Almond Kringle

Buttery and flaky, this Almond Kringle recipe is easier than ever. Two layers of pastry topped with a delicious almond icing. Tips and tricks included to store and freeze your delicious danish.

Love almond desserts? Our Almond Bars are a sweet cookie bar as well as a reader favorite! Perfect for sharing and freezing. Or give our wedding cake cupcakes a try soon, with their sweet almond flavor and raspberry filling!

What is an Almond Kringle?

If you’re unfamiliar with a kringle, you’re probably not from the midwest! My grandma would serve these often in my childhood. While we lived in Illinois, Wisconsin is where these are most famous.

A kringle is a sweet pastry usually stuffed with nut filling or fruit, shaped into an oval, semi-circle or log and then baked. As if that didn’t already sound delicious enough, it’s finished off with a layer of sweet creamy icing on top.

Kringle has Scandinavian origins and I’ve seen several variations on this puffed pastry dish over the years. My very favorite, though, is this Almond Kringle, just like the ones Grandma used to serve.

• Layers upon layers of buttery pastry perfection, that doesn’t take hours to slave over.
• No yeast dough!
• Makes TWO kringles…great for sharing or freezing!

If you love melt in your mouth almond treats, be sure to try our almond cookies next!

Ingredient Notes

Simple pastry ingredients are all you need. You could add a layer of nut filling or thinly sliced apples (between the crust and filling layer), if desired.

My family just loves this simple, easy, basic almond version!

• Flour- all-purpose flour is our choice. Make sure you measure the flour correctly!
• Butter- unsalted butter is what I usually use in baking. The sliced almonds add the salt needed, however, salted butter would work fine in today’s danish.
• Eggs- provide structure and texture to the filling, and help the pastry create delicious layers.
• Almond extract- this extract provides all the nutty flavor for today’s kringle recipe. Not a fan? You can use vanilla extract instead.
• Powdered sugar– just a couple Tablespoons is all you need. This dough isn’t overly sweet, and the icing provides the sweetness in this recipe.

How to Make a Kringle

STEP 1. Make the pastry bottom layer. The “crust.”

Mix crust ingredients together into a ball. Separate the dough into two small balls. On two cookie sheets, pat into two large horseshoes, about 2-3 inches wide (my baking sheet is 12 inch).

Just a note: The dough will be very sticky at this stage. You will think you are doing something wrong, just trust me, it’s supposed to be gooey! Resist the urge to add more flour. 

STEP 2. Make the “filling”. Or second layer of pastry dough.

In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup water and ½ cup butter to boiling. Remove from heat, beat in 1 cup flour. Add eggs, one at a time. Add powdered sugar and almond extract. This will be paste-ish. It’s ok.

Spread on top of crust layers. Bake for 40-45 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.

STEP 3. Make the icing.

While the Kringle is cooling in the oven prepare frosting by beating butter with powdered sugar, almond extract and milk. Continue to beat until smooth.

Frost the Kringle while warm and sprinkle with sliced almonds (optional), slice into pieces and serve.

Tips and Tricks

• If desired, you can also garnish the frosted Kringle with thinly sliced almonds or chopped walnuts. It looks and tastes great either way!
• I used a horseshoe shape here because it’s what I’m most familiar with. Kringle is also shaped into ovals, twisted into pretzels or baked in a simple log shape. Make whatever shape Kringle recipe you like; the point is that it’s DELICIOUS!
• Freeze your kringle by wrapping in plastic wrap then wrapping in a double layer of foil. Or freeze slices of danish in a large ziploc freezer bag.
• Store baked kringle at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• Fillings: fill with almond paste or homemade lemon curd. Canned pie fillings (cherry and apple) are delicious to.
• Serve your kringle with a mug of homemade hot chocolate or a steaming cup of apple crisp macchiato. A glass of pumpkin cream cold brew wouldn’t be terrible either, ha!

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Almond Kringle

4.58 from 91 votes

By: Aimee

Buttery and flaky, this Almond Kringle recipe is easier than ever. Two layers of pastry topped with a delicious almond icing. Tips and tricks included to store and freeze your delicious danish.

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 24 servings

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

Bottom Crust layer:

• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons water

Filling:

• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon almond extract

Frosting:

• ▢ 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter softened
• ▢ ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ 1-2 Tablespoons milk

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Instructions 

• Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the bottom crust layer, combine flour with butter using a pastry cutter. Combine until you get coarse crumbs. Add water and mix ingredients together into a ball. Seperate into two equal pieces.
• Using your hands, roll dough into a long log shape. On two cookie sheets, shape each log into a large horseshoe, patting flat until it's about 2-3 inches wide (my baking sheet is 12-inch pizza stone). Dough will be sticky, dip fingertips in flour if needed to prevent sticking.
• For the filling, in a saucepan, heat water and butter to boiling. Remove from heat, beat in flour. Add eggs, one at a time. Add powdered sugar and almond extract. This egg mixture will be paste-ish. Spread on top of crust layers.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool at least 10-15 minutes before sliding onto a wire rack.
• While cooling, prepare frosting by beating butter with powdered sugar, almond extract and milk. Continue to beat until smooth. Frost kringles while warm and serve.

Notes

If desired, you can also garnish the frosted Kringle with thinly sliced almonds or chopped walnuts. It looks and tastes great either way!

I used a horseshoe shape here because it’s what I’m most familiar with. Kringle is also shaped into ovals, twisted into pretzels or baked in a simple log shape. Make whatever shape Kringle recipe you like; the point is that it’s DELICIOUS!

Freeze your kringle for up to 3 months by wrapping in plastic wrap then wrapping in a double layer of foil. Or freeze slices of danish in a large ziploc freezer bag.

Store baked kringle at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Fillings: fill with almond paste or homemade lemon curd. Canned pie fillings (cherry and apple) are delicious to.

Nutrition

Calories: 148kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 45mg, Sodium: 76mg, Sugar: 7g

Course: Breakfast and Brunch

Cuisine: Danish

Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

More Breakfast Recipes

• Strawberry Strudel
• Cranberry Almond Bread
• Orange Bread
• Oatmeal Pancakes
• Cinnamon Rolls

Everyone loved this Almond Kringle and I’ve made it a few times since that first try. Enjoyed for breakfast or as a dessert to share, a flaky Dutch Kringle is always a welcome sight!