Danish Kanelsnegle (Cinnamon Rolls)

About This Recipe

Danish kanelsnegle are what most people imagine when they think of bakery perfection — and they're right. The dough is enriched with butter and cardamom (the defining Scandinavian spice), then spread with a generous cinnamon-butter filling, rolled, sliced, and baked until golden. Unlike American cinnamon rolls, Danish ones are served without frosting, letting the pure butter-cinnamon flavor shine. The cardamom in the dough changes everything.

Ingredients

Serves 12

• 3.5 cupsall-purpose flour
• 7 ginstant yeast
• 1/4 cupsugar
• 1 cupwarm milk
• 100 gbutter, softened
• 2 largeeggs
• 1 tspground cardamom
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 150 gbutter, softened (for filling)
• 1/2 cupbrown sugar (for filling)
• 2 tbspcinnamon (for filling)
• 1 eggbeaten (for brushing)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix flour, yeast, sugar, cardamom, and salt. Add warm milk, eggs, and softened butter. Knead 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Rest covered for 1 hour.

2. 2

   Make filling

   Beat softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together until creamy.

3. 3

   Roll and fill

   Roll dough into a 40×30cm rectangle. Spread filling evenly all the way to the edges.

4. 4

   Roll and slice

   Roll up tightly from the long side. Cut into 12 rolls, each about 3cm thick.

5. 5

   Second rise and bake

   Place rolls in a buttered pan, slightly apart. Cover and rest 30 minutes. Brush with egg wash. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 18–22 minutes until golden.

Variations

• •

  Add pearl sugar on top before baking

• •

  Fill with almond paste for a remonce variation

• •

  Add orange zest to the filling

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Best same day. Store 2 days at room temperature. Reheat briefly in oven or microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions