Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Cardamom Dough
- 250 ml whole milk, warmed to 38C/100F
- 7 g active dry yeast
- 450 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 4 g ground cardamom
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 75 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
Cinnamon Filling
- 100 g unsalted butter, very soft and spreadable
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 10 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground cardamom
Topping
- 1 egg, beaten
- 20 g pearl sugar
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 302 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 41 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 11 g
- Sodium
- 113 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 8 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 45 mg
- Potassium
- 90 mg
- Calcium
- 45 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 13 mg
- Phosphorus
- 73 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 114 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.12 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.09 mg
- Niacin
- 0.8 mg
- Folate
- 26 mcg
- Water
- 28 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the whole milk to 38C/100F in a small saucepan over medium heat, ensuring it does not scald.
Whisk the active dry yeast into the warm milk and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until a foamy layer develops on the surface.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, ground cardamom, and sea salt.
Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients and knead on low speed using a dough hook for 5 minutes until a rough dough forms.
Gradually add the softened butter, one piece at a time, continuing to knead for another 5 to 8 minutes until the dough becomes incredibly smooth, shiny, and clears the sides of the bowl.
Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let the dough proof at room temperature for 1 hour, or until completely doubled in size.
While the dough proofs, cream together the softened butter, sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a small bowl until completely homogeneous and easily spreadable.
Punch down the proofed dough and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a large rectangle, approximately 40 by 50 centimeters in size.
Spread the cinnamon butter filling in an even layer across the entire surface of the dough rectangle, reaching all the way to the edges.
Fold the dough in half horizontally, bringing the top edge down to meet the bottom edge, enclosing the filling completely like a letter.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the folded dough vertically into 12 even strips.
Gently stretch each dough strip, twist it around itself a few times, and wrap it around two fingers to form a knot, tucking the loose end securely underneath.
Place the shaped knots on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between them. Cover lightly and proof for a further 45 minutes until noticeably puffed.
Preheat your oven to 200C/400F.
Using a pastry brush, coat the exposed surfaces of each puffed roll generously with the beaten egg wash.
Sprinkle the tops of the glazed rolls evenly with pearl sugar.
Bake the rolls in the preheated oven at 200C/400F for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they have taken on a deep, rich golden brown color.
Transfer the baked rolls to a wire rack and allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Purchasing whole cardamom pods and grinding the seeds in a mortar and pestle just before using will dramatically elevate the flavor profile. Pre-ground cardamom loses its volatile, citrusy essential oils very quickly.
- The windowpane test is critical for determining when the dough is fully kneaded. Carefully stretch a small piece of dough between your fingers; if it becomes translucent without tearing, the gluten is properly developed.
- If your kitchen environment is particularly cold, proofing times may extend well beyond the stated guidelines. Rely on the visual and tactile doneness cues rather than the clock.
- If the filling feels too stiff to spread without risking tearing the soft dough, gently warm the filling bowl over a pot of hot water for a few seconds until pliable.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent drying out.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze baked rolls in airtight bags. Alternatively, freeze unbaked shaped rolls before the second proof.
Reheating: Warm in the oven at 150C/300F for 5 minutes or microwave for 15 seconds alongside a small cup of water.
Troubleshooting
Dough is difficult to roll out and continually shrinks back
Cause: The gluten network is too tight from vigorous kneading or insufficient resting time
Fix: Cover the dough and walk away for 10 to 15 minutes, then try rolling again
Prevention: Ensure the dough rests fully after punching it down, allowing gluten strands to relax
Rolls unravel during baking
Cause: The loose end of the twisted dough strip was not tucked far enough underneath the knot
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked, but does not affect the flavor
Prevention: Always pull the tail end firmly under the bottom center of the knot when shaping
Cultural Context
The kanelbulle is the quintessential Swedish pastry and the reigning star of fika, the treasured Swedish tradition of taking a mindful pause with coffee and a sweet treat. Traditional Swedish cinnamon rolls are distinct from their American counterparts: they are considerably less sweet, completely lack heavy sugar icing, and feature prominent notes of cardamom deeply infused into the dough itself. They are so culturally significant that Sweden officially celebrates Kanelbullens Dag (Cinnamon Roll Day) nationwide every year on October 4th.
