If you’re a Trader Joe’s lover, you probably noticed that the store recently brought back one of its most popular bakery items, the Danish almond Kringle. It’s the variety that the store sells during the holidays, replacing the pumpkin-caramel flavor it offers in the fall.
What is a Kringle? It’s an oval-shaped Danish flaky pastry with fillings such as fruits, nuts, custard, or cheese. While the pastry is sold year-round, it’s particularly trendy around Christmas. Its name certainly lends itself to Christmas.
Kringle lovers get super excited when Trader Joe’s brings out the delicious baked treat because it signals the holidays are here. It’s a 10 out of 10, according to some Kringle enthusiasts.
As with all Trader Joe’s popular seasonal items, there’s always a risk of the $9.99 Kringle selling out. But fear not, Kringle lovers, if you can’t find Kringle at TJ’s, or the $9.99 price tag is too steep for you, you can now head to Aldi for its Kringle in two varieties.
Aldi’s Danish Kringles From Racine, Wisconsin
Instagram’s aldi.mademedoit recently posted a photo of Aldi’s Kringles, noting, “It’s the most wonderful time o the year!! Especially when the Kringle come back!! They came back in almond and raspberry for $6.49!”
You can buy an almond version at Aldi’s (like Trader Joe’s) or a raspberry version. Or, and this seems like the most brilliant move, buy both. The Kringle that Aldi sells is less expensive and appears to be just as authentic as the Kringle sold at TJ’s.
Racine Danish Kringles is a third-generation bakery in Racine, Wisconsin specializing in Kringles. The bakery that makes the Kringle that Trader Joe’s sells, O&H Danish Bakery, is also located in Racine. Coincidence? No. The city is known as “the Kringle capital of the world.” In the early 1900s, according to Wisconsin’s Wausau Daily Herald, many Danish settlers immigrated to southern Wisconsin, bringing their Kringle tradition. Today, several bakeries in Racine are known for baking the pastry.
Some followers of aldi.mademedoit are very excited about this “most wonderful time o the year” treat: “I love them both. I will probably buy both because I have no self control,” commented one. And another, who clearly hadn’t realized the Kringle had returned to Aldi said, “Omg let me run not walk !!!!”
Is one variety better than the other? It seems that’s a personal decision. “Ate almost half a raspberry tonight,” one person said while another made their preference known with “Definitely almonds!”
At $6.49 (compared to TJ’s $9.99), you may decide to head to Aldi and buy both to decide for yourself.
