Cardamom Rolls with Orange Glaze
Soft, fluffy, and laced with cozy spice, cardamom rolls with orange glaze are a sweet twist on a classic, and they fill your kitchen with the dreamiest aroma while they bake. These knotted buns are perfect for weekend mornings or anytime you’re craving something special!
Originating from Sweden, cardamom rolls (known as kardemummabullar) are gorgeous swirls of deliciousness, with soft, pillowy dough wrapped around a gooey cardamom filling. Unlike the classic roll you might see in the U.S., these Swedish buns are twisted into a fun, unique shape and packed with warm, cozy spice.
My version gets an extra burst of flavor from a bright citrus orange icing that perfectly complements the cardamom. They’re a stunning addition to any brunch table, especially for Easter or other holiday gatherings!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unforgettable flavor. The warm spice of cardamom paired with a hint of citrus makes every bite irresistibly unique.
- Soft and pillowy texture. These buns are fluffy, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth irresistible.
- Eye-catching twist. Their beautiful braided shape adds a special touch to any breakfast table.
- Perfect for special occasions. Ideal for Easter, Christmas morning, and other special brunches.
Ingredient Notes
For the Dough
- Whole milk: Adds richness and helps create a soft, tender dough.
- Unsalted butter: Gives the dough a buttery flavor and soft texture.
- Instant yeast: Helps the dough rise quickly and gives it that perfect fluff.
- Light brown sugar: Adds a subtle molasses sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Ground cardamom: The star spice—warm, aromatic, and cozy.
- Salt: Enhances all the other flavors in the dough.
- All purpose flour: The base of the dough that gives it structure and softness.
For the Filling
- Unsalted butter: Creates a rich, spreadable base for the flavorful filling.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the filling and balances the spice.
- Ground cardamom: Adds bold, sweet spice to every swirl.
Topping
- Egg wash: Don’t skip the egg wash! This is what will give the buns a glossy, golden finish.
- Orange glaze: The glaze is a combination of powdered sugar, melted butter, fresh orange juice and orange zest. It adds a wonderful bright, citrusy flavor to the rolls!
Refer to the recipe card for the ingredient measurements and details.
Recipe Variations
Add a nutty crunch. Sprinkle chopped pistachios, walnuts, or pecans into the filling for texture and nutty richness.
Use a vanilla glaze for the topping. Feel free to swap the orange glaze for a simple vanilla icing. Stir together 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract for a more classic flavor. You could even use the cream cheese icing from my cinnamon rolls.
How to Make Cardamom Rolls
Make the dough
- Stir together melted butter and milk mixture with yeast, sugar, cardamom and salt. Use a stand mixer with a dough hook to combine.
- Gradually add the flour and knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the bowl. If it’s sticky, add a little more flour, one tablespoon at a time. Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 45–60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
- In a medium bowl, by hand or with an electric mixer, combine the filling ingredients–butter, sugar and cardamom. Set aside.
- Punch down the dough and transfer it to a floured surface. Cut it in half and set one half aside. Roll the other half into a rectangle.
Add the filling
- Drop dollops of filling on rolled on pieces of dough, then use an offset spatula to spread into an even layer, leaving about ½-inch border along the edge.
- Fold the top third of the dough down, then fold the bottom third up over the previous fold, like a letter. Use the rolling pin to gently roll the dough a couple times so the layers are pressed together.
- Chill dough, then use a sharp knife or pizza roller to cut the dough into 6 even strips.
- Then cut each strip all the way in half again, but leaving a little bit connected at one end. Twist the two adjoined ropes separately.
Twist and bake
- Take both twisted ropes and twist them together.
- Coil the twisted strip into a circle, tuck the ends underneath, and pinch to secure. Place the bun on a parchment-lined sheet, cover with a towel, and let it rise for 45 minutes until slightly puffed.
- Whisk 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water, then brush over the rolls. Sprinkle with sugar and bake at 425°F for 12-14 minutes, rotating pans halfway through.
- Cool the buns for 10 minutes. While they cool, mix the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the rolls. Garnish with orange zest and serve warm.
Expert Tips
Cardamom. If you really want these cardamom rolls to taste authentic, start with whole cardamom seeds and grind them yourself. It will give these buns such an incredible cardamom flavor.
Dough texture. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it feels sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Be careful not to add too much flour, as it can make the dough tough and prevent the buns from rising properly.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Make ahead. You can assemble the rolls the night before. After shaping, cover them tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, let them come to room temperature and rise for 30-45 minutes before baking.
Store leftovers. Keep any leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want to keep them fresh longer, refrigerate them for up to a week.
Freeze for later. You can freeze the baked rolls for up to 3 months. Allow them to cool completely, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag. To reheat, simply thaw at room temperature and warm them up in the oven.
Recipe FAQs
Cardamom has a warm, sweet-spicy flavor with hints of citrus and floral notes. It’s often used in both sweet and savory dishes, adding depth and comfort to everything from baked goods to curries.
Cardamom is the key flavor in these rolls, but you could use cinnamon if preferred. However, the rolls won’t have the same signature taste.
Yes! You can knead the dough by hand for about 10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic.
Yes, but be sure to test it to make sure it’s alive. Heat up the milk separately and whisk in the yeast. Wait 5 minutes for it to foam up, then stir in the melted butter and remaining ingredients. If the mixture doesn’t foam up, that means the yeast is dead and the dough won’t rise.
More Delicious Bread Recipes
There is nothing quite like warm homemade bread just out of the oven! Give some of my other favorite yeast bread recipes a try!
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Get the Recipe: Cardamom Rolls with Orange Glaze
Ingredients
Dough ingredients
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- ¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (375 g) all purpose flour
Filling ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cardamom
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon water
- Sugar for sprinkling
Orange Glaze
- 1 cup (120 g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- Orange zest for garnish
Instructions
Make the dough (First rise)
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and milk together until barely simmering. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Add yeast, sugar, cardamom and salt. Mix to combine. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour. Increase speed to medium and knead for about 5 minutes. Dough should be smooth and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. If it is still sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
- Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 45 minutes to an hour or until doubled in size.
Shape the Rolls (second rise)
- In a medium bowl, mix together the filling ingredients–butter, sugar and cardamom. You can do this by hand or using an electric mixer. Set aside.
- Deflate the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Use a bench scraper or sharp knife to divide the dough in half. Set half the dough aside. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a rectangle about 20 inches by 6 1/2 inches.
- Use a spoon to transfer half the filling to the dough. Drop in dollops, then use an offset spatula to spread into an even layer, leaving about ½-inch border along the edge.
- With the short edge of the dough facing you, fold the dough like a letter. Fold the top third down, then fold the bottom third up over the previous fold. Use the rolling pin to gently roll the dough a couple times so the layers are pressed together.
- Transfer dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for 10 to 15 minutes. This will help resolidify the filling so the butter doesn’t melt out during the baking process. During this time, repeat the process with second dough half and remaining filling.
- Take the dough out of the refrigerator and use a sharp knife or pizza roller to cut the dough into 6 even strips. Then cut each strip all the way in half again, but leaving a little bit connected at one end.
- Twist the two adjoined ropes separately, then take both twisted ropes and twist them together. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should form one twisted rope.
- Next, coil the twisted strip into a circle and tuck the ends underneath the dough (again, doesn’t have to look perfect). Pinch to secure and set the bun back on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough strips, then the second half of the dough. Place the buns a few inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Loosely cover the buns with a clean kitchen towel. Let them rise for about 45 minutes, or until softened and slightly risen.
Bake the Buns
- Preheat the oven to 425℉.
- Make the egg wash. Whisk together 1 egg and 1 Tablespoon water until frothy. Use a pastry brush to brush the risen rolls. Sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake buns at 425 F for 12 to 14 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. Half way through, rotate the pans. If you’re using two racks, switch baking sheets from top to bottom and bottom to top.
- Let the buns cool for 10 minutes. During this time, make the glaze by whisking together confectioners’ sugar, melted butter and orange juice. Drizzle over rolls and garnish with orange zest if desired. Serve warm.
