Starbucks Cream Cheese Danish
That flaky pastry in the Starbucks bakery case is one of the hardest things to pass up on a busy weekday morning. This copycat Starbucks Cream Cheese Danish recreates it exactly: a golden, buttery crescent dough base with a smooth, lemon-kissed Neufchâtel and sour cream filling. Making them at home costs a fraction of the coffee shop price and tastes every bit as good. Two tubes of refrigerated crescent roll dough replace homemade pastry, so the whole recipe comes together in about 30 minutes.
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What makes the Cream Cheese Danish so easy to make at home?
Mornings are always best with your favorite hot beverage. But what if you feel a little peckish? Then you’ll definitely appreciate a Cheese Danish from Starbucks. These pastries from your favorite coffee shop are extra flaky and have a sweet cheese filling.
The spot-on copycat Starbucks Cheese Danish recipe makes it incredibly easy to bake them at home. So, what’s the secret? Instead of using homemade dough, this recipe swaps refrigerator-case crescent roll dough. Genius, and so tasty!
Ingredients and their roles in the recipe
For the filling of this Starbucks Cheese Danish recipe, you’ll need:
- Neufchâtel cheese, softened to room temperature – the base of the filling. Neufchâtel cheese provides a smooth creaminess, with a touch of acidity.
- Full-fat sour cream – loosens the neufchâtel cheese while adding richness and boosts the tang.
- White granulated sugar – sweetens the filling without overpowering the flavors.
- Vanilla extract – adds depth and complexity to the filling.
- Lemon extract – flavors the filling with a noticeable lemon taste
- Lemon zest – the citrus oils cut some of the heaviness of the dairy-based filling and give the Danish a lighter, fresher aroma.
- Fine sea salt – enhances the flavor of the other ingredients in the recipe.
To finish recreating the Cheese Danish from Starbucks at home, you’ll need:
- Crescent roll dough, tubes – replaces making dough from scratch and simplifies the recipe while still delivering a flaky, buttery pastry.
- Egg – used for the egg wash to promote a shiny crust on the pastry.
- Water – thins out the egg.
How to make this Cream Cheese Danish
To prepare the cheese filling for the danishes:
- Place the room-temperature neufchâtel cheese, sour cream, white granulated sugar, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon zest, and fine sea salt in the bowl of a stand mixer, hand mixer, or use a wooden spoon.
- Beat on MEDIUM-LOW until the cream cheese mixture is completely smooth and becomes fluffy. . The mixture should be light and spreadable, not stiff. Reserve for later.
To form the danishes:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a baking tray with a Silpat mat or parchment paper. Set it off to the side.
- Remove the crescent dough from the tube. Don’t unroll the dough, but cut the log in half. Then cut each half in half again. Repeat with the second tube of crescent dough.
- Lightly flour your working surface and your hands.
- Shape each piece of dough into a rectangle and then make an indentation in the center.
- Transfer the prepped dough onto the prepared baking tray.
- Spoon a tablespoon and a half of the cheese filling into the indentations in the dough.
- Mix the egg with the water and brush the eggwash onto the dough.
To finish the danishes:
- Bake for 16–18 minutes until the dough is golden brown, and the filling is set, but not dry.
- Cool the danishes on the baking tray for about ten minutes before eating.
What to serve with this
Check out these other Starbucks breakfast favorites you can make at home.
Bacon & Gouda Artisan Breakfast Sandwich – Elevate your breakfast sandwiches with this gourmet version. The fluffy egg, smooth slices of gouda, and savory applewood-smoked bacon served on a chewy ciabatta roll is the perfect way to start any day.
Ham and Cheddar Egg Bites – Sous vide cooking gives you the most tender, fluffiest eggs you’ve ever had, without any added fat. These Egg Bites are loaded with cheddar, Monterey Jack, Gruyère, and cottage cheese, topped with chopped red peppers for pops of color and sweetness.
Starbucks Cinnamon Dolce Latte – Sweet and creamy, this hot latte may be the ultimate autumnal sipping decadence. The homemade cinnamon dolce syrup is easy to make and transforms an ordinary latte into something unforgettably delicious. Top with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon to warm you on even the coolest fall day.
Storing and reheating instructions
Refrigerator Storage: Let Starbucks Cream Cheese Danish cool completely and place in a single layer in an airtight container. Chill for up to three days.
Freezer Storage: Lay the room-temperature danish on a baking tray and freeze for at least an hour. Wrap each in plastic and freeze in an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating Instructions: Place the thawed danish directly on a baking tray and bake for about 6 minutes in a preheated 325°F oven until warmed through.
Favorite Starbucks copycat recipes
- Banana Walnut Bread
- Blueberry Muffins
- Blueberry Scones
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Ham and Swiss Croissant
- Tomato and Mozzarella on Focaccia
Check out more of my easy breakfast recipes and the best copycat Starbucks recipes here on CopyKat!
Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Starbucks Cream Cheese Danish Copycat
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese softened to room temperature (not cream cheese)
- 1 tablespoon full-fat sour cream
- 2 ½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat mat or a sheet of parchment paper.
- Beat Neufchâtel, sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon extract, lemon zest, and salt until completely smooth. The mixture should be light and spreadable, not stiff.
- Do not unroll the crescent dough. Slice each log into 4 rounds (8 total from 2 cans).
- On a lightly floured surface, press each round into an oblong shape. Gently stretch this into a rectangle. Then press two fingers gently into the dough in the center, from the top to the bottom of the rectangle. This is done so the cream cheese can be placed into the indentation dough. Place on parchment. Spoon a scant 1½ tablespoons of filling into the center of each. Whisk the egg and water to make an egg wash. Brush exposed edges with egg wash.
- Bake 16–18 minutes until deep golden brown. The filling should look just set — not liquid, not dry.
- Cool the danishes on the pan for 8 minutes before eating. The filling firms and the flavors settle.
- Notes: The pastry should look golden-brown, not pale gold. Under-baking is the most common mistake — pale, doughy crescent dough. If reheating, use a 325°F oven for 6 minutes, never a microwave.
Notes
- Softened cheese is non-negotiable. Set the Neufchâtel cheese on the counter for at least 30 minutes before mixing. Even slightly cold cheese will cause lumps that refuse to smooth out.
- Do not unroll the dough. Cutting the log into rounds preserves the laminated layers and produces a noticeably flakier result. Handle the dough as little as possible before shaping.
- Press the indentation firmly. A shallow or half-hearted indentation will allow the filling to migrate over the edges during baking. The indentation needs a clear border wall to contain it.
- Watch the oven at the 16-minute mark. Crescent dough can shift from golden to over-browned quickly. Pull the danishes as soon as the border turns a deep, even golden-brown.
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