One of My Favorite Christmas Recipes
This is one of my favorite Christmas recipes that I remember having every Christmas since I was a kid. It’s one of those treats that looks decadent and time-consuming, but it really is not as hard as you think pastry would be. This Almond Puff Pastry will quickly become a favorite in your home too! This almond pastry is great for brunch or even dessert.
Favorite Christmas Recipe
If you love the taste almond flavor you will adore the flakey texture is a delight. It’s a classic and I personally think it’s one of the best Christmas recipes.
This makes a great breakfast treat Christmas morning and it can easily be made days before and even freezes well (just let it cool and wrap it well).
Almond Puff Pastry
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp water
Top
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp almond extract more if you love almond
Drizzle and Toppings
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds slightly toasted
- water if needed to thin out the drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Crust
- Blend together the crust ingredients with a pastry cutter or 2 forks. The mixture will be coarse and crumbly. Divide it into two balls.
- With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll into long pieces (about 4″ by 12″) and lay on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
Top
- In a saucepan, bring to boil over low heat the water and butter (Top portion). Add flour when the water comes to a boil. Turn off the heat and continue to stir until the batter leaves the sides of the pan.
- Add the eggs, one egg at a time and then add the almond extract.
- Divide into two parts and spread over the crust, making certain that it is covered completely. Bake at 350 degrees for 40- 45 minutes.
Toppings
- While still warm, drizzle with a mixture of powdered sugar, and almond extract. If the mixture is too thick add water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Sprinkle with sliced, roasted almonds.
- Serve warm or cold.
I hope you’ll give my favorite Christmas recipe a try & I hope you love it as much as I do!
Other Almond Recipes
I was disappointed with this recipe. I should have known that without any sugar in the crust or the topping that it would taste bland. I’m wondering if the author forgot to add it to the recipe.
I see there is a 1/2 cup if powdered sugar in the topping…maybe you missed it? It sure looks delicious!
I printed this off months ago for the brunch portion of Thanksgiving. My sis and I made it the night before. It was fabulous!!! Everyone tried it and loved it. It will now be a regular several times a year on my breakfast table when I have company.
Can I freeze this? I have an annual “2nd breakfast” for my neighbors during Christmas season. I always make scones, freeze them unbaked, and then serve them the morning of. Could I do that with this? Or freeze after baking? Have you tried it?
Hi – I have never personalized frozen mine. Hopefully someone has tried and will jump in the comments with some info.
I have never frozen it unnamed. I have frozen it baked. It comes out fine. Just not crispy like it does right out of oven.
Try making the frosting with heavy whipping cream instead of water, it’s so worth it!!!
When I went to roll the dough out it didn’t roll very well at all. I have a marble roller so flour doesn’t really stick to it very well. I ended up rolling it between two pieces of parchment paper but then couldn’t get it lengthened. Any tips? My butter was cold but maybe I need to refrigerate it so it will roll better?
Yes you could try refrigerating it for 30 minutes. If you have lots of humidity in the air can affect it too.
I have been making this recipe for many years for our Christmas morning special treat. I have never used a rolling pin. I shape the dough into a log and then flatten to the correct width and length using only my hands.
Do you have a video showing you making this so we can watch you making it?
I don’t! I will try to remember to make one this Christmas season when I make the pastry.
I would love to see a video of this process
Excellent recipe! The Kringle from Racine is good, but we prefer Kirsten’s in Burr Ridge, Illinois!😀
When I got this recipe from church back in December 1988, it was called a Danish Puff. I’ve since learned it is also called Swedish Kringler. Love, love, love this recipe!!! Always pleases my guests!
Hi Carol. This looks so yummy & I definitely want to make it soon (why wait til Christmas, right?), but I have a question regarding adding the eggs to the water/butter/flour mix. Do the eggs not start to cook when added, since the mix had been heated to boiling? Thank you!
When you add the flour and then turn off the burn lowers the temp. I’ve never had an issue.
What’s this recipe called in the Betty Crocker cookbook?!
Does this make two danishes? Mine did not come out looking like yours at all? Not sure where I went wrong , as I followed your recipe.
Can this be used with puff pastry instead of crust recipe?
I’ve never tried it… if you do, let us know how it turns out.
My mom made this same exact recipe from her 1978 Pillsbury Cookbook. So glad to find the recipe again!
I have been making this for years and it is one of my family favorites. I found the recipe in a Betty Crocker cookbook that I got for a wedding gift in 1961. Easy, affordable, and delicious.
I have 3 Betty Crocker Cookbooks so I want the recipe. One book from 1949, one from 1969 & the last one from the early 2000’s. It had to be in one of them.
I’ve been making this…Danish Puff for years love it!
Very good. Everyone loved it but I believe there’s an ingredient missing from glaze. There is no liquid listed to add to powdered sugar other then almond extract. I didn’t have almond slices but didn’t need them. Not complicated to make. Will definitely make again just need to find a recipe for the glaze
Read recipe again. Says you can add water 1/2 tsp at a time, if too thick.
This is one of my favorites from the bakery. Now I hope to try making this
Myself! Looks delicious and recipe and instructions are easy to follow! Thanks for sharing!
My mom made this all the time. Her recipie calls it Danish Puff Pastry. I make it once and a while quick to make up and oh so good. Thanks for refreshing the memories.
Thanks so much for this recipe! I made this a few times from a Betty Crocker cookbook in the 60s. 70s, it was called “Danish Puff”. So yummy! The book got lost during a move and I missed that great recipe – I could never remember what it was called, and never saw a similar one to try.
I am making this tomorrow, I might not sleep tonight!
I found your story so sweet! I love that you were able to find this awesome lady and the recipe!
I love this. Yes it was called Danish coffee cake in the 70s and 80s. Thank you for sharing.
This was known as “Danish Pastry” in my house in the 70’s ad 80’s, and I LOVED it! When I finally got the recipe from my mom years later the directions were iffy so I couldn’t get it just right. THANK YOU for sharing this! Can’t wait to try it again. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you as well and God bless you and I mean it!
Oh my, I have been searching for this recipe for decades!!!! Thanks so much!
Hi Maryann, I am new at Pinterest and I cannot seem to print your recipe for
the Christmas pastry. Do you have it blocked? I would sure like to try it.
Peggy
This recipe is what I have called my “Christmas Kringle”, though I make it all year. We have a Kringle that is made in Racine, WI and this tastes a lot like it. Easy to make and fantastic with coffee or a cold glass of milk. I have used different nuts and flavorings. I usually add a bit of butter flavoring also. It is a little more work, but usually I freeze my butter then grate it and mix it in. I do the same with my scones and I believe they are a not as heavy. At Christmas I sprinkle colored sugar lightly on top. Great recipe !
Lived in N Illinois most of my life and never had a Kringle from
Racine till I retired to Phoenix. I knew they had a reputation,. I’ve had the Almond and the Pumpkin. Very good, but Now I can make my own.?
I know the Kringle you are talking about! I am your neighbor from Illinois and we always pick up a few when we are in Wisconsin! Love them! Would be great to make my own at home.
I love this. Can’t believe I have never heard of it before. Do you just call it almond pastry? I made it with cream cheese icing. Yum!
Could you add a filling (cherry, raspberry, lemon) between the layers? This could make an awesome Christmas gift for my neighbors rather than the usual cookies.
I’ve never tried it, but it sounds fantastic! If you do try it, please let me know how it works!
Could this be made gluten free/paleo with finely ground almond flour?
Hi Jan! I have never tried it, so I don’t know. If you try, please let me know how it turns out.
I have been making this recipe for 35 years! I got the recipe from my Mother-In-Law the first year we were married. It is a family treasure. I frost it with cream cheese frosting made with some almond extract! YUM!
Oh that sounds amazing with the cream cheese frosting!
I’m trying this and can’t wait. But please instruct me how to put in the eggs without cooking the eggs since it seems they are being put in a boiling hot pot. Thank you!!!
Hi Shawnee,
The eggs are added after the water and butter boil, and the flour has been added. Then the heat is turned off before the eggs are added. It’s all listed in the recipe instructions. Happy Baking!
So this is basically a puff pastry crust topped with a cream puff crust then glazed?
It won’t let me print the recipe? Help?
In the picture it appears as though the dough is twisted in circles, or something. But the directions seem like you are making too long skinny rectangles. Can you comment and clarify? Thank you.
Nope, it’s not twisted. It’s just shaped into long rounded rectangles.
My mom had made this for years as well! My kids don’t think its actually Christmas unless I make it too! So yummy! I use chopped walnuts (but still use the almond flavor) because I’m allergic to the actual almonds. Still so good!
My mom also made this pastry for Christmas morning. It was something all 5 kids looked forward too. Thanks for bringing this memory back. I’m going to dust this off and restart the tradition. Many Blessing for you and your family.
This is even better with a cream cheese filling?
Oh good idea!
Also delicious with orange extract instead of almond
Measurements for the last stop (powdered sugar, water, almond extract)?
So excited to come across this recipe. I want something a bit nicer and something that might travel well and still be delicious. Something other than cookies. Well, this seems to just be screaming all that to me and more! Thank you.
Where is the sugar in this recipe…?
Sugar only in the frosting drizzle and it’s enough…
1. If you are to make two pastries, will there be enough of the puff pastry to cover both?? You use only half on each?
2. How much powdered sugars do you use in the glaze???
How many does this recipe serve??
It makes 2 long pastries. I think you could easily serve 12.
Can a gluten free flour be used?
So the only sugar in the pastry is the powdered sugar in the glaze? If so, it does not say how much. Is there an actual recipe with measurements?
Self rising flour or all purpose
all purpose flour – all update the recipe with details… thanks!
Can this be made the night ahead?
Absolutely!!! I think it even tastes better the next day. Just store in an air tight container.
I am confused why you make two balls. Are you making two at a time?
Yes this makes 2 pastries.
Hi Maryann, I LOVE almond! This looks DELISH! Hope you and your fam had a blessed Xmas! xo
This looks fabulous! I think I’ll add it to my (already huge!) list of things I am making for the Christmas Day Brunch I am hosting. 🙂 Thanks for sharing! I think everyone will love this!
Merry Christmas Maryann!
Nancy