After a recent trip to Stockholm, I became obsessed with creating an easy recipe for perfect, authentic Swedish cardamom buns (kardemummabullar). Soft, fluffy and bursting with cardamom flavor, these buns are the happy result of my efforts.
I wanted to recreate the Stockholm bakery experience at home in my own kitchen so that you can too! This recipe for cardamom buns is so simple and produces buns that are as good (if not better than) those that I enjoyed in Sweden (believe me, I did my research. I ate ALL THE BUNS).
Ready to make a batch of really delicious cardamom buns? I've got tips and tricks that will ensure that your buns are the very best ever! Let's bake!
Why This Recipe Works
- It incorporates a simple technique known as the tangzhong method that produces exceptionally soft and billow-y buns that actually STAY that way.
- The mixing and shaping come together quickly and easily.
- These buns taste just like you bought them at a quaint corner bakery in Stockholm!
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour forms the base of this recipe.
- Just a ¼ cup of granulated sugar brings a welcome sweetness to the dough (without making them too sweet), and a teaspoon of salt rounds out all of the flavors.
- Milk and butter add moisture and rich flavor, and an egg brings structure.
- 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 seeds bring quintessential Scandinavian flavor to these buns. Note that the cardamom called for in this recipe is decorticated cardamom seeds (which are simply cardamom seeds that have removed from the pods). These whole seeds are then ground and used in the recipe. You can substitute ground cardamom here, but the whole seeds really deliver the very best flavor and a bit of texture as they are not as finely ground as the powdery pre-ground cardamom.
- Brown sugar (and more butter and cardamom) make up the gooey, delicious filling.
- A final brush of sweet syrup (a combination of light corn syrup and water) followed by (you guessed it) MORE cardamom and sugar finishes these buns off perfectly.
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 glazing the buns with syrup
How to Make This Recipe
Make the Dough:
- 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, stirring constantly, until the mixture turns into a thick paste. Set aside to cool.
- Melt the butter and warm the milk. Set both aside to cool slightly. Whisk the dry ingredients together by hand in a stand mixer bowl.
- Add the cooled tangzhong, milk, butter and the egg. Using the dough hook attachment, mix the dough on medium-low until it just comes together. Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough until it is soft and clears the sides and bottom of the bowl, about 4-5 minutes. (You can certainly knead by hand instead, but it will take longer, more like 8-10 minutes). Cover and set in a warm spot to rise until about doubled in size, 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Make the Filling and Shape the Buns:
- Combine all of the filling ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix with a fork until thoroughly combined.
- Transfer the risen dough to a a clean work surface (no need to flour it). Roll the dough into a rectangle that is about 18-20 inches wide and 16 inches tall.
- Spread the filling in a thin, even layer or the bottom half of the rolled out dough rectangle.
- Fold the top half down over the lower half. Roll the folded dough a few times to help everything flatten and adhere. Cut the dough into 12 evenly-sized strips that are about 8 inches in length. A pizza wheel works great for this!
- Start with one strip of dough. Using your pizza wheel, make a slit up the center of the dough strip until there is just about ¾ of an inch at the top. The strip of dough will look like a tall pair of pants. Leaving the dough strip on the countertop, twist each "leg" a few times using the thumb and forefinger of each hand.
- Loosely wrap one of the twisted legs up and around the top of the pants, followed by the other leg, securing the bottom of the last leg by coming up and through the center of the bun.
- Transfer each shaped bun to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Each baking sheet will hold 6 buns so you will need two baking sheets for a full recipe. Loosely cover the buns with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for about 45 minutes.
Bake and Finish the Buns:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (make sure the oven rack is in the middle position) while the buns are rising. Once the buns have risen, remove the plastic wrap and put one of the baking sheets in the oven and bake until the buns are golden brown, about 16-20 minutes. Remove the buns from the oven and cover with a clean tea towel while they cool. This traps the excess moisture in and helps keep the buns soft. Repeat with the second baking sheet.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of light corn syrup and 1 tablepoon of water in the microwave or on the stove until bubbling. Combine 3 tablespoons of sugar with 1 teaspoon of cardamom in a small bowl. Brush the syrup over the buns and sprinkle each bun with cardamom sugar. Serve immediately!
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.
- Don't wind the buns too tightly. You want a loose knot. This gives the dough a little room to expand and results in buns with a better shape.
FAQs
What is the best type of cardamom to use in this recipe?
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.
Can I substitute active dry yeast for the instant yeast?
While this recipe calls for instant yeast, 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.
What is the tangzhong method?
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!
Can I make the buns ahead of time?
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.
How do I store these buns?
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).
Can I freeze these cardamom buns?
Yes, these buns freeze VERY well. 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.
Related Recipes
Want more delicious homemade Scandinavian buns in your life? Here are a few more great recipes from the blog:
Traditional Swedish Cardamom Buns (Kardemummabullar)
These traditional Swedish cardamom buns are soft, tender and bursting with cardamom flavor. They are also surprisingly easy to make at home!
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Servings: 12 buns
Calories: 323kcal
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 glazing the buns with syrup
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
- 2 teaspoons cardamom seeds removed from the outer pod if necessary and crushed in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder
- 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:
- 8 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cardamom seeds removed from the outer pod if necessary and crushed in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder
For the Syrup and Cardamom Sugar:
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon water
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds removed from the outer pod if necessary and crushed in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder
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 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 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.
- Increase mixer speed to medium and knead mixture for 4-5 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 it is 1 ½ or 2 times its original size (about 1 ½ to 2 hours). The time will largely depend on the temperature of your kitchen.
- In the meantime, make the filling. Combine butter, flour, salt, brown sugar and cardamom 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. 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 even layer over the bottom half of the dough.
- Fold the top half of the dough rectangle down over the lower half. Roll the folded dough a few times to help everything flatten and adhere. Cut the dough into 12 evenly-sized strips that are about 8 inches in length. A pizza wheel works great for this!
- Working with one strip of dough at a time, use your pizza wheel or a sharp knife to make a slit up the center of the dough strip until there is just about ¾ of an inch at the top. The strip of dough will look like a tall pair of pants. Leaving the dough strip on the countertop, twist each "leg" a few times using the thumb and forefinger of each hand.
- Loosely wrap one of the twisted legs up and around the top of the pants, followed by the other leg, securing the bottom of the last leg by coming up and through the center of the bun.
- Place the 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.
- Starting with the batch of buns you shaped first, bake one pan of buns at a time for 16-20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the buns from the oven and cover with a clean tea towel while they cool. This traps the excess moisture in and helps keep the buns soft. Repeat with the second baking sheet.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of light corn syrup and 1 tablepoon of water in the microwave or on the stove until bubbling. Combine 3 tablespoons of sugar with 1 teaspoon of cardamom in a small bowl. Brush the syrup over the buns and sprinkle each bun with cardamom sugar. Serve immediately!
Notes
To substitute active dry yeast for instant: While this recipe calls for instant (or rapid rise) yeast, you can certainly substitute active dry yeast for the instant by proofing it in the warm milk for about 10 minutes prior to adding it to the dough. The amounts stay the same.
To make ahead: 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.
To store: 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).
To freeze: 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 455IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg
If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your Swedish Cardamom Buns (Kardemummabullar) and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.
Kristi
Just like what I enjoyed in Sweden!