Delicious Homemade Wisconsin Kringle | Recipe Idea Shop (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Lois Carter Crawford · This post may contain affiliate links.

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Who knew you could make Wisconsin Kringle so easily? And to top it off, this Scandinavian coffee cake is amazing! You may have seen these tasty treats at Trader Joe's since they are a real favorite there. But you can also make them yourself at home, and it's pretty easy to learn.

Delicious Homemade Wisconsin Kringle | Recipe Idea Shop (1)

Did you know that the Kringle is Wisconsin's state pastry? Now I wonder if any other states have official pastries! When it comes to flaky pastries, this Danish pastry with nut fillings really takes the cake (hehe). Let's learn more about it and how to make it.

Making a Wisconsin Kringle

Wisconsin Kringle is the perfect breakfast for New Year's Day. This is a delicious selection that can be made with the finest ingredients and baked to golden brown perfection. Start your day with an authentic kringle and a cup of coffee, or enjoy them as a brunch snack with the family.

Well, let me tell you, our family loves it. It takes a bit of time to make because you have to let it chill for at least 5 hours, but it's worth the wait.

Also, it turns out better if you use margarine instead of butter so keep that in mind if you decide to make this delicious pastry.

If you're eating gluten-free, you can make it with gluten-free flour and still enjoy this delicacy! See Gluten Free Wisconsin Kringle.

I know you're gonna wanna eat this. If you like the almond variety, you'll need some canned almond paste like this:

Delicious Homemade Wisconsin Kringle | Recipe Idea Shop (2)

What You Need

For this recipe, you'll need just a few things:

Do yourself a favor and buy the best tools you can afford.

Other Types of Kringles

In addition to the authentic Christmas kringle recipe, you can also add your own variations. Some popular ones are:

  • raspberry kringle
  • pecan kringle
  • almond kringle

You can add brown sugar to your Danish pastry dough and you can also add white icing at the end when it's finished. Add any type of fresh berries you enjoy and even other flavors like chocolate or chocolate mint.

Once you learn the basic recipe, it's easy to start playing with flavors and trying some different things.

Wisconsin Kringle FAQs

Here are some things people commonly ask about these delicious flaky pastries.

How long do kringles stay fresh?

Without freezing, they will stay fresh for about five days.

Can a Danish kringle be frozen?

Yes, you can freeze your kringle for up to four months. It's important to be sure it's sealed properly before freezing.

How do you eat a kringle after freezing?

All you have to do is thaw and eat at room temperature, or you can heat it up if you prefer it that way.

More Baked Recipes You'll Love

  • Gluten Free Sweet Potato Biscuits
  • Gluten-free kringle
  • Don's Homemade English Muffins
  • Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffin
  • Easy Cherry Almond Cake

Delicious Homemade Wisconsin Kringle | Recipe Idea Shop (3)

Wisconsin Kringle Recipe

Lois Carter Crawford

This is the best Kringle you’re ever gonna eat outside of Wisconsin!

5 from 9 votes

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Prep Time 5 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 5 hours hrs 50 minutes mins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Ingredients

Dough

  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 sticks margarine or butter
  • 8 ounces sour cream

Filling

  • 1 can Prepared filling of your choice Nut or fruit. I used canned almond paste, about 10 ounces, see note below.

Icing

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup milk
  • ¼ cup melted butter

Instructions

Make, Chill, and Roll the Dough

  • Cut margarine and flour together with knives, food processor, etc. Add sour cream.

  • Chill at least 5 hours or overnight.

  • After chilling, divide the dough into three sections (for 3 Kringles) and roll each into a rectangle of about 22" x 9".

Fill the Dough

  • Spread filling down the center and fold ends in.

Bake the Dough

  • Bake at 350F degrees for 20 to 30 minutes

  • Remove when it is golden brown, and it will be delicious.

Cool & Ice the Kringle

  • Make and add icing; drizzle it on.

Let Cool Completely

  • After icing the Kringle, let it cool completely and when the icing is hard, the Kringles are ready for eating or freezing.

Notes

Note About The Icing:

I use a random mix of powdered sugar, milk, and melted butter (approximate amounts listed in the ingredients). Sorry, I can't be more specific here: I just keep mixing until I get a nice consistency that streams off the fork to make pretty designs. If you have a favorite icing, by all means, do that.

Note About Butter/Margarine:

I've used both margarine and butter. I usually HATE using margarine, but I think the dough is too crispy and flaky with butter. Kringle should have a softness to it so I always go with margarine. And soy margarine doesn't taste as good as Imperial.

Notes About the Dough:

It is REALLY sticky. Flour your rolling pin and surface liberally and often. I have never made a round Kringle; the rectangles were just so much easier.

The dough will puff up while it bakes and the folds will separate, but don't worry about that. It's nice to see the filling in the middle.

Notes About the Filling:

I use filling from a can. Solo, Wilderness, whatever. Buy the pie-filling flavor that you love. One small can will generally fill all three Kringles, but my family loves the filling so I spread it thick and use 2 cans.

Once I made up my own filling and that worked out great too. I mixed pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon together (use a recipe for a crumbly topping for any kind of coffee cake).

Nutrition

Calories: 127kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 27mgPotassium: 37mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 167IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Delicious Homemade Wisconsin Kringle | Recipe Idea Shop (4)

Delicious Homemade Wisconsin Kringle | Recipe Idea Shop (5)

Lois Carter Crawford

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Lois Carter Crawford is an author, home chef, health advocate, and food coach who fought her way back from several debilitating health issues, including a moderate heart attack! She discovered that inflammation caused by the food she ate was the underlying cause of most of her health problems and developed a method and tools to help others research their food sensitivities.

Delicious Homemade Wisconsin Kringle | Recipe Idea Shop (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between a Danish and a Kringle? ›

A Kringle is a “Danish". “Danish pastry” or a “Danish” is an umbrella term for various types of buttery, flaky pastry. A Kringle is a pastry made with layers of sweet, flaky pastry, filled with fruit, nut or gourmet filling and topped with sweet icing. Originally, the Kringle was in a twisted shape like pretzels.

Why is it called a kringle? ›

Kringle started out as the Nordic version of a pretzel, possibly made as early as the 13th century by Roman Catholic monks, especially in Denmark. Its name derives from the Old Norse “kringla” meaning a circle or oval. Danish immigrants brought the treat with them when they settled in Racine in the late 19th century.

What is the state dessert of Wisconsin? ›

Kringle officially became Wisconsin's State Pastry on June 30th, 2013. We are proud to be a part of Wisconsin's heritage and to continue the tradition of baking Kringle in Racine, Wisconsin!

What is the meaning of the word Kringle? ›

Kringle (/ˈkrɪŋɡəl/,) is a Northern European pastry, a variety of pretzel. Pretzels were introduced by Roman Catholic monks in the 13th century in Denmark, and from there they spread throughout Scandinavia and evolved into several kinds of sweet, salty or filled pastries, all in the shape of kringle.

What is the kringle capital of the world? ›

With a high concentration of Danish settlers immigrating to southern Wisconsin, the city of Racine became known as the kringle capital of the world.

Do Kringles need to be refrigerated? ›

Kringle stay fresh a long time although we recommend 7 days at room temperature, 10 days in the refrigerator, or 6 months in the freezer. We seriously doubt it will last that long, since they are quite delicious, but it's always nice to know you have options!

Does Trader Joe's sell Danish kringles? ›

You can now get the O&H raspberry danish kringle. This was packed with a sweet raspberry filling served in their signature flaky pastry, topped off with an icing. Which danish kringle is your favorite?

What state is the official pastry of a kringle? ›

Kringle: Wisconsin's Official Pastry

Many Wisconsinites will declare their love for their favorite bakery but a stop at any of these old world bakeries will help you understand why Kringle has been declared the official pastry of the State of Wisconsin.

Does Aldi have kringles? ›

The Kringle that Aldi sells is less expensive and appears to be just as authentic as the Kringle sold at TJ's. Racine Danish Kringles is a third-generation bakery in Racine, Wisconsin specializing in Kringles. The bakery that makes the Kringle that Trader Joe's sells, O&H Danish Bakery, is also located in Racine.

What is Wisconsin's most iconic food? ›

Known as "America's Dairyland", Wisconsin is famous for its cheese as well as other dairy products, such as cheese curds and frozen custard. Other notable foods common to the region include bratwursts, beer, brandy Old Fashioned co*cktails, butter burgers, fish fries and fish boils, cranberries, and booyah stew.

What fruit is Wisconsin known for? ›

The cranberry was designated the state fruit in 2003. The legislation was the culmination of a class project by fifth grade students from Trevor Grade School in Kenosha County, who decided that the cranberry, rather than the cherry, was the best candidate for Wisconsin's state fruit.

What food was invented in Wisconsin? ›

Wisconsin is also where the delicious morning bun was invented! Beer brats, cornish pasties, beer cheese soup, butter burgers, cream puffs, fish fries and fish boils, Swedish pancakes, blue moon ice cream, and almond cranberry bread are also all popular foods you might enjoy on a visit to Wisconsin!

What is the nickname for Santa kringle? ›

Santa Claus (also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, Santa and Santy) is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Christmas Eve.

Can you freeze kringle? ›

Kringle will stay at its best for about 5 days at room temperature or six months in the freezer. If you don't plan on eating your Kringle Gift for a few days, put it in the freezer, and when ready thaw at room temperature for about an hour.

What does the kringle symbolize? ›

The idea was quickly adopted across Europe, and the kringle became a symbol of luck and a long, prosperous life. The kringle achieved particular fame in 1510, when Turkish troops attempted to dig their way into access Austria by digging their way underground through the wall into Vienna.

Are Kringles from Trader Joes? ›

You can now get the O&H raspberry danish kringle. This was packed with a sweet raspberry filling served in their signature flaky pastry, topped off with an icing. Which danish kringle is your favorite?

What's the difference between a kolache and a Danish? ›

In appearance, they resemble a danish, but there is a difference: danish dough is light and flaky whereas a kolache tends to be slightly more dense and sweet with the dough being similar to brioche.

What does Kris Kringle mean in German? ›

/ˌkrɪs ˈkrɪŋɡl/ ​a US name for Father Christmas. It comes from the German word Christkindl, meaning Christ child, because German children believe that the baby Jesus brings presents during the Christmas season.

Why are Kringles oval? ›

Some modifications have been made to the original recipe and even to the shape of these delicious pastries. For instance, in the United States, the original pretzel shape was changed. Bakers adopted an oval shape to do away with the unfilled, overlapping parts of the traditional shape.

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