Kanelbullar

Kanelbullar are Sweden’s cinnamon buns — cardamom-scented sweet dough rolled around a cinnamon-butter-sugar filling, shaped into spirals, and baked until golden. They are the heart of ‘fika,’ the Swedish coffee break that is practically a national institution, and Sweden consumes more cinnamon buns per person than any country on earth — October 4th is even National Cinnamon Bun Day. Soft, fragrant, and impossible to eat just one.

Why this recipe works: The dough is enriched with milk, butter, eggs, and a generous amount of cardamom — the spice that gives Swedish buns their signature aroma, different from American cinnamon rolls. The filling is soft butter, sugar, and cinnamon, spread thin and rolled tightly. Baked until just golden, the buns stay soft and pull apart in feathery spirals.

Key ingredients

• Flour, milk, butter, and yeast: the enriched dough.
• Ground cardamom: the essential Swedish flavor — crush whole pods if you can.
• Butter, sugar, and cinnamon: the filling.
• Pearl sugar or an egg-wash glaze: the classic finish.

Tips for the perfect kanelbullar

Give the dough a full, patient rise — enriched doughs take time to become light. Roll it into a large rectangle, spread the filling evenly, and roll into a tight log; cut into spiral rounds and tuck the loose end underneath. Let the shaped buns rise again until puffy. Bake at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes, just until lightly golden — do not overbake, the buns should stay soft. Brush with a simple syrup or egg wash and sprinkle with pearl sugar while still warm.

Variations and storage

Add a spoonful of cardamom to the filling, or shape the buns into the traditional knotted form. Kanelbullar keep 3 days in an airtight container and freeze beautifully for 2 months — warm them briefly in the oven to bring back the fresh-baked feel.

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