Starbucks Sugar Plum Danish Copycat Recipe
The Starbucks sugar plum danish recipe you’re about to make is a seasonal favorite most people only get to enjoy a few weeks a year. This version brings it home so you can have it any time, with flaky puff pastry, a sweet cream cheese filling, and that distinctive purple-hued fruit topping.
It comes together in about 45 minutes from start to finish. If you can fold a piece of dough and stir a filling, you can make this.
Why I Love This Recipe
The contrast of textures is what keeps me coming back to this one. The pastry shatters at the edges, the cream cheese center is thick and barely sweet, and the plum jam on top has a little tartness that cuts through the richness.
It’s also genuinely forgiving. Puff pastry does most of the work once it’s in the oven, and the filling takes about 3 minutes to put together.
Recipe Ingredients
- 1 sheet (about 250g) frozen puff pastry – Thawed overnight in the fridge; all-butter varieties like Dufour give a richer flavor
- 4 oz (115g) cream cheese – Full-fat, softened to room temperature so it mixes smooth
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar – Sifts into the cream cheese without lumps; adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract – Plain vanilla works fine here
- 1/4 tsp almond extract – Gives that bakery-style depth; use 1/8 tsp if you want it subtle
- 1/3 cup (100g) plum jam – Look for a good-quality jam with chunks; Bonne Maman works well
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice – Brightens the jam and keeps the top from tasting flat
- 1 egg – For the egg wash that gives the pastry its deep golden color
- 1 tbsp water – Mixed with the egg for the wash
- 2 tbsp sliced almonds – Scattered on the border; they toast in the oven and add crunch
- 1 tbsp coarse sugar (sanding sugar) – Pressed onto the border before baking for sparkle and crunch
- 2 tbsp powdered sugar (for glaze) – Drizzled on after baking
- 1 to 2 tsp milk – Loosens the glaze to drizzling consistency
Variations / Substitutions
- Raspberry or blackberry jam – Swaps in for the plum with a similar deep-colored result, though a touch sweeter
- Honey instead of powdered sugar in the filling – Use 2 tbsp honey; the filling turns slightly softer and more floral
- Skip the almond extract – If nut allergies are a concern, omit it and add an extra 1/4 tsp vanilla; the filling is still good
- Dairy-free cream cheese – Brands like Violife or Kite Hill work here; the texture is slightly looser but holds during baking
- Add a pinch of cardamom to the jam – Stir in 1/8 tsp ground cardamom; it leans into the “sugar plum” spiced note nicely
- Ricotta instead of cream cheese – Drain it well first; the filling is lighter and less tangy, closer to an Italian-style pastry
If you enjoy this kind of cream cheese pastry, the Starbucks Cheese Danish Copycat Recipe is worth making next.
How To Make Sugar Plum Danish
Step 1: Mix the Cream Cheese Filling
In a small bowl, combine the 4 oz softened cream cheese, 3 tbsp powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1/4 tsp almond extract. Stir with a fork or a small spatula until the mixture is completely smooth with no lumps, about 1 to 2 minutes.
The filling should look thick and spreadable, closer to frosting than to batter. If your cream cheese was still cold, you may see a few small lumps; keep stirring and they will work out. A smooth filling stays put during baking rather than spreading into the pastry.
Step 2: Stir the Plum Topping
In a separate small bowl, stir together the 1/3 cup plum jam and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice until combined. The lemon thins the jam very slightly and gives it a brighter, less cloying flavor once it bakes.
The mixture should be loose enough to spoon easily but not watery. If your jam is very thick, stir in an extra 1/2 tsp lemon juice.
Step 3: Score and Fill the Pastry
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the thawed puff pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and cut it into 4 equal rectangles.
For each rectangle, use a sharp knife to score a border about 3/4 inch (2cm) in from the edge, pressing down but not cutting all the way through. This scored frame will puff up around the filling. Spread roughly 1 to 1.5 tbsp of the cream cheese filling inside the border of each rectangle, then spoon about 1.5 tbsp of the plum jam mixture on top of the cream cheese.
Don’t overfill. If the filling goes past the scored border, it will bubble out onto the pastry and prevent that frame from rising cleanly.
Step 4: Brush and Top the Pastry Border
In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 egg and 1 tbsp water until fully combined. Using a pastry brush, paint the egg wash onto the scored border of each danish, keeping it off the filling.
Scatter the 2 tbsp sliced almonds evenly over the borders of all 4 pastries, then press the 1 tbsp coarse sugar gently onto the same border. The egg wash acts as the glue that holds both toppings in place during baking.
Step 5: Bake the Danishes
Slide the baking sheet into the preheated 400°F (200°C) oven and bake for 18 to 22 minutes, until the pastry border is deep golden brown and the layers are visibly puffed. The jam will bubble slightly at the edges of the filling area, which is exactly what you want.
Check at 18 minutes. If the edges are golden but the center of the pastry still looks pale and doughy underneath, give it 2 more minutes. Under-baked puff pastry is soft and a little greasy, so let the color be your guide alongside the time.
Step 6: Drizzle and Serve
Let the danishes cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Stir together the 2 tbsp powdered sugar and 1 tsp milk in a small bowl, adding more milk a few drops at a time until the glaze falls from a spoon in a thin, steady ribbon. Drizzle it back and forth across all 4 danishes, then scatter any remaining sliced almonds on top if you like.
Serve them while the pastry is still warm and slightly crisp at the edges, with the purple jam glossy in the center.
Recipe Tips
- Thaw puff pastry slowly. Move it from the freezer to the fridge the night before. A quick room-temperature thaw often leaves the sheet too soft to score cleanly.
- Room-temperature cream cheese matters. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps no matter how long you stir. Set it out 30 minutes before you start.
- Don’t skip scoring the border. That shallow cut is what tells the pastry where to rise. Without it, the filling spreads and the layers stay flat.
- Cool before glazing. If you drizzle the glaze onto a piping hot danish, it soaks in and disappears. Five minutes of rest makes a visible difference.
Bake times at 400°F (200°C), done when golden brown and puffed. Pastry may cook slightly faster on a dark pan:
| Pan Type | Bake Time |
|---|---|
| Light-colored aluminum | 20 to 22 minutes |
| Dark nonstick | 18 to 20 minutes |
| Parchment on stone | 19 to 21 minutes |
How To Store
- Refrigerate – Store cooled danishes in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pastry softens in the fridge but is still good.
- Reheating – Warm in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 6 to 8 minutes to bring back some of the crispness. A microwave works in a pinch but will soften the pastry completely.
- Serve Cold – They’re actually fine eaten cold or at room temperature; the filling holds its shape and the flavor of the jam comes through well.
What To Serve With Sugar Plum Danish
A lightly sweetened latte or a plain black coffee is the natural pairing because the bitterness offsets the sweet cream cheese and jam without competing with the almond flavor. A small side of fresh fruit, especially something with a little acidity like clementine segments or sliced kiwi, gives the plate some freshness and keeps the whole thing from feeling too rich.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these danishes ahead of time?
Yes, assemble them up to the point of baking, cover the tray loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 4 hours. Bake straight from the fridge; you may need 1 to 2 extra minutes.
Can I use homemade plum jam?
Absolutely. Any plum preserve with a deep, slightly tart flavor works. If your homemade jam is very chunky, give it a quick stir to break up any large pieces so it spreads evenly over the cream cheese.
My pastry border didn’t puff much. What went wrong?
The most likely cause is that the egg wash got onto the cut edge of the scored border. Egg wash on a cut pastry edge seals the layers together and prevents them from separating. Keep the brush on the top surface only.
Can I freeze the baked danishes?
Yes. Freeze them in a single layer without the glaze, then wrap individually once solid. Reheat from frozen at 350°F (175°C) for 12 to 14 minutes, then add the glaze fresh.
Ingredients
Method
- Stir together the cream cheese, 3 tbsp powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract until completely smooth.
- Mix the plum jam with the lemon juice in a small bowl until combined.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment. Cut the pastry into 4 rectangles, score a 3/4-inch border on each, and spread the cream cheese filling then the plum jam mixture inside the border.
- Whisk the egg and 1 tbsp water together, brush onto the pastry borders, and press the sliced almonds and coarse sugar onto the borders.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the border is deep golden brown and puffed.
- Cool for 5 minutes, then mix the 2 tbsp powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tsp milk to a drizzleable glaze and drizzle over the warm danishes before serving.
