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Enriched Sweet Pastry Dough

Enriched Sweet Pastry Dough prepared dish

This tender, buttery sweet dough is ideal for cinnamon rolls, fruit pastries, braided loaves, or filled breakfast buns. A slow rise and careful mixing create a soft crumb with enough structure to roll, shape, and bake beautifully.

This recipe is french style, breakfast, scaled for 8 servings, with 35 min prep and 25 min cook.

Prep: 35 min · Cook: 25 min · Total: 60 min · Serves: 8

Quick cooking notes

  • Core ingredients include fine sea salt, large eggs, unsalted butter, vanilla extract.
  • Follow all 14 steps in order for the intended texture and doneness.
  • Ingredient quantities listed below are for 8 servings.

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 2 large large eggs (room temperature)
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter (softened and cut into tablespoons)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2.25 tsp active dry yeast
  • 0.33 cup granulated sugar (divided)
  • 0.75 cup whole milk (warmed to 105°F to 110°F)
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream (for egg wash)
  • 3.5 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
  • 1 tsp vegetable oil (for greasing the bowl)

Instructions

  1. Warm the 0.75 cup whole milk in a small saucepan over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often with a silicone spatula, until an instant-read thermometer registers 105°F to 110°F; remove the pan from the heat before the milk feels hot.
  2. Pour the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer, then whisk in the 2.25 tsp active dry yeast and 1 tbsp of the granulated sugar with a fork for 15 seconds; let the mixture stand at room temperature for 5 to 8 minutes, until foamy and lightly domed.
  3. Add 1 large egg, the remaining granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3.5 cups all-purpose flour, and 1 tsp fine sea salt to the mixer bowl, then mix with the dough hook on low speed for 2 minutes, until a shaggy dough forms with no dry flour at the bottom of the bowl.
  4. Increase the mixer to medium-low speed and knead the dough for 5 minutes, stopping once to scrape the bowl with a bench scraper, until the dough looks smoother and begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
  5. With the mixer running on medium-low speed, add the 0.5 cup softened unsalted butter 1 tbsp at a time over 4 to 5 minutes, waiting until each piece is mostly absorbed before adding the next; the dough should look glossy, soft, and slightly sticky.
  6. Continue kneading on medium-low speed for 4 to 6 minutes, until the dough is elastic and passes a windowpane test when a small piece can be stretched thin without tearing immediately.
  7. Lightly coat a large mixing bowl with 1 tsp vegetable oil, transfer the dough to the bowl with a flexible spatula, and turn it once to coat the surface; cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel.
  8. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free spot at 75°F to 80°F for 60 to 90 minutes, until it is puffy and nearly doubled in volume; if the kitchen is cool, place the bowl in an unheated oven with the oven light on and check after 60 minutes.
  9. Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured work surface and press it gently with your palms for 30 seconds to release large air bubbles; shape it into a smooth ball, rectangle, or log depending on the pastry you plan to make.
  10. For same-day pastries, roll or divide the dough as desired on the floured surface, place the shaped pieces on a parchment-lined 13 by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet, cover loosely with a towel, and proof at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes, until noticeably puffy and springy when lightly touched.
  11. While the shaped dough proofs, heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position for at least 15 minutes so the heat is steady before baking.
  12. Whisk the remaining 1 large egg with 1 tbsp heavy cream in a small bowl for 20 seconds, then brush a thin, even layer over the proofed dough with a pastry brush, avoiding puddles around the base of the pastries.
  13. Bake the pastries on the parchment-lined 13 by 18-inch rimmed baking sheet at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the tops are deep golden brown and the center of the thickest piece registers 190°F to 200°F on an instant-read thermometer.
  14. Transfer the baked pastries to a wire rack with a spatula and cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing or filling, until the crumb sets and the interior no longer looks doughy.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories: 372
  • Protein: 9 g
  • Fat: 16 g
  • Carbohydrates: 48 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Sugar: 11 g
  • Sodium: 307 mg

Nutrition values are estimates based on stored ingredient totals and serving size.

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