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Dotdash Meredith/Abby Mercer
If you’re like me, one breakfast treat has been a Christmas morning tradition for as long as you can remember: a Danish Kringle. In my house, this family favorite was sliced thin to share, devoured in minutes, and then gone for another year. My childhood cravings were trained to only want it during the holidays—that is until I started doing my own grocery shopping.
Thanks to Trader Joe’s, Kringles don’t have to be a once-a-year indulgence. You can enjoy the flaky, buttery pastry well beyond December. The catch? The best old-fashioned flavor is only around for a limited time.
Trader Joe’s Pecan Kringles Are Here for the Season
If you’ve never tried a Pecan Kringle, one fan review says it all: “If I was on death row, this would be my last meal.”
The popular pastries come from O & H Danish Bakery in Racine, Wisconsin, and while you can order them directly, Trader Joe’s makes them easy to grab on your regular shopping trip. Though, there’s no doubt about it—as one fan put it, “There’s magic happening in Wisconsin!”
So, what makes the Pecan Kringle so irresistible? Each golden, homemade-style pastry ring is folded around a smooth brown sugar and cinnamon filling studded with chopped pecans, then topped with a rich, sweet icing. Every Kringle takes three full days to make, and according to the bakery, pecan has been the most popular flavor for over 75 years. “You will be hooked after the first bite,” it claims.
Now, while I’ve always stayed firmly in the pecan camp, Reddit’s rave reviews have me convinced that I need to try the almond variety next—or else I’m totally missing out.
And if you’re worried about an overpowering taste of almond extract, one fan puts that fear to rest—”I, too, have an aversion to the heinous beast that is almond extract, and there isn’t even a hint of it in the kringle,” they confirm. “You MUST try, it is unbelievably delicious.”
While the pecan and almond pastries reign supreme, Trader Joe’s stocks several other seasonal flavors throughout the year. In fact, the Kringle fan base is so dedicated, they’ve even pieced together an “estimated Kringle calendar” based on availability:
- Pecan: January–February
- Raspberry: March–June
- Cream Cheesecake: July–August
- Pumpkin Caramel: September–October
- Almond: November–December
With a selection of Kringles available year-round, it’s up to you to limit yourself. But, don’t look at me for advice—I’ve never had too much success on that front. I relate to the shopper who earnestly admitted: "We don’t live near a Trader Joe’s. But if we did, I would eat nothing but Kringles."
If the fan-made calendar holds true, there’s only a short time left to grab the top-rated pecan flavor before raspberry takes its place. In other words, it’s time for a Trader Joe’s run.
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