Kardemummabullar (Swedish cardamom buns) offer a unique flavor profile that is slightly sweet and very aromatic. The star of the show is cardamom, a spice with a complex and unique flavor. Enjoy Kardemummabullar with a cup of tea or an Iced Americano.

If you think these cardamom buns look like cinnamon rolls, think again! The dough used to make Kardemummabullar is rich and buttery, slightly sweet, and infused with a whole lot of cardamom. The filling is made with a mixture of brown sugar, butter, and you guessed it, more coarsely ground cardamom!
When baked, the cardamom buns develop a golden, slightly crisp exterior that contrasts the soft, fluffy interior. Topped with Swedish pearl sugar, these cardamom buns have a subtle crunch that adds to their textural appeal. The overall flavor is not overly sweet and beautifully aromatic, making Kardemummabullar an irresistible treat!
So if you like lightly sweetened pastries and cookies like this Italian Pizzelle recipe and these Noweagan Krumkaker, you will love this Swedish cardamom buns recipe!
Jump to:
😍 Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Once you master baking Kardemummabullar, you can prepare a batch and have enough to share with your family and friends!
- Once baked, you can freeze Kardemummabullar to have on hand when you have unexpected company!
- Cardamom buns are not overly sweet and go perfectly with a hot cup of tea or coffee and make a great light breakfast.
🛒 What You Need For This Recipe
🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Flour: All-purpose flour
- Sugar: Granulated sugar, dark or light brown sugar, and Swedish pearl sugar to top the cardamom buns before baking.
- Cardamom: You will need coarse ground cardamom. You can peel cardamom pods to remove the seeds, which is a LOT of work! I highly recommend buying these cardamom seeds and grinding them with a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or a mortar and pestle.
- Milk: I used whole milk but you can use skim milk.
- Yeast: Dry active yeast
- Butter: 1 cup of butter, half of which will be used for the dough and the other half for the filling.
- Egg: One egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water for an egg wash.
*A full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card.
🔪 Helpful Tools
- Mixer with dough hook attachment, for mixing the dough
- Pizza slicer or pastry wheel, for slicing the Kardemummabullar dough
- Offset spatula to spread the filling
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
🥨 How to Make Kardemummabullar
Before you begin, you need to grind the cardamom seeds. Don't grind them into a powder, you want the cardamom to have a coarser texture.
Step 1: Warm milk for 20 seconds in the microwave then add to the bowl of your stand mixer. Add yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar and allow yeast to proof for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Add flour, remaining sugar, cardamom, and salt to the mixer bowl, then attach the hook attachment. Mix on low for a few minutes until the ingredients are combined, then add softened butter and continue to mix on medium for another 20 minutes until the dough is smooth. If the Kardemummabullar dough is too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water.
First Rise
Step 3: Form Kardemummabullar dough into a ball and add to an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and proof for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Prepare Cardamom Bun Filling
Step 4: Meanwhile, add softened butter, brown sugar, and vanilla to a small bowl and mix with a rubber spatula until combined.
Karedmummabullar Assembly
Would you like to save this recipe?
Step 5: Roll dough onto a lightly floured surface into an approximately ¼” thick and 22"x 12" rectangle. Use a spatula to spread the butter mixture over the dough in a smooth layer. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of coarsely ground cardamom.
Step 6: Visually divide the dough into thirds, then fold the left side towards the center, and the right side over it. Gently press to seal the edges. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 10"x14" rectangle.
Step 7: Use a pizza cutter or a pastry wheel to slice the dough into approximately 16 strips weighing around 80 grams each so that they bake evenly. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Pro Tip: Using a kitchen scale to weigh the strips helps to keep them uniform. Mine were right about 80 grams each.
Shape Kardemummabullar (Cardamom Buns)
Step 8: Working with one strip at a time, hold the strip from each end and gently pull and stretch to make it longer and narrower. Fold your non-dominant ring finger and pinky, then spread your middle and index finger apart. Hold one end of the strip in between the base of your middle finger and thumb, and with your other hand, wrap the strip a few times around these two fingers, then across the top. Tuck the end under the bun.
Pro Tip: If you're a visual learner, the video for shaping the Kardemummabullar can be helpful!
Step 9: Divide Kardemummabullar between two parchment-lined baking trays and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Proof in a warm location for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. During the last 15 minutes, preheat the oven to 400°F.
Pro Tip: If proofing the kardemummabullar in the oven, don't forget to remove them before preheating the oven.
Step 10: Prepare egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Once the Kardemummabullar are proofed, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with Swedish pearl sugar and more cardamom.
Kardemummabullar Baking Instructions
Step 10: Place the baking tray on the middle rack and bake for 9-10 minutes or until golden brown, flip the tray ½ way through, so they brown evenly. Cool Kardemummabullar on a cooling rack, then enjoy.
🫙 Kardemummabullar Storage Instructions
Kardemummabullar can be stored for a few days at room temperature, in an airtight container or a ziplock bag. For longer storage, place in freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
🤷🏻♀️ Recipe FAQs
Cardamom is believed to have been brought to Sweden first by Vikings and then via trade routes from the Middle East and Asia. Traders brought many exotic spices from their travels, including cardamom.
The filling in cinnamon buns is made with a cinnamon-brown sugar mixture, giving them a warm and sweet flavor.
Cardamom Buns (Kardemummabullar) have a filling made with butter and sugar and are heavily seasoned with cardamom. Cardamom is also incorporated into the dough giving the buns their floral and slightly peppery flavor.
Although it's easier to just say "cardamom buns" it's more fun to say "Kardemummabullar." So how do you pronounce this very long word? It's easier than you think! "Kardemummabullar" is pronounced "Kar-de-mum-ma-bul-lar."
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- If you find it hard to master the traditional Kardemummabullar shape, no problem! Just twist the strand a few times, then wrap it into a tight circle and tuck the end underneath the bun.
- Although you can freeze the unbaked Kardemummabullar, I don't recommend it because the yeast dies, not allowing the cardamom buns to rise.
- Be careful not to overbake the buns or the bottom will burn.
- You can also try stacking two baking trays on top of one another to insulate the bottom.
- Eat Kardemummabullar within a few days or freeze. To reheat frozen cardamom buns, microwave for 20 seconds.
🥮 More Dessert Recipes
If you enjoy this Kardemummabullar recipe, try these other delicious desserts too!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
Stay in touch with me through social media @ Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes!
📖 Recipe
Kardemummabullar (Swedish Cardamom Buns)
Equipment
Ingredients
Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup warm whole milk
- 1 tablespoon active yeast
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cardamom ground seeds
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
Filling Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoon pearl sugar
- 1 tablespoon cardamom
Instructions
- Before you begin, you need to grind the cardamom seeds. Don't grind them into a powder, you want the cardamom to have a coarser texture.
Prepare Dough
- Warm milk for 20 seconds in the microwave then add to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar and allow yeast to proof for 15 minutes.
- Add flour, remaining sugar, cardamom, and salt to the mixer bowl, then attach the hook attachment. Mix on low for a few minutes until the ingredients are combined, then add softened butter and continue to mix on medium for another 20 minutes until the dough is smooth. If the dough is too dry a tablespoon or two of water.
First Rise
- Form dough into a ball and add to an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and proof for 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
Prepare Filling
- Meanwhile, add softened butter, brown sugar, and vanilla to a small bowl and mix with a rubber spatula until combined.
Kardemummabullar Preparation
- Roll dough onto a lightly floured surface into an approximately ¼” thick and 22"x 12" rectangle. Use a spatula to spread the butter mixture over the dough in a smooth layer. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of coarsely ground cardamom.
- Visually divide the dough into thirds, then fold the left side towards the center, and the right side over it. Gently press to seal the edges. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 10"x14" rectangle.
- Use a pizza cutter or a pastry wheel to slice the dough into approximately 16 strips weighing around 80 grams each so that they bake evenly. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
Shape Cardamom Buns
- Working with one strip at a time, hold the strip from each end and gently pull and stretch to make it longer and narrower. Fold your non-dominant ring finger and pinky, then spread your middle and index finger apart. Hold one end of the strip in between the base of your middle finger and thumb, and with your other hand, wrap the strip a few times around these two fingers, then across the top. Tuck the end under the bun. Confused? Watch the video!
Second Proof
- Divide buns between two parchment-lined baking trays and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Proof in a warm location for 45 minutes or until doubled in size. During the last 15 minutes, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Prepare egg wash by whisking 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Once the buns are proofed, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with Swedish pearl sugar and more cardamom.
Baking Instructions
- Place the baking tray on the middle rack and bake for 9-10 minutes or until golden brown, flip the tray ½ way through, so they brown evenly. Cool Kardemummabullar on a cooling rack, then enjoy.
Notes
- Using a kitchen scale to weigh the strips helps to keep them uniform. Mine were right about 80 grams each.
- If you find it hard to master the traditional Kardemummabullar shape, no problem! Just twist the strand a few times, then wrap it into a tight circle and tuck the end underneath the bun.
- If proofing the kardemummabullar in the oven, don't forget to remove them before preheating the oven.
- Although you can freeze the unbaked Kardemummabullar, I don't recommend it because the yeast dies, not allowing the cardamom buns to rise.
- Be careful not to overbake the buns or the bottom will burn.
- You can also try stacking two baking trays on top of one another to insulate the bottom.
- Eat within a few days or freeze. To reheat frozen cardamom buns, microwave for 20 seconds.
Sarah says
Mmmmm. Buttery warm-spiced goodness. These are a great treat for around the holidays too. Delicious!
Hilda Sterner says
It's all about that cardamom. Thanks for the review!😘
Kathy Fisher says
Nothin' tastes better than homemade cardamom bread - especially during the holidays. Growing up, our home was filled with the fragrance of cardamom - cardamom bread and cookies. You're gonna love this recipe. Also check out Hilda's cardamom cookies (Shakar Lama) - I keep running out of them.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Kathy, You might be the only person alive that loves cardamom as much as I do. As always, thank you for the review!