Copycat Starbucks Cheese Danish
This Copycat Starbucks Cheese Danish is so easy to make and full of rich, sweet flavor. In just about 30 minutes, you’ll have a golden, flaky puff pastry chock full of sweet, rich cream cheese filling.
We love the flavors of Starbucks, but in this economy, we’re not paying Starbucks prices. That’s why we made our own copycat version of their cheese Danish. It’s full of all the flavor we love, it’s fresher than you’ll find in the store, and it’s a fraction of the cost!
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Limited Ingredients: It only takes six simple ingredients to make this recipe.
- Easy: 10 minutes of prep and 20 minutes in the oven is all you need!
- Classic Flavor: Every bit of this Danish is full of golden, flaky puff pastry and sweet, tangy cream cheese.
- More Affordable: These pastries are a fraction of the price of the Starbucks original.
🛒Ingredients
We’ve made this list to help you save time on your next trip to the grocery store. You can find the full amounts needed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Frozen puff pastry – thawed
- Cream cheese
- Lemon zest
- Salt
- Egg
- Granulated sugar
🔪 How to Make Copycat Starbucks Cheese Danish
This is a quick overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. You can find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Beat all the cream cheese filling ingredients in a small bowl until creamy.
- Roll the puff pastry sheets slightly to even them out.
- Brush egg wash over one sheet of pastry, then add the second sheet on top and press it down gently.
- Cut the sheet into 8 rectangles and poke holes down the center of each with a fork. Brush each rectangle with more egg wash.
- Pipe the cream cheese mixture down the center of each rectangle.
- Bake until the edges are golden brown and enjoy!
🥄 Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Baking sheet
🥫 Storage
Refrigerate these Danish for up to 3 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze them for up to a month in an airtight, freezer-safe container.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
What to Serve with Copycat Starbucks Cheese Danish
Of course, you can never go wrong with pairing any Danish with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee or tea. We also love pairing this easy cheese Danish with savory breakfast items like croissant breakfast casserole with gravy, or overnight egg casserole for a bigger breakfast or brunch, as well.
💭 Tips
- We like to line our baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Fully soften your cream cheese for easy mixing and the richest, smoothest texture.
- It’s important to roll out the pastry dough just a bit to help ensure an even thickness.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Egg wash is what gives pastries and breads their golden, glossy look.
Doubling the puff pastry creates a light but thick base with plenty of buttery flavor and a pleasantly flaky mouthfeel.
Absolutely! You can use your favorite store-bought or homemade fruit filling instead of cream cheese. Or, you can add a thinner layer of cream cheese and top it with fruit filling.
🍽 More Recipes
Looking for more Danish recipes? Try these delicious recipes.
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Copycat Starbucks Cheese Danish
Equipment
- small bowl
- Whisk
- baking sheet
- silicone brush
- pizza cutter or sharp knife
- Piping bag
Ingredients
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry thawed
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup granulated white sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, add the cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest, and salt.
- Combine them using a whisk.
- Lay both sheets of thawed puff pastry on a floured work surface.
- Roll them out a bit.
- Brush egg wash over the top of first layer.
- Place the second layer of pastry sheet over the first one, gently press.
- Then use a pizza cutter (or sharp knife) to cut the puff pastry sheet into 8 small rectangles.
- Use a fork to poke holes down the center of each puff pastry rectangle.
- Brush egg wash over the top of each rectangle.
- Fill the piping bag with cream cheese mixture.
- Pipe it evenly on each rectangle.
- Bake the cheese danishes for 18-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
Disclaimer
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.
