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The Cinnamon Bun for Cardamom Lovers

By Andrea Geary Published

Plenty of cinnamon in the filling makes these buns worthy of their name, but the coarsely ground cardamom in the dough makes them quintessentially Swedish.

The gooey icing; plush crumb; and warm, sweet swirl of American cinnamon buns makes them a hall-of-fame breakfast treat.  But after developing a recipe for the Swedish kind, called kanelbullar, I may never go back.

Besides cinnamon, the Swedish buns are swirled with the bold menthol-y, citrusy punch of cardamom. They’re also less sweet than American cinnamon buns. And instead of a thick slather of icing, they’re sprinkled with crunchy nubbins of Swedish pearl sugar that complement the crumb’s tender, fluffy texture and allow its buttery flavor to shine.

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Kanelbullar are a favorite feature of the coffee breaks called fika that Swedes enjoy with friends, family, or colleagues, often multiple times a day. I love the idea of sharing these buns in a social setting—but I also find it pretty satisfying to hunker down on my own with a couple as I enjoy my morning coffee.

My Swedish cinnamon bun recipe has a couple of key features:

  • I incorporate a cooked flour-and-milk paste, called tangzhong, into the dough, which traps moisture so the high-hydration dough isn’t sticky or difficult to work with. The water in the dough converts to steam during baking, which makes the buns fluffy and light.
  • For a lavishly spiced treat, I use plenty of cinnamon in the filling and coarsely ground cardamom seeds in the dough. These are far more potent than commercially ground cardamom, and are well worth seeking out at a South Asian market or online.
  • I refrigerate the dough for an hour, which allows the flour to fully absorb moisture and the butter to firm up, making the dough easier to handle. Preshaping it in a baking pan makes it easier to roll out and form into intricate knot shapes later.

To learn more about kanelbullar, go to my longer story on the topic. And this book is a great source for delving more into the Swedish custom of fika.  

Enjoy these other cardamom-spiced treats:

Recipe Chewy Coffee and Cardamom Sugar Cookies

Our recipe for Chewy Sugar Cookies come together quickly and uses a combination of butter and vegetable oil to produce a chewy texture that lasts for days. We already have a few flavor variations for the cookie, but we couldn't resist adding another.

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Perfect Latin Flan

Recipe Orange-Cardamom Latin Flan

This cousin to Spanish-style flan and crème caramel boasts a dense, sweet profile and rich toffee-like flavor. Orange zest and ground cardamom brighten up the custard.

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Ginger-Cardamom Applesauce Snack Cake

Recipe Ginger-Cardamom Applesauce Snack Cake

Applesauce cakes run the gamut from dense, chunky fruitcakes to gummy 'health' cakes that don't taste like much. How about an applesauce cake that tastes like apples?

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JC
JOHN C.
16 days

Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too. I've done this using a rimmed sheet pan instead of a skillet and put veggies and potatoes around the chicken for a one-pan meal. Broccoli gets nicely browned and yummy!

Absolutely the best chicken ever, even the breast meat was moist! It's the only way I'll cook a whole chicken again. Simple, easy, quick, no mess - perfect every time. I've used both stainless steel and cast iron pans. great and easy technique for “roasted” chicken. I will say there were no pan juices, just fat in the skillet. Will add to the recipe rotation. Good for family and company dinners too.

MD
MILES D.
JOHN C.
9 days

Amazed this recipe works out as well as it does. Would not have thought that the amount of time under the broiler would have produced a very juicy and favorable chicken with a very crispy crust. Used my 12" Lodge Cast Iron skillet (which can withstand 1000 degree temps to respond to those who wondered if it would work) and it turned out great. A "make again" as my family rates things. This is a great recipe, and I will definitely make it again. My butcher gladly butterflied the chicken for me, therefore I found it to be a fast and easy prep. I used my cast iron skillet- marvellous!

CM
CHARLES M.
11 days

John, wasn't it just amazing chicken? So much better than your typical oven baked chicken and on par if not better than gas or even charcoal grilled. It gets that smokey charcoal tasted and overnight koshering definitely helps, something I do when time permits. First-time I've pierced a whole chicken minus the times I make jerk chicken on the grill. Yup, the cast iron was not an issue.