Make Your Next Coffee Break the Best Yet with These Delicious Glazed Cardamom Buns

The first time I had a cardamom bun was in Gothenburg, Sweden. It was there that I learned about fika, a Swedish coffee break that’s more than just a coffee break. It’s making time for friends or colleagues by enjoying a cup of coffee and some sweet treats together, ultimately providing an opportunity to slow down and connect. It’s a lovely ritual and I highly recommend it.

But back to cardamom buns. These aren’t commonly found in American bakeries, so if you’re looking to enjoy them you’ll likely have to make them on your own. Thankfully, Norway-based baker Elise of Bread by Elise has shared her recipe for Glazed Cardamom buns to make the at-home baking fest a breeze.

In a reel posted to her Instagram, the 23-year-old self-taught baker and recipe developer demonstrates the basic steps of making them. In the opening shot, she slowly swivels a glistening cardamom bun on a spatula and all I can say is … yum.

Cut to the proofed dough, which is in a bowl (she delivers the recipe for the dough in the caption, too). Elise then dusts the dough with flour before pressing down on it with an open palm. She turns the dough out onto the counter, then rolls it into a rectangle. Next, she makes the filling by combining butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar and mixing it with a fork. The filling is then spread onto the rolled-out dough with an offset spatula, before folding the dough in half and slicing it into strips. Each strip is twisted and shaped into a knot before going into the oven. 

As the buns bake, Elise grinds cardamom seeds with a mortar and pestle, then combines the ground cardamom with granulated sugar, brown sugar, and water in a saucepan. She brings the mixture to a boil, pours the glaze over the fresh-baked buns, and uses a pastry brush to spread it into all the nooks and crannies. And voilà! Glazed cardamom buns are ready for enjoyment.

After making these, all you need is a coffee and a friend to share them with. But if you can’t, you can always opt to enjoy them on their own, too.