Swedish cinnamon buns are my all time favorite!
I was first introduced to Swedish cinnamon buns a few years ago at my local coffee shop – Kaffe 1668. I was confused by the shape and the lack of frosting and wondered how this swirl shaped pastry could be a bun? Especially a cinnamon bun??
But once I took a bite, I couldn’t stop myself from getting one every weekend! Unfortunately, the cafe has since removed them from their selection of baked goods but that hasn’t stopped me from thinking about them.
The following winter, I went to visit Sweden and was so happy at the abundance of cinnamon buns! They were all so amazing and I even found one that was bigger than my face!
Because cinnamon buns are typically made from a sweeter and wetter dough, I decided to incorporate the tangzhong method to ensure there is enough moisture in the dough. Just like my (all time popular!) Hokkaido Milk Bread, Korean Red Bean Buns and Vegan Babka with Espresso Chocolate Layers, the tangzhong method ensures the bread is fluffy and soft without adding an immense amount of fats.
But these Swedish cinnamon buns are not overly sweet like the American cinnamon buns. There is a dash of cardamom added to the dough, adding a depth of flavor that balances out the sweetness. Also, for the cinnamon filling, I eliminated the use of sugar by adding dates, which adds a hint of caramel sweetness that pairs perfectly with the dough!
Now let’s talk about shaping these buns. I’m going to be honest and admit it took me a few tries to get it perfect. I watched multiple videos on youtube but found this clip to be the most helpful. However, if the shaping is too tough, the standard circular rolls will work perfectly too!
Take one bite and you too will fall in love with these Swedish cinnamon buns. The combination between the fluffy and soft bread with the sweet cinnamon paste creates a melt-in-your mouth experience that will keep you coming back for seconds and thirds!
quick notes
- Skip soaking the medjool dates in hot water if they haven’t been sitting in the refrigerator and are already sticky.
- If cinnamon filling is not sweet enough, feel free to add more dates.
- Make sure active dry yeast has not expired.
- Cinnamon bun dough tends to be on the sticker side so make sure not to add too much flour when kneading. The dough should come together and be somewhat elastic.
VEGAN SWEDISH CINNAMON BUNS
Tangzhong roux
- 3 tbsp (30g) all purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (150g) water
In a pot, combine flour and water and whisk until flour is incorporated into the water.
Turn on heat to medium low and continuously stir until the mixture starts to thicken to a paste. Once line steaks began to form at the bottom of the pan from stirring, the paste is done. This should take only a few minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature. Scoop 44g of the paste and set aside. Store the remainder in the fridge for other purposes.
Yeast mixture
- 2¼ tsp (~1 packet) active dry yeast
- 2 tsp coconut sugar
- ½ cup soy milk or non-dairy milk, lukewarm (preferably 110-115 F)
- ½ cup water, lukewarm (preferably 110-115 F)
Combine soy milk and water together and add in active dry yeast and coconut sugar. Set aside for 10-15 minutes. The mixture should start foaming and increase in size. If it doesn’t, try again with a new packet of yeast.
Dry ingredients
- 2½-3 cup (350g) all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp (20g) coconut sugar
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp salt
In the meantime, mix 2½ cups of all purpose flour and add coconut sugar and salt to a bowl. Set aside.
Assembling the dough – 1st stage
- 1 tbsp neutral tasting oil (I used grape seed oil)
Once the yeast mixture has increased and tangzhong has cooled to room temperature, combine the two and oil together. In ½ cup increments, start adding your dry ingredients to the wet mixture until incorporated. Cover dough and let it rest for 15 minutes so the flour can absorb the moisture.
If using a stand mixer, continue to knead for about 5-8 minutes adding tablespoons of flour if needed until dough becomes somewhat elastic.
If kneading by hand, transfer the dough to a floured surface and begin to knead for 8-10 minutes, adding tablespoons of flour (if needed) until dough becomes somewhat elastic. (See quick notes above)
Transfer the dough into a well greased bowl and proof for 1-2 hour or until doubled in size. While the dough is proofing, start making the cinnamon filling.
Cinnamon filling
- 16-20 dates
- 2 tsp group cinnamon
Soaks dates in hot water for 10 minutes. Squeeze out extra moisture and discard liquid. Transfer to a food processor with cinnamon. Pulse until combined. Set aside.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 9 inch by 14 inch rectangle. Evenly coat the dough with the cinnamon-date filling and starting at the long-edge of the rectangle, fold the dough in half. Cut dough into 2 cm strips. Grab each edges with both hands and twirl one side of the strip. Wrap the twirled side twice around your index finger and tuck the remaining bits underneath. Repeat until all the strips are nicely shaped.
Place on baking sheet and cover for 1 hour.
30 minutes before you plan to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Egg wash
- 1-2 tbsp soy milk
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup
Garnish
- Pearl sugar
Mix the soy milk and maple syrup to create a “egg wash.” Brush “egg wash” and sprinkle pearl sugar on top of the buns and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Let it cool completely and enjoy!
p.s. If you like this recipe, click the icons below to share and leave a comment below! Make sure to tag me @girlmeetsradish & #girlmeetsradish so I can see what you are making!
