There’s nothing quite like a warm, buttery butterhorn straight from the oven. These classic Danish-style pastries start with a rich milk-and-butter yeast dough that’s soft, slightly sweet, and incredibly tender. Each section is rolled into a round shape, baked golden, and finished with a simple vanilla glaze and a shower of shaved almonds.
Check out more breakfast treast like my Easy Raspberry Danish or Old Fashioned Blueberry Biscuits recipes.
They’re perfect for weekend baking, holiday brunch, or an anytime “treat yourself” coffee break. The dough is very forgiving, and the glaze stirs together in seconds for a homey bakery flavor.
Ingredients (see recipe card for quantities)
Recipe Notes & Tips (for perfect Butterhorns)
- Proof the yeast right. Bloom the packet of active dry yeast in the warm water (105–110°F) with 1 teaspoon of the sugar. It should get foamy in 5–10 minutes—if not, start over with fresh yeast.
- Mind the milk temperature. If you heat the milk with the butter, let the mixture cool to lukewarm before adding the egg or yeast mixture. Liquids hotter than 130°F will kill yeast.
- Salt & yeast don’t mingle. Mix the salt into the flour, not directly into the yeast bloom.
- Warm, draft-free rise. Let the dough double in a cozy spot (around 75–80°F). Use the “finger dent” test: a gentle press should spring back slowly and leave a slight indent.
- Bake to color, not the clock. Pull when deeply golden and the centers read 190–195°F on an instant-read thermometer. Rotate pans halfway for even browning.
- Glaze at the right time. Whisk glaze to a slow-ribbon drizzle. If it’s too thick, add milk by the ½ teaspoon; too thin, sift in more powdered sugar. Glaze while rolls are slightly warm so it sets glossy. Sprinkle almonds immediately so they stick.
- Make-ahead option. After shaping, cover and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temp, proof until puffy, then bake. Great for holiday mornings.
Troubleshooting
- Dense Pastry liquids too hot (killed yeast), old yeast, too much flour, or under-proofed.
- Dough spread out: dough too warm/soft; chill before shaping and ensure a full second rise.
- Pale Color: under baked or oven running cool; verify with a thermometer and bake to golden.
Step-by-Step Photos: Danish Butterhorns
Make the dough.
Shape the dough.
Make the glaze.
Danish Butterhorns
Classic Danish Butterhorns made from a rich milk-and-butter yeast dough, rolled into roubds and finished with a vanilla glaze and shaved almonds. Cozy bakery-style rolls that are simple to make and perfect with coffee or brunch.
Ingredients
Equipment
Step by Step Directions
- Line a baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.
- In a shallow saucepan, heat the milk on medium heat to scalding (not boiling). You want to see tiny little bubbles around the edge of the pan but you don’t want it bubbling anywhere else in the pan.
- Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup of sugar, the butter and the salt to the warm milk. Stir to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar and salt. Set aside to cool.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir the yeast and 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar into the warm water. Let it stand for 5 minutes to bloom.
- Put the flour in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre of the bowl. Add the egg, the milk mixture and the yeast mixture to the bowl. Stir until everything is moistened and you’ve got a shaggy dough.
- Spray a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and cover the bowl with it. Place the bowl in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour. It will be doubled in size by that time.
- Turn the dough out to a floured surface and divide it into two equals portions.
- Roll out one portion on a lightly floured surface to approximately 10 inches by 12 inches. cut the dough into 12 x 1 inch strips. Repeat this process with the other portion of dough.
- Lightly twist each strip like you would a party streamer. Starting in the middle of the bun, roll the twisted strip around itself directly onto the prepared baking sheet. When you get to the end, lightly pinch the the dough into the side of the coil. Be sure to leave at least 3-4 inches between each roll. Repeat this process until you get 2 dozen rolls.
- Cover with greased plastic wrap and place in a warm, dry spot for 30 minutes to rise. The rolls will be puffed up and almost double the size.
- Preheat your oven to 375℉. Bake the risen buns for 25 minutes in the pre-heated oven. The tops will be golden brown. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer the rolls to a rack to cool to room temperature.
- In a small mixing bowl, use a fork to whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk.
- Drizzle the glaze over the top of the rolls and sprinkle the tops with shaved (or slivered) almonds.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is an estimate and not guaranteed, and that the reader is responsible for verifying ingredients for allergies and dietary needs
Notes
• Why do we do scald the milk first? Milk has proteins in it that can break down gluten. Scalding the milk makes those proteins go dormant and you’ll have a much better rise by doing this.
• Is the milk scalding necessary? No, but it really helps in making those pastries rise. And you have to melt the butter anyway so why not do both.
• You don’t have to use almonds. Pecans or walnuts are great too.
• Is the milk scalding necessary? No, but it really helps in making those pastries rise. And you have to melt the butter anyway so why not do both.
• You don’t have to use almonds. Pecans or walnuts are great too.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!How to Store Leftover Pastry
- Store leftovers, covered, at room temperature for 2days. You can warm in the microwave on high for 15 seconds for an added touch.
- Freeze shaped, unbaked Butterhorns on a tray, then bag. Thaw in the fridge, proof, and bake—or freeze baked (unglazed) and rewarm at 300°F, then glaze.
