Baking has always been my way of slowing down. It’s how I relax, how I show love, and how I take a moment for myself when everything else feels loud. If it smells like cinnamon, I’m probably happy.

Damien, on the other hand, is half Swedish — and with that comes a deep, emotional attachment to kanelbullar. These cinnamon buns are everywhere in Sweden, tied to fika, family, and everyday moments that feel quietly special.

This recipe brings those two worlds together: my love of baking and cinnamon, and Damien’s Swedish roots. Soft, buttery dough, warm spices, twisted into knots meant to be shared — or eaten standing at the counter while they’re still warm.

Baking, for me, really is a love language.

Prep Time

20 minutes

Proving Time

1 hour 45 minutes

Cook Time

15–20 minutes

Makes

24 buns

Ingredients

For the Dough

• 200g full-fat milk, lukewarm

• 2 medium eggs

• 600g strong white bread flour

• 7g instant yeast

• 50g caster sugar

• 10g salt

• 200g unsalted butter, softened

• 2 tsp ground cardamom

For the Filling

• 150g unsalted butter, very soft

• 250g soft brown sugar

• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

For the Egg Glaze

• 1 egg

• 2 tbsp full-fat milk

To Finish

• Pearl sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

Step 1

Add the milk and eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer. I then add the instant yeast to the wet mix and let it activate for a minute. Then I will add the flour, the sugar, salt, cardamom, and butter.

Step 2

Mix on a low speed for about 4 minutes, then increase to medium and knead for 10–12 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.

Step 3

Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly floured bowl. Cover and leave to rise for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Step 4

Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough out into a large rectangle, roughly the size of an A3 sheet of paper.

Step 5

Mix the butter and brown sugar together until smooth, then stir in the cinnamon. Spread the filling evenly over the dough.

Step 6

With the long side facing you, fold the dough in half lengthways to enclose the filling. Cut into strips, each about 3–4 cm wide.
Slice each strip lengthways into three strands (leaving one end intact), braid them together, then roll each braid into a knot.

Step 7

Place the knots into a greased muffin tray. Cover and leave to prove for about 1 hour, until puffed and soft.

Step 8

Preheat the oven to 200°C (static, not fan). Brush the buns with the egg glaze, sprinkle generously with pearl sugar, and bake for 15–20 minutes, until golden and fragrant. - Here I would recommend to test your oven as size may change, start with a little less time so you don’t overcook them!

Step 9

Leave to cool slightly — or enjoy warm, the way they’re meant to be eaten with a nice cup of coffee.