Danish Kringler Cookies
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Have you ever tried kringler? This Danish pastry is a true treat! These little Scandinavian inspired Christmas cookies taste just like kringler but in mini version. I love their pillowy soft, bread-like texture. They are easily my favorite Christmas cookie these days, and I love enjoying my homemade Danish Kringler Cookies with a hot cup of coffee in the morning.
What are Danish Kringler?
Kringle, sometimes called kringler, is a Northern European pastry that is made up of flaky layers of dough enriched with butter. Usually associated with Denmark, this pastry falls under the umbrella term of “Danish” which is what many different types of Danish pastries are called. They are usually shaped into an oval or pretzel and filled with fruit or cream cheese and iced. This pastry dates back to the Middle Ages, when it was more of a pretzel than a filled pastry.
These older kringles were not as sweet as the modern kringle available today. I wanted to preserve some of the history with these cookies by making them more of a bread-like texture and flavor than something overly sweet!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
Buttery and Flaky. These cookies, while a cookie and not an actual pastry, are still enriched with butter and melt-in-your-mouth!
Simple to Make. These cookies are time consuming, but not because they are overly difficult to make. They just need a longer chilling time than most other cookies. Otherwise, they are very easy to mix up and shape!
Rich in Tradition. I love making recipes from my ancestral heritage, and having a large part of my ancestors come from Denmark, these cookies feel special to me in ways other recipes do not. Even if Danish culture is not part of your heritage, it can still be fun to learn about traditional recipes from other parts of the world!
Gathering Ingredients:
Butter. You will want to make sure that your butter is at room temperature, ideally around 62° F (16° C) for the best results.
Sugar. Use granulated sugar for this recipe.
Egg.
Vanilla Extract.
Almond Extract.
Flour.
Baking Powder.
Baking Soda.
Salt.
Buttermilk. Make sure that your buttermilk is at room temperature. If you do not have buttermilk, you can make your own with a splash of vinegar and plain milk.
How to Shape Kringler Cookies:
Step One: Break off a piece of dough about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) in size.
Step Two: Roll the piece of dough into a 10-inch (25-cm) long rope.
Step Three: Fold over one end to begin making a pretzel shape. Then, cross the other end over the top and gently press together.
Step Four: Make sure that the cookies are kept as cold as possible while shaping. If necessary, pop them back into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or into the freezer for about 10 minutes.
Tips for Perfect Kringler Cookies:
Keep it Cold. These cookies will not work if the dough is warm, so it is important to keep the dough as cold as possible. The dough needs a chilling period after mixing of at least 8 hours or longer. While shaping the dough, if it becomes too warm or sticky, pop the cookies back into the fridge for at least 20 minutes or the freezer for 10 minutes.
Uniform Shapes. You can use a ruler to measure the dough to keep the size and shapes consistent.
Customize the Glaze. If you are wanting to add a boost of flavor to your cookies, feel free to add vanilla extract, almond extract, or even orange juice to your powdered sugar!
Serving Suggestions:
Pair these Danish Kringler Cookies with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate for a cozy and festive treat. They make a lovely addition to a holiday cookie platter or Christmas cookie box alongside classics like Linzer Cookies or Almond Snowballs.
My 2023 Christmas Cookie Box
Final Thoughts:
These Danish Kringler Cookies are more than just a dessert; they are a celebration of Scandinavian tradition and heritage. I was not raised with these traditions in my home, so I love bringing these recipes to life for my family to enjoy and try a taste of our ancestral history. With their delicate texture, timeless almond flavor, and festive shape these kringle cookies are sure to bring joy to your holiday table!
xoxo Kayla
Danish Kringler Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (174 g) salted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 3 cups + 2 tbsp (390 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp (10 g) baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (175 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) milk
- 1/4 cup (50 g) coarse sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Then, beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extracts, another 1 to 2 minutes.
- In a separate large bowl, which together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, creaming them together for about 3 minutes. Then, pour in the buttermilk and beat the dough on medium to high speed for about 4 to 5 minutes or until it is soft and smooth.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal sized pieces and shape them into discs. It will be very soft, but don't worry! Wrap each half of the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- The next day, preheat your oven to 375° F (191° C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set these aside for now.
- Bring one half of the dough to your counter and let it warm up a bit for about 10 minutes. Lightly dust your countertop with flour. Divide the dough into pieces about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) in size. Taking one piece of dough, roll it into a 10-inch (25-cm) long rope. Shape the rope into a pretzel by crossing the two ends over each other, flipping them towards the looped end, and pinching them to the rounded loop. Repeat this with the remaining cookies.
- Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 3-inches (8-cm) apart. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies continue to bake on the trays for another 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. After the first set of cookies has baked, repeat the shaping and baking process with the second half of dough.
- Arrange the cookies on the wire cooling racks and set the rack over a piece of parchment paper or a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until is has become smooth and runny.
- With a pastry brush, brush the glaze all over the fully cooled cookies while they rest on the cooling racks. Before the glaze hardens, sprinkle the cookies with the coarse sugar. Leave the glaze to finish hardening before serving or storing the cookies.
- The cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for about 5 to 6 days, or they can be frozen for about 6 months.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
121Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
