Both Trader Joe’s and Aldi have cult-like followings around certain products.
And in what should come as excellent news for Aldi shoppers, the German discount chain is now carrying a fan-favorite Trader Joe’s bakery item—just in time for the upcoming holiday season.
On Wednesday, September 24, the popular “Aldi Made Me Do it” Instagram shared a shopper’s photo of a Pumpkin Caramel Kringle.
The Kringle is a flaky, oval-shared Danish pasty traditionally filled with fruit, marzipan, or cheese and sprinkled with coarse sugar, nut flakes, or icing. While the Trader Joe’s Kringle is sold year round, the chain also has a seasonal pumpkin caramel flavor that apparently “flies off shelves” when they have it in stock.
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(@aldi.mademedoit)
According to All Recipes, the Aldi Kringle is also only $6.99, compared to $9.99 you’ll pay for the product at Trader Joe’s.
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“I need to get my butt there ASAP!” commented one Aldi super fan. “The raspberry and almond are so good,” added another. “Hoping this is just as good.”
Interestingly enough, both Kringles come from bakeries in Racine, WI. The Aldi Kringles are made by the third-generation Racine Danish Kringles bakery, whereas the Trader Joe’s Kringles comes from O&H Danish Bakery. Considering that the Pumpkin Caramel Kringle is listed for $24.99 on the Racine Danish Kringle website, $6.99 is certainly a deal.
In addition to being the official state pastry of Wisconsin, Racine is known as “the Kringle capital of the world.” The Wausau Daily Herald reports that a high concentration of Danish settlers immigrated to southern Wisconsin in the early 20th century, bringing the pastry with them.
“The kringle you know is influenced by generations of Danish bakers,” O&H Danish Bakery president Eric Olesen told the publication back in 2016. “We have a lot of amazing people that work for us and many have worked for us for many years.”
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But for anyone looking to score a Kringle this fall season, that might be easier said than done. Both Trader Joe’s and Aldi’s products can vary wildly depending on regional store locations, and the former chain had to actually impose a limit on how many customers can purchase. But the hype is real—one Reddit post from a few years ago proclaimed the Pumpkin Caramel Kringle to be an “amazing 12 out of 10.”
For those lucky enough to get their hands on one, Kringle enthusiasts will suggest heating the Kringle in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes, as the icing gets warm and gooey, the filling inside warms, and the pastry gets “melt in your mouth” flaky.
