Cranberry Kringle

Nothing speaks more to a scrumptious holiday breakfast more than a Cranberry Kringle. Except maybe two!

I originally shared this recipe in 2014. I've recently updated this post with additional information, including a recipe card complete with nutritional information, but the recipe itself has remained unchanged.

The ingredient list:

• butter
• active dry yeast
• warm water
• warm milk
• granulated sugar
• kosher salt
• lemon zest
• pure vanilla extract
• egg
• all-purpose flour
• whole berry cranberry sauce (store-bought or homemade)
• white chocolate chips
• confectioners sugar
• almond extract
• colored sprinkles (optional)

Kitchen tools and equipment needed:

• gallon-size zip-top bag
• digital food thermometer
• rolling pin
• mixing bowls
• stand mixer with the dough hook attachment
• measuring cups and spoons
• glass measuring cup
• whisk
• pizza wheel or paring knife
• parchment paper
• baking sheets
• kitchen scissors
• kitchen timer
• cooling rack
• ruler (optional)

Why this recipe works:

Flaky, buttery layers of sweet Danish pastry encompass sweet, tart cranberry sauce and a light sprinkling of white chocolate chips.

What's not to love?

How many Kringle pastries does this recipe make?

Two large Kringle pastries. Each Kringle provides 8 slices.

How long will it take to make these cranberry filled breakfast pastries?

Approximately 4 hours, but a lot of that time is hands-off chill-time in the refrigerator.

These Kringle pastries will bake for 30 minutes in a preheated oven once the dough preparation and Kringle forming is complete.

What I said about these holiday Kringle pastries back in 2014:

I make delicious things in my kitchen all the time. I'm not trying to brag. I'm just stating how much I adore cooking and baking.

Naturally, when you love to do something so much you just get better and better at it along the way because you tend to do it as much as possible.

I'm by no means a master chef (and never will be). I'm basically a self-taught home cook and baker who enjoys challenging myself in the kitchen.

That said, these Cranberry Kringles I made for December's #TwelveLoaves challenge are some of the best things I've made in a long, long time!

After all, what better fits the season than something called a Kringle?

How this recipe came to be:

I went looking for a holiday recipe I had never made before.

The one I found settled on is listing on The Food Network's website. I printed their recipe for a Kringle, and planned on giving thought to the filling I'd use at a later date.

Naturally, I wanted something holiday, but couldn't put my finger on just what.

It was after a Thanksgiving dinner as I was packing away the leftovers that I knew...

Why not fill the Kringle's with the leftover homemade cranberry sauce? Ding!

And, since I'm at it, why not add white chocolate chips to boot? Double ding!

Food Network's Kringle caution:

Upon reading through The Food Network's Kringle recipe they state at the bottom of the page...

"Please note that the best quality Kringle requires patience. This process is most successful when spread out over three days."

"A quality Danish pastry should be light, tender, flaky, and full of flavor. With patience and pride this recipe will yield just that."

• Day 1, roll in first piece of butter.
• Day 2, roll in a second piece of butter and additional fold.
• Day 3, create your Kringle or other fine Danish pastries.

My Great British Bake-Off method for making a Cranberry Kringle:

Say what?!? Three days? I don't have three days to make this thing.

I have one afternoon, so I'm going to push it and see what happens.

For those of you familiar with The Great British Bakd-Off, you completely understand this method of rush-baking! LOL

As I've stated before, instructions aren't really my forté and I tend to do things my own way when it comes to cooking and baking.

Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't. Luckily for me, this time it worked, and with flying colors!

So, today's Kudos Kitchen method for making a Cranberry Kringle is dedicated to whoever thinks they need three days to make a proper Kringle.

To them I say ~

BAH, HUMBUG! Christmas humor. LOL

Additional Kringle pastry filling options:

You can also play around with the filling flavors and make this year-round, and not just for the holidays!

How about; apple, blueberry, peach, plum, cream cheese?... You name it!

Once you have the pastry made, the rest is left up to your imagination and creativity.

The step-by-step instructions:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to form an approximate 8"x12" rectangle.
• Remove the frozen butter from the freezer and use scissors to cut open the bag.
• Working quickly, cut the butter "sheet" into 3 even pieces. *Note - these measurements are approximations, so no need to get out the ruler. Eyeballing works just fine! Make sure to return ⅓ of the butter sheet back into the freezer until called for.
• Place 2 of the butter sheets next to each other on the left side of the rolled dough.
• Fold the right side of the dough to the center and then again over the butter sheet.
• Place the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes.
• Remove the dough from the freezer (and also the reserved ⅓ butter sheet).
• Repeat the same process as before by carefully rolling out the dough to form an approximate 8"x 12" rectangle.
• Place the final butter sheet on the left side of the rolled dough and fold the right portion of the dough in thirds to the left and over the butter sheet.
• Roll the dough once again to an approximate 6"x 20" rectangle.

• Use a pizza cutter or knife to even out the edges. *Note - at this point as you want the dough to be as even as possible.
• Cut the dough evenly in half length-wise.
• Working with half of the rolled dough at a time, spread half of the cranberry sauce down the center of the strip of dough and sprinkle the cranberries with half of the white chocolate chips.
• Fold the dough edges over the filling, making sure to moisten the edges with water to adhere the two sides together over the filling.
• Gently and carefully shape the Kringle into an oval shape and moisten the edges with water pressing the ends together to seal.
• Place each Kringle on a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently press each down to flatten slightly.
• Cover the Kringles and allow them to sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
• In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1½ tablespoon milk, and the almond extract until smooth.
• Drizzle the glaze over the cooled pastry and sprinkle the top with colored sugar or colored sprinkles if desired.

Additional Christmas recipe ideas you'll also enjoy:

*Make-Ahead Apple Croissant Bake (shown below and featured in the video)

Treat your family and friends to a breakfast gift this year with this Easy Make-Ahead Christmas Morning Croissant Apple Breakfast Bake. It will be a deliciously sweet start to a very wonderful day!

*Whoville Roast Beast (not shown)

Whoville roast beast is (surprise) roast beef cooked to perfection with a flavorful crust that stands up deliciously well to the robust flavor of the beef.

*Shirmp Cocktail Appetizer Bites (shown below)

This festive and easy Shrimp Cocktail Appetizer Bites recipe takes only minutes to make, but they look like you slaved for hours. Plus they’re cheap and cheerful which makes them perfect for this (or any) holiday gathering.

*Christmas Pasta with Sausage, Red, and Green Peppers (not shown)

This easy recipe for Christmas Pasta with Sausage, Onions, and Peppers has proven to be a winner in our home every Christmas season, and I trust it will be a winner in your home too.

*Cranberry Kringle Breakfast Pastry (shown below) THIS IS THE PLACE!!

More cranberry holiday breakfast recipes:

Cranberry Orange Scones with Pistachios are light in texture but heavy in flavor. They're delicious for breakfast or in the afternoon with a spot of tea!

Chocolate Cranberry Quick Bread with Pecans comes together quickly, and it's chock full of creamy, chewy and crunchy ingredients. It's perfect for to serve for all of your autumnal gatherings. 

Printable Recipe Card

CRANBERRY KRINGLE RECIPE

Renee Goerger

A Cranberry Kringle is a perfectly sweet holiday breakfast and/or brunch pastry because it's stuffed with delicious cranberries and white chocolate.

Have you made this recipe?Please Comment and Rate

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Prep Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs

Course Breakfast and Brunch, breakfast pastry

Servings 16 slices

Calories 165 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 sticks (8 tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature
• ▢ 1 package (2¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
• ▢ ¼ cup lukewarm water (110-115 degrees)
• ▢ ¼ cup lukewarm milk (110-115 degrees)
• ▢ ¼ cup granulated sugar plus a pinch
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
• ▢ ½ cup whole berry cranberry sauce divided
• ▢ ¼ cup white chocolate chips divided
• ▢ 2 cups confectioners sugar
• ▢ 1½ tablespoon milk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ▢ colored sprinkles optional

Get ingredients with

Instructions

 

• -Place the softened butter inside the zip lock bag. Use a rolling pin to carefully roll the softened butter evenly within the inside of the bag, from corner to corner, forming a "sheet" of butter. *Note - do not close the bag as you'll need to express the air out as you roll to ensure a flat surface of the butter. Place the bag on a baking sheet and place the flattened butter in the freezer as you prepare the dough.
• -In a small bowl, warm the water and milk in a microwave to lukewarm, not hot.
• -Dissolve the yeast in the water/milk mixture and add a pinch of sugar. Allow the mixture to sit and get foamy (about 5 minutes).
• -In a stand mixer, and using the dough hook, mix the ¼ cup sugar, salt, lemon zest, vanilla, egg, and flour.
• -Pour in the yeast mixture and continue kneading with the dough hook until the mixture comes together in a ball and leaves the sides of the bowl (approximately 5 minutes).
• -Remove the dough from the bowl and form it into a flattened rectangle shape.
• -Wrap the flattened dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes.
• -On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to form an approximate 8"x12" rectangle.
• -Remove the frozen butter from the freezer and use scissors to cut open the bag.
• -Working quickly, cut the butter "sheet" into 3 even pieces. *Note - these measurements are approximations, so no need to get out the ruler. Eyeballing works just fine! Make sure to return ⅓ of the butter sheet back into the freezer until called for.
• -Place 2 of the butter sheets next to each other on the left side of the rolled dough.
• -Fold the right side of the dough to the center and then again over the butter sheet.
• -Place the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place it in the freezer for approximately 30 minutes.
• -Remove the dough from the freezer (and also the reserved ⅓ butter sheet).
• -Repeat the same process as before by carefully rolling out the dough to form an approximate 8"x 12" rectangle.
• -Place the final butter sheet on the left side of the rolled dough and fold the right portion of the dough in thirds to the left and over the butter sheet.
• -Roll the dough once again to an approximate 6"x 20" rectangle.
• -Use a pizza cutter or knife to even out the edges. *Note - at this point as you want the dough to be as even as possible.
• -Cut the dough evenly in half length-wise.
• -Working with half of the rolled dough at a time, spread half of the cranberry sauce down the center of the strip of dough and sprinkle the cranberries with half of the white chocolate chips.
• -Fold the dough edges over the filling, making sure to moisten the edges with water to adhere the two sides together over the filling.
• -Gently and carefully shape the Kringle into an oval shape and moisten the edges with water pressing the ends together to seal.
• -Place each Kringle on a parchment-lined baking sheet and gently press the Kringles down to flatten slightly.
• -Cover the Kringles and allow them to sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
• -Preheat oven to 350-degrees Fahrenheit.
• -Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.
• -Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
• -In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1½ tablespoon milk, and the almond extract until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled Kringles and sprinkle the top with colored sugar or colored sprinkles if desired.

Notes

To freeze after baking, cool completely, wrap individual slices well in parchment paper and plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 165kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 2gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 158mgPotassium: 40mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 31IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg

I sincerely hope you've enjoyed today's Cranberry Kringle recipe as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you.

Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!