History

Wienerbrød (literally 'Viennese bread') is the Danish name for what the world calls Danish pastry, a misnomer reflecting that the technique arrived in Copenhagen with Austrian bakers brought in to replace striking Danish workers in 1850. The Danish bakers learned and elevated the lamination technique into the local pastry tradition. Hart Bageri, Juno the Bakery and Sankt Peders Bageri produce the canonical Copenhagen wienerbrød daily; the kanelstang at Sankt Peders Bageri is the city's reference cinnamon-bun-style version.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy, Egg

Make it at home

Yield 16Hands-on 2 hrTotal 12 hrDifficulty Advanced

Ingredients

  • For the dough: 500g strong white flour
  • 60g caster sugar
  • 10g instant dried yeast
  • 8g fine salt
  • 1 egg
  • 200ml cold whole milk
  • 50g unsalted butter softened
  • For lamination: 250g cold high-fat butter (Lurpak or similar, ideally 82% fat or higher)
  • For the remonce filling: 100g unsalted butter
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon (or 100g marzipan softened)
  • For the custard filling: 250ml whole milk, 3 egg yolks, 50g sugar, 25g flour, 1 vanilla pod scraped
  • Apricot jam or raspberry jam
  • 1 egg beaten for egg wash
  • Flaked almonds, pearl sugar to top
  • Icing sugar glaze: 100g icing sugar plus 2 tablespoons cold water

Method

  1. Make the dough: combine flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add egg, cold milk and soft butter. Knead 5 minutes to a smooth dough. Wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
  2. Beat the cold lamination butter between sheets of greaseproof paper into a 20cm by 20cm square. Refrigerate.
  3. Roll the dough into a 40cm square on a floured surface. Place the butter slab diagonally in the centre. Fold the four corners of the dough over the butter to meet in the middle, sealing completely.
  4. Roll into a 60cm by 20cm rectangle. Fold in thirds like a letter. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
  5. Repeat the roll-and-fold twice more, chilling 30 minutes between each turn.
  6. Make custard: whisk milk, yolks, sugar, flour and vanilla in a heavy pan over medium heat until thick. Cool covered with cling film touching the surface.
  7. Make remonce: beat soft butter with sugar and cinnamon to a smooth paste.
  8. Roll the laminated dough to 3mm thick. Cut 12cm squares. Pipe a teaspoon of remonce or custard in the centre. Fold opposing corners to the middle and pinch, forming a spandauer (windmill) shape. Add a teaspoon of jam in the centre if using custard.
  9. Place on lined trays, brush with egg wash, sprinkle with flaked almonds or pearl sugar. Prove 45 minutes at room temperature.
  10. Bake at 200C for 12 to 15 minutes until deep golden.
  11. Drizzle with icing sugar glaze while warm. Eat fresh.

Tip from the editors. The butter and dough must stay at similar firmness through the lamination; if either softens, return to the fridge.

Where to eat wienerbrød

Wienerbrød in Copenhagen

Hart Bageri ★ 4.8

$ BakerySourdough loaves and laminated Danish pastriesWalk-in only

Hart Bageri on Gammel Kongevej in Frederiksberg was opened by former Tartine head baker Richard Hart and now runs ten locations across greater Copenhagen.

Worth the queueTebirkes (poppyseed danish)

TipArrive by 09:00 weekends for the cardamom buns and tebirkes; sourdough loaves restock through the morning.

Directions

Juno the Bakery ★ 4.9

$ BakerySourdough, Scandinavian pastry, cardamom bunsWalk-in only

Juno the Bakery on Århusgade in Østerbro from former noma cook Emil Glaser bakes the cardamom bun that anchors the modern Copenhagen pastry conversation.

Worth the queueCardamom bun

TipOpen Wednesday to Sunday only. Arrive by 09:30 for the cardamom bun or expect the 60-deep weekend queue.

Directions

Sankt Peders Bageri ★ 4.7

$$ Bakery

Sankt Peders Bageri on Sankt Peders Straede is Copenhagens oldest working bakery, with a Wednesday onsdagssnegl cinnamon roll that keeps the queue local.

Why locals goCopenhagen's oldest working bakery has been on Sankt Peders Stræde since the 17th century but the Wednesday cinnamon roll keeps the queue local, not tourist-led.

TipThe onsdagssnegl only bakes on Wednesday. Closed weekends Word-of-mouth is the only marketing.

Directions

Andersen Bakery ★ 4.2

$ BakeryDanish pastry and sourdough breadWalk-in only

Andersen Bakery on Thorshavnsgade in Islands Brygge is the Copenhagen outpost of the Japanese-owned Andersen chain, which the Takaki family.

Worth the queueSpandauer with crème pâtissière

TipHarbour-side counter in Islands Brygge with both takeaway and cafe seating. The Hiroshima mothership has been baking Danish-style since the 1960s.

Directions

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