Life is busy, and the prospect of baking from scratch can seem out of reach. With work, family plans, and all the daily to-dos, it’s just not always possible to spend hours in the kitchen. But this is the good news: you don’t have to have endless free time in order to churn out delicious pastries from your own kitchen that will impress everyone at your table.
These six pastry recipes are tailor-made for the time-strapped baker. Every recipe comes together in 45 minutes or less, with pantry staples you likely already have, and yields bakery-worthy treats. Whether you’re making breakfast for your own family or showing up with treats at a potluck or just need something sweet after dinner, these are the recipes you’ll want to turn to.
What makes these special is how absolutely un-special they are, in the most delightful way. There is no involved technique or specialty equipment here. It’s only clear directions that get results over and over. Take a look at these time-saving recipes that will turn even your busiest mornings and evenings into homemade moments of yum.
Recipe 1: Fast Cream Cheese Danish
Lamination is what scares home bakers off when they think of making Danish pastries. This version bypasses all of that complexity but retains the buttery, flaky texture we all love.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (thawed for 30 minutes, see note)
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Fruit jam or preserves of your choice
- 1 egg (beaten, for egg wash)
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Simple Steps to Success
Begin by preheating your oven to 400°F. As it warms, roll out the puff pastry sheet on a floured surface until it forms about a 10×12-inch rectangle. Slice it into six even rectangles.
Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla if using in bowl; beat until smooth. It’s this cream filling that gives these little pies that unforgettable flavor.
Add a large tablespoonful of the cream cheese mixture to the center of each rectangle. Dollop a little jam on top. Fold two opposing corners into the middle of the square, so that they overlap a little. The exposed pastry is brushed with beaten egg to give that golden sheen.
Arrange the pastries on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 15–18 minutes, just until they are puffed and golden brown. Cool on a rack for 5 minutes, then dust with powdered sugar.
Time Investment: 30 minutes total
Pro Tip: You can make the cream cheese filling the night before and keep it in the fridge. This cuts the time you need to get ready in the morning in half.
Recipe 2: Lightning-Fast Apple Turnovers
Apple turnovers are a nostalgic comfort food for many, evoking memories of childhood visits to the bakery. This express version brings back that nostalgia without the hours it takes.
What Goes Into Them
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (thawed)
- 2 medium Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 egg (beaten)
Making the Magic Happen
Peel your apples and cut them into small cubes (around 1/4 inch). Cooking smaller pieces is great because they do cook more quickly and are easier to fold into the pastries.
Heat butter in a frying pan over medium. Stir in the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring here and there, until the apples just begin to soften. Stir together the lemon juice and cornstarch and pour it into the pan. Continue to stir for one more minute, until thickened. Take it off heat and allow to cool a little.
Cut your thawed puff pastry into four squares. Spoon the apple filling in half of each square to leave a thin border. Fold the pastry over diagonally to form triangles and press the edges together with a fork to seal completely.
Brush each with beaten egg, and cut three small slits in the top for steam to escape. Bake at 400°F, until golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes.
Time Investment: 35 minutes total
Storage Trick: These turnovers freeze superbly unbaked. Make a double batch, freeze the unbaked ones on a tray and then slide them into a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 5 additional minutes.
Recipe 3: No-Wait Chocolate Croissants
Authentic chocolate croissants must be prepared over several days. This shortcut version offers all the pleasure in less than half an hour.
Ingredients List
- 1 (8-ounce) can refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 12 pieces chocolate (chocolate chips or a few squares of chopped chocolate bar)
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
- 2 tablespoons sugar with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Assembly Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Unroll crescent roll dough and separate into triangles as directed on package.
Place 3 to 4 chocolate pieces on the wide end of each triangle. Roll dough up from the wide end toward the point completely enclosing chocolate. Form it into a crescent shape, and curve the ends gently inward.
Brush each croissant with melted butter, then sprinkle cinnamon-sugar over the top. This gives you the light, crispy, sweet coating that a croissant would have.
Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 11–13 minutes or until golden. The chocolate will be all melty and gooey inside.
Time Investment: 20 minutes total
Variations: Use Nutella instead of chocolate pieces, or a combination of mini marshmallows and chocolate chips for a s’mores version.
Recipe 4: Express Lemon Tarts
These little tarts are fancy enough for a dinner party but simple to assemble.
Required Ingredients
- 1 (15-count) package mini phyllo shells, such as Athens (from the freezer section)
- 1 cup lemon curd (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- Fresh berries for topping
- Mint leaves for garnish
Quick Assembly Method
If using frozen phyllo shells, allow them to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. They’ll become crisper if they are not ice-cold.
Mix the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. This step will take 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer.
Fill each phyllo shell with a spoonful of lemon curd, reaching to about three-quarters full. Dollop a little whipped cream on top. Top each tart with a fresh berry or two for color and freshness.
If you would like the tarts to be a little warm, bake in a 350-degree oven for five minutes before adding the cream and berries. That creates a temperature contrast that is deeply, deeply satisfying.
Time Investment: 15 minutes total
Advance Preparation: Lemon curd-filled shells can be made up to 2 hours before serving. Stir in the whipped cream and berries at serving time to keep a good texture.
Recipe 5: Rapid Cinnamon Palmiers
Palmiers, or elephant ears or palm leaves, are French cookies whose heart shape and caramelized sugar crunch you can recognize anywhere.
Simple Ingredient List
- 1 (17.3-ounce) sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (divided)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
Shaping and Baking
Combine the sugar and cinnamon on a plate. Anoint your work surface with some of the melted butter, then spread an abundant layer of cinnamon-sugar.
Top with the puff pastry and brush with more melted butter. Sprinkle more cinnamon-sugar over the whole thing. Roll to press the sugar into the dough.
Here’s the fun part: Working from one long edge, roll the pastry up tightly toward the center. Repeat from the other end and continue until the two rolls meet in the middle. The pastry has now taken the form of a scroll.
Log can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 10 minutes. This firming step aids with slicing; it makes a good bit of difference. Slice the log into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Each slice will resemble a heart or butterfly.
Arrange the slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving lots of room between them. They’ll spread during baking. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes, turning them over halfway through the cooking time, until both sides are golden brown and caramelized.
Time: 35 minutes, plus chilling time
Texture Secret: Crispness is the key to palmiers, so make sure they bake thoroughly. They should be a deep golden brown, not pale yellow.
Recipe 6: Quick Strawberry Hand Pies
Hand pies are an easy-to-make, transportable single serving that is superb for breakfast on the run or in lunch boxes.
Ingredient Requirements
- 1 (2 crust) box refrigerated pie crusts
- 1 cup fresh strawberries (finely diced)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg (beaten)
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling
Creating Perfect Hand Pies
Allow the pie crusts to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. They will be more manageable when they are a bit softened.
In a bowl, mix the diced strawberries with the sugar, cornstarch and vanilla. Mix well so that all the fruit is coated with cornstarch. This prevents soggy bottoms.
Unroll 1 pie crust and cut into circles using a 4-inch round cutter (or wide-mouth glass). You should have about 6 to 8 circles per crust. Repeat with the second crust.
Dollop 1 heaping tablespoon strawberry filling in center of half of each circle, leaving edges clear. Fold it in half to get a semicircle. Seal all the way around by pressing edges together well, then crimp with a fork to completely seal.
Place the hand pies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cut two tiny slits in the tops of each pie. Brush with beaten egg, and sprinkle liberally with the coarse sugar for bakery style.
Bake 375°F for 18 to 20 minutes or until they are golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before eating because the insides will be very hot.
Time Investment: 40 minutes total
Berry Swaps: Exchange one berry for another in this recipe. Use blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or a combo of them.
Time-Saving Tips for All Recipes
| Action | Time Saved |
|---|---|
| Pre-measure ingredients | 5-10 minutes |
| Set up the night before | – |
| Use parchment paper | 3-5 minutes |
| No washing up baking sheets | – |
| Room temperature ingredients | 2-5 minutes |
| Ingredients mix quicker and distribute more smoothly | – |
| Quality tools | 5-10 minutes |
| Faster knives and mixers | – |
| Double batches | 15-20 minutes |
| Hardly any extra time for twice as much product | – |
Ingredient Shopping Guide
Treat it as a pantry special so that you can whip up these pastries whenever inspiration strikes. Here’s what to keep stocked:
Pantry Essentials
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Cinnamon and nutmeg
- Vanilla extract
- Cornstarch
Refrigerator Staples
- Butter (unsalted is most versatile)
- Eggs
- Cream cheese
- Heavy cream
Freezer Must-Haves
- Frozen puff pastry sheets (stock up on boxes when it’s on sale)
- Frozen or refrigerator pie crusts (these freeze like a dream too)
- Crescent roll dough
Fresh Ingredients
- As much fruit as you can cram onto the counter (whether that is in season apples, berries or stone fruits)
- Lemons
Most of these ingredients store reasonably well, so you’re not throwing money out the window if you don’t bake once a week. Puff pastry especially is a miraculous ingredient that transforms ordinary fillings into the extraordinary.
Pitfalls to Watch Out For
Even simple recipes can turn disastrous if you’re not familiar with the most common pitfalls. Here’s what to watch for:
Soggy Pastry Bottoms
It’s all in the fillings (they’re too wet). Mix fruit fillings with cornstarch or flour to absorb moisture, always. Cooked fillings should be cooled slightly before they are added to pastry, since hot fillings release steam that can make the dough soggy.
Puff Pastry Won’t Puff
Knock the air out of puff pastry by overworking it or let it become too warm and you will melt away the layers of butter. Move fast, keep it cold and never skip the egg wash: It helps the layers stay separate during baking.
Inconsistent Baking
Turn your baking sheet 180° halfway through. Many ovens have hot spots, which can lead to some pastries browning more quickly than others.
Fillings Leak Out
Don’t overstuff your pastries. Do not overfill. Second, ensure the edges are sealed well by pressing them down firmly with a fork or your fingers.
Burnt Edges, Raw Center
Typically this means your oven is too hot. Many ovens are not as warm or cool as indicated, invest in an oven thermometer for accuracy. The vast majority of home ovens are 25 degrees too hot or too cold compared with what the dial says, anyway.
Nutritional Considerations
Although these pastries are treats, not health foods, you can easily modify for dietary needs:
Sugar
You can generally cut the sugar one-third in fruit fillings without compromising texture. The fruit’s natural sweetness compensates.
Dairy-Free Adaptations
Use coconut cream in place of heavy cream, and dairy-free alternatives to cream cheese both work great in the Danish recipe. Use coconut oil or vegan butter in place of butter.
Gluten-Free Adaptations
Some brands now produce gluten-free puff pastry and pie crusts. The two sets of results are not the same, but they’re pretty good. Bake according to package instructions, baking times might be a minute or two off.
Portion Control
Because they are single serving recipes, it helps you be more aware of portion. One pastry is a good size for a treat.
Storing Your Pastries
Store at Room Temperature
Many of these pastries will remain fresh for 1-2 days on the counter if kept in an airtight container. It is ideal for pastries that do not have fillings made of cream.
Refrigeration
Anything with cream cheese or anything whipped, like this pastry filling does require refrigeration. Lay them out in a single layer so they won’t get smashed, and eat within 3 days.
Freezer Instructions
Nearly all of these pastries freeze well. Cool them completely and then wrap in plastic wrap, one by one, and place in freezer bags. They’ll keep for 2-3 months. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes. Do not use the microwave; it will make them limp.
Reheating Instructions
Pastries are best enjoyed warm. Re-warm them by baking at 325°F for about 5-8 minutes. This recrisps the surface while warming the interior.
Adapting Recipes for Special Occasions
And despite how fast they are these recipes work for just about any kind of occasion:
Birthday Parties
Transform any recipe into a mini version by cutting your pastry pieces smaller. Children in particular enjoy the mini hand pies, which can be cut out with cookie cutters.
Holiday Gatherings
Season fruit fillings with cardamom or ginger or cloves. Holiday-shaped cookie cutters can make festive hand pies.
Brunch Events
The cream cheese Danish and lemon tarts are fancy enough for special brunch gatherings. Display them on a tiered serving platter for added visual flair.
Office Meetings
Palmiers and chocolate croissants travel well and are not messy to eat, so they’re perfect for the workplace!
Building Your Confidence
If you’re just getting into pastry baking, then perhaps try the chocolate croissants or lemon tarts. These are the recipes with the fewest steps, and the most forgiving techniques. Once you’ve got the hang of things and feel confident, progress to something with a few more steps, like apple turnovers or strawberry hand pies.
Keep in mind, the beauty of a homemade pastry is they do not need to be perfect looking. Small flaws add character and demonstrate that they are made by hand, not churned out in a factory. Preserve taste and texture, not magazine perfection.
Every time you make these recipes, you’ll get quicker and learn your own shortcuts. You may find that you like a little more cinnamon in the palmiers, or that your family prefers more chocolate in your croissants. Jot down margin notes and adapt these dishes to your palate.
For more tips on working with puff pastry and other techniques, check out King Arthur Baking’s comprehensive guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these pastries ahead of time for meal prep?
Yes! The Danish, hand pies and turnovers can be assembled and kept in the refrigerator overnight before baking. They’re going to be cold, so add 3-5 minutes onto baking time. The palmiers and croissants are best when fresh, but you can make their components in advance.
If I can’t find it, what’s the best puff pastry substitute?
Most recipes can accommodate crescent roll dough, although the resulting texture will be slightly different. Phyllo dough will work too, but you’ll need to brush multiple layers with butter. For truly authentic results, you really ought to try to find puff pastry.
How will I know when the pastries are baked?
They should have deep golden brown color, not pale yellow. The pastries should be firm to the touch, not soft and doughy. When you’re not sure, simply add another 2-3 minutes and don’t underbake.
Can children make these recipes?
Absolutely! You can involve children in mixing fillings, brushing on egg wash, sprinkling sugar and arranging pastries on baking sheets. These are not for youngsters to make alone, monitor them closely around the oven and hot ingredients, but they’re good for developing basic baking skills.
Why did my puff pastry shrink in the oven?
Puff pastry will shrink if you overstretch it, or if it doesn’t rest for long enough. After cutting out shapes, allow them to chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking. This lets the gluten relax for less shrinkage.
How do you achieve flaky pastry?
Keep everything cold. When cold butter bakes, it forms little steam pockets that create layers once baked. Work with the dough as little as you can, and if it begins getting warm, put it back in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
Can I use a toaster oven for these recipes?
Yes, but monitor them often because toaster ovens tend to bake faster and less evenly than regular ovens. You might also want to lower the temperature 25 degrees and rotate the pan more frequently.
What can I do to avoid soggy bottoms?
For pastry, bake in the middle or lower third of the oven to improve bottom heat. Using a perforated baking mat or parchment paper when you bake allows air to circulate beneath the pastries. Check that fillings are moist, not overly wet.
Your Path to Pastry Success
Baking does not need to take all day to be worth it. Here, six recipes that demonstrate homemade pastries can be a part of real life — even when it’s short on time. And each recipe yields results that are impressive enough to make folks think you’ve spent hours in the kitchen.
The appeal of these recipes goes beyond speed. They are easy-going for novices yet adaptable enough that skilled bakers can continue to make interesting things with them. You can follow them to the letter, or use them as a jumping-off point for your own creative variations.
Try one recipe this week. Choose the one that sounds most delicious to you or based on what you have in your pantry. As always, make it once to understand the how of it and then make it again to perfect your craft. Soon enough, you’ll know these off by heart and never need to look at them again.
Soon, your kitchen will be hosting flashes of creative inspiration and delicious payoffs. These pastries will put grins on breakfast tables, serve as centers of coffee breaks, or enliven after dinner desserts. They’ll make routine, everyday days seem like a special occasion and they say to the people you share them with that you love them enough to prepare something yourself.
The oven is waiting and the ingredients are straightforward to come by and the outcome will definitely make you happy. Choose a recipe and get your bake on. Your adventure in pastry baking that is fast, easy and impressive begins now, and it is going to be delicious.
