This recipe makes the best Swedish cardamom buns (kardemummabullar) – We updated the recipe so it was still homemade and delicious, but easy and sustainable.
We have updated the recipe by making it taste better, while also making it easier. Better tasting – Quick – Easy – Foolproof – Sustainable – One bowl – No mess – No kneading. We wanted to create a recipe for the best cardamom buns ever, and this is it. After a little research, we realized that the best flavor was achieved by using all the best ingredients, and then using a method that allowed the flavors to develop. The flavors develop during a slow rise, which comes from putting the dough in the refrigerator for twelve hours. And since we measure by weight, there is no sifting or scooping, and no inaccurate measurements. Everything is measured into one bowl. Easy to make and easy to clean up. The best recipe ever.
Updated:
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Table of contents
What are Kardemummabullar (Traditional Swedish Cardamom Buns)
Swedish cardamom buns, also known as kardemummabullar, are a popular snack, often eaten with coffee or tea. They are a staple of the Swedish fika, a concept that translates to a coffee break accompanied by pastries and socializing. Traditionally, cardamom buns are served warm and fresh from the oven, but they can also be found in bakeries and cafes throughout Sweden. They are a symbol of Swedish hospitality. The buns are a popular treat during the Christmas season. They are often served during Advent, the period leading up to Christmas, and on St. Lucia’s Day, a holiday that is celebrated on December 13th. St. Lucia’s Day is a significant holiday in Swedish culture, and it is traditionally celebrated with a procession of young girls dressed in white, each holding a candle while singing songs. Cardamom buns are often served during this celebration, along with other traditional Swedish foods. Whether served during a fika or on a holiday, cardamom buns are a delicious and comforting pastry that has a special place in Swedish culture.
Traditionally, the ingredients for cardamom buns include butter, sugar, milk, flour, egg, yeast, cardamom, and sometimes cinnamon. The dough is made by combining these ingredients and then kneading it until it is smooth and elastic. The method of making cardamom buns requires some patience, as the dough needs time to rise before it can be shaped and baked. It is usually made by letting the dough rise in a warm place immediately after mixing. Once the dough is ready, it is rolled out into a rectangle and then spread with a mixture of butter, sugar, and cardamom. The dough is then cut into strips and each strip is twisted into a round knot for individual buns. Then, after the buns are shaped, they are left to rise again before being baked in the oven until they are golden brown.
Traditionally, the buns are removed from the oven and then brushed with Lyle’s golden syrup and sprinkled with sugar.
Ingredients
Using all the best ingredients makes a big difference.
- All-Purpose Flour – King Arthur Organic All-Purpose flour King Arthur responsibly sources the wheat for their flours, and it pays off in the taste and quality. They have a “never bleached” guarantee, which means their flours don’t have an off taste or unpredictable results that can be caused by bleaching. They also carefully calibrate the protein content, so the flour gives you the same results everytime.
- Sugar – Wholesome regenerative organic sugar produced from organic sugar cane fields that are green cut and are not burned or treated with herbicides or synthetic fertilizers. Burning sugar cane fields contributes to air pollution, climate change, and is also a major cause of the destruction of the rain forest.
- Maple Syrup – Maple syrup is harvested from trees that are not cut down, so it is a very sustainable sugar. Lyle’s Golden syrup is traditionally used, but since it is not a commonly used ingredient in America, we substituted maple syrup and then used sparking sugar to make the sugar crystals stand out.
- Milk, Cream, Butter – Horizon Organics – Milk, Cream and Butter that are produced organically, sustainably, and responsibly. You can taste the difference.
- Yeast – SAF-Instant Red – for Hearth Bread and SAF-Instant Gold for Enriched Bread – Instant yeast is easier to use and more reliable so the results are better.
- Salt – Diamond Kosher tastes cleaner and measures differently.
No Affiliates Statement
We call this our “no affiliates” statement because we accept no advertising, have no affiliates and accept no payment. We are not paid to mention brands – we just love buying the best, sharing that information and saving the planet at the same time. The effort put into writing and photographing the blog is solely based on our dedication to the cause.
Sustainability
Choosing sustainable products makes baking a small but meaningful act of sustainability. Sustainability is at the heart of this recipe: choosing high-quality pantry staples, supporting responsible growers and brands. High quality products don’t just taste better, they are usually produced sustainably as well.
Method
This recipe uses an easy, foolproof method that requires only a few minutes of active time. Check out Master Bread Method for a more detailed explanation on how this works.
- Measure the ingredients by weight and mix together
- Chill the dough overnight
- Shape the dough and let it rise
- Bake
This recipe uses our Master Bread Method. An easy, foolproof, updated way of making bread.
RECIPE
Equipment
- stand mixer optional
CHOOSING BRANDS:
For certain products, the choice of brand will make a big difference in the outcome of the recipe and in your carbon footprint. So, for those products, we have listed the brand. We are not paid to mention a brand and have no affiliates.
Ingredients
SWEET DOUGH
- 220 grams Horizon milk or almond or oat milk
- 2.5 teaspoons Red SAF instant yeast
- 60 grams Horizon butter browned and melted
- 1 egg large
- 1 Tablespoons Maple Syrup dark
- 1 teaspoon Cardamom whole seeds, freshly ground
- 45 grams Wholesome regenerative organic sugar
- 380 grams King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour
- 20 grams King Arthur whole wheat regeneratively-grown climate blend flour
- 7 grams Diamond Crystal kosher salt
FILLING
- 30 grams Horizon butter browned and melted
- 100 grams Wholesome regenerative organic sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom whole seeds, freshly ground
TOPPING
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 Tablespoons sparkling sugar
Instructions
DOUGH
- Remove the small black cardamom seeds from the pods. Using a mortar and pestle, grind up enough seeds for two teaspoons of cardamom powder, one for the dough and one for the filling.
- Heat the milk to 95 to 110° F (no hotter), using a kitchen thermometer to check the temperature. Add the yeast and whisk to combine. After two minutes, the yeast should start to bubble.
- Put the mixing bowl for the stand mixer on the kitchen scale, measure in all the other ingredients for the dough by zeroing the scale before each measurement. Then pour in the milk and yeast mixture.
- Using the mixer with the paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 1 minute. Switch to the dough hook, increase the speed to medium-low and mix for 4 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes. This can also be done by hand by stirring with a large wooden spoon for the 7 minutes.
- Using a bowl and bench scraper, or a spatula, scape down the sides of the bowl. Stretch the dough by lifting part of it up and folding it over the top. Turn the bowl a quarter turn and repeat until this is done four times. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
ON BAKING DAY
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
- Into a small bowl on the kitchen scale, measure the sugar and cardamom, and stir to mix.
- On a floured surface, press out the dough into a 12 by 15 inch rectangle. If it resists, let it rest for a few minutes and then continue shaping.
- Place the rectangle of dough in front of you with the longer side from top to bottom. Using a pastry brush, brush the bottom half of the rectangle with the browned butter. Sprinkle the sugar and cardamom mixture evenly over the bottom half of the rectangle. Fold the top half down over the bottom half. Cut into eight even sections by cutting the rectangle in half from top to bottom and then each of these in half from top to bottom, and once more to make eight pieces. Slice each of these pieces down the center, starting an inch from the top, leaving the top connected. Twist the two pieces together, winding them around the connected part until the bun forms a complete, braided circle.
- Place the buns on two sheets of parchment paper or on a silpat and cover with plastic wrap. Let them rise until they have swelled up and a poke leaves an indentation – about an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and remove the buns to a cooling rack. Using a pastry brush, brush them with maple syrup and sprinkle with sparkling sugar.
Nutrition
WHY THIS RECIPE IS A GAME CHANGER:
This recipe is a total game-changer — crafted with the finest [brand name] ingredients, simplified using a master recipe with pro-tested techniques from top chefs and bakers, and designed for deliciously sustainable cooking made easy.”
| Ingredient | Percent by Weight |
Flour Sugar Salt | 100 50 |
Baker’s Percentages is a formula-based system where total flour weight is always !00 percent and all other ingredients are expressed as a percentage of that flour weight. It allows you to quickly and accurately compare recipes.
These Breads were all made using our Master Bread Method
These recipes use our Master Bread Method. An easy, foolproof, updated way of making bread.
True to The Master Pantry philosophy, this recipe combines the best seasonal ingredients and quality brands with homemade methods to maximize both flavor and sustainability. It was inspired by our travels and works well as a holiday recipe.
Photos by Tony Fitzgerald Photography
Recipes created by Lisa LeCoump — Food Photographer, Agricultural Expert, and Home Baker. Sharing master recipes, chef secrets, and sustainable baking for every kitchen. Featured on various publications.