If you love bakery-style pastries but hate paying bakery prices, this one’s for you. These raspberry swirls, also called Lagkagesnegle, are soft, fluffy, lightly sweet, and filled with that perfect combo of tart raspberries and creamy vanilla pastry cream. They look impressive, but I promise they’re way more doable than they sound.
This is the kind of pastry I make when I want something that feels special but still cozy. Think brunch with friends, a slow weekend morning, or that mid-afternoon coffee moment where a plain cookie just won’t cut it.
Why I Love These Raspberry Swirls
First, the texture is unreal. The dough bakes up soft and pillowy, not dry or heavy. Then you get that raspberry layer, which adds just enough tang to balance the sweetness. And the vanilla pastry cream on top? That’s what makes these feel straight out of a European bakery.
I also love that they’re not overly sweet. You can absolutely eat one for breakfast and not feel like you just had dessert at 9 a.m. And if you do want them as dessert, add a little whipped cream or powdered sugar and you’re set.
What Makes Lagkagesnegle Special
Lagkagesnegle are a classic Danish pastry, and what sets them apart is the balance. Nothing is overpowering. The dough is light, the filling is fruity and fresh, and the pastry cream adds richness without being heavy. Plus, those swirls look gorgeous on a plate, which makes them perfect for hosting or bringing to a brunch.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the dough, you’ll need milk, instant yeast, one large egg, one egg yolk, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, all-purpose flour, softened unsalted butter, and one egg for brushing the tops.
For the raspberry filling, you’ll need raspberries (fresh or frozen both work), granulated sugar, a pinch of salt, unsalted butter, and optional lemon zest if you like a brighter flavor.
For the topping, you’ll need fresh raspberries, Danish vanilla pastry cream (kagecreme), and optional heavy whipping cream.
Here is the list of ingredients:
Dough
****If you want to skip making the dough from scratch, just use store-bought puff pastry and make the filling.
- 150 ml (2/3 cup) milk
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 50 g (1/4 cup) sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 375 g (3 cups) all-purpose flour
- 57 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
Raspberry Filling
- 150 g (1 1/4 cups) raspberries, fresh or frozen
- 75 g (1/3 cup) granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 57 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter
- Lemon zest (optional)
Topping
- 36 fresh raspberries (about 3 per pastry)
- 1 portion Danish vanilla pastry cream (kagecreme)
- 118 ml (1/2 cup) heavy whipping cream (optional)
How to Make Raspberry Swirls
I always start by making the vanilla pastry cream first and chilling it. Doing this ahead of time makes everything else feel way more relaxed.
Next, warm the milk until it’s just warm to the touch, then stir in the yeast and let it sit for a few minutes until foamy. That foam is your green light.
Mix the egg, egg yolk, sugar, vanilla, and salt, then add the milk mixture. Gradually mix in the flour and butter until a soft dough forms. Knead until smooth and elastic, then let it rise until doubled.
While the dough rises, cook the raspberries with sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt until jammy. Let this cool completely. This part is important or the dough will be hard to roll.
Once the dough is ready, roll it out into a rectangle, spread the raspberry filling evenly, and roll it up into a log. Slice into swirls and let them rise again until puffy.
Before baking, brush with egg wash, press a small dip into the center, spoon in the pastry cream, and top with fresh raspberries. Bake until golden and lightly crisp on the edges.
Tips That Make a Big Difference
Make sure your raspberry filling is fully cooled before spreading it. Warm filling will slide everywhere.
Don’t skip the second rise. It’s what gives you that fluffy bakery-style texture.
If you don’t have kagecreme, vanilla custard or thick pudding works in a pinch. I’ve even mixed whipped cream with vanilla pudding when I needed a shortcut.
Serving Ideas
I love these with coffee, but they’re also perfect for brunch spreads, holiday mornings, or as a light dessert. They look beautiful stacked on a platter and always get people asking, “Did you really make these?”
Watch this video tutorial to see how to make these amazing rolls:
Final Thoughts
These raspberry swirls feel fancy without being fussy, and that’s exactly my kind of recipe. Soft dough, tangy fruit, creamy vanilla, and just enough sweetness to keep you going back for another bite. If you want a pastry that looks impressive but still feels comforting, this one’s a keeper.
Raspberry Swirls with Vanilla Pastry Cream | Lagkagesnegle Recipe
Ingredients
Dough
- 150 ml 2/3 cup milk
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 50 g 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 375 g 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 57 g 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg for egg wash
- ****If you want to skip making the dough from scratch, just use store-bought puff pastry and make the filling.
Raspberry Filling
- 150 g 1 1/4 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen
- 75 g 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 57 g 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- Lemon zest optional
Topping
- 36 fresh raspberries about 3 per pastry
- 1 portion Danish vanilla pastry cream kagecreme
- 118 ml 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (optional)
Instructions
- Make the vanilla pastry cream first and chill it.
- Warm the milk until it’s just warm (not hot), stir in the yeast, and let it sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
- Whisk egg, egg yolk, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the yeast milk, then mix in flour and softened butter to form a dough. Knead 10 to 12 minutes until smooth, then let rise 45 minutes until doubled.
- Simmer raspberries, sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt until broken down and jammy. Cool completely.
- Roll dough into a rectangle (about 0.5 cm thick), spread on the raspberry filling (add lemon zest if you want), roll into a log, and slice into 12 swirls. Let rise 45 minutes.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C). Brush with egg wash, press a small dip in the center, add a spoon of pastry cream and 3 raspberries, then bake about 15 minutes until golden.
