Can I use pre-ground cardamom?

You can, but the buns lose their reason for being. Ground cardamom fades within weeks of grinding. If it is all you have, use half again as much and stir it into the warm filling butter to wake it up. Whole green pods are inexpensive in bulk and the seeds crush in minutes.

My knots unravel in the oven. What am I doing wrong?

The strips are usually twisted too loosely or the tail is not tucked. Twist each strip into a firm rope first, wind it around two fingers, and push the end through the center so it is trapped underneath. A full 30-45 minute proof also lets the shape set before the heat does.

Can I make them the night before?

Yes, and it is the best breakfast trick here. Shape the knots, cover the tray well, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes while the oven heats, then brush, top, and bake as written.

What can I use instead of pearl sugar?

Roughly crushed sugar cubes are the closest match: sharp white pieces that survive the oven. Flaked almonds are also traditional on Swedish buns. Skip regular granulated sugar on top, because it melts and disappears.

Why is the oven so hot?

Swedish bakers bake bullar hot and fast, around 220°C, so the outside colors before the crumb dries out. A longer, cooler bake gives you a paler, drier bun. Trust the 8-10 minute window and judge by color, not the clock.

Recipes / Breakfast / Kardemummabullar, knotted cardamom buns

Kardemummabullar, knotted cardamom buns

Name: Kardemummabullar, knotted cardamom buns
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Sweden
Ingredients: 250 ml whole milk, lukewarm; 7 g instant yeast (2 tsp); 450 g all-purpose flour (about 3½ cups); 60 g sugar; 1 tsp fine salt; 2 tsp freshly crushed cardamom seeds, for the dough; 75 g butter, softened, for the dough; 100 g butter, softened, for the filling; 90 g light brown sugar; 1 tbsp freshly crushed cardamom seeds, for the filling; 1 egg, beaten, for brushing; 3 tbsp pearl sugar (or roughly crushed sugar cubes)

Soft enriched dough scented with freshly crushed cardamom, rolled with spiced butter, twisted into loose knots, and baked golden under a scatter of pearl sugar. The heart of Swedish fika.

Published August 1, 2026 · Updated July 2026 · 5 min read · Braffess Kitchen

In Sweden, the cardamom bun outranks the cinnamon bun, and mornings explain why. Kardemummabullar are the heart of fika, the daily pause for coffee and something good. The dough is soft and enriched with butter and milk, scented with cardamom seeds you crush yourself. That is the non-negotiable part: pre-ground cardamom has lost most of its perfume, but seeds cracked in a mortar smell of citrus and pine and something almost smoky. The buns are rolled with cardamom butter, twisted into loose knots, and baked hot and fast so they stay tender. Pearl sugar on top, strong coffee alongside. Bake them once and Saturday mornings will reorganize themselves around the ritual.

Prep

15 min

Cook

35 min

Serves

Level

Medium

Kardemummabullar, knotted cardamom buns - Sweden breakfast recipe

Method

Crush the cardamom.

Split about 25 green pods and tip the seeds into a mortar. Crush them to a coarse, gritty rubble, not a powder. You need 2 tsp for the dough and 1 tbsp for the filling, and the smell should reach you from across the kitchen.

Note. No mortar? A zip-top bag and a rolling pin do the job.

Make the dough.

Stir the yeast into the lukewarm milk. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and 2 tsp crushed cardamom, then add the milk and the 75 g soft butter. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth, supple, and slightly tacky. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.

Note. The dough should stay soft. Resist the urge to add more flour.

Fill and fold.

Beat the 100 g soft butter with the brown sugar and remaining cardamom into a spreadable paste. Roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 30 by 40 cm. Spread the filling edge to edge, then fold the dough in thirds like a letter.

Cut and knot.

Roll the folded dough gently to flatten it, then cut it into 12 strips. Twist each strip into a firm rope, wind it twice around two fingers, and tuck the end through the middle. Uneven knots are correct; this is home baking, not a bakery window.

Note. If a knot loosens, re-tuck the tail underneath. The oven will set it.

Proof and top.

Set the buns on lined baking sheets and let them puff for 30-45 minutes, until pillowy. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Brush the buns with beaten egg and scatter generously with pearl sugar.

Bake hot and fast.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until deep golden. They go from perfect to dry quickly, so pull them the moment they look done. Cool briefly on a rack and eat warm, with strong coffee.

Note. For a glossy bakery finish, brush the hot buns with 2 tbsp sugar dissolved in 2 tbsp hot water.

A note. Buy whole green cardamom pods and crush the seeds yourself. It takes five minutes and it is the whole bun.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use pre-ground cardamom?: You can, but the buns lose their reason for being. Ground cardamom fades within weeks of grinding. If it is all you have, use half again as much and stir it into the warm filling butter to wake it up. Whole green pods are inexpensive in bulk and the seeds crush in minutes.
My knots unravel in the oven. What am I doing wrong?: The strips are usually twisted too loosely or the tail is not tucked. Twist each strip into a firm rope first, wind it around two fingers, and push the end through the center so it is trapped underneath. A full 30-45 minute proof also lets the shape set before the heat does.
Can I make them the night before?: Yes, and it is the best breakfast trick here. Shape the knots, cover the tray well, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes while the oven heats, then brush, top, and bake as written.
What can I use instead of pearl sugar?: Roughly crushed sugar cubes are the closest match: sharp white pieces that survive the oven. Flaked almonds are also traditional on Swedish buns. Skip regular granulated sugar on top, because it melts and disappears.
Why is the oven so hot?: Swedish bakers bake bullar hot and fast, around 220°C, so the outside colors before the crumb dries out. A longer, cooler bake gives you a paler, drier bun. Trust the 8-10 minute window and judge by color, not the clock.

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