How Many Calories Are in a Cherry Cheese Danish?

November 29, 2025 •

4 min read

Across different brands and recipes, a single cherry cheese danish can range from approximately 250 to over 500 calories, a significant variation depending on the serving size and specific ingredients. This decadent pastry, with its flaky layers and sweet, creamy filling, is a popular treat, but understanding its nutritional profile is key to mindful eating.

Quick Summary

The calorie count for a cherry cheese danish varies widely based on size, ingredients, and whether it is a homemade or commercial product. This article examines the average calorie range and influencing factors like pastry, filling, and icing.

Key Points

Calorie Range Varies: A cherry cheese danish can have anywhere from 250 to over 500 calories, depending on its size and where it was purchased.
Rich in Carbs and Fat: Calories come mainly from high-fat pastry dough and fillings rich in sugar and cream cheese.
Portion Size Matters: A large bakery danish has a much higher calorie count than a smaller, pre-packaged version.
Commercial vs. Homemade: Mass-produced danishes and homemade recipes use varying ingredients, affecting total calories and fat content.
Control Your Calories: For a lower-calorie option, choose a smaller portion, or make one at home using reduced-fat ingredients and less sugar.

The Calorie Breakdown of a Cherry Cheese Danish

A cherry cheese danish is composed of several high-calorie components, all contributing to its total energy content. The total number of calories is a sum of the contributions from the buttery, laminated dough, the sweet cherry filling, the creamy cheese filling, and any icing or glaze on top.

Core Macronutrients

Carbohydrates: This is typically the highest contributor to a danish's calorie count, primarily from the flour in the pastry and the high sugar content in both the cherry and cheese fillings. Depending on the size and recipe, a single danish can contain between 30 and 80 grams of carbohydrates.
Fats: Danish pastries are notoriously high in fat, primarily due to the butter or shortening used to create their signature flaky layers. The cream cheese filling also adds a substantial amount of fat. Total fat can range from 10 to over 25 grams, with a significant portion being saturated fat.
Protein: Protein is generally the lowest macronutrient in a danish, sourced mainly from the cream cheese and flour. Protein content typically falls between 4 and 11 grams.

A Deeper Dive into Ingredients

Pastry Dough: The process of creating laminated dough involves layering butter and flour multiple times, which is highly caloric. Recipes using higher ratios of butter or different types of fats will have a denser calorie count.
Fillings: Both the cherry and cheese fillings are dense with calories. The cheese filling is typically made from full-fat cream cheese, sugar, and sometimes eggs. Canned or prepared cherry fillings are often heavy with added sugars and syrups, boosting the carbohydrate content.
Glaze or Icing: The finishing touch on many danishes is a sweet glaze made from powdered sugar and liquid. This layer of simple carbohydrates adds more empty calories without much nutritional value.

Factors Causing the Wide Calorie Variation

The reason there isn't a single, definitive answer for the calorie count lies in the vast differences between recipes and manufacturers. Here are the key factors:

Serving Size: An individually wrapped, store-bought danish from a convenience store like 7-Eleven will be much smaller and less caloric than a large, fresh-baked one from a gourmet bakery.
Ingredient Choices: A bakery using high-quality butter will have a richer fat profile than a mass-produced version using cheaper shortening. The amount of sugar in the fillings also differs wildly between brands.
Preparation Method: A homemade danish allows for calorie control, such as using low-fat cream cheese or less sugar. Commercial bakeries, aiming for rich flavor and shelf stability, often use more fat and sugar.

Comparison Table: Danish Calorie and Nutrition

To illustrate the differences, here is a comparison of cherry cheese danish calorie counts from various sources.


Source / Type	Approx. Calories	Approx. Fat	Approx. Carbs	Approx. Protein
Large Bakery Danish	534	21g	81g	6g
Medium Danish	442	17g	67g	5g
Hostess (2.8 oz)	310	12g	46g	4g
7-Select (2.5 oz)	200	10g	25g	3g
Walmart (Individually Wrapped)	270	12g	37g	3g

Healthier Danish Alternatives and Modifications

For those who love the taste of a danish but want to reduce the calorie and sugar intake, several options are available:

Portion Control: Simply enjoying a smaller portion of a larger danish can significantly reduce the calorie impact. Consider sharing with a friend or saving half for later.
Homemade Versions: Baking a danish at home gives you full control over the ingredients. You can make substitutions to lower the calorie density:
- Use reduced-fat cream cheese in the filling.
- Reduce the amount of sugar in both the cheese and cherry fillings.
- Make your own cherry filling with less sugar and fresh fruit.
- Use a lighter dough recipe, such as a croissant or phyllo dough, to reduce butter content.
Smarter Swaps: Instead of a full danish, try enjoying a simple cheese Danish (without the cherry filling and glaze) which may be lower in sugar. Or opt for a fruit salad to satisfy your sweet tooth without the added processed sugar and fats.

Conclusion: Mindful Indulgence for a Sweet Treat

How many calories are in a cherry cheese danish is not a single, fixed number. It varies based on size, ingredients, and preparation method. A small, packaged version might be around 250 calories, while a large bakery one could easily exceed 500. Understanding these differences allows for more conscious choices, whether you're enjoying a full pastry as a weekend treat or opting for a healthier, homemade version. By being mindful of portion sizes and ingredients, you can still enjoy the deliciousness of this sweet pastry without compromising your dietary goals.

For more detailed nutritional breakdowns on various food items, resources like Eat This Much provide excellent information.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary sources of calories are the pastry dough, which is high in fat from butter, and the fillings, which contain substantial amounts of sugar and cream cheese.

No, the nutritional information can vary significantly. Factors like size, manufacturer, and ingredients (e.g., amount of butter or sugar) all influence the final calorie count.

Homemade danishes can be lower in calories if you use healthier ingredient substitutions, such as reduced-fat cream cheese or less sugar. Bakery versions often use richer, full-fat ingredients.

A regular cheese danish will likely have a similar base calorie count but may have less sugar and carbs than a cherry cheese danish due to the absence of the fruit filling and extra icing.

A small, individually wrapped danish, like the 7-Select version, contains around 200 calories, significantly less than a large bakery item.

To reduce calories, use a light cream cheese, decrease the amount of added sugar, and consider making your own filling with fresh fruit instead of canned.

Yes, due to the laminated pastry dough made with butter and the cream cheese filling, a cherry cheese danish is typically high in saturated fat.