These Norwegian Cinnamon Buns (Skillingsboller) are billowy soft, slightly sweet and elegantly swirled with cinnamon and sugar. Traditionally enjoyed with a cup of coffee, these buns are a bakery favorite along the west coast of Norway. This recipe yields a tender, bakery-quality cinnamon bun that will transport you to cozy cafe in Bergen, no passport required.
While there are many different types of cinnamon buns served all over the Scandinavian region, the original skillingsboller comes from Bergen. It was brought to Norway from Northern Germany in the 16th century where it quickly became a local favorite.
This recipe was inspired by a recent trip to Bergen where I enjoyed these buns in a quaint little bakery in the historic Bryggen district of the city. Looking for more Scandinavian bun recipes? Give my Swedish Cardamom Buns, Swedish Cinnamon Buns or Semlor (Swedish Lenten Buns) a try!
Norwegian Cinnamon Buns (Skillingsboller) at a Glance
- ⏰ Prep and Rise Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- 🔥 Bake Time: 15 minutes
- 👥 Yield: 12 buns
- ⭐️ Recipe Summary: Classic Norwegian cinnamon buns that are soft, buttery, slightly sweet and elegantly swirled with cinnamon sugar.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- ♥️ This simple bun dough creates a soft, tender and fluffy cinnamon bun just like you would find in a Bergen bakery
- ♥️ The combination of cardamom, butter, cinnamon and sugar is comforting and delicious
- ♥️ These buns are easy to shape - no tricky swirling or braiding
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes:
- Instant yeast is the leavener in this recipe. See the FAQ section below for more information about instant yeast and how to substitute active dry yeast if you prefer.
- Cardamom bring quintessential Scandinavian flavor to the bun dough. You can use pre-ground cardamom here, but grinding the whole cardamom seeds really delivers the best flavor and a bit of welcome texture as they are not as finely ground as the powdery pre-ground cardamom.
- Brown sugar, cinnamon and softened butter make up the gooey, delicious filling.
- A final brush of melted butter followed by a sprinkle of cinnamon and granulated sugar finishes these buns off perfectly.
See recipe card for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
Equipment Needed
- Spice grinder or mortar and pestle to grind the cardamom seeds (freshly ground cardamom is recommended but you can use pre-ground cardamom instead)
- Pastry brush for brushing the finished buns with butter
- Stand mixer to mix and knead the dough (you can also do this by hand if you prefer)
- Rolling pin
- Small offset spatula (not necessary but nice to have for spreading the filling)
- 2 rimmed baking sheets
- Jumbo muffin tin liners - to put the buns in while they bake (it helps keep them contained and soft and tender in texture)
How to Make Norwegian Cinnamon Buns (Skillingsboller)
- Begin by making the tangzhong: Combine 5 tablespoons of water, 5 tablespoons of milk and 3 tablespoons of flour in a saucepan. Whisk to combine. Heat over medium, whisking constantly, until the mixture turns into a thick paste. Set aside to cool.
- Whisk yeast, ground cardamom, salt, sugar and flour together in a large bowl. Combine melted butter, milk, egg and cooled tangzhong in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. Increase speed to medium and knead for 4-5 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Cover the dough and let it rise until about doubled in size, approximately 2 hours.
- Combine the filling ingredients in a medium bowl with a fork. Set aside.
- Roll the risen dough into a large rectangle, about 15 x 19 inches in size.
- Using an offset spatula, spread the filling in a thin layer over the surface of the dough.
- Roll into a cylinder shape lengthwise and cut into 12 slices, trimming the ends slightly.
- Place 6 sliced buns into jumbo muffin tin liners that have been slightly widened on the bottom. Repeat with remaining buns on a second baking sheet. Cover loosely and let rise for about 20 minutes.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
Expert Tips
- Start with whole cardamom seeds and grind them yourself. I can't stress what a difference this makes. Your buns will have amazing cardamom flavor and be that much more authentic.
- Mix the dough until it is smooth and elastic and slightly tacky (but not sticky) and resist the urge to add more flour. A soft dough is the key to tender buns!
- Roll the dough out on an unfloured work surface and use a dough scraper to help coax it off of the surface if necessary. It's nice if the dough sticks to the countertop just enough so that it keeps it in place as you are rolling. If you've floured the surface, this won't happen.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe calls for instant yeast, but you can certainly substitute active dry yeast for the instant yeast by proofing it in the warm milk for about 10 minutes prior to adding it to the dough.
Yes! You have a couple of different options. Either let the dough rise at room temperature until about double in size and then transfer the dough to a 9x13 baking dish and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator until you are ready to shape the buns and proceed with the recipe (up to 24 hours). OR, shape the buns as directed the night before baking and wrap with plastic wrap. Transfer to the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them the following morning. Be sure to give them 45 minutes or so to warm at room temperature before popping them into the oven.
These buns are at their very best just after baking, but should you have leftovers, store them on the countertop in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Freeze for longer storage (see below for instructions).
Once the buns have cooled completely, pop them in a freezer bag or other freezer-safe container and tightly seal. They will keep for about 3 months in the freezer. To reheat, just set the bun or buns on an ovenproof plate and place in 250 degree oven until warmed through.
Basically a small amount of the flour and liquid (water, milk or a combination of the two) is cooked on the stove for a very short period of time creating a roux-like mixture. This process gelatinizes the starches in the flour allowing them to absorb more liquid and results in a higher rise (hello billowy buns!) and a more tender, moist bun that stays that way for a longer period of time. Check out this great article for more detailed information!
This is usually the result of adding too much flour, over-kneading the dough or over-baking the dough. Aim for a dough that is tacky but not sticky (resist the urge to add more flour!) and buns that are golden brown when they come out of the oven.
Related Recipes
Looking for more Scandinavian bread and bun recipes? Give these a try:
If you tried this Norwegian Cinnamon Bun (Skillingsboller) recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Recipe
Authentic Norwegian Cinnamon Buns (Skillingsboller)
Equipment
- Spice grinder or mortar and pestle (to grind the cardamom seeds) or use pre-ground cardamom instead
- Stand mixer
- Jumbo muffin tin liners
- Small offset spatula (not necessary but nice to have for spreading the filling)
- Pastry brush or brushing the buns with melted butter
- Rolling Pin
- 2 rimmed baking sheets
Ingredients
For the Tangzhong:
- 5 tablespoons water
- 5 tablespoons whole milk
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For the Dough:
- 6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter cooled
- ½ cup whole milk slightly warm
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom freshly ground cardamom preferred
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- All of the Tangzhong cooled
For the Filling:
- 6 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Topping:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the tangzhong: Combine water, milk and flour in a medium saucepan. Whisk until combined and no lumps remain. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Make the dough: While the tangzhong is cooling, begin preparing the rest of the ingredients for the dough. Combine yeast, cardamom, salt, sugar and flour in a large bowl. Whisk briefly to combine.
- Add melted and cooled butter, slightly warm milk, egg and the cooled tangzhong (it can be slightly warm to the touch) to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix (using the dough hook or dough roller) on medium low until combined. Add dry ingredients and continue mixing until the dough just comes together.
- Increase mixer speed to medium and knead mixture for 3-4 minutes or until dough is slightly tacky but not sticky and clears the side of the bowl. It's okay if it's sticking to the bottom of the bowl slightly. You can also mix and knead the dough by hand but it will take longer, more like 8-10 minutes.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until 1 ½ or 2 times its original size, about 2 hours.
- In the meantime, make the filling. Combine butter, flour, salt, brown sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Using a fork, mix ingredients together until a smooth, spreadable paste forms.
- Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and move the rack to the center position. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it onto a clean countertop. Roll out with a rolling pin until it is in the shape of a rectangle that is about 15 by 19 inches in size. The dough should be smooth enough that you do not need to add flour during the rolling process. If yours is sticking the rolling pin, however, sprinkle a little flour over the dough as necessary to prevent this from happening.
- Using an off-set spatula or your fingers, spread filling in a thin layer over the entire surface of the dough. Roll the dough into a cylinder shape lengthwise and cut into 12 slices, trimming the ends of the cylinder if needed.
- Place each sliced bun inside a jumbo muffin tin liner that has been widened slightly on the bottom. Press down on the bun with your fingers to widen slightly. Place 6 buns on a baking sheet. Loosely cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and set aside. Repeat with remaining 6 buns, placing them on the second baking sheet before covering with plastic wrap. Let covered buns rise for an additional 20 minutes.
- Remove the plastic wrap or towel and bake one pan of buns at a time for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat with the remaining pan. While the buns are baking, melt the butter and combine the cinnamon and sugar for the topping. Cool slightly and brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Serve.
Marcia says
Another excellent bun recipe. Well written instructions as always.
I used Penzey's Cinnamon Sugar for the topping. It is made with cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla. I used 3T to go with the butter.
Kristi says
Thanks for the feedback, Marcia! Penzey's Cinnamon Sugar is perfect here and so easy to use. I'm so glad you enjoyed the buns!
Kristi
Suzanne Brown says
Loved these cinnamon buns! Had 3 generations taste-testing them and they were all thumbs up! Next time I’ll try the overnight method and hope for good results.
One question: Do you think I can safely double this recipe for a crowd or would it be best to mix up 2 separate batches?
Kristi says
Hi Suzanne,
I'm so glad these buns were a hit with everyone! You can absolutely just double the recipe. I would still roll and cut them in two batches rather than one if that makes sense (so two rolled up cylinders cut into 12 pieces each). Enjoy and thank you for taking the time to leave a comment!
Kristi