Swedish Cardamom Buns (Kardemummabullar)

Before you start

Kardemummabullar are a fixture of Swedish fika: a lightly sweet, cardamom-scented dough folded around a buttery cardamom-sugar filling, cut into strips and twisted into knots. The knot is what sets them apart from cinnamon rolls; it exposes many thin layers of filling to the oven, so the edges caramelize while the center stays soft.

Use green cardamom pods and grind the seeds yourself if you can. Pre-ground cardamom loses its aroma quickly, and this bun depends on it. Bake hot and fast; the buns are small, and a short bake keeps them tender. A brush of sugar syrup as they come out of the oven gives the classic shine and helps the pearl sugar stick.

Ingredients

• Dough240 ml (1 cup) whole milk
• 75 g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter
• 450 g (3¾ cups, spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour
• 60 g (5 tbsp) granulated sugar
• 7 g (2¼ tsp) instant yeast
• 2 tsp freshly ground cardamom seeds
• ¾ tsp fine salt
• 1 large egg
• Filling100 g (7 tbsp) unsalted butter — very soft
• 80 g (6 tbsp) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp freshly ground cardamom seeds — from about 25 to 30 green pods
• Pinch fine salt
• Finish1 large egg, beaten — for brushing
• 50 g (¼ cup) granulated sugar
• 50 ml (3½ tbsp) water
• 3 tbsp Swedish pearl sugar

Method

1. Warm the milk and 75 g butter in a saucepan until the butter melts, then cool to about 40°C (105°F), comfortably warm to the touch.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, 2 tsp cardamom and salt. Add the warm milk mixture and the egg and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth, elastic and just tacky. Cover and rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
3. Beat the soft butter, 80 g sugar, 1 tbsp cardamom and a pinch of salt into a smooth, spreadable filling.
4. Roll the dough into a 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in) rectangle with a long side facing you. Spread the filling over the whole surface.
5. Fold the bottom third up and the top third down over it, like a letter, to make a strip about 13 × 40 cm (5 × 16 in). Roll it gently to firm the layers, then cut crosswise into 16 strips about 2.5 cm (1 in) wide.
6. To knot, hold a strip at both ends and twist the ends in opposite directions a few times while stretching it to about 25 cm. Wrap it twice around two fingers, then pull the end over the top and tuck it underneath. Place on a lined sheet; the knot does not need to be perfect.
7. Cover and let rise until puffy, about 45 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
8. Simmer the 50 g sugar and 50 ml water for 1 minute until dissolved; set aside. Brush the buns with beaten egg.
9. Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 13 minutes, until deep golden. Brush with the warm syrup immediately and sprinkle with pearl sugar. Cool on the sheet for 10 minutes.

Tips for success

• Lightly toast the cardamom pods in a dry pan for a minute before cracking them; the seeds grind more easily and smell stronger.
• Chill the folded dough for 10 minutes before cutting if the filling feels greasy; the strips twist more cleanly.
• Expect some filling to melt out. Those caramelized bits on the parchment are part of the appeal.

Substitutions

Freshly ground cardamom

Pre-ground cardamom works; use about 25% more and buy a fresh jar, since it fades quickly.

Pearl sugar

Coarsely crushed sugar cubes or sparkling sugar give a similar crunch; regular granulated sugar dissolves into the syrup.

Whole milk

Oat milk works for a dairy-light dough; use butter or a plant-based block in the filling as you prefer.

Variations

Cinnamon knots (kanelbullar style)

Replace the cardamom in the filling with 1 tbsp cinnamon; keep cardamom in the dough.

Orange-cardamom knots

Add the finely grated zest of 1 orange to the filling.

Troubleshooting

Strips tear while twisting

The dough is too cold or under-kneaded. Let it relax 10 minutes at room temperature, and knead longer next time to build stretch.

Weak cardamom flavor

The spice is old or was pre-ground long ago. Grind seeds from green pods just before using.

Buns turned dark before the inside cooked

The oven runs hot or the pan sat too high. Bake in the center and check with a thermometer; the bake should not need more than 13 minutes.

Storage

These buns are best the day they are baked. Keep them airtight for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 2 months and refresh at 160°C (325°F) for 5 minutes.

Safety notes

Do not taste the dough before baking; it contains raw egg and flour. Contains wheat, milk and egg.