Name: Kringle Crescent Roll Dessert
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 roll Pillsbury crescent dough sheet; 1/4 cup butter, softened; 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed; 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 1 cup finely chopped pecans; 1 Tbs. melted butter; 3/4 cup powdered sugar; pinch of kosher salt; 1 Tbs. milk (or to desired consistency )

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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 pastry cut into wedges for serving.

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.

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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: Look for crescent roll dough SHEETS. These are now available and work really well for making this pastry. If you can’t find the sheets, you can purchase crescent roll dough and use your rolling pin or fingers to seal all the perforations to make a sheet.
Butter: I use unsalted butter for cooking so I can add the desired amount of kosher salt to taste. Use what you have on hand, salted or unsalted.
Pecans: Chop whole pecans or purchase pre-chopped pecans in the baking section of your favorite grocer. Feel free to substitute chopped walnuts for the pecans – still delicious!
Brown Sugar: I use dark brown sugar, but use what you have on hand.
Powdered sugar glaze: use your favorite powdered sugar icing made with powdered sugar, melted butter, and a bit of milk, cream, or water.

All the ingredients needed to make Kringle pastry.

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

Kringle Crescent Roll Dessert

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.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 25

Servings: 6 slices

Calories: 340kcal

Ingredients

For the Kringle

1 roll Pillsbury crescent dough sheet
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans

For the Powdered Sugar Glaze, optional

1 Tbs. melted butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar
pinch of kosher salt
1 Tbs. milk or to desired consistency

Instructions

Make the Powdered Sugar Glaze, Optional

In a mixing bowl, combine the melted butter with the powdered sugar, adding milk as needed; stir until the glaze is smooth and creamy; reserve.

Make and Bake the Kringle

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a sheet of parchment paper onto a baking sheet; spray with nonstick spray.
Unroll the crescent dough sheet and place it onto the prepared parchment sheet; use a small rolling pin just to level out the dough a bit, especially on the ends and sides, if needed. (You want a nice flat rectangle of crescent roll dough.)
In a small mixing bowl, prepare the Kringle filling by combining the softened butter with the brown sugar and pecans.
Place the prepared pecan 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.
Now, lift both long sides of the dough toward the center, one at a time, folding them towards the filling, leaving a strip of the filling exposed at the center. Use a fork to crimp and seal the dough edge at both ends.
Bake the Kringle, uncovered, on the center oven rack, for 15 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden brown in color.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes, then drizzle with the prepared powdered sugar glaze. Cut the Kringle into 6 large servings or 8 smaller servings.