Danish Pecan Kringle Ring

Learn how to make this midwest bakery favorite, Danish Pecan Kringle Ring, with step by step instructions. Most popular in Wisconsin, pecan kringle is a flaky, nutty, sweet dessert that pairs great with coffee for breakfast, dessert, or a snack.

Those who are familiar with danish kringle often wait all year for bakeries and grocery stores to carry this delectable dessert. A staple in the Midwest, danish kringle is a buttery, flaky pastry often filled with fruits, nuts, or jams. Most often, you will see it shaped in the circle, but it can also come as a straight loaf or even braided.

It is a labor of love to make kringle. There are several steps of cooling, rolling, and proofing to get the layers right, but the end result is beautiful. When you are rolling out the dough, you can literally see the butter in between the layers and it makes for a beautiful lamination.

Baking is interesting to me, because the technique matters so much. A majority of baked goods start off with the same basic ingredients-- flour, butter, and eggs. The amount you add of each, the additional ingredients, and the techniques you use make a huge difference in the final product! This pecan kringle recipe demonstrates this concept. The final product is light and flaky with paper thin layers.

Ingredients in Pecan Kringle

Pastry

• 1 ½ sticks butter
• 1 packet fast acting yeast
• ¼ cup warm water
• 1 Pasture Raised egg
• ¼ cup room temperature milk
• 2 cups flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Filling

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 - 2 tablespoon water

How to make a butter pecan kringle ring

I have included some basic pictures here to help you follow along with the instructions. There are so many steps that it can be helpful to see exactly what’s happening visually rather than to solely through text.

Begin by taking your softened butter and spreading it on wax paper in an 8x8 inch square. Make sure it is an even layer. Place butter square in the fridge and allow to firm up, about 20 minutes.

While the butter is in the fridge, begin to prepare your dough. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add in sugar, salt, milk, and egg. Stir to combine. Sift in flour and mix until everything comes together in a smooth ball.

Roll out dough to be 12x8. Place 8x8 square of butter down on one edge and gently peel back wax paper. Fold the uncovered 4 inches over half of the buttered section, and then fold the remaining buttered third over the top (think trifold brochure). Fold it twice more, until it resembles a small square.

Wrap and place in fridge for 2 hours.

Now it's time to repeat the process (without adding extra butter). Roll dough back out to 12x8 and fold gently until it is a 4x4 square. Rewrap and place back in the fridge for another 2 hours or overnight.

Once chilled, cut dough in half and roll out each half into a 20x6 inch rectangle.

Place filling in middle third of dough both pieces of dough, horizontally. Take bottom third of dough and bring it up over the filling. Bring top third over the top of that, pinching to seal.

Place on a lined baking sheet in a semicircle, seam side down. Repeat with other half. Use fingers to pinch the two pieces together to form an oval. 

Place in a warm part of your house, covered lightly with a towel, for an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

In a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar and water to create icing.

Once cool, drizzle on icing and cut to serve.

What to serve with a pecan danish?

A slice of pecan kringle danish is very sweet and rich. It goes well with a nice robust coffee or cold glass of milk. If desired, some fresh berries would pair well with any variety of kringle.

Kringle is most often served room temperature, but you can also pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up.

Can you freeze a pecan kringle?

Yes you can! I know people who buy a few kringles from Trader Joes or a bakery when they are available and freeze them to enjoy later. You can certainly freeze a homemade kringle as well! Just make sure to seal it in an airtight container or ziploc bag and it should keep for up to 4 months.

More dessert recipes

• Easy ricotta cake with lemon and blueberries
• Paula Deen's Carrot Cake
• Easy Kolacky Cookies