Danish Kringle Recipe

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Danish Kringle Recipe

This cream cheese pecan Danish Kringle is sweet and flaky pastry- perfect for weekend brunch or a holiday celebration.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Chill Time & Cool Time8 30

Total Time9 30

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: Danish

Servings:

Author: Kristyn Merkley

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 10x12 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

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 20x10 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.

Store the dough. 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.

How to store. 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.

Reheat. Thaw the kringle if needed. You can then warm it in the oven for a few minutes or use the microwave for individual portions.

For more substitutions and tips, check out the full recipe post

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