Christmas Cinnamon Kringle

by Grazia Barletta · December 23, 2025

Every month in her Cape Town kitchen, Grazia Barletta prepares a recipe inspired by the saints, and shares it with our readers in text and photos taken exclusively for The Southern Cross by the chef herself.

Kris Kringle is a cherished figure in Christmas tradition. His origin lies in German-speaking regions where the Christkindl, or Christ-child, traditionally delivers Christmas presents on December 24. German immigrants brought that tradition to the United States, where their dialect term for the Christkindl morphed into Kris Kringle.

But over time, US culture had need for only one bringer of Christmas gifts, and Kris Kringle became synonymous with Father Christmas and Santa Claus, who are based on the 4th-century bishop St Nicholas of Myra.

St Nicholas had long been regarded as a bearer of gifts in Europe, though mostly on his feast day, December 6.

The classic 1947 Christmas film Miracle on 34th Street told the story of Santa Claus trying to prove that he is real; he introduces himself as Kris Kringle.

The Estonian kringle, a cinnamon braid bread, celebrates Christmas. This recipe uses common ingredients to create a delicious, festive treat. The aroma while baking this pastry is divine, filling the house with an irresistible buttery scent.

The cinnamon wreath has a soft interior and a crusty top, and its fillings can be varied. I use chopped walnuts, but you can also try sliced or chopped almonds, ground poppy seeds, or even chocolate spread.

Preparation: 3 hours • Servings: 6

Ingredients:

Dough: 300g white bread flour • 30g sugar • 30g melted butter • 180ml lukewarm milk • 1½ tsp instant yeast • 1 egg yolk • 1 lemon zest • Pinch of salt
Filling: 50g soft unsalted butter • 60g sugar • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon • 50g chopped walnuts
Icing: 2 egg whites lightly beaten • 50g icing sugar

Preparation:

Place sugar and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Add milk, butter and yeast, then heat for 1 minute.
Add egg yolk and mix.
Add flour and salt, then knead dough for 2 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball and wrap loosely in reusable wrap or cling film. Leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (approximately 1-2 hours). Meanwhile prepare the filling.
Place the chopped walnuts in a bowl and set aside. Place butter, sugar and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and combine.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
On a floured work surface, Roll out the dough to a rectangle of about 40 by 50cm.
Spread the filling thinly over the dough, then sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Roll up lengthways, then cut down the middle of the roll from one end — but not completely, so the strands remain connected at top. Twist each half over each other so that the cut side faces up, then join the ends together to form a circle. Place on prepared baking tray. (Follow the steps as in the photos above.)
Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Meanwhile prepare the icing.
Place lightly-beaten egg whites and icing sugar in a small bowl and mix well.
Remove the kringles from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, then brush with icing. Let cool before serving.
Enjoy during what I wish will be a blessed Advent and a peaceful, joyful Christmas.

Grazia Barletta is an author, book designer, and food photographer/stylist. She can be contacted at
Follow her blog at www.momentswithgrazia.com and connect with Grazia on Facebook/Instagram: momentswithgrazia

Published in the December 2024 issue of the Southern Cross Magazine