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kanelsnurrer Norwegian cinnamon buns

Kanelsnurrer - Norwegian Twisted Cinnamon Buns

These kanelsnurrer, or kanelknuter, are made with a buttery cardamom dough and filled with cinnamon sugar before being twisted into a knot. All the twists make these extra tasty, with cinnamon butter around every bend.
4.89 from 9 votes
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Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: Norwegian, Scandinavian
Keyword: buns, cinnamon
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Resting Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours
Servings: 16 buns
Author: Silvia

Equipment

  • Rolling Pin

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tsp instant yeast (or 25 g fresh yeast)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp freshly ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 9 tbsp butter

Cinnamon filling

  • 5 tbsp butter (room temperature)
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp granulated sugar

Egg wash

  • 1 egg (whisked)
  • pearl (or demerara) sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

  • If you're making these by hand, heat milk until it's lukewarm. If using a stand mixer, keep the milk cold. Stir in the yeast, sugar, cardamom, and cinnamon until dissolved.
  • Add half of the flour and salt and stir well. You can do this in a mixer or by hand. Add the softened butter and the rest of the flour and stir until the dough releases from the bowl. Continue to knead (by hand or with the dough hook on the mixer) for 10 minutes.
  • Roll the dough out into a large square on a floured surface.
  • Mix together the butter, cinnamon and sugar for the filling. If the butter is hard you can heat it up a bit so it's easier to spread. Spread the mixture out in an even layer covering the entire square of dough.
  • Fold the dough in half and then roll out the rectangle again so that it's wider (not longer).
  • Use a pizza or pastry wheel to cut the rectangle into about 16 strips. Twist each strip and then tie into a knot (see video).
  • Set the kanelsnurrer on baking paper on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap or a cloth. Let the buns rise for about 2 hours, or until the dough fully bounces back when poked with your finger.
  • Preheat oven (upper and lower heat) to 390°F (200°C). Carefully brush the kanelsnurrer with whisked egg and sprinkle with pearl (or demerara) sugar.
  • Bake the buns in the middle of the oven for about 12 - 15 minutes. Be very careful not to over bake, as the buns will become dry. The buns are done when they're golden on top and light brown under.
  • Cool on a wire rack.

Video