Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)

Silly me, I have no idea why I am only posting this now.  Swedish Cinnamon Buns should have been one of my first posts because they are EVERYWHERE in Sweden.  You find them in bakeries, supermarkets, petrol stations… you name it.  There is no escaping ‘Kanelbullar’!

I am NOT complaining though. 🙂  When I first got here (in Stockholm) in 2007, I remember I fell into that ‘trap’ where I could NOT get enough of these Swedish treats.  I would have them for breakfast and dinner, and sometimes when we have ‘fika’ (coffee break) at work, I would have them during those times as well. So, on a good day, I would eat at least three of them. 😀  That lasted for about two months, and then I slowly went back to being ‘normal’. 😉

The first time I had them, it tasted (almost) ‘exotic’ to me.  Until that time, I only know cinnamon buns that are topped (or filled) with sticky sugar, sometimes with some nuts.  The Swedish cinnamon buns however, you taste (and smell) the spice, more than the sugar in them.  The dough itself, contains cardamom, not cinnamon.  The actual cinnamon is ONLY in the filling, with a bit of sugar and some butter.

These cinnamon buns go so well with coffee, tea or even wine (well, it’s better not to have coffee after dinner, right?! 😉 ).  Milk is also a great match for it. (Ha! I knew that! 😀 ).

You can use either all-purpose flour or bread flour in making this recipe.  I personally prefer to make it with bread flour, because I feel it makes the end result ‘more chewy’.  But taste-wise, no difference at all. 🙂

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Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)

Prep Time

2 hrs 30 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

2 hrs 55 mins

 

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Swedish

Servings: 16

Ingredients

Dough:

• 8 grams active dry yeast
• 250 ml milk, warm
• 75 grams unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into small cubes
• 67 grams sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cardamom, powdered
• 450 grams bread flour, or all-purpose flour

Filling:

• 100 grams unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into small cubes
• 67 grams white sugar
• 45 grams brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon, powdered

Finishing:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tbsp pearl sugar

Instructions

Making Dough:

1. Mix yeast with warm milk and set aside until ready (it foams up).

2. In a mixing bowl, combine yeast mixture, sugar, flour, cardamom and salt. Mix on low speed.  

3. Once everything has been combined (and a dough is starting to form), gradually add the cubes of butter and continue mixing to combine.

4. Turn up the mixer speed into medium and continue mixing until the dough becomes soft and smooth. Mine normally takes 10 to 12 minutes.

5. Form the dough into a ball and let it rest for 15 minutes.

   
   

Preparing Filling:

1. Combine white sugar, brown sugar and mix. Add the butter and mix thoroughly to combine. There is no need to use a mixer with this, I just use a rubber spatula for mixing.

   
   

Assembling the Buns:

1. Flatten the dough into a board by using a rolling pin. Make sure the dough is even in thinness. Spread the filling evenly on top of the flattened dough.

2. Roll the dough tightly into a log and cut the uneven sides. Cut the log into smaller and equal portions. This recipe yields 16 buns.

3. Place buns into a baking tray (or you can use muffin papers), cover with a clean kitchen cloth and set aside for 1 to 1 ½ hours (until the dough has become slightly puffy). Remember to give the buns enough space in between since they will expand once cooked.

4. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees C (430 degrees F).

5. Brush the buns with the beaten egg and sprinkle some pearl sugar on top.

6. Cook in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.