My All-Time Favorite Pastry (Really!)
These Swedish cardamom buns are, without question, my favorite pastry in the entire world. ♡
If you’ve never had a kardemummabulle before, think of it as a softly sweet, ultra-pillowy yeast bun swirled generously with butter and freshly-ground cardamom, then twisted into a knot and baked until just golden. They’re less sugary than an American iced cinnamon roll, more aromatic than almost any pastry I know, and absolutely divine enjoyed with a cup of hot coffee.
I first fell hard for Swedish cardamom buns while we were living in Europe, and the obsession only deepened during multiple trips to Stockholm, where I tracked them down at least once a day (usually more — zero regrets). Over the years, I’ve tested and tweaked and re-tweaked this homemade version to get it just right: generous with the cardamom, impossibly soft, and twisted into those classic knotted buns. The real secret weapon here is the tangzhong technique — a quick cooked paste of milk and flour — which keeps the dough ultra-tender and pillowy long after baking. Once you try cardamom buns made this way, there’s no going back.
Cardamom buns are definitely a labor of love, but since I’ve yet to find a bakery in Kansas City that makes them, this is the recipe we always turn to when the craving hits. I promise it’s worth the effort!