- Andy Brumbaugh
- Swedish Cinnamon Rolls
In Sweden, the traditional coffee break, known as fika, is an institution. Dating back to the 19th century, fika is not just about grabbing a cup of joe — it's also about the treats, the conversation, the actual break. Along with coffee, it's common practice for the host to serve seven types of baked goods, such as cookies, biscuits and breads. Any less and the host would be considered stingy; serving more could be seen as showing off.
Incidentally, this is a great example of one of my favorite Swedish words, lagom, which is best translated to "perfect but not braggingly so" — just right.
Here's a recipe for one style of acceptable fika fare: kanelbullar, or cinnamon rolls.
Cinnamon has been popular in Sweden since the 1600s, and cardamom seems to have arrived in Scandinavia as early as the Viking era. King Gustavus Vasa was said to be particularly fond of cinnamon and imported massive amounts of the spice for his wedding. Both are central to many Swedish baked goods, including kanelbullar, which first appeared after World War I. These rolls can be made ahead of time; bake them on the weekend and you'll have a supply of quick snacks for the week.
In Sweden, kanelbullar would not likely be a breakfast item, but here in the States, a sweet breakfast is more common. These work in lunches, too. I have not met a kid yet who doesn't love them.
The recipe I'm sharing makes about 30. There are a few different shapes of kanelbullar, including a complicated knot, but I chose to share the simplest style: Roll the filled dough up like a jelly roll and slice.
If you have cardamom, it adds a beautiful earthy aroma to the dough — and it only takes a little bit. Skip it if you don't have any. Another option would be to top the rolls with Swedish pearl sugar, which adds a delightful crunch. I didn't happen to have any on hand, but it is traditional.
The recipe I used is a Vermont adaptation of the traditional kanelbullar; I sweetened the batch with maple syrup. I don't think any Swede would turn their nose up at these.
Swedish Cinnamon Rolls
Yield: 30 cinnamon rolls
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 4 1/2 cups flour, divided, plus more for rolling out dough
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
- About 1/4 cup more water, as needed
- Cooking spray
Filling:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
To finish:
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon water
Directions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together maple syrup, warm water, 1/2 cup flour and yeast. Allow to sit about 10 minutes, until slightly bubbly.
- Add butter, salt, cardamom (if using) and remaining flour and knead until a soft dough forms. Add a little more water if needed to incorporate all the dry ingredients but keep an eye on the dough; it should be smooth and not sticky. After reaching the proper texture, knead for about 5 more minutes.
- Spray a medium bowl with cooking spray and put the dough in it. Cover with plastic wrap. Allow to proof in a warm place for about 45 to 60 minutes, until puffy and approximately doubled in size.
- In a small bowl, make the filling by mixing butter with brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Roll out to a large rectangle, about 12 by 30 inches. (Dough should be about 1/4-inch thick.)
- Spread the filling evenly in a thin layer over the entire rectangle.
- Roll the dough into a tight spiral so that the resulting log is about 30 inches long.
- Cut into 1-inch slices with a sharp serrated knife.
- Place the slices on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving about 1 inch between them.
- Cover the rolls with clean towels and allow to rise for about 30 minutes. While they are rising, preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Whisk together egg and 1 teaspoon water. Brush the tops of the rolls evenly with the egg wash.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked all the way through.
- Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Any remaining rolls can be refrigerated for up to four days or frozen for longer storage. Just remove them from the freezer the night before you want to serve them. Enjoy at room temperature or lightly warmed in a toaster oven or air fryer.
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