Swedish Cardamom Rolls - Tartelette (2024)

16.12.2007Helene Dujardin(Senior Editor) 38 Comments

You might be thinking that Tartelette has gone off the deep end, obsessed with cinnamon rolls. Well, obsessed might be a bit big, "me likey some cinnamon rolls" although not grammatically correct would be more appropriate to label my affection for fluffy dough rolls filled with spices. First there were these, then these yummy knockoffs and now these inspired from Anne from Anne’s Food.

During our September Daring Baker challenge, she mentioned Swedish cinnamon buns and I instantly remembered the ones my mom used to make during the winter. She had been given the recipe by a Swedish friend of hers, except that Glenna called them "Bole" or something like that. I did not know any other version while growing and fell in love with them the minute my mom pulled them out of the oven. The scent of cardamom wafting through the house was powerful and magical. Cardamom and cinnamon together in the dough is one of the differences with the American type cinnamon rolls, the other one being that each roll is baked in its individual casing (shorter in Europe, I used muffin paper cups) for a shorter period of time.

Within a few hours I was sitting at the kitchen table with a roll and a cup of tea, my eyes closed…and I was back in time 15 years ago listening to my mother and grandmother talking about our Christmas dinner, the food, the table setting, the linens, the decorations, etc…I felt empty and content at the same time. As children, our games and hobby were held in the kitchen or not very far from it (except on holidays where we were outdoors all the time), and little did they know all the wonderful memories I now have of these days of leisurely baking and chatting.
Now grandma is gone and I religiously make her truffles and cake for Christmas, and mom cannot always come and visit as much as she would want (every weekend :)), but there is one thing that I will never forget to make from now on : Swedish Cardamom Buns.

Swedish Cardamom Buns, adapted from Anne whose is based on a recipe from Bara Bullar of Åsa Swanberg

Makes 24

Dough:
2 packs active dry yeast (yes 2, you can’t taste the yeast once baked no worries)
1 eggs
2 cups finger-warm milk
1 pound all purpose flour
1 cup light brown sugar
1 1/4 stick butter, softened
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cardamom

Filling:
3/4 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 Tb ground cinnamon

1/2 Tb ground cardamom

Decoration:
1 egg, beaten with 1/2 tsp water, and a tiny pinch of salt
pearl sugar

In a bowl, dissolve the yeast with some of the tepid milk. Add the rest of the milk, half of the flour and the egg. Leave to proof, covered, for one hour.
Add the rest of the flour, the sugar, salt, cardamom and butter. Work into a smooth and silky dough. Here’s when you might need a bit more flour. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, cover and leave to proof for 30 minutes. Divide the dough into two. Roll out each part to a large rectangle. Spread with butter, and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Roll each rectangle into a tight roll, starting at the long edge, and cut each roll into about 10-12 pieces. Place each piece in a paper cup on a baking sheet (covered with parchment paper so you won’t end up with a mess), cover and leave to proof for 30 minutes.Beat the egg with a pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp of water, and brush this carefully on the buns. Finish by a light sprinkling of pearl sugar. Bake at 450°F for 6-8 minutes, until they’re as golden as you like them.

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Comments

AnonymousDecember 16, 2007 um 5:18 am

These look beautiful… WHen I was younger we had a swedish au pair and she would make something very similar to these; I remember the pearl sugar!

AnonymousDecember 16, 2007 um 8:19 am

magnifique!!!!miam..

Rosa's Yummy YumsDecember 16, 2007 um 9:02 am

Wonderful! Those rolls look really delicious!

Cheers,

Rosa

Big Boys OvenDecember 16, 2007 um 11:46 am

this is a lovely cinnamon with perfection! smells great….ah… cardoman!

JEPDecember 16, 2007 um 11:48 am

What I wouldn’t do for one of these right now 🙂 I have terrible luck with yeast dough, but these don’t sound complicated, so will give it a try!

ChrisDecember 17, 2007 um 1:51 am

I would do some serious damage to these buns…yum!

eatme_deliciousDecember 17, 2007 um 6:43 am

I remember seeing these on Anne’s site and saving the recipe. Thanks for reminding me about them! They look delicious.

JennyDecember 17, 2007 um 2:40 pm

Family memories always make food taste so much better, don’t they?

Patricia ScarpinDecember 17, 2007 um 4:11 pm

Helen, I want to bake these, too!
My holiday baking list is getting too big! 🙂

Cookie baker LynnDecember 17, 2007 um 5:01 pm

Delightful memories and delicious rolls!

DanaDecember 17, 2007 um 5:55 pm

Hahahaha, "Me likey some cinnamon rolls." Well, me likey too! These look fantastic and remind me of a bread I’ve made before called a Finnish Pulla (which I plan to make again soon!).

HeleneDecember 17, 2007 um 6:36 pm

Thank you all for giving me the right term. "boller" makes a lot of sense because in French we would not pronounce the "r" and make more of a "eh" sound.I need to email mom and get her recipe asap!

VeronDecember 17, 2007 um 8:39 pm

Now this I can see myself eating without too much guilt. I think the hubby would eat this too since it does not have the frosting and the sticky sweetness of the other types of cinnamon buns.

CakespyDecember 17, 2007 um 9:51 pm

Yum, yum, yum (with a slight drool for good measure!). Awesome cinnamon rolls!

Kristen – Dine & DishDecember 18, 2007 um 4:02 am

What a lovely tribute to your mom and Grandma! I can almost hear them in your kitchen too 🙂
These look fantastic.

JaimeDecember 18, 2007 um 4:18 am

these look so good! absolutely beautiful 🙂

MarilynDecember 18, 2007 um 8:11 am

Keep up the good work. Merry Christmas!

Britt-ArnhildDecember 18, 2007 um 7:11 pm

Your post brings back alot of great memories.

I make these rolls alot. Here in Norway we call them kanelsnurrer.

creampuffDecember 19, 2007 um 1:09 am

Can I get a gorgeous Swedish man to go with these gorgeous buns?!

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)December 20, 2007 um 2:20 am

My goodness, who wouldn’t be obsessed with those cinnamon buns?! Beautiful!

UnknownDecember 21, 2007 um 9:30 am

My Swedish housemate makes these and is always going on about pearl sugar. Noone here had ever heard of it. Does anyone know if there is a supplier in Southern England?
They are delicious by the way 🙂

DeborahDecember 21, 2007 um 4:25 pm

These look beautiful!! I was quite disappointed when I went to IKEA for the first time and tried their cinnamon rolls – I was hoping for an authentic Swedish cinnamon roll, but just got a plain American one. I guess I’ll have to make them myself!

AnonymousDecember 25, 2007 um 4:49 am

I just finished making my first batch of Bullar – wish I would’ve seen this first! I like the muffin cup method much better than the weird knot-twisty things I tried to make.
Just snatched two little ones off the baking sheet and they are YUM! A Christmas Miracle!

AnonymousSeptember 25, 2008 um 11:16 pm

My husband’s grandparents were from the Mariehammen alands between Sweden and Finland. He always talked about his grandmother’s Bakka Bolle ( Baked Rolls in Swedish). I finally found the recipe on your site after looking for it for 14 years! Thank you so much. When I saw the word bolle I knew I had found it. Thanks again for the recipe. My husband will be so thrilled to be able to taste these wonderful rolls again.
Mrs. Hultgren

Colette Kulig PhotographyOctober 27, 2008 um 5:28 am

i have this page bookmarked!

i made them for my swedish class and my teacher was very impressed! 😉

amazing recipe! thanks for posting!

xoxo.

JoanneDecember 13, 2009 um 5:49 pm

I used a dough similar to this to make a Swedish Tea Ring a few months ago and loved it. What a great idea to make small cinnamon rolls out of it! And great memories attached as well. That is one of the best parts of the holidays.

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Swedish Cardamom Rolls - Tartelette (2024)

FAQs

How many cinnamon rolls do Swedes eat? ›

The average Swede consumes as many as 230 cinnamon rolls a year and the pastry is so popular that it even has its own day in the calendar. Kanelbullens Dag (Cinnamon Bun Day) takes place every year on October 4th, with an estimated eight million cinnamon rolls sold across Sweden on that day alone.

What is the history of cardamom buns in Sweden? ›

Cardamom is not native to Sweden, but it has become an integral part of Swedish cuisine. During the Middle Ages, traders brought spices from the East to Sweden, and cardamom was one of them. Over time, cardamom became a staple in Swedish baking and cooking, especially in sweet dishes like these buns.

Read On ›

Why is cinnamon rolls important to Sweden? ›

Traditional staple. Today's Swedish cinnamon buns are part of a tradition tracing back to the 1920s. The cinnamon buns were created after the First World War. During the war, there were restrictions put on the import of several goods such as sugar, egg and butter.

View Details ›

What is a cinnamon roll called in Sweden? ›

Kanelbullar or cinnamon buns are a classic at Swedish coffee parties. During the golden age of home baking, such parties turned into orgies of sweet yeast breads, small cookies, cookies with fillings, pastries and cakes. This tradition lives on in Sweden.

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What do Swedish people eat the most? ›

Swedish cuisine could be described as centered around cultured dairy products, crisp and soft (often sugared) breads, berries and stone fruits, beef, chicken, lamb, pork, eggs, and seafood. Potatoes are often served as a side dish, often boiled.

Why are Swedes obsessed with cardamom? ›

Culinary archaeologist Daniel Serra, who co-wrote the book An Early Meal – a Viking Age Cookbook and Culinary Odyssey, believes that cardamom first became of interest in Scandinavia in the 13th Century for both its medicinal and culinary use, as documented in the old cookbook Libellus de Arte Coquinaria.

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What is the difference between American and Swedish cinnamon buns? ›

The Swedish cinnamon bun is much less sticky than, for example, the American cinnamon roll. Swedish cinnamon buns also have the very specific addition of a bit of cardamom spice in the dough which adds another delicious dimension of flavouring.

Keep Reading ›

Why is cardamom so common in Sweden? ›

Swedish cookbook author Johanna Kindvall says that many Swedes believe the Vikings brought cardamom to Scandinavia, having encountered the spice in the bazaars of Constantinople (today's Istanbul) about 1,000 years ago.

Did Sweden invent cinnamon bun? ›

Origins. Roman spice traders introduced the Sri Lankan cinnamon spice to Europe. The spice later began to be used in Swedish pastries, with the modern kanelbulle ( lit. ''cinnamon bun'') being created after the first world war.

Keep Reading ›

Did Sweden invent cinnamon rolls? ›

The Swedes claim it originated there in the 1920s, though ask any Nordic country in Europe and they'll tell you the sweet roll was actually their invention. Regardless of its exact birthplace, the bun is a staple of Scandinavian baking and commonly enjoyed during FIKA, a get-together with friends.

Get More Info Here ›

Do they celebrate cinnamon buns in Sweden? ›

Around 57% of all Swedes are believed to eat at least one cinnamon bun on 4 October. And to give you an idea of how important Cinnamon Bun Day is to the Swedish fika tradition, we can tell you that at least half of all employers in Sweden treat their employees to cinnamon buns on the day.

Get More Info ›

Do Swedes eat a lot of sweets? ›

Swedes rank among the world's foremost candy guzzlers, consuming an impressive average of 16 kilograms per person and year. And if you ask what type of candy they love above all else, the answer is most likely to be pick and mix, or Swedish bulk candy. Preferably on Saturdays.

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What does the average Swedish person eat? ›

The Swedish diet is very varied with a healthy mix of whole grains, lean protein (lots of fish but also game), a focus on vegetables, berries, fermented dairy – all things that have been hailed as part of the healthy Nordic Diet.

Did cinnamon rolls originate in Sweden? ›

The Swedes claim it originated there in the 1920s, though ask any Nordic country in Europe and they'll tell you the sweet roll was actually their invention. Regardless of its exact birthplace, the bun is a staple of Scandinavian baking and commonly enjoyed during FIKA, a get-together with friends.

Keep Reading ›

Swedish Cardamom Rolls - Tartelette (2024)

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FAQs

How many cinnamon rolls do Swedes eat? ›

Did Sweden invent cinnamon bun? ›