Almond Kringle Recipe (Danish Pastry)

Name: Homemade Almond Kringle
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 560 min
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour (I use organic unbleached); ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 cup salted butter (cold, cubed (see Note 1)); 1 cup sour cream (cold, full-fat is best); 1¼ cups almond flour; ¾ cup powdered sugar; ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract); ¼ - ½ teaspoon almond extract (more if you want more almond flavor; I like less); 1 large egg white (yolk saved for the egg wash, plus more egg white as needed to loosen (see Note 2)); 1 large egg yolk (reserved yolk); 1 teaspoon water; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon almond extract); 1 tablespoon butter (melted); 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream (half and half, or whole milk); Pinch salt; ½ cup sliced almonds (toasted and cooled)

This almond kringle recipe makes the flaky, iced Danish ring you know from the Racine, Wisconsin bakeries and Trader Joe’s. No three days of laminating butter. The shortcut is a cold sour cream pastry. The filling is my own soft almond paste, which tastes like real almonds.

Wring shaped kringle on a round board, kringle is drizzled with a vanilla glaze and sliced almonds.

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The Almond Danish Kringle My Almond-Skeptic Husband Kept Sneaking

My braided Danish Kringle was a hit last year, in my kitchen and with you. Then the comments started. Can you make it almond? Like the one at Trader Joe’s?

Enough of you asked that I couldn’t say no. Challenge accepted. This time I shaped it into the classic oval ring, like the ones from O&H Danish Bakery in Racine, Wisconsin.

I’m not a fan of store-bought almond paste. It tastes a little too “fake almondy” to me. So I started with my homemade almond paste and tweaked it for kringle. I made it softer, so it spreads. I made the batch smaller, so there’s no leftover paste hanging out in the fridge.

Then there’s the pastry. Traditional kringle dough is laminated. You roll butter between layers of dough, chill it, and do it again. And again. It’s gorgeous. It’s also a lot of work.

My shortcut is a sour cream pastry, and I already knew it worked. I fought that battle last year with my first kringle. I kept tweaking the sour cream. Too little, and the dough was crumbly and wouldn’t hold together. Another batch baked up dense. Then I landed on the right balance, and out came a light, flaky pastry.

So this time I didn’t touch it. Same dough, same overnight rest, zero folding!

The real test? My hubby is not a big almond fan. He kept sneaking back for seconds. Then thirds.

I almost tested it one more time, because my pastry came out a little “krinkled.” Mid-bite, he mumbled, “It’s a KRINGLE. It’s perfect. Print it!”

Reasons to Make This Almond Danish Kringle

No laminating. The sour cream dough bakes up into layers of flaky pastry. No folding butter into dough for days.
Make it ahead. The dough and filling chill overnight. Baking day is rolling, filling, and shaping.
It freezes well. Baked or unbaked. Stock the freezer now, and you’re set for the whole holiday season.

Side view of a slice of almond kringle on a plate.

What is a Kringle?

A kringle (KRING-gull) is a buttery, filled Danish pastry with icing on top. It comes from Denmark. Danish immigrant bakers brought it to Racine, in southeastern Wisconsin, in the late 1800s. Racine bakeries turned it into the wide, flat oval ring you see today. The one at Trader Joe’s comes from O&H Danish Bakery in Racine. The flavors change with the season. Pumpkin is a favorite in the fall, right through Thanksgiving.

Bakery kringle is a laminated dough, built over three days into 36 layers. It became Wisconsin’s official state pastry in 2013.

Heads up: some “almond kringle” recipes online are really Danish puff, or a yeasted Norwegian kringle. This one is the flaky, filled Wisconsin ring.

Almond Kringle Ingredients

For the Pastry Dough

All-Purpose Flour: I reach for organic, unbleached all-purpose flour. Regular works great too.
Fine Sea Salt: Just a pinch, to balance the sweet filling and glaze.
Cold Salted Butter: Those pea-sized bits of cold butter melt in the oven and make steam. That’s where the flaky pockets come from. Grass-fed, high-butterfat butter makes a real difference here. Using unsalted? Add an extra ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Cold Sour Cream: This is what lets you skip the laminating. Use full-fat, and measure it. Too little, and the dough turns crumbly. Keep it cold!

For the Almond Filling

Almond Flour: Use finely ground, blanched almond flour for a smooth, pale paste. Almond meal (with the skins) works, but the filling will be coarser and darker.
Powdered Sugar: It dissolves right into the paste, so there’s no grittiness.
Egg White: Binds the paste and makes it soft enough to spread. Save the yolk for the egg wash!
Vanilla Bean Paste or Extract: Rounds out the almond flavor. I love the little flecks from vanilla bean paste.
Almond Extract: A little goes a long way. I use just ¼ teaspoon. Go up to ½ if you like a stronger almond taste.
Fine Sea Salt: Brings out the almond flavor.

Almond paste vs. marzipan: They’re not the same. Both are ground almonds and sugar, but the ratio is different. Almond paste has more almonds and less sugar, so it’s coarser and less sweet. Marzipan is sweeter and smoother. My almond paste is roughly 3 parts almond to 2 parts sugar by weight. If you’re buying it instead, check the label and grab almond paste, not marzipan.

For the Icing and Finishing

Egg Yolk + Water: The egg wash gives the ring its deep golden, glossy finish.
Powdered Sugar: The base of the icing.
Melted Butter: Makes the glaze richer, and a little softer when it sets.
Heavy Cream, Half & Half, or Whole Milk: Add a splash at a time until the icing is thick but pourable.
Vanilla or Almond Extract: Almond extract for more almond flavor, vanilla for balance.
Pinch of Salt: Keeps the glaze from tasting flat.
Sliced Almonds: Toasted until golden, then sprinkled on the wet icing for crunch.

Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.

Ingredients needed to make almond kringle.

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How to Make Almond Kringle

Your game plan: This is a two-day recipe, and most of that is fridge time.

Day 1: Make the dough and the almond filling. About 20 minutes hands-on.
Day 2: Roll, shape, chill, and bake. About 1½ hours, plus cooling.

Step 1 | Make the Dough

In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt together. Add the cold, cubed butter. Pulse until the mixture looks sandy, with a few pea-sized pieces of butter still showing.

Add the cold sour cream and pulse just until the dough comes together. It will be soft and sticky, and that’s okay!

Turn it out onto plastic wrap and pat it into a rectangle. This makes rolling so much easier. Wrap tightly and refrigerate at least 8 hours, or up to 2 days. I usually make mine about 24 hours ahead.

The long rest relaxes the gluten and firms up the butter. That’s what gives you a flaky pastry.

No food processor? See the two other methods below.

Flour in a food processor. — Pulse the flour and salt.

Cold butter added to flour in a food processor. — Pulse the flour and salt.

Step 2 | Make the Almond Filling

Start with a clean food processor. I wash mine out between the dough and the filling. Pulse the almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt. With the motor running, drizzle in the egg white a little at a time. Then add the vanilla and almond extract.

Process until you have a thick, moist paste that’s soft and pliable. Want it softer? Add a little more egg white, a teaspoon at a time. It should be loose, but still hold together. Egg white gives the best texture, but a little water works in a pinch.

Knead it briefly by hand. Shape it into a flat log about 10 inches long. Wrap tightly and refrigerate, overnight if you can. My homemade almond paste post walks through the method in more detail.

While you’re at it, toast the sliced almonds. Use a dry skillet, or a 350°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes. Watch them closely. They go from golden to burnt fast! Cool and set aside for the topping.

Almond flour and sugar in a food processor. — Pulse the almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt.

Adding almond extract to the almond paste in a food processor. — Pulse the almond flour, powdered sugar, and salt.

Step 3 | Assemble and Shape the Kringle

Get set. Take the almond paste out of the fridge 40 minutes ahead so it softens. Keep the dough cold until the last minute. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll the dough. On a well-floured surface, roll the dough into a long rectangle, about 28 x 7 inches. Mine usually stretches to 29 or 30 inches, and that’s fine. A bench scraper and a measuring tape help keep the edges straight.

Add the filling. Cut the almond paste log lengthwise into three equal strips. Press each one between your fingers to thin it out. Lay them end to end down the center of the dough, making one long strip about 2 to 3 inches wide. Press gently to spread it a bit more.

Fold. Fold one long side of the dough over the filling, leaving a little filling peeking out. Fold the other side over the top so the two sides overlap.

Shape the ring. Use your hands and a bench scraper to move the log onto the baking sheet. The dough will sag, so move quickly. It won’t fall apart. Curve it into a U. Bring the ends together. Open one end, tuck the other end inside, and pinch to seal. Now you have an oval ring. Watch the video to see it step by step.

Chill. Chill the shaped ring for 15 to 30 minutes. I usually pop mine in the freezer for 15 minutes. This firms the butter back up for a crisper crust. You can also freeze the ring at this point and bake it later. Or refrigerate it overnight to bake in the morning.

Chilled dough sprinkled with flour on marble. — On a well-floured surface, roll out the chilled dough.

Kringle dough rolled into long rectangle (imperfect). — On a well-floured surface, roll out the chilled dough.

Step 4 | Bake and Glaze

Whisk the reserved egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush it over the chilled ring. Get a little under the overlaps too, which helps them seal.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. You want it puffed and deep golden brown. A little filling or butter may ooze out. That’s normal.

Let the kringle cool on the baking sheet for 30 to 45 minutes. While it cools, whisk the powdered sugar, melted butter, extract, cream, and salt until smooth and pourable.

Drizzle the glaze in a thick ribbon down the center of the cooled kringle. Sprinkle on the toasted almonds right away, so they stick.

Use the parchment to slide the kringle onto a serving board, then pull the paper out. Slice it up and serve it with your morning coffee, or as dessert after dinner!

Powdered sugar with cream, melted butter, vanilla, in a small bowl. — Whisk the powdered sugar, melted butter, extract, cream, and salt.

Glaze whisked together in a bowl. — Whisk the powdered sugar, melted butter, extract, cream, and salt.

No Food Processor? Two Other Ways to Make the Dough

I always use my food processor for this dough, but you don’t need one.

By hand: Freeze the butter and grate it on a box grater, right into the flour and salt. Or cut in cold, cubed butter with a pastry cutter until you have pea-sized pieces. Work fast so the butter stays cold. Stir in the cold sour cream with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Knead in any loose bits by hand, the same way I do for pie crust.
With a stand mixer: Use the paddle attachment. Mix the flour and salt on low. Add the cold, cubed butter and mix on low until it looks like coarse crumbs. Add the cold sour cream and mix just until moistened. Leave some butter chunks showing. Finish with a quick knead on the counter if there’s loose flour in the bowl.
From here, wrap and chill the dough the same way as Step 1.

Almond Kringle Tips and Tricks

Keep the cold stuff cold. Cold butter and cold sour cream are what make this pastry flaky. If the dough gets soft and sticky while you roll, slide it onto a sheet pan and chill for 10 minutes.
Measure the sour cream. Don’t eyeball it. When I tested this dough, too little sour cream gave me a crumbly dough that wouldn’t hold together.
Don’t skip the rest. Eight hours is the minimum. I’ve tested it. I usually make the dough about 24 hours ahead, and it rolls out like a dream.
Flour generously. This dough is soft. A well-floured surface and a bench scraper keep it from sticking.
Let the almond paste soften. Straight from the fridge, it cracks and tears the dough. Forty minutes on the counter makes it pliable.
Don’t overfill. A strip of filling 2 to 3 inches wide is plenty. More filling means more leaks.
Seal it well. Brush a little egg wash under the overlaps. Pinch the joined ends firmly, so the ring doesn’t pop open in the oven.
Chill before baking. A quick 15 minutes in the freezer sets the butter, so the pastry puffs instead of slumping.
Bake until deep golden. Pale kringle is underbaked kringle. Check the underside too. If it isn’t golden, the center will be doughy.
Glaze once it’s cool. Icing on a hot kringle melts and runs right off. But a warm kringle, yes please, all day long!

Almond Kringle Variations

Trader Joe’s Copycat: Good news. You don’t need to change a thing. Made as written, this looks just like the Trader Joe’s almond kringle, with the same oval ring, almond filling, and icing on top. And honestly? I think the taste is much better than the Trader Joe’s version.
Store-Bought Almond Paste: I’ve always made my own, but this should work. Use one 7 or 8 ounce package of store-bought almond paste, not marzipan. Let it come to room temperature. If it’s too firm to mold, beat in a teaspoon or two of egg white, until it’s soft enough to press into strips.
Cherry Almond: Top the almond paste with a few spoonfuls of my homemade cherry pie filling, cooled completely. I’ve made this one, and it’s a keeper.
Raspberry: Use raspberry preserves in place of the cherry filling. I’ve done this swap too. Pick thick preserves, and keep the layer thin.
Pecan: Want a different nut filling? Swap the almond for the toasted pecan and brown sugar filling from my original Kringle.
Cheesecake: My original Kringle has a cheesecake-like filling. Use it in place of the almond paste.
Braided Log Instead of a Ring: Divide the dough and almond paste in half. Roll each piece of dough into an 11 x 13 inch rectangle, and spread the paste down the center third. Cut 8 strips down each side. Fold them over the filling at an angle, alternating sides. Bake as directed. My Kringle post shows the braid step by step.

Two more ideas I haven’t tested yet:

Apricot Almond: A thin layer of apricot preserves under the almond paste should add a bright, fruity tang.
Chocolate Drizzle: After the glaze sets, drizzle melted dark or semisweet chocolate over the top.

Overhead shot of a round almond kringle served on a wooden board.

How to Store Homemade Kringle

Make Ahead: The dough keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days, and the almond filling can be made the day before. You can also shape the ring and refrigerate it overnight to bake in the morning.
Room Temperature: Let it cool completely. Wrap it tightly in foil, or keep it in an airtight container, for 3 to 4 days. Skip the fridge. It softens the pastry, and you lose the flakiness. Giving one away? Tell your gift recipients to keep it on the counter, not in the refrigerator.
Freezing Unbaked: Shape the ring, but stop before the egg wash. Freeze it on a lined baking sheet until solid. Wrap in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, and keep it there until you’re ready to bake. You want that dough cold. Brush with egg wash and bake, adding 5 to 10 minutes if needed.
Freezing Baked: Cool completely. If you can, freeze it before glazing. Wrap in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or for a few hours on the counter.
Reheating: Always thaw first. Warm slices in a 350°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, which is my preference. The microwave works too, 10 to 15 seconds, but the oven keeps it flakier. Already glazed? Don’t worry. The glaze won’t completely melt off in the oven.

Almond Kringle FAQs

What is almond paste and where do I find it?

Almond paste is ground almonds and sugar, made for baking. Look for 7 or 8 ounce tubes or cans in the baking aisle. Odense and Solo are common brands. Or make your own in about 5 minutes.

Can I use Solo almond filling instead of almond paste?

You can, but I haven’t tried it in this recipe. Canned almond filling is softer and sweeter than almond paste, so spread a thinner strip and expect a sweeter kringle.

What is the difference between kringle and danish?

A Danish is usually a single-serving pastry made from laminated dough. A kringle is one large filled ring, iced and sliced to share.

Is almond kringle the same as Danish puff?

No. Danish puff is a flat pastry crust with a puffy, eggy layer baked on top, then iced. There’s no filling inside. A Wisconsin-style kringle like this one is a flaky pastry wrapped around a filling and shaped into a ring.

Why is my kringle dough crumbly?

Two usual reasons. One is too little sour cream. I ran into this when I was testing, and the dough wouldn’t hold together. The other is too much flour. Spoon and level your flour so you don’t pack in extra. Before you chill the dough, check it. It should be soft and a little sticky, not dry. I also tested with full-fat sour cream. Light or fat-free could change the dough.

Can I make the dough without a food processor?

Yes. Grate frozen butter into the flour by hand, or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Both methods are in the “No Food Processor?” section above.

How many does this almond kringle serve?

One ring makes 12 to 16 slices, depending on how big you cut them.

Does almond kringle need high altitude adjustments?

No changes to the recipe, only a few extra minutes in the oven. My recipe testers at sea level took theirs out at about 30 to 31 minutes. At 5,280 feet, mine bakes for about 35.

Can I make almond kringle gluten-free?

I haven’t tested this one gluten-free yet. If you try it, here’s where I’d start for the dough: 1½ cups gluten-free cup-for-cup flour, ¼ cup oat flour, and ¼ cup almond flour. Don’t skip the rest and chill. Watch it in the oven too, since it could finish sooner.