On this day (June 30) in 2013, the government approved the Danish kringle as Wisconsin’s State Pastry.
We all know that it’s delicious. But what else should you know about this remarkable and oh-so-Wisconsin pastry?
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What is kringle? Depending on who you ask, a Kringle is made with between 30 and 48 layers of buttery, flaky dough. The dough itself takes three days to make. It is then shaped into an oval and filled with ingredients like fruit, nuts and cheese and topped with icing.
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Kringle arrived in Racine, Wisconsin during the late 1800s, brought by Danish immigrants who settled in the area.
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Kringle is said to have originated with 13th-century Catholic monks in Denmark. But the pastry could have roots that go even further back to Turkish bakers.
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The original Danish “kringla,” was shaped like a pretzel. The oval-shaped Kringle was created by the Danish who migrated to Wisconsin.
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The original fillings for kringla were pretty much restricted to almonds, dried currants and raisins and topped with sugar. My how things have changed! Now there are countless fillings and most are topped with frosting. O&H Danish Bakery even makes a special Red White & Blue Kringle for the 4th of July.
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Racine is the Kringle Capital. While Kringles are made in other places, there are still many Danish bakeries in Racine. In fact, there are so many per capita that Racine identifies as “America's Kringle Capital.”
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Kringles are pretty popular in Wisconsin. O&H sells as many as 15,000 kringles each week at their bakeries (this doesn’t include mail order). During the holidays, O&H makes around 7,000 Kringle every day to keep up with demand.
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The kringle became the Wisconsin State Pastry via a provision in the state budget. Truth. It was argued as a way to boost Racine’s economy and put it "on the map." The act was also, arguably, about honoring the state’s immigrant history.
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The pastry inspired a polka. Here you can listen to Frankie Yankovic and his Yanks perform the classic "Kringleville Polka" named after the Kringle capital of the U.S.
Hungry for Kringle?
Here are numerous family-owned bakeries where you can find the Wisconsin treat:
Bendtsen’s Bakery (since 1934)
3200 Washington Ave., Racine, (262) 633-0365
bendtsensbakery.com
Fosdal Home Bakery (since 1939)
243 E Main St, Stoughton, (608) 873-3073
fosdalhomebakery.net
Lehmann’s Bakery (since 1934)
9117 Durand Ave., Sturtevant, (262) 632-4636
lehmannsbakery.com
O&H Danish Bakery (since 1949)
9540 S. 27th St., Oak Creek, (414) 856-1141
717 S. Sylvania Ave., Sturtevant, (262) 898-1950
4006 Durand Ave., Racine, (262) 554-1311
4917 Douglas Ave., Racine, (262) 637-8895
5910 Washington Ave., Racine, (262) 504-7000
ohdanishbakery.com
Uncle Mike’s Bake Shoppe (since 2001)
1840 Dickinson Rd., De Pere, (920) 330-0300
2999 East Mason St., Green Bay, (920) 544-0330
2514 Lineville Rd., Suamico, (920) 434-0100
unclemikesbakeshoppe.com
Uncle Mike’s Food Emporium
3860 W Wisconsin Ave., Appleton, (920) 278-2280
umfoodemporium.com
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
