If you love Danish pastries, then classic tebirkes are a must-try! These flaky, buttery breakfast pastries are a staple in Denmark, known for their delicate layers of laminated dough and a generous coating of poppy seeds. Perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning!
Making tebirkes requires patience and precision, as the dough is laminated with butter through a series of folds—typically 3 turns, then 4 turns, and finally another 3 turns—to create the signature airy layers. After shaping, each bun is brushed with egg, coated in poppy seeds, and cold-proofed overnight to enhance the flavor and texture.
Jump to Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Dough:
- Milk
- Fresh yeast
- Egg yolks
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar or honey
- Salt
For Laminating:
- Butter
For the Topping:
Poppy seeds
Eggs
How to Make Tebirkes with Poppy Seeds:
- Prepare the dough and let it rest.
- Laminate the dough by incorporating the butter with precise folds (3-4-3 turns).
- Roll and cut the dough into individual pieces.
- Brush with egg and coat with poppy seeds.
- Cold-proof overnight for optimal texture.
- Bake at 200°C (390°F) for 15–20 minutes until golden and crispy.
Though they require time and technique, the result is well worth the effort—perfectly crisp, buttery layers with a delicate crunch from the poppy seeds. For another delicious variation, tebirkes can also be made with a sweet almond paste filling, but that’s a recipe for a future blog post!
Enjoy them fresh with butter or a slice of cheese for an authentic Danish bakery experience!
Share Your Creations
If you make these Danish Butter Buns with Seeds, don’t forget to tag me @missbrownsbakeryandbeyond on Instagram or share your results with me—I’d love to see your creations!
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If you enjoyed making these Danish Butter Buns with Seeds, you might also love our 3 Long Vanilla Cream Danish Pastries: A Flaky, Buttery Delight. These sweet Danish treats are filled with smooth vanilla cream, baked to golden perfection, and have the same irresistible flaky texture. Perfect for a sweet brunch or dessert, these pastries bring a touch of Denmark’s classic bakery flavors right to your home!
Tebirkes
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1100 g milk
- 50 g fresh yeast
- 2 g egg yolks
- 1700 g flour (adjust for a smooth, elastic dough)
- 60 g sugar (or honey)
- 25 g salt
For Laminating:
- 1000 g butter (to be pressed into a flat sheet and chilled)
Topping:
- 4 eggs
- 120-150 g Poppy seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough:Crumble the yeast into a large bowl and dissolve it in the cold milk. Add sugar (or honey) and salt.Gradually add flour, mixing until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Knead until the dough pulls away from the bowl. Let rise under a kitchen towel for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the Butter:While the dough is resting, press the cold butter into a large, flat sheet, using parchment paper or plastic wrap to help shape it. Chill the butter in the refrigerator to keep it firm.
- Laminate with Butter:Roll out the dough on a floured surface to three times the size of the butter sheet.Place the chilled butter sheet in the center of the dough.Fold one side of the dough over the butter, then fold the opposite side over to cover, like an envelope.Roll out the dough again, fold in thirds like a letter, and repeat 2–3 times to create the layers.
- Shape the Buns:Roll the dough to about 1 cm thick.Cut into pieces about 5–6 cm wide and 8 cm long.
- Add Topping and Cold-Proof:Brush each piece with beaten egg and dip into the poppy seeds.Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate overnight (8–12 hours) for cold-proofing.
- Bake:In the morning, let the buns sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes. Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).Bake in the middle of the oven for 15–20 minutes, or until golden and crispy.
- Cool and Serve:Let cool on a wire rack before serving. These are best enjoyed warm and crispy!
