Korvapuusti Recipe: Finnish Cinnamon Buns with Cardamom

A tray of korvapuusti makes a kitchen smell of cardamom and cinnamon long before the buns are ready to eat. The soft wheat dough is rolled around a buttery filling, then each piece is pressed in the middle so its sides open out. That shaping step gives the Finnish cinnamon bun its characteristic ears.

These buns are lovely slightly warm, when the cinnamon layers are tender and the pearl sugar still has a little crunch. Serve them with coffee or tea, or set out a plate when friends visit.

For the story behind their unusual name, read Korvapuusti: The Curious History of Finland’s Cinnamon Bun.

Recommended Tools & Tips

A Rolling Pin helps you roll the dough into an even rectangle, which is important for getting consistent layers of cinnamon filling and buns of roughly the same size. Roll from the centre outwards and try to keep the dough an even thickness throughout.

Use a Sharp Knife to cut the rolled dough without squashing the layers. A clean slicing motion works better than pressing or sawing through the roll, as this helps the cinnamon swirls retain their shape.

A Dough Scraper is a useful alternative to a knife for dividing the roll into individual buns. Its broad, straight edge also makes it handy for lifting soft pieces of dough from the work surface without stretching them out of shape.

A Stand Mixer fitted with a dough hook takes much of the work out of kneading this soft enriched dough. Mix until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. You can also knead it by hand; resist adding too much extra flour simply because the dough feels slightly sticky at first.

Line two Baking Trays with baking parchment before you begin shaping the buns. This gives you somewhere to place each korvapuusti as soon as it is shaped and prevents the soft dough from sticking during proving and baking.

Freshly ground cardamom gives the dough its characteristic aroma. Split Green Cardamon Pods⁠, remove the seeds and grind them finely just before adding them to the dough.

The milk should be lukewarm, never hot. Excessive heat can damage the yeast and prevent the dough from rising properly.

Add the flour gradually rather than tipping it all in at once. Stop when the dough is soft, elastic and only slightly sticky. Too much flour can produce heavier, drier buns.

To make the traditional shape shown in the photographs, roll up the filled dough and cut it at alternating angles to form pieces with one wide side and one narrow side. Place each piece on a cut end, with the narrow side facing upwards. Press firmly down through the centre with one finger or the handle of a wooden spoon. This pushes the centre down while the cinnamon swirls rise on either side, creating the characteristic korvapuusti shape.

If the rolled dough feels very soft and begins to squash as you cut it, chill it for about 10 minutes first. The slightly firmer dough will be easier to divide cleanly without losing the layers.

Storage

Korvapuusti are best on the day they are baked. Keep cooled buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days and warm them briefly before serving.

For longer storage, wrap the cooled buns well and freeze for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature, then warm gently in the oven.