Authentic Finnish Cinnamon Buns (Korvapuusti)
When making these soft and utterly delicious cinnamon buns (korvapuusti), sprinkled with pearl sugar, Finnish style, the amazing scent of cinnamon and cardamom takes over the kitchen. Follow the easy step-by-step recipe to create beautifully shaped cinnamon buns to enjoy with your coffee!
The ingredients of the Finnish cinnamon buns are quite simple, and most likely you have them all in your pantry already. This is an easy bake. I have used this recipe since I was fourteen. I baked cinnamon buns every first Sunday of the month in a direct sales market at an old villa. The villa served as a youth center that educated the young about nature.
All Nordic and Scandinavian countries have their version of cinnamon buns: Swedish kanelbullar, Norwegian kanelsnurrar, and Danish kanelsnegle. The word kanel means cinnamon, so it is quite straightforward.
But then in Finland, it is called korvapuusti.
Korvapuusti, the Finnish cinnamon roll, or cinnamon bun has a specific shape of two flattened rolls, maybe remotely resembling one’s ear. That may have inspired the name “korvapuusti ” which is a Finnish word meaning “the slap in the ear”. Despite the semi-violent name, these are the most delicious buns to try out!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- You get soft, delicious buns that are one of the best delicacies that Finnish cuisine can offer.
- If you want to make plain sweet buns you can use the basis or this pulla dough recipe (bun recipe), to make some sweet buns, just add 50-100 grams more sugar into the dough.
- With these tips and tricks, you’ll make some beautifully shaped cinnamon rolls quite easily to impress your family and loved ones.
- You have plenty of options to tweak this recipe with different fillings and flavors.
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What is the difference between the Finnish / Scandinavian cinnamon rolls and the US ones?
The key difference between Finnish cinnamon rolls and American cinnamon rolls is the topping. The cinnamon rolls done in the States are traditionally covered with sugar icing while the Nordics prefer to sprinkle the sugar pearls. The Nordic cinnamon buns also have a bit more bread-like consistency than a super fluffy texture. Don’t get me wrong here, the Finnish cinnamon buns do not taste bread, they are sweet buns and they have a bit of fluffiness but just a different way than the traditional American cinnamon rolls. The fluffier style of Finnish buns would be the voisilmäpulla ( “the butter-eye bun”) or a basic saffron bun.
Insider: A peak into Nordic living
As Finns, we take cinnamon buns very seriously. Everyone has their favorite style and favorite bakery. Some prefer quite dark brown cinnamon buns some enjoy them when they are almost raw inside. Should it be sticky or a bit more crunchy? Do you eat it in bites or peel layer by layer? And yes we talk about cinnamon buns and have a debate on these things, Finnish cinnamon rolls are a big deal!
Like “Karjalanpiirakka” (the Carelian pastry with rice pudding in rye crust)you can find korvapuusti in almost any (I really mean ANY) café or bakery section of a grocery store. They come in different shapes and sizes, the best cinnamon buns in traditional bakeries are quite huge so it is quite normal to divide it into two if you are having a coffee with your friend.
October 4th is National Cinnamon Roll Day, Korvapuustipäivä, when we are celebrating the amazing cinnamon rolls (I did tell you – Finns take this very seriously). On that specific day the cafés are selling hundreds of cinnamon rolls – at least ten times more than any normal day, I can tell you – I have been there selling and packing those cinnamon buns…
| RELATED: Runeberg torte | Traditional Finnish almond cake recipe
Ingredients you need for Finnish cinnamon rolls
- Milk, I prefer whole milk, but you can use the milk of your preference. I have tried this recipe at least with oat milk, almond milk, and plain water.
- Fresh yeast, can be substituted with about 22 grams of dried yeast
- Caster sugar, can be substituted with brown sugar both in the dough and in the filling
- Cardamom, ground
- Vanilla sugar, can be left out or substituted with 1tsp vanilla paste
- Egg, both for the dough and for the eggwash. You can as well brush the buns with milk if you prefer lighter-colored buns.
- Bread flour, you can use all purpose flour too
- Sea salt, can be substituted with another salt
- Butter, at room temperature so you can easily fold it into the dough and spread on the out-rolled dough for the filling. Can be substituted with margarine.
- Cinnamon for the filling
- Pearl sugar, for sprinkling on the top. Pearl sugar is a granulated sugar that does not melt in the oven and is traditionally used in Finnish cinnamon buns. If you cannot find it you can substitute it with caster sugar or dust with icing sugar after baking to get that little sweetness on the top of the bun
You can find the exact measurements on the recipe card.
Tools you may need
- Pot, to warm up the milk
- Large bowl, big enough to dough rise double in size
- Measuring spoons
- Scale
- Whisk
- Tea towel
- Rolling pin
- Dough cutter
- Oven pan and parchment paper
- Small brush, to brush the egg wash on the buns
How to make
Step One: Making the dough
Heat the milk in a pot to a bit higher than body temperature about 40°C (104°F). If you are using a glass, ceramic, or metal bowl that is feeling a bit cold heat the milk a bit warmer for the milk gives quickly away its heat to warm up the bowl. Crumble the yeast into milk and whisk lightly to get it to melt in.
Add cardamom and vanilla sugar (if using), sugar, and egg into the milk mixture. Whisk to combine. Add about one-third of the flour and sea salt and combine. Don’t be tempted to add the salt earlier to not kill the yeast function!
Ditch the whisk and continue with hand adding remaining flour a bit by bit. The dough should be rather too sticky than too dry. You might not need to use all the flour or need to add some. When the dough feels right squeeze the room-temperature butter through your fingers (call me weird but I love this part!). Fold and knead the butter in nicely until you have a soft, buttery dough, and cover with a clean tea towel.
Step Two: Proofing the dough
Let it rise to double in size in a draft-free place for about one hour.
Step Three: Rolling and filling the cinnamon buns
Knock the air out from the risen dough and pour it on a lightly floured surface. Clean the edges of the bowl with a spatula to get all of the bun dough. Divide the dough into two and start working with the first ball of dough. Flatten it out and use the rolling pin to roll a rectangle-shaped dough about half a cent meter thin (1/5 inch) and about 40 x 50 cm large (about 15 x 19 inches). The easiest way is to roll out the dough so that the long side of the rectangle is in front of you and the short side on the side.
Next spread the room temperature butter with your hand or a spatula to cover the whole rectangle.
PRO TIP: Pay careful attention to the edges to butter them well to let the filling stick on the edges as well. In the professional bakeries, they cut the ends off, but if you do not want to discard just butter and season them well too!
First, sprinkle half of the sugar to fill evenly on the rectangular shape of the dough. Then dust half of the cinnamon over the dough. If you have a spice caster or a tea strainer this part goes smoother. Tap lightly to make the filling stick. Then roll the dough firmly but not too tightly starting from the shorter end so that you have a roll that is about 40cm (15 inches) long. Roll the seam side downwards and hide it underneath the roll.
Step Four: Shaping the traditional Finnish Cinnamon buns (korvapuusti)
Cut with a dough cutter or a sharp knife pieces of the dough like a triangle shape and about three to four fingers large from the largest end and about one finger large on the narrowest end. Alternate the cuts diagonally. Lift the top of the triangles, the narrow end upward on an oven pan covered with parchment paper. Leave some space for them to rise. Use your finger or a wooden spoon and push down firmly in the middle of the top narrow side of the roll, lengthwise. Push until the bottom so that the sides flatten and push out revealing a kind of two swirled ear shapes. Notice that if you push too lightly the bun will rise upwards like a roll and not expand to the sides like the traditional korvapuusti shape.
Next, repeat the same process with the second batch of the dough.
Step Five: Second proof
Cover the buns with a tea towel so that they do not dry. Let them proof 10-15 minutes up to half an hour in a warm place.
Step Six: Topping and baking
Turn on the oven to 225°C (437°F). Brush the proofed authentic cinnamon rolls with egg wash and sprinkle pearl sugar on the top. Bake one oven pan at a time. Place the pan in the middle rack of the oven for 8-10 minutes until they have obtained the golden color. To check if the cinnamon buns are ready turn the down side of the bun up and if it is clearly golden brown in color you can take them out.
How to enjoy the Finnish cinnamon rolls
In Finnish style, you can have “pullakahvit” (coffee with a bun) and pour yourself a big cup of coffee to enjoy your authentic Finnish cinnamon roll hot from the oven.
Storage
The cinnamon buns are at their best the same day, but still quite good couple of days when stored airtightly at room temperature. Just heat them up before eating and they have so much better flavor. If I have made dinner in the oven and turned it off I toss a few buns in for a few minutes to warm them up without any extra effort.
How to tweak this recipe
- Spread some honey on the rectangular out rolled dough and sprinkle some chopped pistachios or almonds to swap the filling.
- Sprinkle some almond flakes on the top instead of (or with!) the pearl sugar.
- Add some nutmeg with the cinnamon into the filling layer.
- Roll half of the size of the given measurements and do mini cinnamon rolls (easy to take for a hike in the backpack). Then use a lower degree of 200°C (392°F) and check after 8-10 minutes if they are done or leave for a few additional minutes.
Little Helper
This is a recipe that any child will enjoy. Truly, there is so much to do: whisk, measure, roll, brush, sprinkle… I give my tiny one her own piece of the dough and let her roll out, butter, fill, and do all that by herself for her tiny dough. Pushing the dough rolls down with the finger, and competing who can push hardest to flatten out the cinnamon buns into their distinctive ear shape is utterly pleasing for a little helper.
Enjoy the time in the kitchen!
How do you enjoy your cinnamon roll?
Is this your favorite way to do the cinnamon roll? Do you prefer it well-cooked or slightly raw? Is the best the Nordic way with sprinkled pearl sugar or the American way with sugar icing? Let me know in the comments!
You can find the recipe card below!
Short on time?
Pin it for later!
Authentic Finnish Cinnamon Buns (Korvapuusti)
The amazing scent of cinnamon and cardamom takes over the kitchen when making these soft and utterly delicious cinnamon buns (korvapuusti), topped with sprinkled pearl sugar, Finnish style. Follow the easy step-by-step recipe to create the beautifully shaped korvapuusti to enjoy with your coffee.
Ingredients
Dough
- 0.5 L whole milk
- 50 g fresh yeast
- 1.5 tsp sea salt
- 200 g sugar
- 1 tbsp cardamom
- 1 tbsp vailla sugar (optional)
- 1 egg
- 790 g bread flour (more or less if needed)
- 200g butter (room temperature)
Filling
- 100g butter (room temperature)
- 150g sugar
- 1.5 tbsp cinnamon
Topping
- 1 egg
- pearl sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Step One: Making the dough
Heat the milk in a pot to a bit higher than body temperature about 40°C (104°F). If you are using a glass, ceramic, or metal bowl that is feeling a bit cold heat the milk a bit warmer for the milk gives quickly away its heat to warm up the bowl. Crumble the yeast into milk and whisk lightly to get it to melt in.
Add cardamom and vanilla sugar (if using), sugar and egg into the milk mixture. Whisk to combine. Add about one-third of the flour and sea salt and combine. Don’t be tempted to add the salt earlier to not kill the yeast function!
Ditch the whisk and continue with hand adding remaining flour a bit by bit. The dough should be rather too sticky than too dry. You might not need to use all the flour or need to add some. When the dough feels right squeeze the room-temperature butter with your fingers - call me weird but I love this part! Fold and knead the butter in nicely until you have a soft dough and cover with a clean tea towel. - Step Two: Proofing the dough
Let it rise to double in size in a draft-free place for about one hour. - Step Three: Rolling and filling the cinnamon buns
Knock the air out from the risen dough and pour it on a lightly floured surface. Clean the edges of the bowl with a spatula to get all of the bun dough. Divide the dough into two and start working with the first ball of dough. Flatten it out and use the rolling pin to roll a rectangle-shaped dough about half a cent meter thin (1/5 inch) and about 30 x 50 cm large (11 x 19 inches). Easiest way is to roll out the dough so that the long side of the rectangle is in front of you and the short side on the side.
Next spread the room temperature butter with your hand or a spatula to cover the whole rectangle.
PRO TIP: Pay careful attention to the edges to butter them well to let the filling stick on the edges as well. In the professional bakeries, they cut the ends off, but if you do not want to discard just butter and season them well too!
First, sprinkle half of the sugar to fill evenly on the rectangular shape of the dough. Then dust half of the cinnamon over the dough. If you have a spice caster or a tea strainer this part goes smoother. Tap lightly to make the filling stick. Then roll the dough firmly but not too tightly starting from the shorter end so that you have a roll that is about 30cm (11 inches) long. Roll the seam side downwards and hide it underneath the roll. - Step Four: Shaping the traditional Finnish Cinnamon buns (Korvapuusti)
Cut with a dough cutter or a sharp knife pieces of the dough like triangle shape and about three to four fingers large from the largest end and one and a half fingers large on the narrowest end. Alternate the cuts diagonally Lift the top of the triangles, the narrow end upward on an oven pan covered with parchment paper. Leave some space for them to rise. Use your finger or a wooden spoon and push down firmly in the middle of the top narrow side of the roll, lengthwise. Push until the bottom so that the sides flatten and push out revealing a kind of two swirled ear shapes. Notice that if you push too lightly the bun will rise upwards like a roll and not expand to the sides like the traditional Korvapuusti shape.
Next, repeat the same process with the second batch of the dough. - Step Five: Second proof
Cover the buns with a tea towel so that they do not dry. Let them proof 10-15 minutes up to half an hour in a warm place. - Step Six: Topping and baking
Turn on the oven to 225°C (437°F). Brush the proofed authentic cinnamon rolls with egg wash and sprinkle pearl sugar on the top. Bake one oven pan at a time. Place the pan in the middle rack of the oven for 8-10 minutes until they have obtained the golden color. To check if the cinnamon buns are ready turn the down side of the bun up and if it is clearly golden brown in color you can take them out.
Serving
In Finnish style, you can have « pullakahvit » (coffee with a bun) and pour yourself a big cup of coffee to enjoy your authentic Finnish cinnamon roll hot from the oven.
Storage
The cinnamon buns are at their best the same day, but still quite good couple of days when stored airtightly at room temperature. Just heat them up before eating and they have so much better flavor. If I have made dinner in the oven and turned it off I toss a few buns in for a few minutes to warm them up without any extra effort.
Notes
- You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment to knead the dough.
- See the post for the step-by-step process step-by-step process shots to get more guidance on how to shape the buns.
- Check the header How to tweak this recipe in this post to find out more ways to adjust the recipe to your liking.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 30 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 233Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 194mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 4g
These calculations are generated automatically by Nutritionix based on the ingredients shown in the recipe. The nutrition information is an estimation and may include errors. All nutritional information presented and written within this site (blueteatile.com) is intended for informational purposes only. The writer is not a certified nutritionist or registered dietitian and any nutritional information should be used as a general guideline only.
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