Learn how to make Danish Puff, an easy Almond Kringle recipe that’s a Wisconsin favorite!
It’s hard to believe, but Hello Little Home has been around for five years! And while I’m not big on blogiversaries, five years feels worth celebrating.
I started Hello Little Home in April 2013. I’d just moved to NYC and was looking for a creative outlet … somewhere to share my favorite recipes, crafts, decor idea, travel tips, and more. Basically, a little of everything.
I’m so amazed by how much this blog has grown over the years, and I’m so thankful to my readers (that’s you!). You’ve made all the hard work and late nights so worth it!
To celebrate these past five years, I thought it would be fun to look back on the very first thing I ever posted on Hello Little Home. It was pretty bare bones, but I said hello and shared a favorite family recipe: Danish Puff (Almond Kringle).
I’m pretty sure that only about three people ever read that post, so it seems like the perfect time to highlight this delicious, easy kringle recipe once again!
What is a Kringle?
If you’re not from Wisconsin (where it’s the official state pastry) or Scandinavia, you may be wondering, “What exactly is a kringle?”
A kringle is a sweet pastry that’s hand-rolled from Danish pastry dough. The dough is shaped (usually in a pretzel, oval, or log shape), filled with fruits, nuts, or other flavors, then baked. A sweet icing is the finishing touch.
Kringle dough is traditionally made with yeast and needs to be rested overnight … not this easy Danish Puff recipe though! You won’t believe how easy it is to make this Almond Kringle (no yeast or resting required).
Growing up, my mom made this recipe all the time. I believe the recipe comes from my aunt, but beyond that I’m not sure about its origins.
We never called this yummy almond-flavored dessert kringle though, it was always Danish Puff … I’m assuming that’s because the dough puffs up while baking. But whatever you call it, this sweet Almond Kringle is one delicious recipe that I know you’re going to love!
How to Make Danish Puff (Almond Kringle)
This Danish Kringle recipe has two layers: a buttery pastry crusty and a topping that’s crisp on top, but still a little custardy in the middle.
You’ll start by making 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 kringle pastry into the bottom of an ungreased baking pan (it will be thin), then work on the topping.
The “topping” is basically pâte à choux … the kind of dough used for cream puffs. If that all sounds a little fancy, don’t worry. It’s really easy, too.
To make the topping, you’ll combine butter and water in a saucepan. Bring that to a boil, then stir in almond extract and flour.
You want to stir the flour into the butter/water mixture really vigorously … this will help you avoid lumps.
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.
You’re going to spread the filling over the kringle pastry crust, then bake your kringle until it’s crisp and browned.
Like I mentioned earlier, kringle is usually shaped. In Wisconsin, you’ll usually find it shaped into an oval with a hole in the middle (like an “O”), and I’ve also seen them shaped into rectangles.
We’ve always baked it in a pan, but you can use these same ingredients to make a shaped Almond Danish Kringle, too. Just follow the same procedure for making the pastry and topping, then shape the pastry on a baking sheet and add the topping (bake as usual).
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!
Okay, ready for the finishing touch?
You may have noticed that neither the pastry nor the topping has any sugar in it. So the final touch is a simple powder sugar glaze.
This glaze is super easy to make and adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the finished Danish Puff.
I like to add a sprinkle of toasted almonds, too. They add 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.
Give this Danish Puff a try. I’m sure it will become a favorite in your family just like it is in mine!
Learn how to make this easy Danish Puff (Almond Kringle), a sweet, flaky treat your family won't be able to resist!
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter*
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature*
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch salt
- 1 to 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 cup chopped or sliced almonds, toasted
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
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Combine 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup butter in a medium bowl; blend with fork until mixture is the size of coarse crumbs.
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Sprinkle water over mixture and mix.
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Gather pastry into a ball, then pat into bottom of an ungreased 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
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Bring 1 cup water and 1/2 cup butter to a boil in a medium saucepan.
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Remove from heat, then add almond extract. Beat in 1 cup flour, stirring vigorously to avoid lumps.
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When dough is smooth, add an egg and mix until incorporated; repeat process with remaining eggs.
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Spread topping evenly over pastry.
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Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until topping is crisp and brown. Let cool completely on a baking rack.
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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.)
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Spread glaze over cooled kringle. Sprinkle with nuts.
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Cut kringle into squares and serve. Enjoy!
*If you use salted butter, skip the salt.
Love this Danish Puff (Almond Kringle) recipe?
If you enjoyed this Danish Kringle 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
Have you noticed a trend? We really like sweets … ha ha!
Have you ever had a kringle from Wisconsin before?
Happy Blogiversary!
Thanks, Paula! 🙂