Blueberry Danish Pillow - Easy Soft Danish With Cream Cheese

Danish Pillows: Soft Cream Cheese & Blueberry Pastries

If you love the flavour of classic danishes but prefer a soft, pillowy texture over flaky layers, these Danish Pillows are about to become your new favourite bake. Made with a rich, sweet yeast dough, filled with honey-sweetened cream cheese and bursting blueberries, these soft pastries are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat. Topped with a golden egg yolk wash and sliced almonds, they bake up beautifully golden and irresistible.

Unlike traditional laminated Danish pastries, these are much easier and quicker to make at home - no rolling or folding layers of pastry. This recipe uses a soft enriched dough that’s easy to make, tender to bite into, and stays fresh longer. Whether you're hosting brunch, baking for a weekend treat, or prepping a freezer-friendly breakfast, these blueberry cream cheese Danish rolls are a co6zy, satisfying option.

Why No Second Rise Makes These Danish Pillows a Quick & Easy Treat

One of the best things about this recipe is that it skips the second rise, which means you can go from mixing bowl to oven much faster than traditional danish pastries. This makes Danish Pillows a fantastic option when you want a fresh, soft, and delicious sweet treat without spending hours in the kitchen. The texture is tender and rich — just like what you’d find at your favourite bakery or coffee shop. So why spend money and time heading out when you can easily create bakery-quality pastries right in your own kitchen? With these Danish Pillows, you get that warm, comforting, freshly-baked goodness at home, anytime.

A Little Crunch and How to Enjoy Them the Next Day

The sliced almonds sprinkled on the sides adds a delightful crunch that perfectly complements the soft, pillowy dough and creamy filling.

To refresh them, simply pop the pastries in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for about 5 minutes — this brings back that freshly-baked warmth and slight crisp on the outside without drying them out. Personally though I recommend eating them on the same day for the best experience.

Ingredients You’ll Need For the Dough:

• 595g plain flour

• 100g golden granulated sugar

• 10g instant yeast

• 1¼ cups warm milk (about 300ml)

• 1 large egg

• 1 egg yolk

• 40g unsalted butter, room temperature and cubed

For the Filling:

• 200g cream cheese

• ½ cup honey

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup frozen blueberries

For the Topping:

• 1 egg yolk (for brushing)

• A handful of sliced almonds

• Sprinkling of White Chocolate Chips (put these on once baked)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the Dough

In a freestanding mixer bowl (with the dough hook), combine the flour, sugar, yeast, egg, egg yolk and warm milk.

Mix until it starts to come together, then add in the butter. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic — it comes together in just a few minutes.

2. Let It Rise

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl (I like to use butter), cover with clingfilm, and let it rise in a warm spot for 1–2 hours, or until doubled in size.

3. Prepare the Filling

In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, honey, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

4. Shape the Danish Pillows

Divide the dough into 9 even compacted balls. Flatten each ball into a round and create a shallow well in the center. Spoon cream cheese mixture into each, then top with blueberries.

5. Prepare for Baking

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F) about 15 minutes before baking. Brush the edges of each Danish Pillow with the egg yolk and sprinkle sliced almonds around the edges.

6. Bake

Place the shaped pastries on the baking sheet and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the cream cheese centre has set.

7. Cool & Enjoy

As soon as you've removed them from the oven sprinkle with some white chocolate chips. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then enjoy warm or at room temperature.