When I was visiting Fort Dodge in central Iowa last week, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a little store near the mall with a sign that said, "Kringla." It was a Norwegian bakery! I just had to stop and check it out for myself.
I had a nice talk with the owner to find out more about how they ended up running a Norwegian bakery in the middle of Iowa. Turns out, the family is descended from a group of Norwegians who settled in nearby Story City. The bakery owner told me his mom made Kringla, a Norwegian flour-and-butter cookie, every day. His dad would butter the Kringla, then dunk it in coffee, as a treat during his breaks from farm chores.
The bakery owner's mom taught his wife how to make Kringla, and she got so good at it that they started selling Kringla at the Fort Dodge farmers' market. Eventually, they opened the bakery, although it's more of a store front. They actually do the baking in their licenced home kitchen. However, he told me that they are moving their store to nearby Rockwell City in May, since they had an opportunity to buy an entire bakery, equipment and all. They hope to get a Web site up and running so they can ship out their Kringla. They already are sending out orders to the East Coast for folks who remember eating Kringla as kids.
What I really loved about the Kringla was how soft and tender it was, not like the hard Kringla you find offered for sale at gas stations here in Iowa. They also bake up different flavors of Kringla. I came home with the traditional Vanilla as well as a Banana-Walnut and a Chocolate.
I'd have to say my favorite was the chocolate. The bakery owner told me they also make seasonal Kringla varieties, including pumpkin in the fall, eggnog for Christmas and strawberry-banana in the spring.
I also came home with an apricot pastry inspired by Chech kolache, another local favorite. These buttery treats melt in your mouth; they are so soft and yummy!
How much fun would it be to own a little bakery like this and have time to experiment with different recipes? They are living my dream!
I want a klingla! ;)
ReplyDeleteI found this blog on a Google search. It is so nice to hear that true appreciation of the Norwegian Kringla. Yes this is the partner of the Lori's Kringla & More and we are now OPEN at 215 4th St. in Rockwell City, Ia. We have offically been in business 1 month and the support has been fantastic from this community. Teresa B. you are welcome to stop bay at anytime our hours of operation are 8:00 AM to 3:00PM Tuesday thru Friday open till 6:00PM on Thursday. Saturday from 9:00AM to 2:00PM. Closed on Sunday & Monday. Shop phone is 712-297-5674. Thanks again for the wonderful words and our gratatude.
ReplyDeleteIt is now August, 2013 at Lori's Kringla & More and we are still going strong. We do have a website loriskringla.com if you would like to order, pay, and send kringla any where in world. By the way, as of today's date we are the only website where you can order and send kringla anywhere in the world. Shocked me! I especially love to send kringla to the military guys and gals. It is my opportunity to send a "thank you" letter and some extra goodies from home.
DeleteWe also have been very busy making wedding cakes from recipes both my husband and I have invented. We are also going to a lot of festivals and events as vendors and sell meals and various baked goods. We just got back from the Iowa Irish Fest in Waterloo, Iowa. We had kringla, of course, but we created an Irish touch with Irish beef stew (even won the stew contest while there), whiskey buttered buns, Guinness choc cake and several other meal and dessert choices. Had a great time and sold out twice a day, everyday for the 3 days we were there. Please email us at: loriskringla@iowatelecom.net if anyone has a question or just want to chat. God Bless and thank you loving kringla as much as we do!!!! Lori
Are there any websites to order KRINGLA online. Please contact me by email Queen_Tina0530@yahoo.com. Thanks much appreciated
ReplyDeleteOnly website to order, pay, and have it direct mailed any where in the world: loriskringla.com or email owners at: loriskringla@iowatelecom.net
DeleteYUMMY! Warm kringla with butter is my absolute favorite!
ReplyDeleteI'm from Fort Dodge, and my mother's family originated from Norway and my mom and all of her relatives would make Kringla every Christmas. I was just googling for a recipe and came across your blog. Kringla are my favorite! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGoogling Kringla and found this site yay! Was really hoping to get some Kringla shipped to Sacramento, CA for my preschooler's international day b/c we've eaten, but haven't made it--that was grandma and other relatives :)
ReplyDeleteSo nice that this bakery ships and the owner posted her website! Can't wait to get our Kringla!
Have been eating Kringlas most of my life after discovering them at a neighbors house around 1965. The lady gave the recipe to my mother who was a fantastic baker and she duplicated them perfectly, however, my wife and I can't seem to get the right flavor even when using the old recipe!!!...so, we might have to order some from Lori's! Long live Kringlas!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm from Oregon, my father makes Kringla every thanksgiving. So this morning I am enjoying a fresh batch while reading this. My great grandfather comes from Iowa, and these cookies have been passed down through my grandmother to my father, and hopefully to me. They are delightful cookies and I am glad to see this.
ReplyDeleteI have been eating Kringla all my life. The first time I tasted Kringla, I recall was at a Resort in MN. in the small town of Longville. There was Judge's wife who would spend her days while the Judge was fishing making Kringla for the entire resort. After several renditions of the recipe I finally have it down to what is my families favorite. Our secrets are using; only egg yolks, Buttermilk and Almond Extract.
ReplyDeleteWhat I don't understand is why we always wait until The Holidays to make and eat Kringla.
I have found a HyVee store in Peru, IL. that sells Kringla during the Holidays but they can't seem to keep up with the supply and demand. SAD... It is SO difficult for me to make Kringla. I am Disabled and the process takes over a day to complete a batch.
I must say; Kringla is my ultimate favorite during the holidays.
If you have a Safeway store near you, they also sell Kringla that is from Roland, IA and tastes just like what my grandmother used to make. Kringla is also my favorite, and I just discovered Lori's Kringla site.
DeleteI'm just about to make my Great Aunt Geneva's recipe for Kringla. I told a friend where I now live: Northern Mariana Islands, what I was about to do, and of course they dont have any idea. I love your site. I try to keep my Iowa roots alive out here in the tropics and appreciate your blog as a little bit of home. Kringla was abour of my daily life growing up in Nevada, IA.
ReplyDeleteLove it! I was just talking with mother about a cousin who used to make this cookie at Christmas. It was one of my father's favorites (he is deceased), and I am going to try my hand at bringing back this small memory of my Iowa roots. My father and his sisters grew up in Stanhope, Iowa, just a few miles from Story City. This is, no doubt, the exact cookie of my childhood memory.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great story! Thank you for sharing. We live in Southern California and make Kringla every year during Christmas holiday! One of the Teacher's at the Catholic School in our community, Sacred Heart, sent her grandmother's recipe home with one of my boys 4 yrs ago and now it is my family's annual tradition! My husband loves to dunk it in his coffee every morning! My one son adds chocolate syrup to his and the other adds lots of butter! Thank you for sharing your stories and I sure wish we lived closer :-)
ReplyDeleteBest Wishes on the success of your store!
- Lesley from La Quinta, CA
Would any of you be willing to share your recipes? I have found a couple on line, but would much prefer "authentic" recipes that are family traditions. Many thanks, and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteLea
So the question is, does Lori's have a website yet?
ReplyDeletehttp://loriskringla.com/
ReplyDeleteI just made my first batch of Kringlas and they didn't turn out quite as well as I'd hoped. I'm chilling half the dough to see if that makes a difference.
ReplyDeleteI love the thought of eggnog flavor! I'm gonna have to get me some of those.
It's also encouraging to see so many folks with Iowa roots enjoying these cookies. I have great memories of going to Grandma's house for these. What a treat!
Thank you for this website. I am 3rd generation American. Ancesters immigrated to the USA (and Iowa & Minnisota) from Norway in the late 19th century. Our Norwegian kringla recipe and technique was handled down. I have been using that same recipe for more than 40 years myself. My family & friends love them! Am the only one remaining in our family who makes them. The real kicker is: I just returned from Scandiavia - couldn't find a kringla anywhere nor anyone who knew what they are! I was devastated!
ReplyDeleteMy Mother In Law always made Kringlas on the holidays, as I did and now my daughters . She was from Story City, Iowa.
ReplyDeleteEach generation of our family has made Kringlas every Christmas! My Mother In Law taught me, and she is from Story City Iowa. I wonder if there is a connection?
ReplyDeleteMy Grandma, also from Humboldt, Iowa (Ft. Dodge was a regular trip for us Grandkids with Grandma to Pamida!) made these every Christmas. It was always a treat of us Grandkids to be right there to help sift, make some 'crazy 8's' or just be there to sample! I've often thought about making them here in California myself, but almost don't want to disappoint myself if they don't taste like my Grandma's. We've had family actually go to Lori's in person to buy Kringla's! So I will be ordering some this year!
ReplyDeleteWe are continuing my Grandma's tradition this Saturday when all the girls in the family get together to make Kringla for our (late) Christmas celebration next Saturday. My Grandma from Fort Dodge, IA made them for us all the time and my Dad and (step) mom have the recipe and has been fine tuning it for several years as it was basically a pinch of this, a bit of that type recipe. My daughter is carrying on the tradition with her (my father has since passed) and for the last two years all the girls in the family have gotten together to help make them and learn. My Aunt and Uncle both say they are just like "mom's" Can't wait - warm Kringlas and some butter with a glass of milk :-)
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