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This step-by-step recipe will guide you in baking the best cardamom buns right at home. Enjoy the spicy-sweet flavor of freshly ground cardamom and the pillowy texture that makes these buns an all-time favorite. In this recipe, I’ll show you how to create cardamom buns in an impressive braided shape, baked in a muffin pan. However, cardamom buns can be shaped in multiple ways—braid, twist, or roll them to your liking.
Table Of Contents
How To Shape Braided Cardamom Buns
Sometimes, I like to go the extra mile to make my pastries the centerpiece on the table. Taking the time to shape them into little braids is so therapeutic to me. 🥹 But other times, I just want to get the cardamom buns into the oven ASAP. Therefore, feel free to shape these buns in whatever way you like; whether you want to get creative or stick to a classic shape, they’ll obviously taste just as amazing either way.
Use a jumbo muffin pan for 6 large braided cardamom buns (like the ones in this post) or a regular muffin pan for 12 smaller braided cardamom buns.
- Roll your dough into a rectangle of 18×14 inches (45×35 cm). Evenly spread the filling over the surface using an offset spatula. Grab the shorter side with both hands and fold the dough down 2/3 of the way, then fold the remaining 1/3 over the top, like folding a letter. Gently roll over the dough with your rolling pin, using the weight of the pin as enough pressure to seal the layers without flattening them.
- Next, divide the dough according to your muffin pan: if using a regular muffin pan, cut it into 12 strands; for a jumbo muffin pan, divide it into 6 strands.
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- (images 1-3) Take one strand and cover the remaining dough strands with plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. Working with one strand at a time, use a sharp, floured knife to cut it into four equal strands. Flip the 4 strands so the cut sides are facing up.
- (image 4) Place two strands in the center, running parallel from top to bottom, with a small gap between them. Then, lay the third strand across the first two, going over the left strand and under the right. Finally, place the fourth strand below the third, this time going over the right strand and under the left. Now, you should have a crisscross pattern in the center, with 8 ends sticking out.
- (images 5-6) Now, grab the two ends that are facing you and lift them up. Cross the right strand over the left. Repeat this crisscross motion four times, going all the way around clockwise. Think of it like this: if the strands were facing you, the strand on your right should always go over the left.
- (image 7) When you’ve completed the first round and are back at the original set of strands, you’ll do the opposite. This time, grab the strand that was originally on your left and cross it over the closest right strand. Repeat this pattern all the way around, anti-clockwise.
- (image 8) Finally, tuck the edges under the bun to seal the braid. Transfer the cardamom bun to your muffin pan and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat on all dough strands.
- Let the cardamom buns proof for 20-40 minutes until they’ve visibly increased in size and look nice and puffy.
5 Tips For Making Cardamom Buns
As a Norwegian, nothing feels more like home than Cardamom Buns—they’re soft, buttery, sweet, and beautifully fragrant. With cardamom seeds in the filling and sprinkled on top after baking, these buns are truly elite in flavor. Here are my top tips for making this recipe a success.
- Window-Pane Test. Follow the kneading times in the recipe card below, and make sure to knead the dough until it passes the window-pane test. This helps the gluten develop properly, giving the buns the right texture and a good rise.
To do the window-pane test, take a piece of dough and gently stretch it. If it’s elastic, smooth, and stretches thin without tearing, you’re good to go! I always perform this test to check my dough, no matter how many times I’ve made the recipe before. - Ingredients at the right temperature. This recipe uses instant dry yeast, which doesn’t need to be activated in liquid like active dry yeast. Simply add the instant dry yeast straight into the bowl with your dry ingredients. For the liquids and butter, use milk at around 27°C/80°F. I avoid using warmer milk because the dough’s temperature will rise as you knead it. The butter should be pliable at room temperature but not melted, and the egg should also be at room temperature.
- Use decorticated cardamom seeds. For the most authentic, fragrant, and rich cardamom flavor, use decorticated cardamom seeds and grind them yourself with a mortar and pestle. Decorticated cardamom seeds are the little black seeds you’ll find inside green cardamom pods. Pre-ground cardamom simply can’t match the flavor you get from grinding your own.
- Easy on the flour. If you’ve kneaded your dough properly and used high-quality, high-protein bread flour, you won’t need much flour when shaping it. Adding too much flour can negatively affect the texture and rise of the buns, which we obviously do not want. Instead, lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. I like to use a small flour shaker for this.
- Chill the dough in the fridge before shaping. If you have the extra time, place the dough in the fridge once it has risen to about 60% of its original size (where 100% means doubling). This second rest in the fridge allows the dough to firm up slightly while continuing to rise, making it easier to handle and shape.
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the Best Cardamom Buns
The Best Cardamom Buns
This step-by-step recipe will guide you in baking the best cardamom buns right at home. Enjoy the spicy-sweet flavor of freshly ground cardamom and the pillowy texture that makes these buns an all-time favorite. This recipe yields 6 large or 12 smaller buns.
Equipment
- Jumbo Muffin Pan (makes 6 buns), or Regular Muffin Pan (makes 12 buns)
Ingredients
Dough
- 370 g bread flour
- 40 g granulated sugar
- 5 g instant dry yeast
- 5 g salt
- 185 g whole milk at around 27℃/80℉
- 1 large egg room temp
- 65 g unsalted butter in cubes, softened at room temp
- 1 egg for egg wash
Cardamom Filling
- 75 g unsalted butter softened at room temp
- 35 g granulated sugar
- 35 g dark brown sugar
- 3 g decorticated cardamom seeds ground in mortar and pestle
- 15 g all-purpose flour
Simple Syrup
- 30 g dark brown sugar
- 30 g water
Cardamom Sugar
- 20 g granulated sugar
- 2 g decorticated cardamom seeds ground in mortar and pestle
Instructions
Dough
- Combine all the ingredients listed for the dough, excluding the butter, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.370 g bread flour, 40 g granulated sugar, 5 g instant dry yeast, 5 g salt, 185 g whole milk, 1 large egg
- Knead the dough on low to medium speed for about 10 minutes.
- Gradually add the cubed butter to the dough, one cube at a time, while continuing to knead.65 g unsalted butter
- Continue kneading for another 10-20 minutes or until the dough passes the window-pane test – it should be smooth, elastic, and able to be stretched thinly without tearing.
- Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly oiled bowl.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough proof. You have two options: Option 1. For a standard first proof, let the dough rise at around 77°F (25°C) for 60-90 minutes until it doubles in size. Option 2. For easier handling during shaping, proof the dough for about 45 minutes at around 77°F (25°C) until it rises to about 60% of its original size (where 100% would mean doubling). Transfer the dough to the fridge and let it rest for 1-2 hours or until it has fully doubled. This second rest in the fridge allows the dough to firm up slightly while continuing to rise.
Cardamom Filling
- Grind the decorticated cardamom seeds in your mortar and pestle until they’re medium-fine. There’s no need to grind them too finely.
- Combine all the filling ingredients in a small bowl, including the 3 grams of ground cardamom. Mix thoroughly with a fork or small spatula. Cover the bowl and set it aside at room temperature until you’re ready to shape the cardamom buns.75 g unsalted butter, 35 g granulated sugar, 35 g dark brown sugar, 3 g decorticated cardamom seeds, 15 g all-purpose flour
Shape
- Once the dough has doubled, you're ready to shape the cardamom buns.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll it out into a rectangle 18×14 inches (45×35 cm) long.
- Spread the filling evenly over the dough surface using an offset spatula.
- Grab the shorter side with both hands and fold the dough down 2/3 of the way, then fold the remaining 1/3 over the top, like folding a letter.
- Gently roll over the dough with your rolling pin, using the weight of the pin as enough pressure to seal the layers without flattening them.
- Next, depending on your muffin pan, divide the dough: if using a regular muffin tin, cut it into 12 strands; for a jumbo muffin tin, divide it into 6 strands.
- Please refer to the images, description, and recipe video earlier in this post for step-by-step instructions on shaping braided cardamom buns. You'll find them under the "How to Shape Braided Cardamom Buns" section.
- Transfer the shaped cardamom buns to your muffin tin. Cover them with plastic wrap and let them proof for 20-40 minutes until they've visibly increased in size and look nice and puffy.
Bake
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ (180℃).
- Brush cardamom buns with egg wash.1 egg for egg wash
- Bake the cardamom buns for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 200°F (95°C). Meanwhile, prepare the simple syrup and cardamom sugar:
Simple Syrup & Cardamom Sugar
- To make the simple syrup, add ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until it simmers, and continue simmering until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.30 g dark brown sugar, 30 g water
- To make the cardamom sugar, grind decorticated cardamom in your mortar and pestle until it’s medium-fine. Then add the sugar and grind for a few additional seconds until combined. Set aside.20 g granulated sugar, 2 g decorticated cardamom seeds
Assemble
- After baking, brush the tops of the buns with simple syrup and sprinkle with cardamom sugar. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Thank you for the giving and the comprehensive and useful explanation. You are wonderful.
There’re few recipes cardamom bans in Japanese, so I’m really happy you give us this recipe. I wish I could introduce your recipe in Japanese someday because all your recipe must be loved by Japanese bakers…