Finnish Cardamom Cinnamon Buns

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup whole milk, warmed (110°F)
• 2.25 teaspoons instant yeast
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 whole large egg
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1.25 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for filling)
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ cup pearl sugar
• 1 tablespoon whole milk (for egg wash)

Instructions

1. 1

   Pour 0.75 cup of warm milk (110°F) into a large bowl. Sprinkle 2.25 teaspoons of instant yeast over the warm milk and let sit for 1 minute, then stir gently until the yeast dissolves. The mixture should smell pleasantly yeasty.

2. 2

   Add 0.25 cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, and 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt to the yeast mixture. Whisk until well combined and the sugar begins to dissolve.

3. 3

   Measure out 2.5 cups all-purpose flour into a separate bowl and stir in 1.25 teaspoons ground cardamom — this distributes the cardamom evenly throughout the dough. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

4. 4

   Using your hand or a wooden spoon, mix until a shaggy dough forms. Don't worry if it looks rough — you should see no dry flour streaks at the bottom of the bowl.

5. 5

   Cut 0.33 cup softened unsalted butter into 6-8 chunks and scatter them over the dough. Using your fingers, work the butter into the dough by pinching and folding, incorporating each piece fully before moving to the next. This should take 2-3 minutes. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky when fully incorporated.

6. 6

   Knead the dough in the bowl for 2-3 minutes until it becomes smooth and springs back slowly when you poke it. If it sticks aggressively to your fingers, dust with a small pinch of flour, but the dough should remain soft.

7. 7

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and set it in a warm place (like an oven with the light on, about 75°F). Let the dough rise for 20-25 minutes until it has visibly increased in volume and feels puffy — it should rise by about 50 percent, not double.

8. 8

   While the dough rises, mix 0.5 cup packed light brown sugar and 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon in a small bowl, breaking up any lumps of brown sugar. Set aside.

9. 9

   Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface (dust your countertop and your hands with flour). Using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 9 inches wide by 12 inches long and about 0.25 inch thick. Let it relax for 30 seconds if it fights back.

10. 10

    Brush 3 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter evenly across the entire surface of the dough, leaving a 0.5-inch border along one long edge. Sprinkle the cinnamon-brown sugar mixture evenly over the buttered surface, patting it gently so it adheres.

11. 11

    Starting from the long edge opposite the bare border, tightly roll the dough into a log, pressing firmly as you roll so the spiral stays compact. Once fully rolled, seal the seam by pinching the dough together.

12. 12

    Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the log into 12 equal pieces, each about 1 inch thick. Wipe the blade between cuts so the filling doesn't smear. You should have 12 coils with visible cinnamon-sugar swirls.

13. 13

    Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Arrange the 12 rolls cut-side down in the pan in 3 rows of 4, leaving about 0.5 inch between each roll — they should not touch.

14. 14

    Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap or a damp towel and return it to the warm place (75°F). Let the rolls proof for 15-20 minutes until they have puffed up slightly and feel soft when gently touched — they should increase in volume by about 30 percent but not double.

15. 15

    About 10 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 400°F and position a rack in the upper-middle portion of the oven.

16. 16

    In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon whole milk and any remaining egg to create a simple egg wash. Brush this lightly over the top of each roll using a pastry brush — you want just a thin, even coating for a golden finish.

17. 17

    Immediately sprinkle 0.5 cup pearl sugar generously over the wet egg wash on each roll — the sugar crystals should stick to the wash and create the signature bumpy, sparkly korvapuusti topping.

18. 18

    Bake in the upper-middle rack for 15-18 minutes. The rolls are done when the tops are deep golden brown and the edges are caramelized to a light mahogany color. The pearl sugar should have melted slightly, creating a shiny, crunchy crust.

19. 19

    Remove the pan from the oven and let the rolls cool in the pan for 5 minutes — they will be very hot and fragile. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool for another 5-10 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature.

Tools you’ll need

• large mixing bowl
• small mixing bowl
• whisk
• wooden spoon or hand
• rolling pin
• 9-by-13-inch baking pan
• parchment paper
• sharp knife or bench scraper
• pastry brush
• plastic wrap or damp kitchen towel
• wire rack
• instant-read thermometer (optional, to check milk temperature)

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