Christmas kringle: recipe for a moist cardamom kringle

October 31, 2026

A Christmas kringle looks advanced, but it is simply a sweet yeast dough with a filling, rolled up and laid in a pretzel shape. Here is the recipe, and how to get that fine shape.

Short answer: Knead a yeast dough with cardamom and let it rise. Roll it out, spread on a filling of butter, sugar and cinnamon, and roll it up. Shape the kringle on the baking tray, let it rise for 30 minutes and bake at 200 °C for 25 to 30 minutes.

What you need for one large kringle

Dough:

500 g strong white flour
250 ml milk
100 g butter
75 g sugar
25 g fresh yeast, or 6 g dried yeast
1 egg
1 tsp ground cardamom
0.5 tsp salt

Filling and topping:

100 g soft butter
100 g sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
100 g raisins
1 egg for brushing
Pearl sugar and chopped almonds

How to make it

Melt the butter and stir in the milk until the mixture is lukewarm, about 37 °C. Stir in the yeast. If you use dried yeast, mix it into the flour instead.
Add the flour, sugar, egg, cardamom and salt. Knead for about 10 minutes, until the dough is glossy and supple.
Cover and let the dough rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until doubled in size.
Mix the soft butter, sugar and cinnamon to make the filling.
Roll the dough out to a sheet of about 25 × 70 cm. Spread on the filling and scatter over the raisins.
Roll up from the long side and pinch the seam firmly closed.
Place the roll on a baking tray lined with baking paper, seam side down. Form an arc, cross the ends over each other twice and fix them against the arc.
Cover and let the kringle rise for about 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 200 °C in the meantime.
Brush with egg and sprinkle with pearl sugar and almonds.
Bake in the middle of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden. If it darkens too fast, lay baking paper over it.
Let it cool on a wire rack.

Three tips for a fine kringle

Not too much filling: Leave 2 cm free along one long side, so the seam closes.
Seam side down: That way less filling runs out in the oven.
Golden, not brown: Sweet dough colours quickly, so keep an eye on it in the last few minutes.

Bake well before Christmas

Kringle is at its best on the day and dries out faster than an ordinary loaf. If you want to bake ahead, cut it into pieces once it is completely cold and freeze them in the bread bag. Thaw them in the bag and warm them for a few minutes in the oven at 150 °C. If it will be eaten the next day, put the kringle in the bread bag in the fridge. The whole plan is in Christmas baking in advance.

Bivoks™ bread bag299 NOK

Cotton and linen with beeswax on the inside. Measures 30.5 × 43 cm, closes with a clip and can go in the freezer.

See the bread bag →

Frequently asked questions

Can I shape the kringle the day before?

Yes. Cover it well and leave it in the fridge overnight. Take it out while the oven heats up and bake as usual.

Can I use something other than raisins?

Yes. Chopped almonds, candied peel or grated marzipan work well in the filling.

Why did the filling run out?

Most often there was too much filling, or the seam was not pinched firmly enough.

Can Christmas kringle be frozen?

Yes. Freeze it once it is completely cold, ideally in pieces, so you only take out what you need.

Want to bake more for Christmas? See Christmas breads: the types and how to store them.

Christmas baking ready when the guests arrive

In the Bivoks™ bread bag, your baking can stay in the freezer until you need it, and thaw in the same bag.