Kanelbullar, Swedish Cinnamon Buns
In Finland, cinnamon buns are called Korvapuusti. The dough is made with cardamom, and as a huge fan of cardamom, I will talk about Korvapuusti one day on this blog but I’m still looking for the perfect recipe with the texture and a taste like the one from the Patisserie Teemu Aura in Helsinki. They are so tasty and soft (and don’t get me started with the Rahka Pulla…🤤)
Anyway, this post is not about Korvapuusti but about Kanelbullar. This is the Swedish version of cinnamon buns. The shaping is different and the dough is almost made like a puff pastry (a simplified version – don’t panic!) which gives them some crispness.
In conclusion, they are delicious and you should give it a try!
One day I will talk about saffron and almond buns as well, like the one I had in Tallin 2 years ago, I’m still dreaming about it…🤤!
Now let’s go to the recipe!
Kanelbullar
Ingredients
Dough
- 300 g flour
- 110 g milk at room temperature
- 35 g caster sugar
- 9 g fresh yeast (or ½ small packet of dry yeast)
- 3,5 g salt
- 75 g beaten eggs (I beat two eggs, weight 75g of it and keep the rest to brush the kanelbullar before cooking)
- 100 g butter at room temperature
Filling
- 100 g butter at room temperature
- 75 g caster sugar
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
Instructions
Making the dough
- Dissolve the yeast in the milk.
- In the bowl of the standing mixer, put the flour, sugar and salt. Add the milk and yeast and finally eggs.
- Start to mix on low speed for 10 minutes, you should obtain a ball of dough. Add slowly the butter to the dough, it could take a little bit of time but it's normal, the dough needs time to integrate the butter.
- Knead on speed 2 for 10 minutes again.
- Shape the dough in a ball and let it rise for 1h30 to 2 hours, time for it to double its volume.
Filling and shaping
- Mix soft butter, sugar and cinnamon.
- Roll the dough out on the slightly floured surface to have a rectangle of 2-3mm of thickness.
- Spread out the butter mixture on the dough.
- Fold it in 3 parts : the upper part has to go on the middle and the lower part will cover the upper part.
- Roll the dough out again to obtain a rectangle.
- Cut stripes vertically.
- Then we will shape these stripes: twist and roll them up around your fingers, seal the knot by putting the end part in the middle of it. Ok… Not easy to explain with words here, I will put a video for you at the end of this post, it will be easier ^
- Put the kanelbullar on a baking tray with baking paper and let it rise again for 30 minutes to 1h. At this moment of the process, I often put the brioches in the fridge overnight to rise very slowly and cook them on the morning to have it fresh on the breakfast table. Or you can even put them in the freezer.
- Preheat the oven at 180°C.
- Brush the kanelbullar with eggs mixed with a drop of milk and cook them for around 15 minutes.
These kanelbullar are really good straight out of the oven, but if you need, don’t hesitate to put some in the freezer, even before the second rise. If you do, take them out of the freezer just before going to bed, let them come back at room temperature overnight and cook them the next morning. Easy-peasy! Anyway, not sure you will have any left to freeze once you have tried them…🙄
And here is the link to help you with the shaping!
Have a cinnamony day!
