Cardamom Buns (Kardemummabullar)

These Cardamom Buns (Kardemummabullar) are a traditional Swedish pastry – soft, buttery, and fragrant. Layers of tender, fluffy dough and spiced cardamom butter, with cardamom’s floral, citrusy, and slightly peppery notes complemented by a hint of cinnamon, get twisted into a cozy, golden pastry. A joy to make, look at, and eat—one of my favorite pastries, cardamom buns are as beatiful as they are delicious.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 300 grams all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 40 grams granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
• 180 grams whole milk
• 45 grams neutral oil, such as sunflower or vegetable

For the filling:

• 60 grams unsalted butter, room temperature
• 80 grams dark brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground cardamom
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

For topping:

• 1 tablespoon (about 12 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon (about 15 grams) water
• Cardamom sugar, for sprinkling on top: 1 tablespoon granulated sugar mixed with 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom.

Instructions:

1. Make the dough: Place all of the dough ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer, (if you’re using active dry yeast, start by mixing the yeast and milk and letting it sit for 10 minutes to activate). Knead on low-medium speed for about 10 minutes, or until a smooth and slightly sticky dough forms. If kneading by hand, this will take about 15 minutes.
2. Let the dough rise, covered, for 1-1.5 hours or until doubled. (At this point, the dough can be refrigerated overnight). While the dough rises, combine the filling ingredients in a small bowl to form a soft, spreadable paste.
3. Shape the buns:
   • Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, into a rectangle about 16×10 inches (40×25 cm).
   • Spread the butter and spice mixture evenly all across the dough, going all the way to the edges.
   • Fold the dough into thirds (like a letter) along the long side of the rectangle. You should now have rectangle about 5 x 10 inches (13 x 25 cm).
   • Roll the folded dough out so that it is back to the original size of the rectangle.
   • Cut the dough into 8-10 strips, depending on how large you want your cardamom buns to be.
   • Shape the buns by holding on to one edge of the strip between your thumb and index finger, and twisting the other end of the strip around your remaining fingers 2-3 times. Then take what’s left of the strip, twist it over top of the loops perpendicularly, then tuck the end of the strip underneath. These will likely each be a little different, and that’s perfectly fine! See notes on shaping*
   • Place the buns on a lined baking sheet with at least an inch between them.
4. Let the buns rise, covered, for about 30 minutes, or until they have puffed up slightly and bounce back slowly when poked. About 10 minutes before the buns have fully risen, set oven to 375 Fahrenheit (190 Celsius).
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown. (Every oven behaves differently – if the buns aren’t browning, start checking doneness after 10 minutes with a toothpick inserted into the center of a bun – it should come out free of dough. Do not overbake, or the buns will be dry.)
6. While the cardamom buns are in the oven, prepare the syrup: cook the sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat just until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.
7. Once the buns are baked, brush with the syrup, sprinkle with the cardamom sugar, and enjoy!
8. Buns are best fresh, but can be stored in an airtight container for 2 days, or frozen for longer storage. Reheat in the microwave or oven, as needed.

Notes:

• Shaping: Shaping cardamom buns takes a bit of practice – my first buns were far from perfect! This video is helpful in showing how to shape cardamom buns. If you’d like a simpler shape, you can roll the dough up and cut it into individual swirls, as you would shape classic cinnamon buns.
• Fresh cardamom: I don’t love the flavor of pre-ground cardamom, and I don’t recommend using it in this recipe. To save time, I usually buy more cardamom than I need for a given recipe, remove the pods and grind them up in a blender or with a mortar and pestle, and store the leftovers in the freezer.