Breakfast Pastries Recipe

Activate yeast and mix dough

In a small bowl, combine warm milk (110°F/43°C), 1 tsp sugar (from the 2 tbsp), and the instant dry yeast. Let sit 5–8 minutes until foamy. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or large mixing bowl), whisk together the flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add the foamy yeast mixture, softened butter, and 1 large egg. Mix on low until ingredients come together, then increase speed to medium and knead 6–8 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic. If dough is too sticky, add up to 2 tbsp flour; if too dry, add up to 1 tbsp milk.

First rise

Lightly oil a clean bowl, place the dough inside, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm draft-free place for 1 to 1¼ hours, until doubled in size.

Shape pastries

Punch down the dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 12 equal portions (about 70–80 g each). Roll each portion into a ball, then flatten into a disk about 4 inches (10 cm) across. If making Danish-style pockets, fold edges up slightly to create a rim to hold filling; if making turnovers, roll each disk into a rectangle and place filling on one half and fold over, sealing edges with a fork.

Make cream cheese filling

In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust sweetness. Transfer filling to a piping bag or spoon into the center of each shaped pastry (about 1–2 tbsp per pastry).

If using jam, spoon about 1 tsp to 1 tbsp jam onto the cream cheese mound (or directly onto dough if skipping cream cheese), taking care not to overfill. For variety, make some pastries with only jam and some with cream cheese + jam.

Egg wash and second rise

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the filled pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them. Whisk together 1 egg and 1 tbsp milk, then gently brush the edges (and the dough surface if not covering with filling) with the egg wash. If you shaped pockets with rims, brush only the rim. Let rest 15–20 minutes for a brief second rise while the oven heats.

Bake

Bake pastries for 14–18 minutes, until golden brown and the dough is cooked through. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool further.

Make glaze and finish

While pastries cool slightly, whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tbsp milk, and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over slightly cooled pastries. Sprinkle coarse sugar or sliced almonds on top while glaze is still wet if desired. Allow glaze to set 15–20 minutes before serving.