Wisconsin Kringle-Style Cookies

Racine, Wisconsin sits along Lake Michigan, and for over a century it has been the kringle capital of America. Danish immigrants arrived in the 1860s, bringing with them a laminated pastry tradition that required thirty-six layers of butter-folded dough and three days of patient labor. Those original bakers would work through the night, folding and resting, folding and resting, until their oval pastries achieved a flake so delicate it shattered at first bite.

These cookies capture that spirit without demanding your entire weekend. The dough comes together quickly with cream cheese and butter, creating tenderness and flake through chemistry rather than endless lamination. You'll roll it thin, spread good almond paste across the surface, then fold and slice into individual cookies that bake into something remarkable.

The almond filling is non-negotiable. This is what makes a kringle a kringle. Look for almond paste, not marzipan. Paste has less sugar and more almond flavor. Solo and Odense are reliable brands found in most grocery stores. If you can find a Scandinavian specialty shop, even better.

I learned to appreciate these flavors from a baker in Door County who still made traditional kringles by the old method. She taught me that the best pastries come from respecting the ingredients and understanding why each step matters. These cookies honor her teaching while making the tradition accessible to anyone with a rolling pin and an afternoon to spare.