Scandinavian Cardamom Dough

Written by
Kari Diehl
Freelance food writer who specializes in Scandinavian cuisine and is the author of "The Everything Nordic Cookbook."
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Kari Diehl
Updated 08/14/19
Cardamom dough
Matthew Phillips / Folio / Getty Images
  • Total: 93 mins
  • Prep: 90 mins
  • Cook: 3 mins
  • Servings: 26 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
155 Calories
12g Fat
11g Carbs
1g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 26
Amount per serving
Calories 155
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 156mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Protein 1g
Calcium 38mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This simple, cardamom-spiced yeasted dough serves as the basis for many Scandinavian coffee breads, rolls, and buns.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 1/2 cups butter (melted)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. cardamom (freshly ground from about 25 cardamom pods)
  • 2 pkg. dry active yeast (4 1/2 tsp.)
  • 8 to 9 cups flour (all-purpose or bread flour)​

Steps to Make It

  1. Heat milk to a light boil, turning off heat when it reaches the scalding point (with small bubbles across the top).

  2. Stir in melted butter, sugar, salt, and ground cardamom. Let mixture cool until “finger-warm” (still quite warm, but just cool enough to touch).

  3. Stir in yeast and let sit for 10 minutes.

  4. Add flour into mixture 1/2 cup at a time until dough is firm and pulls away from the side of your mixing bowl

  5. Cover the dough in the mixing bowl with a clean towel and let rise until doubled, about an hour.

  6. Punch down the dough, then remove from bowl.

  7. On a floured counter, knead dough lightly until smooth and shiny.

  8. Divide dough into two halves and use to make braided loaves (vetebröd), buns, and/or cinnamon rolls (kanelbullar).

Tip

  • If using a stand mixer, exchange the mixing paddle for the dough hook after you’ve added the first 5 cups of flour. Use the dough hook to mix and knead the dough as you add the remaining 3 to 4 cups of flour.