Swedish Cinnamon Buns

This Swedish Cinnamon Buns recipe is what Scandinavian dreams are made of. Piles of these cinnamon rolls sit in the windows of bakeries all over Stockholm. It’s impossible to walk around the city without seeing them everywhere. 

In this recipe, I outline three different versions of Swedish cinnamon buns. A traditional kanelbullar (the Swedish word for cinnamon buns) is topped with just Swedish pearl sugar. Oftentimes in Sweden, you can also find them topped with powdered sugar as well. Both of these options are outlined below. I’ve also included a third option, which puts an American spin on these buns by drizzling them with a cinnamon cardamom icing.

What are Swedish Cinnamon Buns?

The Swedes take the claim to fame when it comes to cinnamon buns. It’s believed that this delicious treat originated in Sweden, marking yet another reason why the Nordic countries are so spectacular. Most notably, a Swedish cinnamon bun is made with dough that contains cardamom. They are also usually twisted and topped with Swedish pearl sugar.

Swedish Cinnamon Buns vs. American Cinnamon Rolls

Swedish cinnamon buns differ from American ones in a few different ways. First, American cinnamon buns do not normally contain cardamom. This is a wildly popular spice in Scandinavia, yet it’s seldom used in American baking. Second, kanelbullar are usually twisted rather than rolled. Third, and this is a big one, Swedish cinnamon buns traditionally do not contain icing of any kind. In fact, icing on cinnamon buns would almost be frowned upon in Sweden.

How to Make Swedish Cinnamon Buns

Swedish cinnamon buns are really fun to make on a cold winter day. For this recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

For the dough

• 1 cup of warm milk
• 1 packet of instant dry yeast
• 2 Tbsp of granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp of salted butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp of ground cardamom
• 3-4 cups of bread flour

For the filling

• ½ cup (1 stick) or salted butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp of ground cinnamon
• ⅓ cup of granulated sugar
• ½ cup of dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp of ground cardamom

For the topping

• 1 large egg
• Swedish pearl sugar

Optional Powdered Sugar Topping

• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• 1 tsp of ground cinnamon

Optional Cinnamon Cardamom Icing

• 2 Tbsp of salted butter, melted
• 1 cup of powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp of half & half
• ½ tsp of ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp of ground cardamom

To begin, get out your KitchenAid mixer and attach the dough hook. In the bowl, add in 1 packet of instant dry yeast (such as Fleischmann’s RapidRise) and 1 cup of warm milk. Be sure that the milk is not hot, or else it will kill the yeast. Mix the milk and dough with the hook on low speed for just a few seconds to get the two incorporated.

Next, add in the sugar, salt, softened butter, and egg and mix on medium speed. Then, add in the cardamom and mix again on medium speed. It’s fine if the butter and egg do not incorporate at this stage. After that, add in the bread flour one cup at a time. I like to use bread flour in cinnamon bun recipes because it makes them nice and soft. You may need to use a rubber spatula to scrape the flour from the sides of the bowl as needed to get it fully incorporated into the dough.

After adding three cups of bread flour, touch the dough to test its consistency. If it is still sticking to your fingers, then start to add more bread flour in ¼ cup at a time until no dough is on the sides of your KitchenAid mixer bowl and until you can handle it without it sticking to your hands.

Once the dough is ready, remove it from the dough hook and the bowl and place it on a clean, lightly-floured (with bread flour) surface. Knead the dough into a ball. Next, lightly grease a large mixing bowl and place the dough inside. Cover with a cloth napkin and let rise for one hour. After that timeframe, the dough should have doubled in size.

How to Roll Swedish Cinnamon Buns

Once your dough has risen, remove it from the mixing bowl and place it again on a clean, lightly-floured surface. Now, your goal is to roll the dough out into a square that is about 1 foot by 1 foot. You can place a tape measure next to the dough as you roll to ensure that you stay on track. You can also use your hands to shape the dough into a square as you go.

Once you have your square, it’s time to sprinkle on the filling. Pop one stick of butter in the microwave to soften it, then using a silicone pastry brush apply the butter to the dough evenly.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the cinnamon, sugar, brown sugar, and cardamom using a fork, breaking up the chunks of brown sugar as you mix the ingredients together. Then, use a spoon to sprinkle the mixture on top of the butter, covering the surface of the dough entirely.

Once the filling has been added, it’s time to fold the dough. The dough should be folded in thirds, like a business letter. In other words, fold one side in towards the middle about halfway and then fold the other side on top of it.

With the dough folded properly, you now want to roll it out into a rectangle that’s about 15-16” long and 7-8” inches high. Next, you’ll want to cut the dough into strips (the short way, not the long way.) Use a tape measure to divide the dough equally into 12 parts. For me, this meant making marks in the dough at about every 1 ½ inches, and then using a dough cutter or knife to cut all 12 pieces.

Next comes the fun part.

How to Shape Swedish Cinnamon Buns

Twisting Swedish cinnamon buns can be intimidating, but it’s actually easier than it seems. Take a strip of dough and hold both ends of it in either hand. Gently tug on the dough to lengthen it. Then, begin twisting the dough, letting gravity control the motion as you slowly swing the strip in the air.

Next, wrap the twisted dough around one of your hands (at this point you should still be holding on to both ends of the strip.) After wrapping it around your hand one to two times, take the loose end and tuck it into the middle of the circle. Voilà!

Once you have twisted all of the cinnamon buns, place them on a clean counter and cover with a cloth napkin. Let rise again for another hour. When the hour is almost up, set your oven to 325 degrees. When the buns are done rising, we’ll want to add the final touch—the Swedish pearl sugar!

Transfer the buns to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. In order to apply the sugar, we will first need to brush the buns with an egg wash. Crack one large egg into a small bowl and scramble it with a fork. Then, use a rubber pastry brush to paint the egg onto the top of each bun. Finally, use a spoon to sprinkle each one with the Swedish pearl sugar. If you can’t get your hands on Swedish pearl sugar, you could instead top these buns with shaved almonds. 

Every oven is different, so it’s hard to pin down exactly how long you will need to bake these buns for. It should range from anywhere between 15-25 minutes. I like to begin checking on them at about the 15-minute mark. You can use a spatula to peek at the bottom of the buns to ensure they aren’t burning. For me, it took 27 minutes in the oven for these Swedish cinnamon buns to be just right! Let them cool for at least ten minutes before serving or adding the optional toppings.

Powdered Sugar Topping Option

If you opt to sprinkle your kanelbullar with powdered sugar, then measure out one cup of it and strain it through a sieve into a medium-sized bowl. Then, do the same thing with 1 tsp of ground cinnamon. Use a whisk to combine the sugar and the cinnamon. Then, pour the powdered cinnamon sugar into a flour sifter to softly distribute the mixture on top of the buns!

Cinnamon Cardamom Icing Option

If you want to go the American way and drizzle your cinnamon buns with icing, you’ll love this delicious cinnamon cardamom one. In a small bowl, melt 2 Tbsp of salted butter. Then, add one cup of powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp of half & half, ½ tsp of ground cinnamon, and ¼ tsp of ground cardamom. Use a whisk to combine all of the ingredients. Then, use a spoon to slowly drizzle the icing on top of the buns!

Fika time!

In Sweden, there is an amazing tradition called fika. Sometimes translated into English as a “coffee break,” fika is actually so much more. It’s the commitment to treat yourself and de-stress—ultimately, it’s an act of self care.

Every afternoon in Sweden, it’s perfectly acceptable and expected to go out and have a cup of coffee and a pastry, either alone or with friends. In America, we might do a quick coffee run in the middle of the workday which usually consists of just picking up coffee and going back to the office, not really taking the time to take a moment. In Sweden, fika is just as much about slowing down and taking time for yourself as it is about coffee or pastry.

That being said, Swedish cinnamon buns are a fika staple. So bring a little bit of Sweden into your life and enjoy these buns while unwinding with a cup of hot coffee.

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