What is a Danish pastry? Kringle and spandauer
Short answer
In English, a “danish” can mean a sweet pastry in the Danish baking tradition. In Denmark, you will more often hear wienerbrød or a specific name such as spandauer. A kringle is usually a larger pastry cut into portions. These names do not always identify the same dough or filling.
Why is it called wienerbrød?
Wienerbrød literally means Viennese bread. VisitDenmark traces its development in Denmark to inspiration from Vienna during the nineteenth century.
The name describes a baking tradition, not the manufacturing location of an individual pastry. A Danish pastry sold abroad may be a local interpretation.
Spandauer: an exposed centre
A spandauer is an individual pastry with visible filling in the middle. Vanilla custard is a familiar version; others use jam.
This is often the shape English speakers picture as a danish. It does not have to contain cheese. A cream-cheese danish is one variation rather than a definition of all Danish pastry.
Kringle: shape and dough vary
A kringle is typically a larger sweet bake intended to be sliced and shared. It can have the familiar crossed ends, but recipes can also be shaped as straight lengths.
The name does not guarantee one particular laminated dough. Arla's kringle recipe, for example, mixes butter into a yeast dough, whereas its wienerstang uses butter folded between layers. Ask about both dough and filling if you want a particular texture.
Remonce is a sweet butter-and-sugar filling, sometimes incorporating marzipan or cinnamon. Remonce and custard are different fillings.
Danish dough versus puff pastry
Wienerdej combines yeast dough with folded-in fat to create layers. Ordinary puff pastry is also laminated but normally contains no yeast. Both can be crisp, though their structure is different.
Ready-made puff pastry can therefore be useful for a quick home version when described accurately. It saves the folding work but is not identical to traditional Danish pastry dough.
Questions and answers
In English, it is a sweet pastry associated with the Danish baking tradition.
Wienerbrød or the individual pastry's name is more usual.
No. Custard and jam are other fillings.
No. Recipes and doughs vary.
A sweet butter-and-sugar filling, sometimes with additional ingredients.
No. Traditional Danish pastry dough contains yeast, while ordinary puff pastry normally does not.
Official sources
Checked 11 November 2026.
VisitDenmark: Pastries, cakes and biscuits
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