Swedish Cardamom Buns (Kardemummabullar) Recipe

Swedish cardamom buns are sweet, savory, fluffy, and crunchy — all in one! They're the perfect addition to morning coffee or afternoon tea. The twisty buns are easy and fun to make while simultaneously looking very impressive.

The crushed cardamom is actually an Indian spice that Vikings brought back to Scandinavia; it is a popular spice in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries. It is used in many baked goods in a similar way to Americans' use of cinnamon. Recipe developer Leah Maroney, who brings us this recipe for Swedish cardamom buns (called "Kardemummabullar") loves the spiciness of the cardamom. "It's a unique and fragrant flavor that I love using in place of other sweet and savory baking spices," she says. The cardamom is added both to the dough and the filling, so it's present throughout the rolls.

The butter and sugar in the filling add a nice flakiness and crunch to the outside of the rolls while the inside remains puffy and soft. Maroney says, "If you're looking to make them even softer, cook them closer together in a buttered baking dish, more like cinnamon rolls." Make the dough ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake. Just make sure to bring the dough to room temperature before shaping and baking so that it's easier to work with.

The rolls start with heating the milk. Evaporated milk doesn't necessarily need to be heated like regular whole milk does when making yeast bread, but heating it helps speed along the rising. Once the milk is heated, you add butter and sugar, then flour and cardamom. While the dough rises, you make the filling by combining the softened butter, sugar, and more cardamom.

Heat the milk until warm (about 100 F) in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove.

Add the sugar, vanilla extract, salt, vegetable oil, and butter to the warm milk. Stir until combined.

Add yeast to the milk mixture.

Slowly add the flour and ground cardamom to the wet mixture and knead until well combined.

Cover and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled.

Prepare the filling by combining all the ingredients together in a bowl to form a smooth paste.

Roll out the dough into a large, ¼-inch thick sheet.

Spread the filling evenly over the dough sheet.

Fold the sheet of dough over itself lengthwise.

Cut the dough into 24 strips about ½-inch wide using a pizza cutter or sharp knife.

Stretch out one dough strip to 5 inches.

Twist the dough strip to form a coil.

Coil the dough around itself on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Tuck the end of the strip under the bottom of the coil and slightly through the top.

Repeat steps 11–14 with remaining strips, cover, and let rise an additional hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Beat an egg and a teaspoon of water together in a small bowl.

Brush the rolls with egg wash.

Sprinkle with the rolls with pearl sugar.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serve the buns for breakfast with hot coffee.

Swedish cardamom buns can be stored in the refrigerator or on the counter in an air-tight container for up to four days. They can be reheated in the microwave for 20 seconds or in the oven at 350 F for five minutes. Add a sprinkle of water onto the rolls before heating to help them regain their puffiness.

You can also make the dough ahead of time. Just store the dough in the refrigerator for up to three days. Then, bring the dough to room temperature before forming into the rolls. You can also refrigerate the prepared rolls before baking for up to three days. Just cover them with plastic wrap. They can also be frozen on a baking sheet; once they are hard, they can be put in plastic storage bags. They can be frozen for up to six months. The rolls can also be frozen after they are baked for up to six months.

You can use whole milk or other milk instead of evaporated milk for these Swedish cardamom buns. Evaporated milk can be a little sweeter and provides a slightly different flavor, but whole milk is a fine substitute. You can also use almond milk or oat milk for this recipe. Again, both milks may be sweeter even if using the unsweetened versions, so just be aware that the rolls will turn out differently. This recipe can easily be made into dairy-free rolls or vegan rolls by replacing the evaporated milk with vegan milk and swapping the butter for a plant-based butter. Omit the egg wash and brush a little vegan milk on the rolls before adding the sugar. This will help the sugar stick to the rolls. They will not get quite the same golden color or sheen, but they will still taste delicious.