Bake it 3 ways
Starbucks Cheese Danish: Calories and Price
What makes the Starbucks Cheese Danish different, its official nutrition and price, and a home recipe with three dough options: puff pastry for the flakiest bake, crescent rolls for the fastest, and fruit-topped versions.
Quick answer. A cheese danish is a flaky pastry with a sweet cream cheese center. Starbucks makes its Cheese Danish with butter croissant dough and Neufchâtel cheese: 290 calories and 7 g of protein, for about $4.63. At home, store-bought puff pastry gets you closest in about 35 minutes.
- Calories: 290
- Protein: 7 g
- Average US price: $4.63
Checked October 2026. Prices are average US prices and vary by store.
What Makes the Starbucks Cheese Danish Different
- Croissant dough, not classic Danish dough. It is yeasted, buttery and layered, with a little sourdough in the mix.
- Neufchâtel cheese, a slightly lighter, tangier cousin of cream cheese.
- Served warm if you ask, so the center goes soft and creamy.
- Vegetarian, according to Starbucks.
| Starbucks Cheese Danish (1 pastry, 80 g) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 290 |
| Total fat | 14 g (9 g saturated) |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Sugar | 11 g |
| Protein | 7 g |
| Sodium | 400 mg |
| Average price | $4.63 |
How it compares with other Starbucks pastries
| Pastry | Calories | Sugar | Protein | Avg. price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butter Croissant | 250 | 4 g | 5 g | $4.63 |
| Cheese Danish | 290 | 11 g | 7 g | $4.63 |
| Chocolate Croissant | 300 | 11 g | 5 g | $5.06 |
| Ham & Swiss Croissant | 330 | 6 g | 14 g | $5.72 |
Pair it with a caffè latte or a plain Americano, or see everything in the bakery case on our Starbucks food menu. Like a plain flaky pastry? Read our butter croissant page. During the holidays, look for the Sugar Plum Cheese Danish on the holiday menu.
What Is a Danish, Anyway?
A Danish pastry is a laminated, yeasted dough rolled with layers of butter, so it bakes up flaky like a croissant but a little richer and sweeter. In Denmark it is called wienerbrød (“Viennese bread”) because the style came from Austrian bakers. In the US, “danish” usually means the filled breakfast pastry: cheese, fruit or both.
How to make Starbucks Cheese Danish (Puff Pastry)
Cream cheese filling
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese or Neufchâtel, softened
- ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Pastry
- 1 package (about 17 oz / 490 g, 2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, thawed in the fridge
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk (egg wash)
- Optional glaze: ½ cup powdered sugar + 2 to 3 teaspoons milk
Instructions
- Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Make the filling. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, lemon juice, vanilla and salt until smooth, about 1 minute. Chill while you shape the pastry.
- Cut the pastry. Unfold each puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and cut into 4 squares (8 total).
- Shape. Score a ½-inch border inside each square without cutting through, or fold the corners to the center and press down to make a well. Prick the centers with a fork.
- Fill and brush. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling into each center. Brush the pastry edges with egg wash.
- Bake. Bake 16 to 20 minutes, until puffed and deep golden and the filling is set. Cool 10 minutes, then drizzle with glaze if you like.
Three Ways to Make It
| Dough | Texture | Time | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puff pastry (recipe above) | Flakiest, shatter-crisp layers | About 35 min | Squares with a scored border, 400°F, 16 to 20 min |
| Crescent rolls | Soft, bready, slightly sweet | About 25 min | Press one 8 oz can into a rectangle, seal seams, cut 8 squares, bake at 375°F for 12 to 15 min |
| Croissant dough (store-bought) | Closest to Starbucks: buttery and layered | About 45 min (includes proofing) | Shape, proof 30 min, fill, bake at 375°F for 18 to 22 min |
Fruit cheese danish variations
- Strawberry cheese danish: add 1 teaspoon strawberry jam or 2 sliced strawberries on top of the filling before baking.
- Cherry cheese danish: 1 tablespoon cherry pie filling on each.
- Blueberry or raspberry: 5 or 6 fresh berries pressed into the filling, or 1 teaspoon jam.
- Cheesecake danish: add 1 tablespoon sour cream to the filling for extra tang.
Tips, substitutions and storage
- Keep everything cold. Warm puff pastry will not rise well; chill shaped pastries 10 minutes before baking if the kitchen is warm.
- Neufchâtel gives the tangier Starbucks-style flavor; full-fat cream cheese is richer.
- Egg-free filling: skip the yolk and add 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
- Dairy-free: use a plant-based cream cheese and check that your puff pastry is made without butter.
- Storage: refrigerate baked danishes in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes. Freeze unbaked shaped danishes up to 1 month and bake from frozen, adding 3 to 5 minutes.
Watch: Starbucks Cheese Danish at home
Cheese Danish FAQs
What is a cheese danish?
A cheese danish is a flaky, laminated pastry with a sweet cream cheese filling in the center. It is a breakfast and coffee-shop staple.
What is in the Starbucks Cheese Danish?
Starbucks describes it as flaky butter croissant dough with soft, warm cheese in the center. The ingredients include enriched wheat flour, Neufchâtel cheese, butter, sugar, dry whole milk, eggs, yeast and sourdough. It is vegetarian.
How many calories are in a Starbucks Cheese Danish?
290 calories, with 14 g of fat, 33 g of carbohydrates, 11 g of sugar and 7 g of protein.
How much is a cheese danish at Starbucks?
About $4.63 at average US prices; prices vary by store.
Can I use crescent rolls instead of puff pastry?
Yes. Crescent dough makes a softer, bread-like danish. Use one 8 oz can, press the seams together, cut 8 squares and bake at 375°F for 12 to 15 minutes.
Why did my filling run out?
The filling was too warm or too much was used. Chill the filling, use about 2 tablespoons per pastry and leave a clear border.
How do I store and reheat cheese danishes?
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days because of the cream cheese. Reheat at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes to re-crisp. Unbaked shaped danishes can be frozen for up to 1 month and baked from frozen with a few extra minutes.
What is the Sugar Plum Cheese Danish?
A seasonal holiday version of the cheese danish at Starbucks. It usually returns with the holiday menu.
Starbucks nutrition and ingredients are from starbucks.com (October 2026). Prices are average US prices and vary by store. Homemade nutrition will vary with your ingredients. starbukmenu.com is not affiliated with Starbucks Corporation.
