Authentic Swedish Cinnamon Rolls (Kanelbullar): A Guide to Soft, Cardamom-Spiced Perfection

There’s nothing quite like the comforting aroma of freshly baked cinnamon rolls wafting through your home, especially when they’re these exquisite Swedish cinnamon rolls. Known affectionately in Sweden as “Kanelbullar,” these pastries are a staple of Swedish “fika” – a cherished coffee break tradition. Unlike their American counterparts, Swedish cinnamon rolls are often less sweet, with a distinctive, aromatic filling that combines warm cinnamon with the fragrant, slightly citrusy notes of cardamom. Sprinkled with beautiful Swedish pearl sugar, they bake to a stunning golden-brown, offering a perfect balance of softness, sweetness, and spice. This recipe guides you through creating these iconic treats, ensuring each bite is a delightful journey to Swedish culinary traditions.

For me, there’s truly nothing better than starting the day with a warm, sweet baked good. The smell of cinnamon and cardamom in the morning is simply intoxicating and sets a wonderful tone for the day. If you’re already a fan of my brioche cinnamon rolls, prepare to fall even deeper in love with these Swedish versions. They share the same incredibly rich and fluffy brioche base but elevate the experience with a unique, subtly spiced filling that is characteristic of traditional Kanelbullar. Get ready to bake a batch of these delightful treats and transport yourself to a cozy Swedish café!

Unveiling the Magic Behind This Swedish Cinnamon Roll Recipe

This recipe isn’t just about making cinnamon rolls; it’s about crafting an authentic Kanelbullar experience. Here’s a closer look at what makes this particular recipe so special and utterly delicious:

• The Luxurious Brioche Dough Base: The foundation of these exceptional cinnamon rolls is a brioche dough, renowned for its incredible richness and tender, fluffy texture. This dough is meticulously crafted with generous amounts of butter, fresh eggs, and full-fat milk. This combination of ingredients contributes to a supremely soft crumb that practically melts in your mouth. Unlike leaner doughs, brioche provides a substantial yet delicate canvas for the flavorful filling, making each roll a truly indulgent treat. Its high fat content ensures the rolls stay moist and fresh for longer, allowing you to savor them over several days (if they last that long!).
• Effortless Preparation, Patient Rising: While these cinnamon rolls require two distinct rising periods, don’t let that deter you! The actual hands-on preparation time for this recipe is surprisingly minimal. The dough does most of the work itself, transforming beautifully during the rising stages. These two rises are crucial for developing the dough’s complex flavor and achieving that signature light and airy texture. The first rise allows the yeast to activate fully and the dough to develop elasticity, while the second rise, after shaping, ensures the rolls become perfectly puffy and soft before baking. Patience truly is a virtue when it comes to baking, and it pays off wonderfully here.
• A Symphony of Spices: Cardamom and Cinnamon Filling: What truly distinguishes these Swedish cinnamon rolls is their incredibly aromatic and warming filling. It’s a carefully balanced blend of robust brown sugar, classic ground cinnamon, and the star ingredient: fragrant cardamom. Cardamom, often referred to as the “queen of spices” in Nordic baking, introduces a unique citrusy, floral, and slightly peppery note that beautifully complements the sweetness of the brown sugar and the warmth of the cinnamon. This combination creates a sophisticated flavor profile that is both comforting and exhilarating, a delightful departure from purely cinnamon-centric rolls. It’s a delicious and warming filling that truly captures the essence of Swedish baking.

Essential Ingredients for Swedish Cinnamon Rolls

The complete, printable recipe card with the full list of ingredients and detailed instructions, along with precise measurements, can be found conveniently at the bottom of this post. Make sure to refer to it for accurate quantities and steps to ensure your baking success!

Deep Dive into Key Ingredients

• Butter: The Secret to Richness: For both the brioche dough and the luscious filling, I highly recommend using European-style unsalted butter. European butter boasts a significantly higher butterfat content compared to its American counterparts. This higher fat percentage translates directly into a much creamier, richer, and more luxurious final bake. It contributes to the dough’s incredible tenderness and the filling’s delightful melt-in-your-mouth quality, elevating the overall flavor and texture of your Swedish cinnamon rolls to professional bakery standards.
• Swedish Pearl Sugar: The Iconic Topping: While entirely optional, Swedish pearl sugar is the traditional and aesthetically pleasing garnish for Kanelbullar. I’ve tested this recipe without it, and the rolls were still absolutely delicious! However, adding pearl sugar provides that authentic Swedish touch, giving your rolls a beautiful, glistening, and slightly crunchy topping that is simply irresistible. Its coarse, opaque texture holds up perfectly during baking, adding both visual appeal and a lovely textural contrast. You can find it in specialty baking stores or online.
• Cardamom: The Soul of Swedish Baking: Although these are indeed cinnamon rolls, not purely cardamom buns (known as “kardemummabullar”), the inclusion of a touch of ground cardamom in the filling is essential for an authentic Swedish flavor profile. Cardamom is a beloved spice in Nordic baking, and its presence here is not just an accent but a crucial flavor enhancer. It brilliantly complements the warmth of the cinnamon, adding layers of spicy, citrusy, and slightly herbal notes that make the filling truly complex and utterly delightful. Don’t skip it if you want the most authentic Kanelbullar experience!
• Yeast: The Life of the Dough: Active dry yeast is crucial for creating that light, airy brioche dough. Ensure your yeast is fresh and active. If it doesn’t foam or bubble when mixed with warm milk, it might be expired, and your dough won’t rise properly. Using lukewarm milk is key – too hot will kill the yeast, and too cold won’t activate it effectively.
• Flour: The Structure: All-purpose flour works perfectly for this recipe, providing enough gluten for elasticity without making the rolls tough. Measuring your flour by weight (grams) is always recommended for accuracy in baking, as volume measurements can vary greatly depending on how you scoop it.

Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Perfect Swedish Cinnamon Rolls

Creating these beautiful Swedish cinnamon rolls is a rewarding process. Follow these detailed steps to ensure a delicious outcome:

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Step One: Activate the Yeast. Gently warm your milk in a small saucepan over low heat or in your microwave. The ideal temperature is lukewarm, around 105-115°F (40-46°C). It should feel warm but not hot to the touch; if it’s too hot, it will unfortunately kill the yeast, preventing your dough from rising. Pour the warm milk into a medium bowl, add your active dry yeast, and stir it gently until combined. Let this mixture sit undisturbed for 5-10 minutes. You’ll know the yeast is active and healthy when small bubbles or a foamy layer appears on the surface.

Step Two: Prepare Dry Ingredients. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, or in a large mixing bowl if you’re kneading by hand, combine your all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and fine sea salt. Use a whisk to thoroughly mix these dry ingredients together, ensuring an even distribution of salt and sugar throughout the flour. This preparatory step ensures all components are ready for the wet ingredients.

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Step Three: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients. Add the activated milk and yeast mixture, softened butter, and eggs into the bowl with your dry ingredients. If using a stand mixer, begin mixing on low speed for 2-3 minutes until the ingredients start to come together. Then, increase the speed to medium and continue mixing for another 3-5 minutes. The dough should transform into a smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky (but not overly sticky) consistency. If you’re kneading by hand, be sure to vigorously work the dough for about 8-10 minutes, ensuring the butter is fully incorporated and the dough develops its characteristic smoothness.

Step Four: First Rise (Bulk Fermentation). Carefully remove the dough from the mixing bowl and lightly oil the bowl to prevent sticking. Return the dough to the oiled bowl, turning it once to coat all sides with a thin layer of oil. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or a clean, damp tea towel to create a warm, moist environment. Allow the dough to rise in a warm spot at room temperature for an hour to an hour and a half, or until it has visibly almost doubled in size. This first rise is crucial for developing flavor and texture.

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Step Five: Dough is Ready. Your brioche dough is perfectly proofed and ready for the next stage once it has approximately doubled in size. A gentle poke with a floured finger should leave a slight indentation that slowly springs back, indicating its elasticity and readiness for rolling.

Step Six: Create the Filling. In a separate small bowl, whisk together your light brown sugar, ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, and a tiny pinch of fine sea salt. This blend creates the signature warming and aromatic core of your Swedish cinnamon rolls. Ensure all the ingredients are well combined to distribute the flavors evenly.

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Step Seven: Roll Out the Dough. Gently transfer your risen dough to a lightly floured clean surface. Using a rolling pin, carefully roll the dough into a large, even rectangle measuring approximately 22 inches by 15 inches (about 56 cm by 38 cm). Aim for consistent thickness across the entire sheet to ensure even baking and uniform rolls.

Step Eight: Apply the Butter Layer. Using a pastry brush or the back of a spoon, evenly spread the softened unsalted butter across the entire surface of the rolled-out dough. Unlike some cinnamon roll recipes, for Swedish Kanelbullar, you should brush the butter all the way to the edges. This ensures the filling adheres well and creates a rich, buttery layer throughout each twist.

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Step Nine: Distribute the Spiced Filling. Generously sprinkle the prepared brown sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom mixture evenly over the butter-coated dough. Once sprinkled, use your hands to gently but firmly press the filling into the softened butter. This step helps the filling adhere to the dough, preventing it from leaking out during shaping and baking, and ensures every bite is packed with flavor.

Step Ten: Fold the Dough (Envelope Style). Take the left short side of your rectangular dough and carefully fold it over one-third of the way towards the center, much like you would fold an envelope. Ensure the edges are as straight as possible to maintain a neat shape for the rolls. This folding technique is essential for creating the multiple layers that give Swedish cinnamon rolls their characteristic texture and visual appeal.

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Step Eleven: Final Fold and Gentle Rolling. Now, take the right short side of the dough and fold it over, ensuring it completely covers the first folded third. You should now have a layered rectangular piece of dough. Gently use your rolling pin to roll up and down over the folded dough. This serves two purposes: it helps to slightly enlarge the rectangle to its original width, and more importantly, it helps to remove any trapped air bubbles, creating a more uniform and structured dough for slicing.

Step Twelve: Prepare for Shaping. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, ensuring it extends beyond the edges for easy handling. Using a sharp pastry cutter or a pizza cutter, slice the folded dough into 12 individual strips, each approximately two centimeters (about ¾ inch) wide. Try to make the cuts clean and even to ensure consistently shaped rolls. These strips are now ready to be transformed into the signature twisted Kanelbullar.

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Step Thirteen: The Art of Twisting and Second Rise. This is where the Kanelbullar gets its unique shape! Take one of the dough strips and gently twist it while pulling slightly to lengthen it. Now, hold one end of the twisted strip securely between your thumb, index, middle, and ring finger. With your other hand, carefully twist the remaining length of the strip around those four fingers twice. Then, gently remove your thumb, creating a small loop. Tuck the loose end of the twisted strip into this loop to secure the bun. Repeat this process with all the remaining strips, placing each shaped bun on your prepared baking sheet, ensuring adequate space between them for expansion during baking. Loosely cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and allow the buns to undergo their second rise for 30-45 minutes, or until they look visibly puffy.

Step Fourteen: Bake and Enjoy. While your buns are undergoing their second rise, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200°C). Once the buns have risen, prepare an egg wash by whisking one egg with a splash of water or milk. Gently brush the tops of each bun with this egg wash; this will give them a beautiful golden sheen and help the pearl sugar adhere. Generously sprinkle your Swedish pearl sugar over the egg-washed buns. Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the rolls are beautifully golden brown and thoroughly cooked through. The enticing aroma filling your kitchen will be your delicious reward!

Expert Tips for Perfect Kanelbullar Every Time

Achieving bakery-quality Swedish cinnamon rolls at home is entirely possible with a few insider tips. Pay attention to these details to ensure your Kanelbullar turn out perfectly soft, flavorful, and beautifully shaped:

• Embrace Metric Measurements: For utmost accuracy and consistent baking results, I cannot emphasize enough the benefit of using a weighing scale and measuring all your ingredients in metric grams. Baking is a precise science, and volume measurements (like cups) can vary significantly depending on how ingredients are scooped. Metric weights ensure you have the exact ratios, which makes a monumental difference in the texture and success of your dough.
• Softened Butter is Key for Filling: When preparing the cinnamon-cardamom filling, it’s crucial to use softened butter, not melted butter. Softened butter will easily spread across the dough and act as a perfect adhesive for the sugar and spices, ensuring the filling stays put. I’ve found that using melted butter can lead to the filling leaking out from the rolls during the crucial second rise, resulting in a mess and a less flavorful bun.
• Room Temperature Ingredients for Optimal Dough: Always make sure all your refrigerated ingredients, such as milk, eggs, and butter for the dough, are at room temperature before you begin mixing. This allows them to integrate smoothly and evenly into the dough, creating a more uniform texture and facilitating better yeast activation. Plan ahead and pull out these ingredients at least 1-2 hours before you intend to start baking.
• Mind the Milk Temperature for Yeast: When activating your yeast, the milk’s temperature is paramount. It should be lukewarm, ideally between 105-115°F (40-46°C). You should be able to comfortably dip your finger into the milk without it feeling too hot or too cold. If the milk is too hot, it will kill the delicate yeast organisms, and your dough will not rise. If it’s too cold, the yeast won’t activate properly, leading to slow or no rise.
• Mastering the Twist: The unique twisted shape is a hallmark of authentic Swedish cinnamon rolls. If you’re new to this technique, don’t worry! It might take a couple of tries, but practice makes perfect. For a visual guide that truly helps clarify the method, I highly recommend watching this helpful gif. Even if your first few attempts aren’t perfectly symmetrical, they will still look charmingly rustic and taste absolutely divine!
• Don’t Overwork the Dough: While brioche dough benefits from good kneading, be careful not to overwork it once the butter is incorporated. Overworking can lead to tough rolls. The goal is a smooth, elastic dough, not a dense one.

Frequently Asked Questions About Swedish Cinnamon Rolls

More Delicious Breakfast & Brunch Recipes to Enjoy

If you loved baking and enjoying these Swedish Cinnamon Rolls, you’re in for a treat! Explore these other fantastic recipes perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack:

I genuinely hope you enjoy creating and savoring these delightful Swedish Cinnamon Rolls as much as I do! If you’ve made these rolls, I would absolutely love to see your creations. Please make sure to tag me on Instagram @alpineella and consider leaving a star rating and a comment below to share your experience and tips. Your feedback is invaluable! For more inspiring baking ideas, recipes, and sweet treats, you can always follow me on Pinterest. Happy baking!

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