Starbucks Danish-Style Apple Cinnamon Swirl: calories, sugar and salt

Starbucks Danish Apple and Cinnamon Swirl contains 325 kcal per pastry — 16% of the adult 2,000 kcal daily reference intake, 21% for a child aged 7 to 10, and 25% for a child aged 4 to 6. It sits above the Pain au Chocolat at 297 kcal and Pain au Raisin at 319 kcal but below the Chocolate Twist at 320 kcal and the Blueberry Crumble Croissant Bun at 388 kcal. The laminated butter pastry with apple and cinnamon filling and icing drizzle produces a moderate calorie count relative to the more indulgent pastry options.

Per pastry: 325 kcal, 14g fat (8.2g saturated), 46g carbohydrate (21g sugar), 4.9g protein, 0.48g salt. The saturated fat at 8.2g is 41% of the adult daily guideline of 20g. The sugar at 21g is 70% of the adult daily free sugar limit of 30g. The salt at 0.48g is 8% of the adult daily limit of 6g.

Starbucks Danish Apple and Cinnamon Swirl contains 21g of sugar per pastry — 5.3 teaspoons and 70% of the adult daily free sugar limit of 30g. For a child aged 4 to 6, this uses 111% of their daily free sugar limit — just over their entire daily allowance from a single pastry. For a child aged 7 to 10, it uses 88% of their 24g daily limit. The sugar comes from the apple filling — apples contain natural fructose and apple filling is often sweetened with added sugar — the cinnamon sugar in the pastry layers and the icing drizzle on top. The NHS free sugar limit is 30g per day for adults, 24g for children aged 7 to 10, and 19g for children aged 4 to 6.

Starbucks Danish Apple and Cinnamon Swirl contains 0.48g of salt per pastry — 8% of the adult daily limit of 6g and 16% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 6. The salt comes from the butter in the laminated pastry dough and from any salt used in the pastry recipe. It is low in salt relative to the daily guideline and not a significant nutritional concern.

Starbucks Danish Apple and Cinnamon Swirl contains 8.2g of saturated fat per pastry — 41% of the adult daily guideline of 20g and 51% for a child aged 4 to 6. The saturated fat comes from the butter laminated into the Danish pastry dough — the same lamination technique used in croissants and pain au chocolat. The apple filling and cinnamon contribute no saturated fat. At 8.2g it is lower than the Pain au Chocolat at 9.5g and the Butter Croissant at 9g but higher than the plain muffins.

Starbucks Danish Apple and Cinnamon Swirl contains 4.9g of protein per pastry — 10% of the adult daily reference intake of 50g. The protein comes from the flour and eggs in the laminated pastry dough. The apple filling and cinnamon contribute no meaningful protein. At 4.9g for 325 kcal the protein-to-calorie ratio is low and typical of butter-laminated pastry products.

Yes. NOVA 4, ultra-processed. The laminated pastry dough contains emulsifiers and dough conditioners. The apple filling is a processed apple compote or sauce containing glucose syrup and pectin as a gelling agent. The icing drizzle on top contains glucose syrup. These industrial additives across the dough, filling and topping determine the NOVA 4 classification despite the apple and cinnamon base ingredients being natural food components.

Starbucks Danish Apple and Cinnamon Swirl contains wheat/gluten, milk, egg and soya as declared allergens — four allergens. The wheat comes from the flour in the pastry dough. The milk comes from the butter in the laminated dough. The egg comes from the eggs in the dough and the egg wash on the exterior. The soya comes from the emulsifiers in the pastry dough or icing. It does not contain peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, celery, mustard, sesame, lupin or molluscs. Always tell your barista if you have a severe allergy before ordering.

Yes. Starbucks Danish Apple and Cinnamon Swirl is suitable for vegetarians. It contains no meat or fish. It is not suitable for vegans as it contains butter and eggs. With no tree nut allergen it is more accessible than the Almond Croissant on allergen grounds. Four declared allergens is a typical profile for sweet pastry items in the Starbucks range.

At 21g of sugar — 111% of the daily free sugar limit for a child aged 4 to 6 — the Danish Apple and Cinnamon Swirl just exceeds the child's entire daily free sugar allowance in a single pastry. The 8.2g saturated fat uses 51% of their daily guideline. Salt at 0.48g is low. Four allergens with no tree nuts. Despite the apple content appearing wholesome, the sweetened apple filling and icing drizzle drive the sugar above the child's daily limit. It is not appropriate as a regular choice for younger children on sugar grounds.

Apples are a source of dietary fibre, vitamin C and polyphenol antioxidants. However, the apple filling used in commercial Danish pastries is typically a sweetened compote or sauce — processed apple with added sugar and thickening agents — rather than fresh apple slices. The concentration of apple relative to the total pastry weight is modest, and the nutritional contribution of the apple is largely offset by the sweetened filling format. The fibre from fresh apple is partially retained but the vitamin C may be reduced by the heating process. The primary nutritional driver of the Danish Apple and Cinnamon Swirl is the butter pastry and the added sugar, not the apple content.

At 21g of sugar the Danish Apple and Cinnamon Swirl uses 70% of the adult daily free sugar limit before any drink is added. A plain Cappuccino or Flat White adds 9-12g from milk, taking the total to 30-33g — right at or just over the adult daily limit. A Caramel Macchiato adds 23g, bringing the total to 44g. A Grande Caramel Frappuccino at 48g takes the total to 69g. An unsweetened Americano or herbal tea at zero sugar keeps the combined total at 21g — comfortably within the adult daily limit. The Danish Apple Swirl is one of the few sweet pastries at Starbucks where even a plain milk coffee takes the total to the edge of the adult daily limit.

The Danish Apple and Cinnamon Swirl contains 325 kcal versus 319 kcal in the Pain au Raisin — almost identical. Sugar is higher at 21g versus 17g — the icing drizzle on the Apple Swirl adds sugar beyond the natural fruit content. Saturated fat is lower at 8.2g versus 8.5g — minimal difference. The Pain au Raisin has three allergens versus four in the Apple Swirl — no soya in the Pain au Raisin. For lower sugar and simpler allergen profile the Pain au Raisin is the marginally better choice. For the apple and cinnamon flavour the Swirl is distinctive.

Starbucks Danish Apple and Cinnamon Swirl sits in the lower-middle range of the Starbucks sweet pastry selection on both calories at 325 kcal and sugar at 21g. It has four declared allergens with no tree nuts. It is suitable for vegetarians but not vegans. The apple and cinnamon flavour profile is unique in the Starbucks pastry range — no other pastry uses apple as its primary filling. The 21g sugar from the sweetened apple filling and icing drizzle takes a child's daily free sugar limit over 100%, and the 8.2g saturated fat from the butter pastry is the primary nutritional consideration for adults. For those wanting a fruit-flavoured pastry at Starbucks, it is the only apple option — lower in sugar than the Blueberry Crumble Croissant Bun at 20g but slightly above the Pain au Raisin at 17g.