The Wisconsin Kringle: A Legacy with Layers of Love from Racine

Where is the Kringle capital of America? It’s Racine, Wisconsin! There’s a legacy of layers behind it too with a storied history rooted in the Danish migration to the southeast corner of the state in the late 1800s. 

The process for creating a Kringle is considered both art and labor. And it hasn’t changed much since those early beginnings. Bakers fold butter and dough repeatedly as they create a masterpiece made up of more than 32 delicate, flaky, oval-shaped layers. The pastry then rests overnight before filling it with fruits, nuts, and spices, flavors ranging from raspberry to pumpkin and key lime. The result is a pastry as golden as Wisconsin’s dairy heritage and as welcoming as Racine’s vibrant Danish-American community.

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LISTEN to the “Slice of Wisconsin” featuring the Kringle here:

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Kringle only became the official state pastry in 2013. But Its journey from local bakeries to national fame has long been fueled by the craftsmanship and dedication of families like those at O&H Danish Bakery.

Peter Oleson is the third-generation owner of O&H. He shares both the challenge and reward for creating more than 10,000 Kringles every single day.

“It’s just a great pastry. But it’s one that’s hard to make, hard to replicate,” Oleson says.

O&H is celebrating 75 years of operation and now ships its Kringle across the globe. The tasty appeal transcends geography and is especially popular during the holidays, particularly Christmas. It doesn’t hurt that Racine’s Kringle has also been featured on the Food Network and the Today Show. By the way, Racine is home to at least four bakeries creating the Kringle, along with O&H. This includes Bendtsen’s Bakery, Racine Danish Kringles, and Lehmann’s Bakery.

Fosdal Bakery in Stoughton and Uncle Mike’s Bake Shoppe in Green Bay may be newish to the bakery scene, but both include the tradition passed along by family.

One thing is certain. A single slice of Kringle is never enough. It’s a delicious reminder of Racine’s proud past and enduring role as a center of Danish culture and culinary excellence and why it is our “Slice of Wisconsin.”