Looking for the best recipe for Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)? Look no further. These buns are billowy soft on the inside, warmly spiced with cardamom and swirled with buttery cinnamon sugar. They are everything a Swedish Cinnamon Bun should be and more.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)
- ⏰ Prep Time: 45 minutes + 2 hours and 45 minutes rising time
- 🔥 Bake Time: 12 minutes
- 👥 Yield: 12 buns
- 👩🍳 Expert tip: Grind your own cardamom for the best flavor
- ⭐️ What makes it special: Made with the tangzhong method which produces extra soft, fluffy buns that stay fresh for longer than traditional methods
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- ♥️ These buns are unbelievably soft and fluffy thanks to the tangzhong method - a little extra step in the recipe that makes a big difference.
- ♥️ Authentic flavor - freshly ground cardamom and a swirl of buttery cinnamon and sugar throughout.
- ♥️ They look fancy and impressive but the shaping is actually really easy.
Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar) are a beloved pastry in Sweden, known for their warm, comforting flavor and distinctive spiral shape. Kanelbullar are often associated with the Swedish tradition of "fika," which is a social coffee break that often involves baked goods like these cinnamon buns.
Scandinavia is home to some of the most delicious yeasted buns in the world, including bakery favorites such as Traditional Swedish Cardamom Buns (Kardemummabullar), St. Lucia Buns (Lussakatter) and Norwegian School Buns (Skolleboller or Skollebrød). Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kannelbullar) are on that same level and just as easy to make at home!
Want to try a Norwegian version of cinnamon buns next? Give my Skillingsboller (Norwegian Cinnamon Buns) a try. For everything you need to know about Scandinavian sweet buns and links to all of my bun recipes, check out The Ultimate Guide to Scandinavian Sweet Buns here.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I have tried multiple versions of Swedish cinnamon buns, and my family has declared this to be their favorite version. I had heard of the tangzhong method but had never tried it before using this recipe; it truly makes a dramatic difference! - Patrick
Ingredients
- Cardamom seeds flavor the dough. You can use pre-ground cardamom but the flavor is improved if you grind the seeds yourself.
- Instant yeast acts as the leavener in this recipe.
- Pearl sugar tops these buns with a final bit of crunch and sweetness.
See the recipe card below for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
Substitutions
- You can substitute a plant based milk for the regular whole milk.
- While this recipe calls for instant yeast, you can certainly swap 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.
- Crushed sugar cubes can stand in for the pearl sugar in a pinch.
Equipment Needed
- Spice grinder or mortar and pestle (to grind the cardamom seeds)
- 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)
- Pizza wheel (a sharp knife will also work)
- 2 rimmed baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush for brushing on the egg wash
How to Make Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)
- Combine the ingredients for the tangzhong in a saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, until a paste forms. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Combine the dough ingredients in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Mix and knead as directed. Cover the dough and let it rise until 1 ½ - 2 times its size.
- While the dough is rising, mix the filling ingredients together. Once the dough has risen, roll into a 16 x 20 inch rectangle. Spread the filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough.
- Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter along the longer side (the 20 inch side).
- Cut the dough into 12 strips.
- Twist the dough strip and wrap it around your fingers to create a bun shape, tucking the end through the center (see the video included in this post for more help). Repeat with remaining dough strips and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Let rise for 45 minutes. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with pearl sugar.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes.
- Cool and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use the tangzhong method as outlined in the recipe. The simple process of creating a roux with water, milk and flour and adding it to the dough makes a HUGE difference in the final product. The dough itself is silky and smooth, and the buns emerge from the oven soft and tender with a golden brown crust. It's 5 minutes well spent.
- 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 to what you would find in a Swedish bakery.
- 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. A dough scraper is an inexpensive and excellent tool to have in your kitchen and will easily help the dough release from countertop.
- If you are having a hard time twisting and shaping the buns because they seem too warm, pop them into the refrigerator briefly. Depending on the time of year and the temperature of my kitchen, sometimes the strips of filled dough become too soft and are difficult to work with. Simply cover them with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator until they firm up slightly and continue with the recipe.
Recipe FAQs
My overwhelming preference is to use decorticated cardamom seeds which are simply cardamom seeds that have been removed from their pods. These seeds are then ground in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle before using them in the recipe. This gives the very best flavor and prevents you from having to take the seeds out of the pods yourself (which is a bit of pain). Pre-ground cardamom can be substituted but it will not result in as good of a final product.
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 blog post for more information about the tangzhong method and how to use it in recipes.
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.
While these Swedish Cinnamon Buns are always best the day they are made, they keep well in an air-tight container at room temperature for a day or two.
Absolutely! They freeze really well. Simply cool them completely and pop them into a freezer safe container or bag. The will keep for a couple of months. Either thaw them on the counter top or pop them in a 300 degree oven until warmed through.
Cinnamon Bun Day (Kanelbullens Dag) is celebrated each year on October 4, and it's a beloved tradition in Sweden. Bakeries are filled with freshly baked buns and it's a perfect opportunity to bake some at home and join in the celebration!
What to Serve with Swedish Cinnamon Buns
A good cup of coffee is about the best and most traditional accompaniment with Swedish Cinnamon Buns, but tea, Swedish Glögg (for something a little boozy) or even this Cardamom Hot Chocolate would be delicious as well!
If you are hosting a fika gathering, brew a pot of coffee and serve these cinnamon buns as the star of the show alongside:
- Swedish Crispbread (knäckebröd) (storebought or homemade) and an assortment of cheeses
- A Swedish cookie or two (pepparkakor and/or chokladsnittar would be nice)
- Fresh berries or other seasonal fruit
More Iconic Swedish Baked Goods to Try at Home
Looking for more iconic Swedish baked goods to try? I've got these delicious options for you:
If you tried this Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar) 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
Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)
Equipment
- Spice grinder or mortar and pestle (to grind the cardamom seeds)
- 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)
- Pizza wheel (a sharp knife will also work)
- 2 rimmed baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Pastry brush for brushing the buns with egg wash
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
- 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds, freshly ground (or 1 teaspoon ground cardamom)
- 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:
- 5 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
For the Egg Wash and Topping:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Pearl sugar for topping
Instructions
- Make the tangzhong: Combine water, milk and flour in a medium saucepan. Whisk until combined and no lumps remain. Place saucepan over medium heat and cook 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. If you haven't already, melt the butter and warm the milk to give them a chance to cool slightly. Combine yeast, cardamom, salt, sugar and flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk briefly by hand to combine.
- Attach the dough hook to the mixer. Add melted and cooled butter, slightly warm milk, egg and the cooled tangzhong (it can be slightly warm to the touch) to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium low until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Increase mixer speed to medium and knead mixture for 4 minutes or until dough is smooth and clears the side of the bowl. It's okay if it's sticking to the bottom of the bowl. You can also mix and knead the dough by hand but it will take longer, more like 8-10 minutes.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for an hour or until 1 ½ or 2 times its original size. The time will largely depend on the temperature of your kitchen.
- 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 oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 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 16 by 20 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, spread filling in a thin layer over the entire surface of the dough.
- Fold the dough like a business letter along the long side (the 20 inch side): bring the top third of the dough down over the center third and bring the bottom third up over both the center and top third. You may need a metal dough scraper to help coax your dough from the counter top if it is sticking. Roll out folded dough just to flatten slightly.
- Using your dough scraper, sharp knife or a pizza wheel, cut the folded dough into 12 equal size pieces.
- Working with one piece of dough at a time, twist the strip of dough as you hold it between your thumbs and forefingers until it has a nice spiralized appearance.
- While you continue to hold the dough in the thumb and forefinger of one hand, use your free hand to wrap the twisted strip of dough around the three middle fingers of the hand that holds the dough strip, tucking the last bit of the dough strip up and through the center of the circle you have just created. Place shaped bun on a prepared baking sheet. Once you have six buns shaped and placed on one of the baking sheets, cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Continue with remaining buns, shaping and placing them on the second baking sheet before covering with plastic wrap. Let covered buns rise for an additional 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the egg wash. Whisk egg and water together in a small bowl. Once the buns have risen and are ready to go into the oven, remove plastic wrap and brush the surface of each bun with the egg wash Generously sprinkle pearl sugar over the top of each bun.
- Starting with the batch of buns you shaped first, bake one pan of buns at a time for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining pan. Move to a wire rack to cool slightly and serve.
Sarah Stacey says
These are delicious. The only issue that I had was that the bottoms burned before they were even cooked through. I think that the oven temp is a bit too high. I will try again at a lower temp and see how it goes. The dough was easy to work with and the instructions were straightforward. Thank you!!
Kristi says
Hi Sarah,
Thanks so much for your feedback! Definitely try reducing the temperature 25 degrees and see how that goes. Mine are always just the right amount of brown on the bottom but ovens vary widely, even at the same temperature, so it is quite possible yours runs hotter than mine. I will make a note to test it at a lower temperature next time I bake them. Thanks again for your comment. It is so helpful!
Kristi
Kathleen says
Thank you for the straightforward instructions including the photos. Made the dough Christmas Eve and put into the fridge overnight. Rolled it out on Christmas morning; it seemed right, neither over- nor under- risen. My family loves cardamom so I made the filling with cardamom instead of cinnamon. Had some trouble spreading it - my house is too cold! Next time I'll make sure the filling is softer before I start. The buns were delicious, and are gone, so I won't be able to report on whether or not the tangzhong method keeps them soft! Will have to double it next time. Thanks again.
Kristi says
Hi Kathleen,
So glad to hear they turned out well with the overnight stay in the fridge! Thanks so much for your feedback!
Kristi
Kirstin says
We love this recipe it is so good and we made it for my Swedish grandmother and she said that they reminded her of the ones her mother used to make! In the dough the ingredients say to have an egg but when we look in the instructions it does not say to add an egg. ours still turn out great but we were wondering if we were doing something wrong. Thanks!
Kristi says
Hi Kirsten,
Thanks for your comment! So glad you enjoyed the buns and that your grandmother found some fond memories in them. It is supposed to have an egg. I checked the website on my end, and the recipe has you add the egg in step 3 with the other liquid ingredients and the tangzhong. Hopefully I'm not missing something. Glad they worked out for you even without the egg! Happy baking!
Kristi
Donna says
Hello, I’m excited to make these. I was planning on making them on Christmas Eve. Can you make the twisted buns ahead of time and keep them covered in the refrigerator overnight, remove them and bake them in the morning?
Kristi says
Hi Donna,
I haven't tried doing them the night before but I think you could give it a try as long as they are well chilled overnight. Let me know how it goes!
Kristi
Delith Edström says
I've made these today and they turned out brilliantly. Thank you for such a great recipe.
Kristi says
Hi Delith,
I'm glad the buns turned out well for you! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a comment. It is greatly appreciated!
Kristi
Diana says
My daughter and I visited Stockholm a couple of years ago and fell in love with Cinnamon Buns. Apparently 4th October is Cinnamon Bun Day in Sweden, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to try to make my own. This recipe was really easy to follow and the buns came out brilliantly. I was just disappointed that I couldn't find pearl sugar in any local supermarkets. I will keep searching, and will definitely use this recipe again!
Kristi says
Hi Diana,
Thanks for your comment! I'm so glad you enjoyed the buns. I have had the same trouble finding pearl sugar in local stores. We have a local Scandinavian specialty store that sells it, and I have also purchased it on Amazon. I've had other readers say they sprinkled a little turbinado sugar over the top as a replacement for pearl sugar and that seems to work just fine. It's just not quite the same appearance. Again, thank you for taking the time to leave me a note. I really appreciate it.
Kristi
Ellen Andronov says
Started this recipe first thing in the morning before I was fully awake so made a couple of mistakes and they still turned out fabulous! Incredibly light The best cinnamon bun recipe I’ve tried and will definitely stick with it. The search for the perfect cinnamon bun recipe is over! Thank you Kristi!
Kristi says
Hi Ellen,
Thanks for your comment! So glad the buns were delicious even in a sleepy situation! And I'm happy to have helped you end the quest for the perfect cinnamon bun. Thanks for taking the time to send me note and let me know how they turned out. It is much appreciated.
Kristi
Nancy Brewer says
These buns were delicious! I did everything the same except I didn’t have the pearl sugar. I sprinkled vanilla flavored turbinado sugar instead. Very interesting using the Tangzhong step. My mom was Swedish and my kitchen now smells like hers did at Christmas! Thank you for bringing a little bit of nostalgia back!
Kristi says
Hi Nancy!
I'm so glad you enjoyed the buns. I bet vanilla turbinado sugar was really delicious on these! The Tangzhong step is pure magic as far as I'm concerned. Love that light and fluffy texture! Thanks for taking the time to let me know how they turned out. I really appreciate it! Happy Midsommar to you!
Kristi
Aselia says
The best dough so far and how easy! Thank you for clear recipe. Minimum of sugar is also highly appreciated! Thank you!
Kristi says
Hi Aselia!
Thanks for your feedback! It is such an easy dough to work with, isn't it? So glad you enjoyed them!
Kristi
Roger Thomas says
Very well put together instructions such could detail my grandchildren will love them, instructions so precise even a president could understand them
Kristi says
Thank you, Roger! I will definitely take that as a compliment!
Casey DelliCarpini says
Delicious! I used jam instead of the cinnamon mixture for the filling, which definitely made the twisting a little challenging haha! I also used fresh yeast since my local store had that and it expires sooner than dry yeast. (Just triple the amount needed and you're set.) I only brushed them with whole milk rather than an egg wash, which worked fine and saved an egg. And last, I baked them all on one sheet because I was too lazy to do two separate bakings lol. I look forward to trying them again with the cinnamon. Great recipe, thank you!
Kristi says
That's great, Casey! I'm glad they turned out well. I love that jam idea! I might have to play around with that in my own kitchen. Thanks for your feedback!
Carol Anderson says
I see lingonberry!! ❤️
Casey says
I cannot wait to try these tomorrow morning for my co-worker's birthday!! I'm going to use jam for the filling instead of the cinnamon mixture. I'll let you know how they turn out!
Kristi says
Yay! That sounds delicious! I can't wait to hear how they turn out!
Susanna says
How would I substitute all purpose with whole wheat flour? Thanks!
Kristi says
Hi Susanna! You could try replacing 25-30% of all purpose flour with whole wheat, but if you try to replace all of the AP flour with WW, the buns will likely be heavy and dense and not rise very well. Hope this helps! Happy baking! Kristi
Susanna Cole says
Thanks for responding! I only had whole wheat flout and couldn't find white due to COVID-19 grocery shortage BUT I found it last minute and they came out SO GOOD!!
Kristi says
Hi Susanna! So glad to hear that you were able to find some AP flour and that you enjoyed the buns. Thanks for checking back in!
Pat Donovan says
I made this recipe to share with my son who loves cinnamon buns. They were amazing! I had never heard of the tangzhong method before and was excited to try it. And even though mine were not as beautiful as the ones on the blog, I enjoyed twisting them using the method shown and they looked great! A good recipe for breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea or dessert!
Kristi says
Glad you enjoyed them Pat!
Yeon says
Sounds all amazing! Do you have metric measurement? Commonly 1 Cup of AP flour is 120g but sometimes it can be up to 140g. I am not a big fan of imperial measurement so I was wondering if you have metric measurement too
Kristi says
Thanks for your question! My cups of flour tend to weigh around 140 grams so I would go with that.
Kristi
JB says
Hi Kristi, your reply does help a lot. I was using active dry yeast and not instant yeast *facepalm*...to be honest, even though the dough didn't rise as I expected, I still made the buns and the consistency was the closest to an authentic "kanelbulle" that I have ever tried at home. I'll make modifications and I'm sure they'll be amazing!
Kristi says
Thanks for getting back to me! I thought that might be the issue. Please report back after round two! And thank you again for your honest feedback. It’s really helpful. I will go back and edit the post/recipe to make sure the distinction between active dry and instant yeast is very clear to the reader. Happy baking!
Kathleen says
I found your recipe because I was trying different Swedish recipes (my husband's family is Swedish) and now these have been a staple in our household each week! We love them!
Kristi says
Hi Kathleen,
So goad you enjoy these buns! Thanks so much for leaving a comment!
Kristi