Top 11 Swedish Sweet Pastries

The cinnamon roll or kanelbulle is a famous Swedish pastry made with yeasted, butter-rich, sweetened, and cardamom-flavored dough and has a cinnamon, butter, and sugar filling. Traditionally, kanelbulle will also have pearl sugar on top, although some variants can have either cardamom sugar or slivered almonds instead. Cinnamon rolls are typically associated with fika, a well-established Swedish coffee-and-cake form of socializing. Although the origin of these tasty swirls is still subject to considerable debate, the pastry has its own day in Sweden – October 4th, known as Cinnamon Roll Day.Expand

Kardemommeboller are traditional Swedish cardamom buns. This sweet knotted pastry is usually made with a combination of milk, butter, yeast, sugar, flour, crushed cardamom seeds, and salt. The milk is scalded and mixed with butter until everything is melted. The combination is mixed with the sugar, salt, cardamom, yeast, and flour in order to make a stiff dough. The dough is left to rise and it's then rolled and folded over into knots. They're baked for a few minutes, then brushed with butter while still hot. These cardamom buns are typically served on Santa Lucia day and Christmas, but they can also be enjoyed a few days later.Expand

Semla is the famous Swedish cream bun. This traditional Swedish dessert is made with a plain wheat bread bun which is lightly flavored with cardamom, then cut in half. The inside is filled with a layer of delicious almond paste and a generous amount of vanilla-flavored whipped cream. The bun is finished when the top is placed on the whipped cream, and the sweet creation is lightly dusted with a layer of powdered sugar. Semla is an old-fashioned Swedish dessert that was originally invented and eaten on Fat Tuesday, the last day of indulgence before Lent. Soon they became one of the favorite Swedish treats and are now commonly eaten from the Christmas period all through Lent. During this time they can be found in numerous Swedish bakeries across the country. Traditional practice suggests that the top should be eaten first, and it is used to scoop the delectable whipped cream. However, the oldest Swedish tradition is to serve the entire bun soaked in a plate of warm milk, when it's known as hetvägg.Expand

Originally a creation of Roman-Catholic monks, and now popular internationally, kringle is a delicious flaky pastry, usually shaped as a pretzel and filled with various ingredients. It was primarily introduced in Denmark, under the influence of Austrian bakers, and later it spread throughout Nordic countries and eventually to the United States, where it gained great success. Each region has created its distinct varieties, using local and seasonally available ingredients. In Denmark, kringle is usually made with either puff pastry or yeasted dough, filled with sweet concoctions that include butter and sugar, marzipan, and raisins. In the 19th century, Danish bakers introduced the tradition of preparing kringle to the United States, specifically Racine Wisconsin, where the pastry was slightly adapted to the now-famous oval shape. Kringle in Racine is always made with traditional Danish laminated dough, in which the pastry layers are generously spread with butter and filled with the lavish combination of fruits, nuts, or cream cheese. Both American and European kringle can be found in bakeries and grocery shops, but while the luscious American creations are usually enjoyed as desserts, the Danish prefer to eat their traditional pastry as an afternoon snack or a perfect accompaniment to coffee or tea.Expand

A layered pastry know as Napoleonbakelse is a Swedish version of the French mille-feuille. The flaky pastry is made with flour, butter, water, egg yolks, salt, and lemon juice or vinegar. Once baked, the pastry is cut into rectangles, which are arranged on top of each other and layered with vanilla custard and whipped cream. Raspberry jam is evenly distributed over the final pastry layer, and it is then drizzled with a mixture of powdered sugar, water, and raspberry jam. This scrumptious dessert is also popular in Finland.Expand

Despite its name, Budapestbakelse is not a specialty coming from Hungary’s capital, but Sweden. Often referred to as Budapest roll, this delicious dessert consists of a pastry made with creamy meringue and toasted hazelnuts, filled with whipped cream and slices of mandarin oranges. The pastry is then rolled and topped with melted dark chocolate, icing sugar, and dark cocoa powder. It was a Swedish pastry chef named Ingvar Strid who first introduced this scrumptious dessert to Sweden. There is a popular Finnish variation of this dessert, which calls for bananas and raspberries instead of mandarin oranges. In Sweden, May 1st is Budapestbakelsendag, the day when Budapestbakelse is celebrated.Expand

Mandelkubb is a traditional pastry characterized by its bittersweet flavor. It is best described as an almond bun. Its name and its distinct flavor are both derived from the main ingredient – bitter almonds. These are crushed and mixed with flour, sugar, eggs, and leavening agents. Some versions of mandelkubb replace the almonds with almond oil and include sour cream or milk. The buns are always sprinkled with pearl sugar before baking. They are very easy to make and almost every bakery and coffeehouse in Sweden sells them. Mandelkubbar are usually eaten fresh with a glass of cold milk or a cup of hot coffee on the side.Expand

Gustaf Adolfsbakelse is a traditional pastry commemorating Gustav II Adolf, who died on November 6 in 1632. The pastry consists of a base, a filling, and a decoration, which is a silhouette of the king, made from chocolate or marzipan. The base consists of eggs, sugar, flour, and baking powder, while the filling contains vanilla cream, heavy cream, and blackcurrant jelly or jam. The vanilla cream is made with butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and vegetable shortening. The pastry was invented by Carl Bräutigam in 1909, and nowadays it is sold and consumed annually on November 6.Expand

The rhomb-shaped, crispy klenät is a popular deep-fried pastry enjoyed in many Nordic countries. Made with the buttery yeasted dough, often enriched with various liqueurs, it is primarily rolled, shaped into a knotted trapezoid, and then fried until it turns into a light, crunchy, golden treat. Traditionally enjoyed during Christmastime, it is best served freshly prepared and lightly sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar.Expand

Butterkaka is a Swedish pastry similar to a cinnamon roll but with a creamy twist. It is made from sweet yeast dough, rolled out, and filled with a mixture of butter, sugar, and sometimes vanilla or cardamom. Often, it also includes vanilla custard or almond paste. The dough is then rolled up, sliced, arranged in a circular shape, and baked, resulting in a soft, pull-apart bread. It is usually topped with pearl sugar or icing, making it a popular treat for fika (Swedish coffee break).Expand