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A Holiday Pastry That Wows
Hey there, future baker! Get ready to meet the showstopper of all desserts: the Danish Kringle, known as smørkringle in Denmark. It’s buttery, flaky, and filled with the most incredible cream cheese pecan filling. In Denmark, this dish is traditionally served on special occasions, especially for birthdays, but it’s also perfect for a simple Sunday brunch.
I know it might look super fancy, but trust me, this pastry recipe is incredibly easy to make. Don’t be intimidated by the elegant appearance—the real magic is done in the fridge! The chilled dough puffs up to a beautiful, flaky, golden-brown crust.
So, whether you’ve been baking for years or you’re just getting started, you’ve got this!
For even more easy pastry recipes, try our Cherry Danish, Cinnamon Cream Cheese Crescent Rolls, and Apple Crescent Dumplings.
Why we think you’ll love it:
- Adaptable. Experiment with a variety of sweet fillings and fun shapes.
- Make ahead. A baked kringle can be made the day before or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Beautiful. Its elegant, braided shape and golden-brown crust make for a delicious and beautiful centerpiece.
Danish Kringle Ingredients
Pastry
- All-purpose flour (2 cups + extra for rolling)- The base of the pastry dough.
- Salt (¼ teaspoon)- Enhances flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Cold butter (1 cup, cubed)- Creates the flaky, buttery pastry layers. Use good quality butter; it makes a difference in taste, color, and texture.
- Sour cream (1 cup)- Adds richness and tenderness to the dough.
Filling
- Egg (1 large, yolk for filling, white for wash)- Binds the filling and doubles as a golden egg wash. See How to Separate Egg Whites for tips.
- Cream cheese (8 ounces, softened): Creamy base for the filling.
- Brown sugar (¼ cup)- Sweetens the filling with a caramel-like depth. Light or dark brown sugar can be used.
- Cinnamon (½ teaspoon)- Adds warm spice.
- Pecans (1 ¼ cups, toasted and chopped, divided)- Bring crunch and nutty flavor to the filling and on top. You can also use toasted almonds or walnuts.
- Water (1 tablespoon)- Mixed with egg white for the egg wash.
Glaze
- Confectioners’ sugar (1 cup, sifted)- Sweet base for the glaze.
- Half and half or milk (2 tablespoons, as needed)- Creates the smooth, pourable consistency.
- Optional- Sprinkle extra nuts over the top.
How to Make a Danish Kringle
CHILL. Add flour, salt, and cold butter to a food processor and pulse (or a pastry blender) to combine into pea-sized pieces. Add sour cream and pulse to form a sticky dough. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.
PREHEAT. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
FILLING. Make the filling by adding egg yolk to a medium bowl (reserve egg white for later to make an egg wash). Add cream cheese, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add 1 cup of chopped pecans and stir until combined. Set aside.
ROLL. Divide chilled dough in half and on a lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll each dough piece into a 10×12-inch rectangle. Position the long side in front of you with the 10-inch sides on the sides.
SHAPE. Divide filling in half and spoon along the center of each rectangle. On the left and right sides of the filling, cut the sides into 8 horizontal strips. Starting at the top, fold each strip over the filling, pressing to seal the ends and tuck under. Using a large spatula, carefully place kringles on the prepared baking sheet.
BAKE. In a small bowl, make an egg wash by beating the egg white and 1 tablespoon water together until smooth. Using a pastry brush, brush the wash evenly over the kringles. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 30 minutes.
GLAZE. While cooling, make the glaze by adding the sifted powdered sugar and half and half in a medium bowl. Drizzle over the kringles and sprinkle with remaining chopped pecans. Let set up before serving.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- To toast pecans: Place them in a dry pan over medium heat and stir constantly for 2-5 minutes, until they become fragrant and slightly darker in color.
- It is easier to remove the egg yolk from the white when the egg is cold.
- Use good quality cold butter; it makes a difference in taste, color, and texture.
- You can get creative and use other fillings such as cherry pie filling, apple pie filling, Lemon curd, or a savory filling like cheesy pesto or ham and Swiss.
- Make a classic wreath or pretzel shape by rolling the dough into one long rectangle (about 20×10 inches). Spoon the filling down the center, fold the dough over the filling as directed, then shape into a circle (wreath) or pretzel, and bake.
Danish Kringle Recipe
Ingredients
Pastry
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold butter, cubed
- 1 cup sour cream
Filling
- 1 large egg
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ¼ cups chopped pecans, toasted, divided
- 1 tablespoon water
Glaze
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons half and half, or milk, or as needed
Instructions
- Add flour, salt and butter to a food processor and pulse to combine into pea sized pieces. Add sour cream and pulse to form a sticky dough. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the filling by adding egg yolk in a medium bowl (reserve egg white for later to make an egg wash). Add cream cheese, brown sugar and cinnamon and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add 1 cup of chopped pecans and stir until combined. Set aside.
- Divide chilled dough in half and on a lightly floured surface, roll each dough piece into 10×12 inch rectangles. Position the long side in front of you with the 10-inch sides on the sides.
- Divide filling in half and spoon along the center of each rectangle. On the left and right sides of the filling, cut the sides into 8 horizontal strips. Starting at the top, fold each strip over the filling, pressing to seal the ends and tuck under. Using a large spatula, carefully place kringles on the prepared baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, make an egg wash by beating the egg white and 1 tablespoon water together until smooth. Using a pastry brush, brush the wash evenly over the kringles.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 30 minutes.
- While cooling, make the glaze by adding the sifted powdered sugar and half and half in a medium bowl. Drizzle over the kringles and sprinkle with remaining chopped pecans. Let set up before serving.
Notes
- To toast pecans: Place them in a dry pan over medium heat and stir constantly for 2-5 minutes, until they become fragrant and slightly darker in color.
- It is easier to remove the egg yolk from the white when the egg is cold.
- Use good quality cold butter; it makes a difference in taste, color, and texture.
- You can get creative and use other fillings such as cherry pie filling, apple pie filling, Lemon curd, or a savory filling like cheesy pesto or ham and Swiss.
- Make a classic wreath or pretzel shape by rolling the dough into one long rectangle (about 20×10 inches). Spoon the filling down the center, fold the dough over the filling as directed, then shape into a circle (wreath) or pretzel, and bake.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Make a classic wreath or pretzel shape by rolling the dough into one long rectangle (about 20×10 inches). Spoon the filling down the center, fold the dough over the filling as directed, then shape into a circle (wreath) or pretzel, and bake.
The dough needs to be chilled for at least 8 hours, but can be kept in the fridge for up to 48 hours. It can also be wrapped tightly and stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.
A fully baked Danish Kringle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, in the fridge for 5-7 days, or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and foil and frozen for up to 3 months.
Thaw the kringle if needed. You can then warm it in the oven for a few minutes or use the microwave for individual portions.
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