Wisconsin Apple Kringle

I first discovered this delightful Wisconsin pastry during my family’s annual trip to Door County for Fall Fest. Kringle is a flaky, baked treat filled with a delicious filling of your choice and topped with a smooth vanilla glaze. This recipe teaches you how to laminate dough to achieve the signature delicate layers of this Danish-inspired pastry.

The effort is well worth it—you’ll end up with two giant Kringles, one to enjoy and one to share. If you love baking, you won’t regret making this! It’s the perfect pastry to pair with your morning coffee.

Ingredients

For the Pastry:

Ingredient	Amount
All-purpose flour	2 cups
Granulated sugar	3 tablespoons
Active dry yeast	2 teaspoons
Ground cardamom	1/4 teaspoon
Kosher salt	1 teaspoon
Unsalted butter, cold & cubed	1 cup
Whole milk, cold	1/3 cup
Egg, beaten	1
Apple pie filling	2 cans (21 oz. each)

For the Glaze:

Ingredient	Amount
Powdered sugar	1 cup
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon
Cold water	2 teaspoons

Preparation

1. Prepare the Dough:
   • In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, yeast, cardamom, and salt.
   • Add cubed butter and pulse 10–12 times until the butter is pea-sized.
   • Add cold milk and the beaten egg, then pulse until the dough comes together.
   • Transfer the mixture onto a cutting board and form a rough dough. Shape into a rectangle, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate overnight.
2. Laminate the Dough:
   • Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough into an 8×15-inch rectangle.
   • Fold the dough into thirds, like a brochure, to create layers. Rotate and repeat the process. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
   • Repeat this step three more times to build the flaky layers.
3. Shape & Fill the Kringle:
   • Preheat the oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
   • Divide the dough in half and roll each portion into a 6×24-inch rectangle.
   • Spread a thin layer of apple filling down the center of each rectangle.
   • Fold one side over the filling and pinch to seal. Brush the exposed edge with egg white and fold over again to fully seal.
4. Bake:
   • Transfer each filled pastry onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and shape into an oval ring.
   • Brush with egg white and let rest in a warm place for 1 hour.
   • Bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden.
5. Glaze & Serve:
   • Whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and cold water until smooth and slightly runny.
   • Drizzle the glaze over the warm Kringle and let it set.
   • Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Enjoy your homemade Wisconsin Kringle with a fresh cup of coffee!