Kringle Crescent Roll Dessert is an authentic Danish Kringle knock-off that’s tender, flaky, and loaded with a buttery pecan filling, just like the real thing.
Unroll your favorite crescent roll sheet, add the filling and bake until golden brown.
Kringle Crescent Roll Dessert Recipe
We were first introduced to authentic, homemade Danish Kringle via our down-the-hill neighbor, Alma.
Alma’s mother-in-law, Katie, taught her how to make Kringle using her family recipe featuring crescent dough sheets and it is divine.
When Alma brings over a baking sheet full of her Kringle, still warm from the oven and drizzled with a powdered sugar glaze, it is pure heaven. My family goes crazy for it!
But as much as my fam loves this special treat, I don’t always have the time needed for making authentic Kringle because it requires homemade sweet dough that must be chilled before you can roll it out.
And then I had an epiphany! Why not use crescent roll dough? More specifically, a crescent roll dough SHEET. Brilliant! (If I do say so myself.)
Happily, crescent roll dough works wonderfully well for making Kringle.
I call it “cheater” Kringle since it’s not the authentic, homemade Kringle that Alma makes for us.
And you know what? You can have this little Kringle dessert ready to serve in just about 30 minutes…it’s awesome.
What to love about this easy crescent roll dessert
- This dessert can be hot and fresh from the oven in mere minutes.
- Tender, flaky, pastry that’s loaded with a pecan filling….what’s not to LOVE?
- You can freeze this dessert to reheat later.
Ingredients needed to make this flaky crescent roll recipe
- Crescent roll dough sheets (preferably not the perforated crescent roll dough, but that will work in a pinch)
- Butter
- Pecans
- Brown Sugar
- Salt, optional, but recommended
- Powdered sugar glaze, optional
How to make Kringle Crescent Roll Dessert in just a few easy steps
Prepare the dough: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place a sheet of parchment paper onto a baking sheet.
Spray with nonstick spray. Unroll the crescent roll dough and place it on the prepared parchment sheet.
Use a small rolling pin just to level out the dough a bit, on the ends and sides, if needed.
You want a nice flat rectangle of crescent roll dough.
Make the filling in a mixing bowl by combining the softened (but not melted) butter and brown sugar until smooth.
Stir in the pecans. Place the filling down the center of the dough lengthwise, using your fingertips to flatten it out, making the filling strip about 4 inches wide.
Leave 1/2-inch of dough space at each end of the strip of filling.
Now to make the Kringle, lift both long sides of the dough toward the center, one at a time, folding them over onto the filling, leaving a strip of the filling exposed.
Use a fork to crimp and seal the dough edge at both ends where there is no filling.
After the Kringle is assembled, place the baking sheet onto the center oven rack, uncovered, baking the Kringle for 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let the Kringle rest for 10 minutes, then drizzle with powdered sugar glaze, if desired.
It is delicious, served warm with coffee!
If I can’t find crescent roll dough SHEETS, can I just use regular crescent roll dough?
Yes, you can. Just be sure you thoroughly seal the perforations that are in the dough when you unroll it, either with a rolling pin or your fingers.
Otherwise, the pecan filling has a tendency to leak out of the pastry dough as the Kringle bakes.
Can I use walnuts instead of pecans to make the Kringle filling?
Totally – it works great and walnuts are a nice alternative.
More crescent roll recipes to enjoy
- CHERRY CREAM CHEESE DANISH
- ALMA JUNE’S CRESCENT ROLL CHICKEN BUNDLES
- GLAZED CRANBERRY WALNUT CRESCENT ROLLS
- SPICY ITALIAN SUB CRESCENT RING
- EASY ORANGE BREAKFAST CRESCENTS
Kringle Crescent Roll Dessert
Ingredients
For the Kringle
- 1 sheet crescent roll dough
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans
For the Powdered Sugar Glaze, optional
- 1 Tbs. melted butter
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- pinch of kosher salt
- 1-2 Tbs. milk
Instructions
Make the Powdered Sugar Glaze, Optional
- In a mixing bowl, combine the melted butter with the powdered sugar, adding milk as needed, until the glaze is smooth and creamy; reserve.
Make and Bake the Kringle
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper onto a baking sheet; spray with nonstick spray. Unroll the crescent roll dough and place it on the prepared parchment sheet; use a small rolling pin just to level out the dough a bit, on the ends and sides, if needed. (You want a nice flat rectangle of crescent roll dough.)
- In a mixing bowl, make the Kringle filling by combining the softened (but not melted) butter and brown sugar until smooth; stir in the pecans. Place the filling down the center of the dough lengthwise, using your fingertips to flatten it out a bit, making the strip of filling about 4 inches wide. Leave 1/2-inch of dough space at each end of the strip of filling.
- Now, lift both long sides of the dough toward the center, one at a time, folding them over onto the filling, leaving a strip of the filling exposed. Use a fork to crimp and seal the dough edge at both ends where there is no filling.
- Bake the Kringle, uncovered, on the center oven rack, for 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cook for 10 minutes, then drizzle with powdered sugar glaze, if desired. Delicious served warm with coffee!
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