Cinnamon rolls: the original Swedish Kanelbulle recipe

Cinnamon rolls are soft and fragrant leavened sweets, typical of Swedish pastry making, whose original name is kanelbulle. Traditionally served during the fika, or afternoon coffee break, they were invented in the first half of the 20th century and became famous in the United States and Anglo-Saxon countries, then spread and became a favorite worldwide. The name can be literally translated as "cinnamon rolls" and they are often also called cinnamon buns: these are soft and fragrant rolls of brioche dough, filled with sugar and cinnamon and garnished on the surface with a delicious white icing.

The recipe is easy to follow, but requires a little patience and respect for the resting times: we start with the preparation of the yeast, which is then combined with flour, sugar, water and milk, then an egg is incorporated, the butter chunks and salt until an elastic dough is obtained, covered with a sheet of cling film and left to rise until it triples its initial volume. Then roll out the dough with a rolling pin to form a rectangle, sprinkle it with brown sugar and ground cinnamon, and roll everything up tightly.

All you have to do is cut out the rolls with a sharp knife, place them on a baking tray, lined with baking paper, well spaced apart, and leave them to rest for another 30 minutes, before cooking at 170°C for 25 minutes. Once ready and warmed, they are covered with icing made with water and icing sugar: the result will be delicacies with an irresistible aroma, ideal for breakfast, snacks, and Sunday brunch, perfect to heat up and enjoy during the cold autumn days or the Christmas period, accompanied by a boiling infusion or a cup of espresso.

Cinnamon rolls are so loved that many variations have been invented, such as the pumpkin rolls; in some cases, the dough is enriched with chocolate chips or raisins; the filling can also be customized to your liking: if you wish, you can add a pinch of cardamom, cloves, star anise and powdered ginger, for a super spicy touch, or add bitter cocoa, candied fruit and diced dehydrated apricots. Find out how to prepare cinnamon rolls following the step-by-step procedure and advice.

How to prepare cinnamon rolls

Start by preparing the yeast: pour 100 grams of flour taken from the total dose, the yeast, 50 milliliters of milk and 50 milliliters of water into a container, knead, cover with a sheet of cling film transparent and let it rest for 2 hours.

Once the resting time has elapsed, add the 500 grams of flour and sugar to the yeast.

Pour 80 milliliters of water.

Add 80 milliliters of milk.

Work all the ingredients until you obtain a rough mixture.

Shell the egg and add it to the mixture.

Add the cold butter in chunks.

Add the salt.

Mix all the ingredients well, cover with cling wrap and place in a warm place for about 3 hours.

The dough must triple its initial volume.

Once the leavening time has passed, roll out the dough on a work surface until it reaches 1 centimeter thick, giving the shape of a 50 x 30 centimeter rectangle.

Brush with melted butter.

Distribute the sugar and cinnamon mix evenly.

Roll up gently starting from the long side.

Cut the loaf into 2.5 centimeter thick slices and place them on a baking tray, lined with baking paper, leaving some space between them.

Cover with a clean cloth, place in the turned-off oven and let rise for a further 30 minutes.

At this point, cook in a fan oven at 170°C for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

In the meantime, prepare the icing by mixing the icing sugar with 2 teaspoons of water.

Drizzle the cinnamon rolls with the icing and enjoy them warm.

Step 19

Step 19

Drizzle the cinnamon rolls with the icing and enjoy them warm.

How to store Cinnamon Rolls

The cinnamon rolls can be stored at room temperature, well covered with a sheet of cling film, for 3 days.