In our family, it’s never too early to prepare for the holidays.  From searching for just the right presents to experimenting with new flavors in baking, sometimes it feels like we spend all year thinking about it!  One of our Christmas traditions is hosting family and friends for an evening of dessert and cocktails.  As an early holiday gift, we’re sharing some of our favorite dessert and drink pairings that are sure to wow your guests.

Rum and Buche De Noel

Enjoy a sweet treat with our Buche De Noel chocolate log cake.  Inspired by the family tradition of burning logs on the Christmas fire, this smooth buttercream-covered log cake with luxurious raspberry buttercream filling is perfect for remembering past holidays and reminiscing over family traditions.  We carefully hand-decorate the outer log with festive lights for a merry dessert.  You can readily pair this sweet treat with your favorite tropical rum cocktail for a tasty and refreshing coupling.

Coffee and Cinnamon Swirl Braided Coffee Cake

Take a break from your festivities and relax with a slice of our Cinnamon Swirl Braided Coffee Cake.  We include copious amounts of cinnamon with a hint of apple and tie it up in our famous Danish pastry.  After baking to perfection, we top this dessert with a sweet glaze, then drizzle it with our smooth icing.  Of course, coffee cake always pairs beautifully with a warm cup of joe, but might we suggest you enjoy your slice with a festive Danish coffee cocktail, an Irish coffee, or an espresso martini?

Red Velvet Hot Chocolate and Santa’s Secret Christmas Kringle

We start with Santa’s Secret Red Velvet Cake recipe and layer that with a silky-smooth vanilla pudding.  Then, it’s all topped with our signature creamy frosting and Christmas sprinkles.  We recommend you whip up a mug of Red Velvet Hot Chocolate to pair with this one as you warm up by the fire.  You can add red velvet syrup (or liqueur) to your favorite hot chocolate recipe to get that extra flavor or stir in white chocolate, vanilla, and red food coloring while your hot chocolate is still simmering on the stove.  A dollop of vanilla whipped cream and marshmallows are always welcome additions!

White Russian Cocktail and Christmas Fudge Kringle

Our newest holiday Kringle, Christmas Fudge, is like a chocolate wonderland.  We begin with premium dark chocolate to create our scratch-made fudge recipe — a decadent filling in our tender and flaky pastry — and then bake it to perfection.  We frost it in rich chocolate icing for the finishing touch and garnish it with festive Christmas nonpareils.  After a little experimentation, we’ve found that an equally indulgent White Russian for the adults and French Vanilla Hot Chocolate for the kids make for ideal festive holiday drinks to pair with this yummy dessert.  Vodka, coffee liqueur, and heavy cream are all you need for this simple cocktail, though you can always dress it up with a flavored creamer like French vanilla or peppermint.  At the same time, a splash of French vanilla creamer takes a regular hot chocolate from a taste of home to ooh-la-la!  Whipped cream, marshmallows, and a quick sprinkle of chocolate shavings only add to the decadence.

Cherry Christmas Cocktail and A Very Danish Christmas Kringle

Inspired by one of Denmark’s most traditional Christmas desserts, Risalamande, we make this Kringle by layering our incredibly smooth almond filling with deliciously tart Montmorency cherries.  Crumbly streusel, sweet icing, and slivered almonds create a beautiful and delicious topping.  For more cherry flair, serve this Christmas Kringle with a Cherry Christmas Cocktail.  Mint leaves and cherries work as the base under your ice, then mix in a splash of vodka and cherry juice, and top it off with a hard cherry seltzer, a quick substitution of regular cherry seltzer, or a mix of plain seltzer and cherry juice.  Skipping the vodka turns this one into a refreshing mint and cherry mocktail!

Brandy Old-Fashioned Cocktail and Brandy Old-Fashioned Kringle

Around here, it just isn’t the holidays without a classic Brandy Old-Fashioned.  The Kringle we like to pair with this drink starts by combining a little brandy, caramel, and cherries into our filling, and then it’s finished with vanilla icing blended with orange zest for an authentic Wisconsin experience.  As for the cocktail, the Brandy Old-Fashioned starts with a muddle of sugar and bitters before adding the obvious brandy, ice, orange slices, and cherries to garnish.  If you find brandy a bit strong, top the drink off with a lemon-lime soda or seltzer for some extra sweetness instead.  You can get the same experience with a Virgin Old-Fashioned made with barley tea.  Just steep the tea in the refrigerator for about two hours and pour it over your muddled mixture of sugar, a dash or two of bitters, and ice instead of brandy.  And don’t forget the oranges and cherries!

Creating Your Own Pairings With a Drink and Dessert of Your Choice

The most important part of pairing drinks with your bakery is that you enjoy them, so don’t be afraid to experiment.  If you prefer wine, you can match a slightly sweeter vintage with almost every sweet treat on our menu for delicious wine and dessert pairings.  You may find that a dark ale or bubbly champagne can complement a fruit-based Kringle, while a hot toddy may be the perfect coupling with a heavier pumpkin flavor.  The only limits are your imagination and taste buds!

Get Holiday Desserts From O&H Danish Bakery Delivered Straight to Your Door

For a yummy dessert and drinks to enjoy this holiday, browse our selection of delicious pastries.  You can place your order online and have them delivered to your door, so all you need to do is mix up a batch of your favorite drink, then sit back and savor the tasty flavor combination.