A seasonal dessert that you need to make!

These Honey and Thyme Plum Danishes look like they belong in a bakery window — glossy, elegant, fancy-feeling. But the best part? They come together with a homemade rough puff you can blitz in a food processor, and you don’t even need to laminate dough like a pastry chef. Plums, cream cheese, a swirl of honey, and a scatter of thyme: it’s basically a midsummer morning dream you can eat.

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A Plum Memory (and a Starbucks Confession)

My mom used to toss a few plums into the cooler every time we went on a fishing trip. We’d tear through all the junk food first — salt and vinegar chips were always the favorite — but eventually, I’d reach in for a cold plum. Juicy, sweet, just tart enough to make your mouth pucker a little, and the most refreshing thing after sitting in the sun all day. To this day, plums make me think of those trips — of summer and my mom.

On a less wholesome note: I used to work at Starbucks a million years ago, and I love cheese danishes so much that I will still, to this day, eat one of those congealed, plastic-wrapped ones if someone hands me one. No shame. They’re kind of terrible and also kind of great. Luckily, I’ve since learned how to bake my own, so I no longer have to settle for college-kid-level pastry decisions. But hey — desperate times, no kitchen, no regrets. (P.S. this is me drizzling honey like a honey drizzling fiend taking photos for this blog post…crazy hair, concentrating face – in my element lol.)

Oh and just for fun a poem by William Carlos Williams who agreed with me about Plums:

This Is Just To Say

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold

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What You’ll Need to Make Honey and Thyme Plum Danishes

These come together with pretty simple ingredients — here’s what you’ll need for the puff pastry, filling, and toppings:

• Homemade rough puff pastry (or store-bought, rolled slightly thinner)
• Cream cheese filling made with vanilla, lemon zest, and powdered sugar
• Fresh plums — firm-ripe is best for clean slicing and baking
• Honey and thyme to finish for that glossy, fancy vibe

Easy Homemade Rough Puff Pastry (Food Processor Shortcut!)

I know homemade puff pastry sounds like something you need an apron and a French accent for, but this version is easy to make. Everything goes in the food processor: flour, butter, baking powder, salt, and cold vanilla Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream). Pulse, dump, roll, chill. You don’t need to fold it twelve times. A couple of letter-style folds and a good chill in the freezer will give you flaky, buttery layers that feel way more effortful than they are. Just don’t skip the chill — the butter needs to stay cold so the pastry puffs instead of melting into a sad, flat pancake.

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Tips for Success: Baking Plum Danishes Like a Pro

🍑 Use a 5-inch cutter for perfect rounds

This gives you a 4-inch finished tart with a good amount of puffed crust — ideal for cradling the filling without overflow. I actually baked mine in these 4″ English muffin rings that I found on Amazon. They’ve been amazing for baking and even shaping hamburgers. A pretty great buy!

🧊 Chill the pastry before baking

Even 10–15 minutes in the freezer helps your butter stay cold and gives you that beautiful lift. Warm butter = no puff = sadness.

🍯 Drizzle the honey after baking

If you bake it with the honey on, it’ll burn or disappear. Drizzling while warm gives you that sticky, shiny finish that screams bakery magic.

🌿 Fresh thyme only

Dried thyme won’t give you the same pop of herbal contrast. Go fresh, and just a sprinkle — it balances the sweetness perfectly.

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Ingredient Swaps and Flavor Pairings

If you want to make these your own or adapt based on what you’ve got on hand, here are a few ideas:

• No plums? Try nectarines, peaches, or roasted figs
• No cream cheese? Mascarpone or thick Greek yogurt + a little honey works
• Want extra fancy? Add a splash of rosewater to the honey or a pinch of cardamom to the cream cheese
• Serving them for brunch? Pair with strong coffee, iced tea, or even bubbly (because you’re worth it). Feel free to check out some of my brunch-ish cocktails here if you need more inspiration!

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips for Plum Danishes

Make the pastry dough ahead: It’ll keep in the fridge for 2–3 days or the freezer for up to a month. Just thaw and roll.

Bake the day you serve: These are best fresh — the pastry is crisp, the plums are juicy, and the honey shines.

Leftovers? Store in an airtight container at room temp for one day, or in the fridge for up to 2. Reheat in a toaster oven to revive the puff.

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Why You’ll Love These Honey and Thyme Plum Danishes

They’re beautiful, nostalgic, and feel like a reward. They’re not complicated, but they make you look like you know your way around a pastry case. And the mix of sweet-tart fruit, tangy cream cheese, warm honey, and just a touch of fresh thyme? Chef’s kiss.

These danishes are for slow mornings, summer afternoons, or anytime you need to feel like a pastry goddess without actually working that hard for it.

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