Any Trader Joe’s shopper worth their salt knows that the best item in the bakery section is the Danish kringle. And now, a seasonal kringle variety is back earlier than usual, and fans (myself included) could not be happier. If you’re lost, let’s recap with a little kringle 101.
Kringles are a type of filled Danish pastry made with buttery, flaky layers of dough wrapped around a filling and shaped in a ring or twist. They can be filled with fruits, nuts, custards, and cheeses, and are particularly popular around the holidays. And while they can, of course, be homemade, real kringle fans know that O & H Danish Bakery sells some of the best around.
O & H’s Kringles are one of the most consistently popular and best-selling desserts in the bakery section of Trader Joe’s. We previously wrote about the Pumpkin-Caramel and Cheesecake Kringles, both of which have dedicated followings of their own. But now the seasonal flavor many, many fans call their all-time favorite kringle is back on shelves—and earlier than expected.
The Almond Kringle Is Back at Trader Joe’s
According to a few eagle-eyed Trader Joe’s shoppers, the Almond Kringle is back in the bakery section. Layers of flaky pastry surround a frangipane-like almond filling with a sweet icing on top. Personally, I love the flavor of almond paste, so this Kringle is easily top tier for me, and I think the sweet, fruity almond flavor complements the rich pastry better than some of the other super sweet fillings. If you like almond croissants, this is a must-try pastry.
And I’m not the only one who thinks so. I could not possibly include all of the rave reviews for the O & H Almond Kringle here, so I’ll bring you the highlights:
“The Almond Danish Kringle is stupid good, 110/10.” -Reddit user OblongAnomaly
“[Kringles] are all rather good, but the almond one is my all-time favorite.” –@morganchompz on TikTok
“These are so good it almost makes me angry.” -Reddit user idealzebra
There are entire threads dedicated to people proclaiming this their favorite flavor of Kringle, if not pastry, period. So yeah, it’s that good.
Now, the Trader Joe’s kringle flavors usually follow a rotating seasonal calendar (one that dedicated fans track to ensure they can buy their favorite flavor when it’s in stores). Almond Kringles are typically in Trader Joe’s stores late October through end of December, according to a leaked store calendar. But this year, they’ve been spotted in August. So what gives?
According to one Reddit user, their local TJ’s crew member speculated that the Almond Kringles could be in stores to cover a shortage of Cheesecake Kringles. At this time, the reason for their early arrival may not be clear but one thing is—it’s a happy surprise. On another thread, one satisfied shopper wrote “[My store] had them about a month ago and I was shocked. Happy shocked.”
Another commenter (and self-identified Trader Joe’s employee) chimed in “Crew member here: we were surprised as well. It wasn’t on our Kringle Calendar. Enjoy it while it lasts! Almond is my favorite flavor.”
The Best Way to Enjoy a Kringle
Now, any kringle fan will tell you that while you can enjoy a slice at room temperature, that doesn’t mean you should. The absolute best way to enjoy a Danish kringle is heated up.
You can pop the entire ring or just a piece in the oven or toaster oven for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees F. You can also air fry it for 3-4 minutes at 400 degrees F. Once warmed, the pastry gets crispy and extra buttery while the filling becomes soft and gooey in the best way. Warning: it will make eating only one slice exceedingly difficult.
As is the case with all kringles (and generally great things at Trader Joe’s), these things will fly off shelves. Trader Joe’s has even been known to put buying limits on them in an effort to stretch out the season and spread the kringle joy, but they still sell out fast. All that is to say that if you see one (or two, or three), grab it while you can—especially considering this out-of-season run is likely limited. They freeze impeccably well and make for a particularly crowd-pleasing breakfast alongside a strong cup of coffee.
Read the original article on Allrecipes
