Semlor are classic Swedish lent buns, subtly flavored with cardamom, filled with almond paste, and topped with whipped cream. They are part of Sweden’s Easter tradition — creamy, delicious, and you can easily prepare them at home!
Although we have a variety of sweet buns in Sweden, I can think of three that stand out: kanelbullar, lussekatter, and these babies: semlor.
First, let’s highlight the difference to avoid any confusion.
Semla refers to one lent bun (singular), while semlor refers to buns (yep, plural form). 🙂
So, what is semla?
Semla is a sweet bun subtly flavored with cardamom, filled with almond paste, and topped with whipped cream.
Note that it’s almond paste inside the buns — not marzipan.
Some think they’re the same thing, but they’re not. The most obvious difference is the level of sweetness.
Almond paste is noticeably less sweet, giving you that perfect balance, even with the sprinkle of powdered sugar when serving these semlor buns.
Semlor are traditionally only available from Fat Tuesday till Easter, but nowadays, some bakeries and coffee shops offer them right after the end of the year.
Now you can also enjoy them like the locals do — serve them for fika or as an after-meal dessert!
Jump to:
Why you’ll love semlor!
- Not too sweet. Yes, they’re rich because of the cream and the almond paste, but they’re not overly sweet. There is a balance between the dough and the paste, even with the sprinkle of powdered sugar.
- Feels indulgent without being heavy. They feel indulgent, yet somehow still light. That is why it’s so easy to reach for a second one.
- Tradition with flexibility. You can make them as mini semlor, or add some berries or pistachio crème, tons of possibilities that you can do it with.
Ingredients
(See the recipe card below for measurements.)
These are the ingredients you need for the semla dough:
- Flour – all-purpose flour is excellent for making semlor buns.
- Yeast – as always, I use active dry yeast.
- Butter– unsalted and softened.
- Sugar – regular granulated white sugar is great for this semlor recipe.
- Eggs – medium-sized (63 to 73 grams) and at room temperature.
- Milk – full cream milk, and you need it warm to combine with the yeast, and more for brushing every semla before baking.
- Salt – just use your favorite brand.
- Cardamom – as you can see from the image above, I use cardamom seeds.
Same when making cardamom cake, I ground the seeds myself to get a more intense flavor and aroma.
For the almond paste filling and the whipped topping:
- Almonds – blanched almonds, ready for grounding.
- Sugar – caster (or any fine-textured) sugar for the filling and powdered sugar for serving.
- Milk – like the dough, full cream milk will be great.
- Cream – double cream (also known as heavy cream) for whipping and piping on top of each semla.
How to make semlor
Prepare the yeast.
Combine warm milk with yeast.
Set aside until it’s foamy and ready.
Combine dry ingredients.
Using a mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl), add the flour, salt, sugar, and ground cardamom.
Mix to combine.
Mix wet ingredients.
Add the eggs, butter, and yeast mixture.
Mix and knead until you get a smooth dough.
First proofing.
Form the semlor dough into a ball and place it in the bowl.
Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set aside until it doubles in size — it typically takes 60 to 90 minutes.
Form the buns.
Deflate the semlor dough and transfer it to your counter.
Divide it into sixteen portions and form a ball for each part (i.e., semla).
Place each semla bun on a tray lined with parchment paper, keeping a distance between them.
Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside until it puffs up — about 30 to 45 minutes.
Bake.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (375°F).
Use a pastry brush to glaze each semla with milk.
Place the tray of semlor buns in the lower part of the oven for about fifteen minutes or until they turn golden.
Remove them from the oven and set them aside for a few minutes to cool.
Prepare the almond paste.
Start preparing the almond paste filling by grinding the blanched almonds in a food processor- leave some small bits for a nicer texture.
Add the milk and sugar.
Pulse and mix until the mixture is evenly combined.
Assemble your semlor.
Assemble each semla by cutting a small piece from the top of each bun.
Use a small teaspoon to scoop some bread out of the bun.
Fill with paste.
Place about a teaspoon of the almond paste inside.
There is no need to push the paste; just enough to reach the top of each semla.
Top with cream.
Repeat until all the buns have been filled.
Beat the cream to stiff peaks, then transfer enough to a piping bag.
Pipe some of the whipped cream on top.
Finish assembling each semla by placing the cut bun on top of the cream.
Sprinkle your semlor with powdered sugar and serve!
Helpful tips
- You can prepare the almond paste filling (hours or days) earlier. Just place it in the refrigerator and take it out early when using it. It ensures it’s at room temperature when assembling every semla.
- Make sure you always cover the buns while working on them — it’s a crucial step to avoid drying them.
- For a more precise size of the buns, use a weighing scale to measure each semla.
- If you do not have fine-textured sugar, pulse your regular granulated sugar in the food processor before combining it with the ground-blanched almonds.
- Remember to use a serrated knife when slicing the top of your semlor buns.
Recipe variation
- Almond paste with bread. Unlike what I’ve done in this recipe, some of the bread that’s been removed is mixed with the almond paste and then added back in the center of the semla.
- Light cream. Instead of double cream, use light cream (sometimes called half-and-half) to whip and pipe on every semla.
- Cardamom powder. If you only have cardamom powder on hand, using it as a substitute for cardamom seeds is okay.
FAQs
Are semlor only Swedish?
Nope. Every Nordic country has its own version of semla — i.e., they all have a similar treat for Fat Tuesday, and they tend to all look similar (a bun with cream on top).
Can semlor be made ahead?
You can bake the buns in advance, and also prepare the almond paste earlier.
But I suggest you reheat the buns a bit first, then start assembling by filling them with the softened almond paste, then topping with whipped cream.
Can I skip the almonds?
Absolutely.
Nowadays, I see a lot of variety in coffee shops. Some modern versions use vanilla cream, pistachio, berries, or chocolate fillings.
Serving suggestions
Whether you’re serving semlor for fika or as an after-meal dessert, these serving suggestions show how they fit naturally with other traditional Swedish dishes:
Enjoy a bowl of Swedish blueberry soup as a light, refreshing start, then follow with semla as the main sweet.
The bright, delicate soup balances the richness of the lent buns and almond filling, keeping the combo from feeling too heavy.
Serve this Swedish beef stew as the hearty main, letting its slow-cooked beef and rich gravy anchor the meal — then finish with semla as the light yet indulgent sweet course.
Having a cup of coffee or tea with it is the perfect way to end the meal.
These Swedish pancakes are excellent companions to semlor — either on Thursday (pancake day) or as a midday snack.
Their thin, delicate texture pairs well with the richness of the semlor.
Semlor are more than just a seasonal bake — they’re a celebration of Swedish desserts at its best.
So if you enjoy making these traditional cardamom lent buns, be sure to explore other traditional Swedish recipes — from everyday fika treats to time-honored comfort foods, one recipe at a time.
GET MORE IDEAS FROM THIS LIST OF SNACKS FROM AROUND THE WORLD!
📖 Recipe
Semlor Recipe (Semla or Swedish Lent Bun)
Equipment
Ingredients
For Semlor buns:
- 1 cup milk, warm
- 2 & 1/4 teaspoons yeast
- 450 to 500 grams flour (3 to 3 & 1/2 cups)
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 85 grams butter (1/3 cup + 2 teaspoons), unsalted and softened
- 1 medium egg
For filling and topping:
- 250 grams almonds (about 1 cup), blanched
- 200 grams caster sugar (3/4 cup)
- 100 ml milk (6 tablespoons)
- 1 & 1/2 to 2 cups cream, chilled
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
Making the buns:
- Combine warm milk with yeast and set aside until it's foamy.
- Mix the flour, salt, sugar, and ground cardamom in a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl).
- Add the eggs, butter, and yeast mixture.
- Mix and knead until you get a smooth dough, then form it into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl.
- Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside until it doubles — it generally takes 60 to 90 minutes.
- Deflate the semlor dough and transfer it on a flat surface.
- Divide it into 16 portions and form a ball for each piece (i.e., semla).
- Place each semla bun on a tray lined with parchment paper. (NOTE: Keep a distance between each one.)
- Cover with a towel and set aside until it puffs up — about 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (375°F).
- Use a pastry brush to glaze each semla with milk.
- Place the tray of semlor buns in the lower part of the oven for about 15 minutes or until they turn golden.
- Remove them from the oven and set them aside for a few minutes to cool.
Preparing the filling:
- Ground the blanched almonds in a food processor.(NOTE: Leave some small bits for a nicer texture.)
- Add the milk and sugar.
- Pulse and mix until you get an evenly combined paste.
Assembling your semlor buns:
- Cut a small piece from the top of every semla.
- Use a small teaspoon to remove some bread from inside the bun.
- Place about a teaspoon of the paste inside. There is no need to push the filling, just enough to reach the top of each semla.
- Repeat until all the semlor have been filled.
- Beat the cream to stiff peaks, then transfer enough in a piping bag.
- Pipe some of the whipped cream.
- Finish assembling each semla by placing the cut portion of the bun back.
- Sprinkle your semlor buns with powdered sugar and serve!
Notes
- Cook’s Tip #1: Remember to cover the semlor buns while working on them — it’s an important step to avoid drying them.
- Cook’s Tip #2: For a more exact size of the buns, use a weighing scale to measure each semla.
- Refer to the post for more tips and suggestions.
Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says
I could easily eat 2 as well 😉 . I love buns and these one flavored wìith cardamom are amazing!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish says
It’s funny, I didn’t think, “How are you going to eat that?” I thought, “How am I going to eat that?” 😉 Meaning, get into my mouth right now! I’ve never heard of these but they look gloriously delicious! And I could eat 2 in one sitting and perhaps the tops off my husbands share. 🙂 I can’t wait to make these!!
Kate says
These are so beautiful! It reminds me those pretty things they make on The Great British Baking Show. Yum! I don’t dare make them…I would eat them all myself!
dixya @food, pleasure, and health says
the piping on this bun is everything! i want to dive right into it.
Analida @ ethnicspoon.com says
Those look amazing and I would not stop at one! Thanks for sharing a great recipe! The Norwegians have a similar cardamom bun called Skolleboller made with custard. Here is that one: https://ethnicspoon.com/vanilla-custard-filled-buns-skolleboller/
Carrie | Clean Eating Kitchen says
I love the cardamom in these! I’ve never heard of them before, will definitely give them a go!
Sharon says
These little sweet buns and a hot cup of coffee would make the perfect afternoon treat. They would also make a beautiful presentation for Sunday brunch.
Molly Kumar says
These look so fluffy and delicious. I love Swedish food n their bread is my favorite – this looks so amazing. I’m pinning to try these soon.
Matt Kearns says
I would eat all of these buns! They look absolutely delicious! Looks great Neriz!
Leslie Haasch says
These are SO pretty! I wouldn’t be able to share, so that means this is a single serving recipe for me 😉
Stacey says
Oh deary me, these look and sound incredible! I would have to make that filling all the time, I love those flavors!
Veronika's Kitchen says
Oh yes! can I have one now for dessert?))) The look luscious! cannot wait to try them!)