4x4 inches each.
- Fold the corners of each square towards the center, pressing them lightly in the middle to secure them in place.
- Transfer the shaped Danish pastries to the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each one for expansion.
- Using the back of a spoon, press a dent into the center of each pastry. Fill each indentation with approx. ½ tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the pastries are golden brown.
- While the pastries are baking, prepare the glaze by mixing two tablespoons of powdered monk fruit sweetener with just enough water to create a slightly runny, pourable consistency.
- Once the Danish pastries are baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly before topping each one with a slice of fresh strawberry and drizzling them with the prepared glaze.
Notes
- Make sure your milk is lukewarm, not hot, to activate the yeast without killing it.
- Sugar-free dough takes longer to rise as yeast doesn't have sugar to feed on. Be patient and look for the dough to become airy and slightly puffed rather than doubled in size.
- When adding the cream cheese filling, resist the temptation to overfill, as it can cause the filling to overflow during baking.
- Try to cut your dough squares as evenly as possible so all your Danish pastries bake at the same rate.
- For an even more golden finish, brush the pastry edges with beaten egg before baking.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for 2-3 days.
- Add some sugar-free berry jam under the cream cheese for extra sweetness and moisture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can prepare the dough the night before and let it rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight to serve the delicious pastries for breakfast. This actually enhances the flavor. In the morning, just shape, fill, and bake as directed. You can also freeze the baked pastries for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and warm in the oven for a few minutes before serving.
Without sugar, yeast doesn't have as much to feed on, so the rising process is slower and less dramatic. That's completely normal for sugar-free dough! The pastries will still be delicious and will puff up during baking.
Absolutely! While this recipe uses a classic cream cheese filling, you can also try sugar-free jam, lemon curd (sugar-free), or a mixture of cream cheese and fresh berries. Just make sure any substitutes are also sugar-free if you're strictly avoiding sugar.
This recipe contains regular flour, which isn't strictly keto. It's more accurately described as sugar-free. For a true keto version, you would need to substitute the all-purpose and oatmeal flours with low-carb alternatives like almond flour and coconut flour and possibly add xanthan gum for structure, but this recipe hasn't been tested for a keto version.
Expert Tips
- Temperature matters: Make sure your milk is lukewarm, not hot, to activate the yeast without killing it. Similarly, butter should be soft enough to work with but not melted.
- Patience with rising: Sugar-free dough takes longer to rise as yeast doesn't have sugar to feed on. Be patient and look for the dough to become airy and slightly puffed rather than doubled in size.
- Don't overfill: When adding the cream cheese filling, resist the temptation to overfill. About ½ tablespoon in each Danish is perfect-too much can cause the filling to overflow during baking.
- Even sizing: Try to cut your dough squares as evenly as possible so all your Danish pastries bake at the same rate.
- Fresh yeast test: If you're unsure if your yeast is still active, test it by mixing a small amount with some lukewarm water. If it doesn't bubble after 5-10 minutes, it's time for new yeast.
- Egg wash option: For an even more golden finish, brush the pastry edges with beaten egg before baking.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for 2-3 days.
- Add some sugar-free berry jam under the cream cheese for extra sweetness and moisture.
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