Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Enriched Dough
- 240 ml whole milk, warmed to 38°C
- 7 g instant yeast
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 420 g all-purpose flour
- 4 g salt
- 2 g ground cardamom
Prune and Orange Filling
- 150 g pitted prunes
- 1 orange, zested
- 30 ml orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 60 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 75 g light brown sugar
- 6 g ground cinnamon
Sweet Orange Syrup
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 60 ml orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 30 ml water
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 315 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 53 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 22 g
- Sodium
- 148 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 39 mg
- Potassium
- 216 mg
- Calcium
- 54 mg
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 19 mg
- Phosphorus
- 81 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 91 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 10 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 8 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.13 mg
- Niacin
- 1.0 mg
- Folate
- 32 mcg
- Water
- 49 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warmed whole milk, instant yeast, granulated sugar, melted butter, and room temperature egg. Whisk briefly to combine.
Add the all-purpose flour, salt, and ground cardamom to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed using a dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, then increase to medium speed and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
While the dough rises, prepare the filling. In a food processor, combine the pitted prunes, orange zest, 30ml of orange juice, softened butter, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Pulse until it forms a thick, spreadable paste.
Punch down the proofed dough. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it into a 30x45 centimeter rectangle, ensuring an even thickness of about 5 millimeters.
Spread the prune and orange filling evenly over the dough rectangle, leaving a small 1-centimeter border along the top long edge.
Starting from the bottom long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log. Cut the log into 12 equal slices and arrange them cut-side up in a greased 9x13 inch baking pan.
Cover the baking pan loosely with a damp towel and let the buns rise for another 45 minutes until puffy and touching each other.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Bake the proofed buns on the center rack for 25 to 28 minutes until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature of the bread reads 88°C/190°F.
During the last 10 minutes of baking, prepare the syrup. In a small saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar, 60ml of orange juice, and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then simmer for 3 minutes until slightly syrupy. Remove from heat.
Immediately after removing the buns from the oven, use a pastry brush to coat them thoroughly with the hot orange syrup. Let the buns cool in the pan for 15 minutes before serving.
Chef's Notes
- For the cleanest cuts without squishing the delicate dough log, slide a piece of unflavored dental floss under the log, cross the ends over the top, and pull to slice.
- Soaking the prunes in the orange juice for 10 minutes before blending will yield an even smoother, jammier filling, especially if the prunes are slightly old or dry.
- Brushing the syrup on while the buns are hot right out of the oven is crucial. The steam helps draw the syrup down into the bread, locking in maximum moisture.
- Do not skip the ground cardamom in the dough; it provides an aromatic, slightly floral background note that elevates the citrus and cinnamon profile.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to retain moisture.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze baked and glazed buns individually wrapped in foil.
Reheating: Microwave for 15-20 seconds or warm in a 150°C oven for 5-8 minutes.
Troubleshooting
Dough is dense and heavy after baking
Cause: Yeast was inactive or dough was under-proofed due to a cold environment
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked
Prevention: Ensure milk temperature is precisely around 38°C (not too hot to kill yeast) and wait for clear visual doubling during proofs
Filling leaks out excessively during baking
Cause: Butter in the filling was melted rather than softened, or the buns were rolled too loosely
Fix: Spoon leaked filling back over the hot buns before glazing
Prevention: Use strict room-temperature softened butter for the paste and roll the dough log tightly
Buns are browning too quickly on top but raw in center
Cause: Oven temperature is running hot
Fix: Tent the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time
Prevention: Use an oven thermometer to verify temperature
Cultural Context
Cinnamon buns (kanelbulle) originated in Sweden in the 1920s and have since evolved into countless variations globally. The addition of prunes and orange introduces a flavor profile reminiscent of Eastern European pastries and winter holiday baking, marrying bright citrus notes with deep, caramelized dried fruit complexity.
