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This Starbucks Cheese Danish Recipe tastes just like the one from your favorite coffee shop, with buttery puff pastry and a sweet, creamy cheese center. It’s quick, simple, and made with just a few ingredients you probably already have on hand. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy coffee break at home!
Just made these 10 minutes ago and savoring every puff crumble. It was an easy recipe with simple ingredients! Thank you for explaining each step, and THANK YOU for repeating the ingredients in steps. It means I don’t need to scroll up and down. It’s something small, but it can be time-consuming and sticky fingers. Now, to look at the other recipes you have!
Quick Look: Starbucks Cheese Danish
- 🥐 What it is: A flaky puff pastry danish with a sweet vanilla cream cheese center.
- ⭐ Why it works: Cold puff pastry and a thin line of filling keep the edges tall.
- 💛 Why you’ll love it: Store-bought puff pastry and 10 minutes of prep. No dough to make!
- ⚠️ What to watch for: Leave a half-inch border so the filling doesn’t run.
- 🎯 How close to the original: Starbucks uses Neufchâtel and croissant dough. Cream cheese and puff pastry get you very close.
- ❄️ Make ahead: Freeze them baked or unbaked for up to 3 months.
Why this Starbucks cheese danish recipe is the best
There’s something magical about a golden brown, crunchy, flaky, and creamy pastry alongside a cup of coffee. Lightly sweetened, buttery, and fluffy. These danishes bring the coffee shop experience to your kitchen.
I still remember the first time I tried the Starbucks cheese danish. It was buttery, warm, and just the right amount of sweet. Once I realized how simple it was to make at home, I started baking them every weekend! I’ve tested a bunch of versions, and this one nails that flaky puff pastry and creamy cheese center combo.
We’re using store-bought puff pastry sheets to keep this recipe simple and accessible. But you can make your own homemade puff pastry if you want a fun weekend baking project. If you’re in the mood for another bakery-style pastry, my almond Danish braid is another delicious way to use puff pastry. Either way, the creamy cheese filling and vanilla flavor tie everything together so perfectly!
My favorite trick? I sneak one into the toaster oven while my morning coffee brews. Pair it with a Starbucks iced matcha latte, a sweet cream cold foam cold brew, or a salted cream cold brew, and you’ve got the whole coffee shop order at home for way less (and your kitchen smells amazing!).
- Quick and Easy: You only need a handful of ingredients and 10 minutes of prep.
- Coffee Shop Quality: This Starbucks cheese danish tastes even better fresh out of the oven.
- Budget-Friendly: Skip the $5 pastry and make a full batch for less than one!
- Perfect for Brunch: Flaky, buttery, and lightly sweet, a crowd favorite for any breakfast spread.
Table of Contents
- Quick Look: Starbucks Cheese Danish
- Why this Starbucks cheese danish recipe is the best
- Ingredients for Starbucks Cheese Danish (copycat recipe)
- Substitutions and Additions
- How to make Starbucks Cheese Danish at home
- Expert Tips
- Starbucks Cheese Danish FAQs
- More Bakery-Style Pastries to Try
- Starbucks cheese danish copycat recipe Recipe
Ingredients for Starbucks Cheese Danish (copycat recipe)
- Puff pastry: frozen store-bought sheets work best. Thaw them just until you can unfold them, and keep them cold so they puff up tall and flaky.
- Cream cheese: softened cream cheese makes the classic creamy filling. Starbucks uses Neufchâtel, which works too.
- Vanilla extract: use a high-quality one for the best flavor, or vanilla bean paste for pretty vanilla specks.
Granulated sugar sweetens the filling, and one egg whisked with water makes the egg wash for those golden brown edges. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Substitutions and Additions
- Neufchâtel: swap it in for the cream cheese if you want the exact cheese Starbucks uses.
- Chocolate: stir chocolate chips into the filling, or add a Nutella swirl for a chocolate cheese danish.
- Lemon: a little lemon zest or lemon extract adds a subtle tart, bakery-style flavor.
- Cinnamon: mix cinnamon and sugar into the filling for a cinnamon danish.
- Fruit: mix berries into the filling or top with sliced fruit before baking. For a fruity version, try my blueberry cheese danish or this cranberry sauce cheese danish.
How to make Starbucks Cheese Danish at home
- Start the filling. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla to a medium bowl. A whisk, hand mixer, or stand mixer all work.
- Mix until smooth. Beat on low speed until smooth and creamy, then spoon the filling into a piping bag and snip about 2 centimeters off the tip.
- Cut the puff pastry. Unfold the cold puff pastry onto the lined baking sheet and cut it into 6 equal squares or rectangles with a knife or pizza cutter.
- Pipe the filling. Pipe a line of filling down the center of each piece, leaving about half an inch bare on every side.
- Egg wash and bake. Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush it over the pastry edges. Bake for 15 to 16 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.
- Cool and serve. Let them cool on a wire rack. Serve as is, or top with fresh fruit for a fancier finish!
Expert Tips
- Keep the puff pastry cold. Cold pastry puffs up taller and flakier in the oven.
- Don’t overfill. Leave a half-inch border so you don’t end up with a runny mess once they come out of the oven.
- Egg wash the edges. That’s what gives you that golden Starbucks shine.
- Add a little lemon zest. A touch in the filling gives it a bakery-style flavor.
- Making your own puff pastry? Follow a detailed guide like The Kitchn’s puff pastry tutorial, and roll it evenly so every piece bakes at the same rate.
Starbucks Cheese Danish FAQs
Starbucks lists its cheese danish at 290 calories per pastry. The nutrition for this homemade Starbucks cheese danish is in the recipe card below, and using Neufchâtel instead of cream cheese lightens it up a little.
A Starbucks cheese danish is made with Neufchâtel, a soft cheese similar to cream cheese but a little lighter, wrapped in croissant dough. This Starbucks cheese danish copycat uses regular cream cheese and puff pastry for nearly the same flavor with way less work.
Keep leftover Starbucks cheese danish in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes to bring back the flaky texture. You can also freeze them baked or unbaked for up to 3 months.
Definitely! Homemade puff pastry gives this Starbucks cheese danish even more layers and buttery flavor. Just roll it evenly so every piece bakes at the same rate.
Yes, you can make a gluten-free Starbucks cheese danish with gluten-free puff pastry. It may not puff up as much as regular puff pastry, but the creamy cheese filling stays exactly the same.
More Bakery-Style Pastries to Try
If you tried this Starbucks Cheese Danish or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments! I love hearing from you!
Starbucks cheese danish copycat recipe
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 4 oz cream cheese (113 g), softened
- 2 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar (31 g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for a pop of vanilla bean specks
Egg wash
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F, then line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a flat surface spread the puff pastry and cut it into 6 equally sized squares or rectangles depending on the shape of your puff pastry. Place on the baking sheet.1 sheet puff pastry
- In a medium bowl, cream the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Fill a piping bag with the cream cheese and cut the tip off about 2 centimeters in. Pipe a line in the center of each puff pastry rectangle making sure to leave about half an inch on each side.4 oz cream cheese, 2 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- In a small bowl, whisk the egg and water to make the egg wash. Dip a pastry brush in the egg wash, and brush the edges of the puff pastry.1 egg, 1 tbsp water
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15-16 minutes before pulling them out and letting them cool down on a cooling rack
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe! Thank you.
You’re very welcome 🙂
Excellent recipe
Thank you so much!
these are so simple and quick to make and so delicious. I added some lemon extract and it was refreshing. I bought the puff pastry shells by mistake, but it worked out just fine, just had to bake a little longer.
I’m glad it all worked out and that you liked the recipe! Thank you for the nice review 🙂
I lke them better then Starbucks
So glad to hear that!
OMG!!! THESE ARE SO GOOD!!! I WILL DEF BE MAKING THESE AGAIN!!!!!!! 🙂
I just finished making these and WOW, I am still reeling from how damn easy these were to make! I will truly never return to Starbucks now that I know I can make these babies at home.
I ended up using 8 oz of cream cheese for 1 sheet of pastry because I like mine with extra filling, but otherwise followed the recipe as is. I did also add a dash of cooking rum to the cream cheese and I highly recommend others try it as well, it really deepens the flavor and makes it extra rich.
If I ever have to make pastries in a hurry I will definitely be making these.
I like that you added extra filling, sometimes I do that as well 😉
I have made these and love them! Question- could you mix up the cream cheese mixture, place in a baggie, and store in the fridge overnight to use the next morning? Thanks!
Yes you can absolutely store the cream cheese filling in an airtight container or ziplock overnight 🙂
How do you store them I’m hoping to have them fresh for the weekend I did add some fresh berries on top before baking.
Should they be in the fridge ?
you can keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. If you need to store them longer, it’s best to freeze them. Allow them to cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Once they’re frozen, you can transfer them to a freezer bag or container. To reheat, simply bake them in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes, or until warmed through.
i made these and didn’t love the taste but my mom who’s a huge cream cheese fan really enjoyed them! definitely will re-attempt but maybe be less generous with the cream cheese for myself
Totally understand! Everyone is different 😊
Just made these 10 minutes ago and savoring every puff crumble. It was an easy recipe with simple ingredients! Thank you for explaining each step, and THANK YOU for repeating the ingredients in steps. It makes me not need to scroll up and down. It’s something small but can be time consuming and sticky fingers. Now to look at the other recipes you have! 🙂
I totally get it! I can’t wait to hear what you make next! 😁