A Danish pastry is a sweet, flaky breakfast treat made from layers of buttery dough folded many times to create delicate, crispy layers that shatter when you bite into them. Bakers often shape Danish pastries into spirals, squares, or pockets, then fill them with fruit preserves, cream cheese, custard, or almond paste before baking them until golden brown.

In the 1850s, Danish bakers learned the layering technique from Austrian pastry makers and perfected it into something new. People in Denmark call these pastries wienerbrød, which means “Viennese bread.” Americans and many other countries call them Danish pastries or simply Danishes.

The key to a good Danish is those paper-thin layers of dough separated by butter. When the pastry bakes, the butter creates steam that puffs up each layer, making the pastry both crispy and tender. You'll find Danishes in bakeries and coffee shops around the world, though the fillings and shapes vary by region. Some have a glaze drizzled on top, while others are dusted with powdered sugar.