Swedish Cinnamon Buns (Kanelbullar)

Light, fluffy and not overly sweet, Swedish Cinnamon buns celebrate simplicity in flavor and texture. Cinnamon, cardamom* and sugar are sprinkled over a light layer of softened butter on a yeasted enriched dough.

These Kanelbullar, or Swedish Cinnamon buns, are light, fluffy and simple in flavor. The focus is on the fragrance of the cinnamon, the accent of the cardamom, and soft texture of the dough, contrasting the crunchy pearl sugar (optional).

*^{Cardamom is optional}

Simple Ingredients

This recipe uses simple ingredients, so try to use good quality cinnamon if possible. It's the star! This is an uncomplicated enriched yeasted dough. (Learn more about yeast here, if you get nervous around that kind of thing!) You can use a mixer or knead by hand.

History of Swedish Cinnamon Buns

Cinnamon was introduced into Europe by Roman spice traders, bringing it from Sri Lanka. Sweet rolls have been present in Europe for centuries, but Sweden claims the original Kanelbulle,

Kanelbullar in Modern History

The modern-day version of the Kanelbulle had a rocky history. During WWI, sugar, eggs, butter, etc., were hard to come by. As a result, the beloved pastry was not eaten as much. Even post-WWI, Kanelbullar were more of a special occasion treat. However, after WWII, as the economy grew, so did the consumption of kanelbullar as part of everyday fika*.

^{*fika is the daily "coffee and cake break", where one takes time to stop and socialize}

Swedish Cinnamon Buns Today

Visitsweden.com states that apparently, the average Swede eats the equivalent of 316 cinnamon buns per year! It is so popular, that Kanelbullens Dag, or Cinnamon Bun Day, was created on 1999. It occurs on October 4th.

The Difference Between Swedish Cinnamon Buns and American Buns

I describe the Swedish cinnamon bun as lighter and less sweet than the American cousin.

They are typically individually twisted and have a thin layer of butter, with sugar, cinnamon and often cardamom. Pearl sugar is the most common topping, but you might find the addition of fruits and nuts.