Welcome to the delightful world of Swedish baking! Today, we’re diving into the heartwarming embrace of classic Swedish cardamom buns, known locally as “Kardemummabullar.” These aromatic, buttery, and beautifully soft buns are not just a treat for your tastebuds; they’re an experience, a perfect companion for your cherished tea or coffee, and an ideal project for a cozy weekend in. You might think they’re complicated, but I promise, they are much simpler to master than you imagine.
Hey there, fellow bakers! As we ease into the festive season, with Christmas approaching, I hope your December has started wonderfully. I’ve been immersed in a flurry of activity, ticking off deadlines and working on personal projects before taking a well-deserved Christmas break. The anticipation is almost unbearable!
But enough about my busy schedule; let’s get straight to what truly matters today: our incredible recipe for authentic Swedish cardamom buns!
Swedish Cardamom Buns: A Taste of Fika
Imagine this: a long, dark evening, perhaps a chill in the air, and you’re snuggled comfortably on the sofa with your favorite hot drink. Sounds pretty good, right? Now, elevate that image: you’re also holding a warm, soft, sticky, and intensely aromatic Swedish cardamom bun that practically melts in your mouth with every bite. That’s the magic we’re creating today! These cardamom-infused treats are pure bliss, tasting like a little piece of heaven. Much like my chocolate hazelnut buns and cinnamon rolls, these Swedish cardamom buns are truly made for sharing, perfect for bringing people together over a cup of coffee – a tradition known in Sweden as “fika.”
Why You’ll Love This Cardamom Bun Recipe
There are countless reasons why these Swedish cardamom buns will become your new favorite baking project. Let’s break down what makes this recipe truly special and why it stands out:
- Surprisingly Simple to Make: Don’t let the elegant appearance fool you. This recipe is designed to be approachable for bakers of all skill levels. With clear steps and a forgiving dough, you’ll find the process much easier than you might anticipate, making it a joy from start to finish.
- Incredibly Soft and Buttery: The secret to truly exceptional cardamom buns lies in a rich, tender dough. Our recipe yields buns that are beautifully soft and pillow-like, infused with generous amounts of butter. This creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture that is utterly irresistible.
- Wonderfully Aromatic with Cardamom: Cardamom is the star of this show, providing a unique, warming, and slightly floral aroma that is simply captivating. We use both whole cardamom pods for infusion and ground cardamom in the filling to ensure every bite is bursting with its distinctive flavor.
- The Perfect Weekend Baking Project: Whether you’re looking for a relaxing activity or a delightful treat to share, these cardamom buns fit the bill. The process of preparing the dough, letting it rise, shaping, and baking is a therapeutic and rewarding experience, ideal for a leisurely weekend.
- Ideal for Sharing and Fika: These buns are inherently social. Their inviting aroma and delicious taste make them perfect for sharing with friends and family. They embody the spirit of “fika,” the cherished Swedish tradition of taking a break with coffee and something sweet, fostering connection and conversation.
The dough itself is a dream to work with – soft, pliable, and elastic, it’s not only a pleasure to knead but also incredibly versatile. Once you master this basic sweet yeast dough, you can easily adapt it to create a variety of other delicious bakes, from cinnamon rolls to other fruit-filled pastries. It’s a foundation that opens up a world of baking possibilities.
Essential Ingredients for Perfect Cardamom Buns
Crafting these delectable Swedish cardamom buns requires a few key ingredients, each playing a vital role in achieving their signature taste and texture. Our dough starts with milk, generously infused with fragrant cardamom, and softened butter, which provides richness and tenderness. We also use strong white bread flour for structure, golden caster sugar for sweetness, dried yeast for its rise, a hint of cinnamon for warmth, and a touch of salt to balance the flavors.
The heart of these buns, the filling, is a simple yet potent cardamom butter. This is created by combining soft, room-temperature butter with more golden caster sugar and, of course, a generous amount of freshly ground cardamom. This ensures a burst of spice in every swirl.
Understanding Cardamom: The Soul of Swedish Baking
Cardamom is the quintessential spice in Swedish baking, particularly for “kardemummabullar.” It provides a warm, slightly citrusy, and intensely aromatic flavor that is truly distinctive. For the best results, I highly recommend using whole green cardamom pods rather than pre-ground powder. Grinding the seeds just before use releases their vibrant essential oils, resulting in a much more potent and fresh flavor profile. You’ll use some pods to infuse the milk, creating a subtle background note, and the seeds from the remaining pods will be crushed for the rich butter filling.
Sugar Pearls: The Decorative and Flavorful Touch
One of the charming ingredients I incorporate into this recipe is sugar pearls. These are exactly as the name suggests: small, round, opaque white sugar granules that add a beautiful sparkle and a delightful textural crunch to the finished buns. They don’t just look pretty; they contribute a pleasant sweetness and a slight textural contrast against the soft dough.
If you find yourself unable to locate sugar pearls at your local grocery store or specialty shop, don’t fret! A fantastic alternative can be made using regular white sugar cubes. Simply place the sugar cubes in a sturdy bag or between two sheets of parchment paper and use a heavy object, such as a rolling pin or a mortar and pestle, to gently crush them into smaller, irregular pieces. This DIY solution works perfectly and still provides that characteristic sweet crunch.
Preparing the Dough: The Foundation of Flavor
The journey to perfect cardamom buns begins with crafting the dough. Before we delve into the step-by-step method, it’s worth noting that while a freestanding mixer makes the process quicker and more convenient, it’s by no means essential. You can absolutely make this dough by hand; it will simply require a bit more arm work and slightly longer kneading time to achieve the desired smooth and elastic consistency.
- Gather Your Ingredients: Start by assembling all your ingredients. This practice, known as “mise en place,” ensures a smooth baking process and prevents last-minute scrambling.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your freestanding mixer, combine the strong white bread flour, 75g of golden caster sugar, dried fast-action yeast, ground cinnamon, and salt. Whisk everything together until thoroughly combined, ensuring the yeast and spices are evenly distributed.
- Infuse the Milk and Butter: Using a mortar and pestle, lightly crack open about 10 cardamom pods to release their seeds and aroma. Place these cracked pods along with the milk into a small saucepan. Gently heat the milk over medium heat until it’s warm and steaming, but crucially, do not let it boil. Boiling can scald the milk and negatively affect the yeast. Once heated, remove the saucepan from the heat and add 50g of cubed unsalted butter. Allow the mixture to sit, stirring occasionally, until the butter has fully melted and the milk has cooled to a lukewarm temperature. This infusion process imparts a subtle, fragrant cardamom note throughout the entire dough.
- Strain and Combine Wet and Dry: Once the milk and butter mixture has cooled to lukewarm (it should feel warm, not hot, to the touch), strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the cardamom pods. This ensures a smooth dough without any gritty bits. Pour this infused liquid into the bowl containing your dry flour mixture.
- Knead the Dough: If using a freestanding mixer with a dough hook attachment, begin mixing on a low speed for a couple of minutes until the ingredients start to come together. Then, increase the speed to medium-high and continue kneading for about 8-10 minutes. The goal is to achieve a smooth, elastic, and supple dough that no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. If kneading by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead vigorously for 12-15 minutes until it reaches the same smooth and elastic consistency.
- First Rise (Proofing): Lightly drizzle a large, clean bowl with olive oil to prevent sticking. Transfer the kneaded dough into this bowl, turning it once to coat lightly in oil. Cover the bowl tightly with cling film (a shower cap works wonderfully for this!) or a clean tea towel. Place the bowl in a warm, draft-free spot and let it rise until it has doubled in size. This typically takes 1 to 2 hours, depending on the ambient temperature. For a deeper flavor development and a slower, more controlled rise, you can also place the dough in the fridge to prove overnight.
Shaping Your Cardamom Buns into Beautiful Knots
Shaping these Swedish cardamom buns might look intricate, but it’s much simpler and more enjoyable than you might think! Once your dough has beautifully doubled in size, it’s time for the fun part: rolling and shaping.
- Prepare the Cardamom Filling: While your dough is rising, or just before you begin shaping, prepare your cardamom butter filling. Crack open the remaining cardamom pods and discard the outer husks. Crush the seeds into a fine powder using your mortar and pestle. Mix this freshly ground cardamom with the remaining 150g of golden caster sugar. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining softened butter with all but 2 tablespoons of this cardamom sugar mixture. This will be your rich, aromatic filling.
- Roll Out the Dough: Gently punch the risen dough down to release any accumulated air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a large rectangle, approximately 40 x 50 cm (about 16 x 20 inches). Position the dough so the longer edge is facing you.
- Spread the Filling: Evenly spread the prepared cardamom butter mixture all over the surface of the rolled-out dough, right to the edges. Ensure every part is coated for maximum flavor in each bite.
- Fold the Dough: Carefully fold the top half of the dough down to meet the bottom half, creating a long, narrow rectangle. Gently press down to seal the edges.
- Cut into Strips: Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter (which I find works brilliantly for clean cuts), cut the folded dough into approximately 16 equal strips. Each strip should be roughly 2.5-3 cm (about 1 inch) wide.
- Create the Signature Knot: Now comes the creative part! Take one strip of dough. Cut it down the middle lengthwise, but leave about 1-2 cm (half an inch) attached at one end. You now have a “forked” strip. Twist the two strands together a few times, then form a knot, tucking the ends neatly underneath the bun to secure them. This distinctive knot shape is traditional for Swedish cardamom buns and allows for maximum surface area for that delicious filling and crispy edges. Voila! You’ve just shaped your first cardamom bun.
Once all your cardamom buns are shaped, place them onto baking trays lined with parchment paper, leaving a little space between each bun for them to expand. Cover the trays loosely with cling film or a clean tea towel and set them aside in a warm place for a second rise, often called “proofing.” Allow them to prove for 30 minutes to an hour, or until they have visibly doubled in size and look puffy. This second rise is crucial for light and airy buns. Preheat your oven to 190°C (170°C fan) during the last 15 minutes of proofing.
Before baking, brush the top of each bun with a beaten egg. This egg wash will give them that beautiful golden-brown crust. Then, generously sprinkle them with your prepared sugar pearls (or crushed sugar cubes). Bake the buns for approximately 20-25 minutes, or until they are a gorgeous golden brown. If you’re baking two trays at once, it’s a good idea to swap their positions halfway through to ensure even browning.
As soon as the buns emerge from the oven, while they are still warm, brush them generously with a simple sugar syrup. To make the syrup, combine the reserved 2 tablespoons of cardamom sugar with 50ml of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let it cool slightly. Brushing the syrup onto the warm buns will give them a lovely shine and, more importantly, keep them wonderfully moist and soft. Allow them to soak up the syrup, and then they are ready to be savored. Enjoy every aromatic, buttery bite!
Storage and Reheating Tips
These Swedish cardamom buns are best enjoyed fresh, ideally within a day or two of baking. To keep them at their softest, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. If you have any leftover buns (a rare occurrence, I’m sure!), they can also be frozen. Simply place the cooled buns in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to two months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw at room temperature and then warm them gently in a preheated oven for about 5-10 minutes at 150°C (300°F) to restore their freshness and aromatic warmth.
Thank you for joining me on this delicious baking adventure! I genuinely hope you enjoy making and devouring these exquisite Swedish cardamom buns as much as I do. Please feel free to leave a comment below with your thoughts and a rating once you’ve tried the recipe. I love hearing from you!
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📖 Recipe: Classic Swedish Cardamom Buns
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Swedish Cardamom Buns
20 mins
25 mins
2 hrs
2 hrs 45 mins
Snack
Vegetarian
cardamom buns, kardemummabullar, swedish buns
16 buns
Anna Wierzbinska
Equipment
- Freestanding mixer (optional, can be made by hand)
- Small saucepan
- Mortar and pestle
- Large mixing bowl
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Rolling pin
- Sharp knife or pizza cutter
- Baking trays
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 10 whole cardamom pods
- 350 ml milk
- 50 g unsalted butter cubed (for the dough)
- 500 g strong white bread flour
- 75 g golden caster sugar
- 7 g dried fast-action yeast
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for bowl)
For the Cardamom Butter Filling:
- 20 whole cardamom pods (remaining pods from the initial 30)
- 150 g golden caster sugar
- 150 g unsalted butter softened (remaining butter from the initial 200g)
For the Glaze and Topping:
- 1 medium egg beaten (for egg wash)
- 2 tablespoon sugar pearls or 4-5 white sugar cubes, crushed
For the Sugar Syrup:
- 2 tablespoon cardamom sugar mixture (reserved from the filling)
- 50 ml water
Instructions
- Using a pestle and mortar, crack open 10 cardamom pods and add them into a small saucepan with milk over a medium heat. Warm until steaming, but do not boil. Take off the heat and add 50g of butter into the saucepan (leave the remaining butter at room temperature to soften for the filling). Set aside, allowing it to cool until lukewarm, you may want to swirl the saucepan a bit, to encourage the butter to melt.
- Add flour, 75g of golden caster sugar, yeast, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl or a bowl of a freestanding mixer and mix together until well combined. Once the milk has cooled, strain it through a sieve to discard the cardamom pods. Add the milk and butter mixture into the bowl with flour mixture. Mix on medium-high speed (in a freestanding mixer fitted with hook attachment) until a smooth, elastic dough forms. This may take about 8-10 minutes. You know your dough is ready when it no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. You can also do this by hand, but it may take a bit longer (12-15 minutes of vigorous kneading).
- Transfer the dough into a large, clean bowl drizzled with olive oil. Cover it with a tea towel or cling film and set aside for a couple of hours or until doubled in size. You can also prove it in the fridge overnight for enhanced flavor.
- Crack open the remaining 20 cardamom pods, discard the pods and crush the seeds into a powder using a mortar and pestle. Mix this freshly ground cardamom with the remaining 150g of golden caster sugar. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining softened butter (150g) with all but 2 tablespoons of this cardamom sugar mixture. Set aside the 2 tablespoons of cardamom sugar for the syrup.
- Line two baking trays with baking parchment. Punch the dough down to remove any air, then roll it into a rectangle, roughly about 40 x 50 cm, with the long edge facing you. Spread the prepared cardamom butter filling evenly all over the surface, then fold the top half of the dough towards the bottom. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the folded dough in half, then each half in half again, and so on. You should have about 16 equal strips. Cut each strip down the middle lengthwise, leaving about 1-2 cm attached on top. Twist the two strands together into a knot and tuck the ends underneath the bun to secure them. Place each shaped bun on the prepared baking trays, leaving space between them.
- Cover both baking trays with the buns loosely with some cling film and set aside somewhere warm for 30 minutes-1 hour, or until doubled in size (this is the second proof). Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan) during the last 15 minutes of proofing. Brush the risen buns with the beaten egg and generously sprinkle with sugar pearls. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. If using two trays, swap them halfway through baking for even browning.
- Place the reserved 2 tablespoons of cardamom sugar into a small saucepan and add 50 ml of water. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, while they are still warm, brush the sugar syrup over them a couple of times, allowing them to soak up the glorious sweetness and achieve a beautiful sheen.
Please note that all my recipes are developed and tested in metric grams. I recommend that you use digital scales for more accurate results. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.
Notes
Baked buns can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Defrost them at room temperature and reheat in a preheated oven for 5-10 minutes at 150°C (300°F) before eating.
If you don’t have sugar pearls, you can use white sugar cubes. Simply crush the sugar cubes into small pieces (using a rolling pin or mortar and pestle) and sprinkle on top of the buns.
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This recipe was adapted from BBC Good Food