Danish Puff (An Easy Almond Kringle Recipe)

Learn how to make Danish Puff from scratch! This easy Almond Kringle recipe is a Wisconsin favorite that's simple to make at home. Perfect for dessert or a sweet breakfast!

Ginnie's Take

I've shared many desserts on Hello Little Home through the years, but this delicious Danish Puff (also known as Almond Kringle) is the very first thing I ever posted! I'm originally from Wisconsin, where Kringles are a very popular pastry. The dough is traditionally made with yeast and needs to be rested overnight. This shortcut recipe cuts out all the hard work though, and there's no yeast or resting required! My mom got this recipe from my aunt, and she made this yummy almond-flavored dessert all the time when I was a kid. It's one of my all-time favorite recipes, and I know you're going to love it just as much as I do!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Delicious - This tasty recipe has two layers: a buttery pastry crust, and a topping that's crisp on top, but a little custardy in the middle. It's the perfect combination of textures, and the almond flavor is irresistible!
• Easy to Make - Unlike a traditional Kringle, this recipe is super easy! It also uses really basic ingredients.
• Crowd Pleaser - I've never met anyone who hasn't loved this unique dessert! It's a total crowd pleaser. Perfect for a sweet breakfast or dessert, and it's special enough for holidays (like Christmas), too!

How to Make Danish Kringle

This homemade Kringle has a few steps, but each one is super easy! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's a quick overview of the process:

1. Make the pastry crust. Simply combine flour and butter with a fork until you have a mixture that looks like course crumbs. Then, you'll add just enough water to hold the crust together. Press the pastry into the bottom of an ungreased baking pan (it will be thin), then work on the topping.
2. Prep the topping. This recipe's topping is basically pâte à choux, the kind of dough used for cream puffs. To make it, you'll combine butter and water in a saucepan. Bring that to a boil, then stir in almond extract and flour. Once the dough is smooth, you'll stir in three eggs, one at a time. When you're finished, the filling should look like a smooth, glossy dough. Spread the filling over the pastry crust. Tip: Stir the flour into the butter/water mixture really vigorously. This will help you avoid lumps.
3. Bake. Transfer the baking dish to your oven, then bake until the pastry crisp and browned. As the kringle bakes, the bottom gets flaky like a pie crust and the topping puffs up and crisps. Yet, the inside stays soft and little custardy. Yum!
4. Add glaze + nuts. You'll make a simple glaze by stirring together powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and a little water. Spread the glaze over the dessert, then add a sprinkle of toasted almonds for extra almond flavor and a little crunch.

This Danish Kringle recipe with almonds is one of those treats where it's almost impossible to stop at just one piece. It's that good.

Related Recipes

If you enjoyed this Danish Puff recipe, make sure to check out some of my family's other favorite recipes, too:

• Mom's Mini Cherry Tarts
• Poppy Seed Kiss Cookies
• Old Fashioned Rhubarb Cake
• Mini Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cupcakes
• Honey Cookies
• Nona's Pecan Finger Cookies

Looking for more almond recipes? You'll love my Almond Crescent Cookies and Almond Joy Overnight Oats recipes, too!

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4.91 from 41 votes

Danish Puff (Almond Kringle)

Learn how to make this easy Danish Puff (Almond Kringle), a sweet, flaky treat your family won't be able to resist!

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Danish

Servings: 16 people

Calories: 247kcal

Author: Ginnie

Ingredients

For Pastry:

• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature*
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons water

For Topping:

• 1 cup water
• ½ cup unsalted butter*
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs

For Glaze:

• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature*
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• pinch salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water
• ½ cup chopped or sliced almonds, toasted

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Prepare Pastry:

• Combine 1 cup flour and ½ cup butter in a medium bowl; blend with fork until mixture is the size of coarse crumbs.
  
• Sprinkle water over mixture and mix.
  
• Gather pastry into a ball, then pat into bottom of an ungreased 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
  

Prepare Topping:

• Bring 1 cup water and ½ cup butter to a boil in a medium saucepan.
  
• Remove from heat, then add almond extract. Beat in 1 cup flour, stirring vigorously to avoid lumps.
  
• When dough is smooth, add an egg and mix until incorporated; repeat process with remaining eggs.
  
• Spread topping evenly over pastry.
• Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until topping is crisp and brown. Let cool completely on a baking rack.

Prepare Glaze:

• Place powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time; stirring until completely smooth. Add more water only if needed. (The glaze should be easily spreadable, but not runny.)
  
• Spread glaze over cooled kringle. Sprinkle with nuts.
• Cut kringle into squares and serve. Enjoy!
  

Notes

*If you use salted butter, skip the salt.

Nutrition

Calories: 247kcal

Did you make this recipe?I love hearing from you! Leave a comment and rating below, or tag @HelloLittleHome or #hellolittlehome on Instagram!

Have you ever had a kringle from Wisconsin before?