The Irresistible Finnish Cinnamon Rolls: Pulla Recipe (2024)

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Take one bite and you’ll understand why cinnamon buns are a staple of the Finnish cuisine!

The scrumptious and soft Finnish pulla is an everyday sweet treat here in Finland. It comes in many forms: twirls, rolls, braids, and butterfly-like shapes called korvapuusti.

The core is always the same: the sweet, buttered, cardamon-dotted bread dough. In fact, a good dough is the only secret behind an amazing pulla.

Baking pulla is super easy and cheap. You don’t even need a mixer!

The Story Behind This Pulla Recipe

I’m sharing the same pulla recipe which my mom wrote in my recipe book when I was 11. I’ve been using this recipe religiously ever since.

This small batch of Finnish cinnamon rolls is suitable for beginners because kneading a bigger dough may feel like a workout.

You’ll makearound 25 buns with this recipe. Empiric studies show that two adults and two school-aged kids eat that amount easily in a day. At least in this household.

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In Finland, we use deciliters but I have converted the amounts to American cups. To avoid weird conversions like ”0,38 cups”, the American version is slightly bigger than the Finnish version.

I have put the names of the ingredients in Finnish. If you want to learn a bit of Finnish, this is a funopportunity to do so!

The Finnish names are also handy if you are in Finland, and trying to find the ingredients in a Finnish grocery store.

So roll up your sleeves and be prepared for some kneading!

Ingredients to Finnish Cinnamon Rolls

Dough with Finnish measurements(Taikina suomalaisilla mitoilla)

  • 2,5 dl milk or oat milk (maito tai kauramaito)
  • 25 g fresh yeast* (hiiva)
  • 1 dl regular sugar (taloussokeri)
  • 2 tsp vanilla sugar (vaniljasokeri)
  • 1 tbsp cardamom (kardemumma)
  • 1 tsp salt (suola)
  • 75 g butter or vegan butter (voi)
  • z. 7 dl all-purpose flour or plain flour (puolikarkea vehnäjauho)

Dough with American measurements(Taikina amerikkalaisillamitoilla)

  • 1 generous cup milk or oat milk(maito tai kauramaito)
  • 1 oz fresh yeast*(hiiva)
  • 1/2 cup regular sugar(taloussokeri)
  • 2 heaped tsp vanilla sugar(vaniljasokeri)
  • 1 heaped tbsp cardamom(kardemumma)
  • 1 tsp salt(suola)
  • 2/3 stick butteror vegan butter (voi)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour or plain flour (puolikarkea vehnäjauho)

Filling (täyte)

  • 2/3 stick or 75 g butter or vegan butter (voi)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon (kaneli)
  • 1/4 cup regular sugar (taloussokeri)

On top (päälle)

  • 1 egg, whisked (muna)**
  • pearl sugar (raesokeri)

*In Finland, you can buy fresh yeast (next to milk in shops) or instant yeast powder (in spices). Both work! Check the instant yeast package for the exact amount you should use for this amount of liquid. In Finland, this dough requires one sachet of instant yeast (11 g = 2 tsp).

**To substitute egg, use water with dark syrup tinting the water brown. This will make the vegan bun look deliciously golden brown.

Baking Instructions for Pulla

Add yeast to warm milk and mix well. Milk needs to be 99°F / 37°C to activate the fresh yeast. If you are using instant yeast, the milk should be 108°F / 42°C.

I heat the milk in a microwave and check the temperature with my finger. If the milk doesn’t feel cold or hot, it’s perfect for fresh yeast.

Whisk in sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, and cardamom. Stir in flour one cup at a time and a dough begins to form.

Use your hands to knead the dough in the bowl. It should become elastic. Add butter and continue to knead the butter in.

In total,around five minutes of kneading should be fine. Now you have a smooth dough ball in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave in a warm place.

I often use a microwave, but off-mode! Preheat the microwave by heating a cup of water. Take the cup away. Then put the bowl with the towel into the microwave and leave to rest.

Wait for at least 30 minutes so that the dough rises. The dough should double in size. Put the dough to a well-floured surface and roll out into a 15×15 inch (40×40 cm) square.

Spread softened butter evenly over dough. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top. Roll up the dough. Cut into 1/2 inch or 1,5 cm sections with a knife.

The Irresistible Finnish Cinnamon Rolls: Pulla Recipe (2)
The Irresistible Finnish Cinnamon Rolls: Pulla Recipe (3)

Place the cinnamon rolls on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. Cover them with a towel and let rise again for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 390°F / 200°C.

Whisk one egg and brush it to the tops of the cinnamon rolls to help them brown. Sprinkle pearl sugar on top. Then bake the rolls for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Allow the buns to cool a bit under a towel and eat immediately!

The Irresistible Finnish Cinnamon Rolls: Pulla Recipe (4)

Have you baked Finnish cinnamon buns yet?

PS. If you love pulla, check my tutorial for Finnish winter buns with whipped cream and jam!

Looking for more Finnish recipes? Check out some of my other Finnish food posts:

  • Finnish Pancakes on a Stove or Open Fire (‘Lettu’ Recipe)
  • The Super Yummy Finnish Oven Pancake
  • The Finnish Chanterelle Pie
  • The Classic and Simple Finnish Salmon Soup

Finnish baking magic

The Irresistible Finnish Cinnamon Rolls: Pulla Recipe (5)

My praised Finnish Baking Magic eCookbook & bonus videos Recreate Finnish bakes in your own kitchen hassle-free!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Irresistible Finnish Cinnamon Rolls: Pulla Recipe (6)

About Varpu
I’m the founder of Her Finland. I love cultural tidbits, aha moments, Finnish folklore, and cinnamon buns. My newest interest is learning bird songs. Read more about me..

The Irresistible Finnish Cinnamon Rolls: Pulla Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why are my cinnamon rolls not light and fluffy? ›

There are a lot of variables that go into the consistency of dough, even down to the weather and humidity. But the most common reason cinnamon rolls don't turn out fluffy is because the dough didn't have enough time to rise.

What is the best cinnamon for cinnamon rolls? ›

Saigon cinnamon brings the sweetness and bold flavor that cinnamon rolls require to the table. It's also much easier to find at stores. That's why we use it in our best cinnamon rolls recipes. However, it's important to note that Saigon cinnamon isn't a dealbreaker.

What country eats the most cinnamon rolls? ›

Cinnamon rolls have been around since the late 1700s when countries across Northern Europe started making their own variations of this bread roll. It was eventually the Swedish that added cinnamon and created a worldwide breakfast treat! Today, cinnamon buns are widely eaten by all but celebrated largely in Sweden.

What is the secret ingredient in Cinnabon? ›

Cinnabon's Secret Ingredient

This special Indonesian cinnamon, called Makara, is trademarked by Cinnabon. And because of that trademark, you won't find this product in your local grocery store spice aisle.

What happens if you add too much flour to cinnamon rolls? ›

You want to add only the amount of flour that it takes so your dough is not sticky. Adding too much flour will make your rolls very dry. Once you have added the appropriate amount of flour, turn your mixer to a low speed and let the machine do all the kneading for you.

What kind of flour is best for cinnamon rolls? ›

Bread flour is hands down the best option when making cinnamon rolls. Any good cinnamon rolls recipe is going to usually call for bread flour instead of other kinds of flour. This is because bread flour is high in protein, usually containing 11% to 13% more protein than other kinds of flour.

Is McCormick cinnamon cassia or ceylon? ›

McCormick, a more than 125-year-old company, is a trusted name in the food industry that you can count on to deliver a marriage of quality and affordability. Their ground cinnamon is classified as cinnamon cassia, so the flavor profile is much stronger and sweeter than Ceylon cinnamon.

Do you use parchment paper or aluminum foil for cinnamon rolls? ›

Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the cinnamon rolls, making sure to leave about an inch of space in between. Cover the rolls tightly with plastic wrap and let them rise for 60 to 90 minutes in a warm and draft-free environment. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Is heavy cream and heavy whipping cream the same thing? ›

Is Heavy Cream the Same as Heavy Whipping Cream? Yes, heavy cream and heavy whipping cream are the exact same thing. The confusion lies in the fact that they're sold by different brands under two different names.

Can I use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream? ›

Evaporated milk can be used as a substitute in recipes in which heavy cream is used as a liquid ingredient, such as in baked goods, but it doesn't whip well. Substitute the heavy cream in your recipes with an equal amount of evaporated milk.

Is half-and-half the same as heavy cream? ›

According to the FDA, half-and-half contains between 10.5 percent to 18 percent milk fat, while heavy cream contains between 36 percent and 40 percent milk fat. Because heavy cream contains more fat, it is thicker and has a richer taste and a creamier mouthfeel than half-and-half.

What are cinnamon rolls called in England? ›

Here are the best cinnamon buns in the UK and where to buy them. Cinnamon buns are also known as cinnamon rolls and kannelbullen, and in Denmark they are even called Kanelsnegl; 'cinnamon snail'.

What is the fancy name for cinnamon rolls? ›

A cinnamon roll (also known as cinnamon bun, cinnamon swirl, cinnamon Danish and cinnamon snail) is a sweet roll commonly served in Northern Europe (mainly in Nordic countries, but also in Austria, Estonia and Germany) and North America.

What's the difference between a cinnamon bun and a cinnamon roll? ›

But are they really that different from cinnamon buns? Yes: the difference lies in how they're formed. While buns are braided and rolled to create a more traditionally bun-like result, cinnamon rolls are, as the name suggests, rolled to form a spiral that contains all the oozy butter and brown sugar filling.

Why are my cinnamon rolls pale? ›

Underbake cinnamon rolls just slightly.

So long as they're fully set, they can be pretty darned pale. I like to bake my rolls to just under the 190°F mark that's typical of fully baked soft yeast bread. Didn't know about that 190°F thing? Hello, digital thermometer!

Why aren t my rolls light and fluffy? ›

Too much flour, or not the right kind, could be to blame. Dough made only from flour with a high or even average amount of protein (like bread flour or all-purpose flour) can become tough from overmixing. Protein gives bread structure in the form of gluten—the more you mix and move the dough, the more gluten you get.

Why did my cinnamon rolls come out dense? ›

If your cinnamon rolls are coming out of the oven dry and dense, the rolls are telling you that you didn't adequately rest the dough before baking. During the first rise, your dough should at least double in size.

How to make cinnamon roll soft again? ›

Reheat In Oven

Add a little dribble of water (1 teaspoon per roll) over each to rehydrate them as they are reheated. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. This will trap steam and rehydrate the rolls as they warm up. This will make sure they are soft and delicious.

References

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