Kringle, a traditional Danish pastry (the word actually means “pretzel”) is one of my very favorite holiday treats. I used to only be able to find it at Christmastime, when we would go to Wight’s Home and Garden on the day after Thanksgiving and pick out a Christmas ornament. They would always serve hot coffee and kringle samples, which you could purchase for a whopping twenty-something dollars per kringle, which, incidentally, was totally worth it because it was soooo good.

Times have changed, and now you can buy a just as good kringle at Trader Joes during certain times of the year (almond at Christmas, raspberry at Easter, pecan at other times) for $7.99 which is a nice change.

But nothing, nothing compares to homemade.

• 

Basically, kringle is a flaky, buttery pastry filled, often with almond paste, often with fruit, and formed into a ring or a rectangle, and then covered with a glaze. This was my first time making it homemade, and I can’t wait to try filling this dough with other things.

• 

I used a Dalmatia Sour Cherry spread for mine. I love their stuff. Homemade cherry pie filling would be fabulous, if you have the time. Apple would be good. Almond. Cinnamon butter. The possibilities are endless.

• 

I adapted this recipe from Serious Eats. At first, I was pretty worried watching it bake. It looked questionable there for a moment. Filling was oozing out around the edges, it was bubbling and oozing a lot, but I persevered, and as time went on, it started to look absolutely perfect. I did need to cook mine for longer than was recommended in the recipe. Mine went for closer to 20-25. You’ll know it’s done when it is a golden brown on the outside.

• 

Ingredients:

• For the Kringle:
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick salted butter, chilled
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup sour cherry jam
• For the Icing:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. In a small bowl mix together sour cream and vanilla. Set aside.
2. Using a pastry blender or (several pulses with a food processor) cut together flour and butter so butter is reduced to small pea-sized bits. Stir in sour cream mixture. Blend well to form a dough. Make into a disk, flatten slightly, and cover and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a small bowl whisk together egg and sugar for your egg wash. Set aside. On a floured work surface, roll out dough disk into a long rectangle. Spread filling down center in a thin strip leaving two inches clear on each side and an inch and a half at both ends. Fold sides over center then fold ends up, press lightly to seal. Leave in a rectangle or form into a ring. Place on a parchment lined jelly roll pan (don’t use a flat cookie sheet, or you’ll get a mess in your oven.) Brush with egg wash.
4. Bake for10 to 15 minutes (mine took more like 20) or until golden brown. Drizzle icing over warm kringle. Cool on wire rack. Store in a covered container. Best within a day.