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
Howdy! Chef Alli Here. Let’s Get You Cookin’…. Shall We?? 🙂
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 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….bummer. 🙁
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
- Flour
- Salt, optional, but recommended
- Powdered sugar glaze, optional
How to make Kringle Crescent Roll Dessert in just a few easy steps
**Print the full recipe from the RECIPE CARD at the bottom of this post
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, make the Kringle filling by combining the softened (but not melted) butter, brown sugar, and flour 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.
Form the Kringle: 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 and glaze the Kringle: 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. Delicious served warm with coffee!
Answers to Common Questions Asked About This Recipe
Which tools are helpful for making this recipe?
Silicone Spatula Spoons – Of all the tools in my kitchen, silicone spatula spoons are what I use the most. They make stirring and sautéing a breeze and I love all the pretty silicone colors available. Silicone spatula spoons are completely heat-proof so they won’t melt, even when used over high temperatures. I like to have different sizes on hand for different kitchen tasks – soooo handy!
Rimmed baking sheet – Heavy-duty bakeware is essential for proper browning, which adds a lot of great flavor to anything you’re baking or roasting. I like aluminum baking sheets with a rimmed edge, 13×18 inches in size.
I like mixing bowls that nest inside of each other and have a silicone bottom so they are slip-resistant when I’m working in them. I also really appreciate what’s called “gorilla grip” handles that are on the side so they are each to hold in place when I’m mixing.
Here’s the rolling pin that makes small jobs super easy. It’s actually a pizza dough roller, fyi.
Use a stainless steel balloon whisk for making the powdered sugar glaze so it’s smooth, creamy, and lump-free.
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
Printable Kringle Crescent Roll Dessert Recipe
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, brown sugar, and flour 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!
Notes
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Let’s Get You Cookin’,
Chef Alli
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