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Authentic Wisconsin Apple Kringle Recipe

A delicious slice of homemade wisconsin apple kringle, featuring flaky pastry and cinnamon apple filling, drizzled with white icing.
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Make a traditional Wisconsin Apple Kringle featuring flaky, layered pastry and a sweet-tart apple filling, finished with a simple glaze.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 8 ounces cold cream cheese, cubed
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup ice water
  • 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk or cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pastry dough: Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter and cream cheese using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
  2. Gradually add the ice water, mixing just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix. Divide the dough in half, form each half into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 2 hours.
  3. Prepare the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the chopped apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until the apples soften slightly, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the apple mixture and cook for 1 minute more until the filling thickens. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
  5. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of chilled dough into a large rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. Trim the edges to make a neat rectangle, approximately 10 by 14 inches.
  7. Spread half of the cooled apple filling down the center third of the dough, leaving a 2-inch border on the short ends and a 2-inch border on the long sides.
  8. Cut diagonal strips, about 1 inch wide, along both long sides of the filling, stopping at the edge of the filling.
  9. Fold the top and bottom edges of the dough over the filling. Then, fold the cut strips alternately over the filling, overlapping them slightly to seal the filling inside, creating a braided or overlapping pattern.
  10. Carefully transfer the shaped Kringle to a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the second disk of dough and remaining filling.
  11. Brush the entire surface of each Kringle with the beaten egg wash.
  12. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and flaky. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  13. Make the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle the glaze generously over the cooled Kringle.

Notes

  • For the flakiest pastry, keep all ingredients, especially the butter and cream cheese, very cold before mixing.
  • You can substitute lard for half of the butter if you prefer a more traditional Danish pastry texture.
  • If you prefer a firmer filling, reduce the cooking time slightly.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://savoryskies.com/wisconsin-apple-kringle-recipe/