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 make around 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 fun opportunity 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 (maito)
- 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 (voi)
- z. 7 dl all-purpose flour or plain flour (puolikarkea vehnäjauho)
Dough with American measurements (Taikina amerikkalaisilla mitoilla)
- 1 generous cup milk (maito)
- 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 butter (voi)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour or plain flour (puolikarkea vehnäjauho)
Filling (täyte)
- 2/3 stick or 75 g 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).
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.
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!
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:
Warm wishes from Finland,
Varpu
Pssst... What Dishes Should You Try in Finland?
In my Finland Starter Kit, I give you 15 iconic Finnish dish recommendations in English and in Finnish, so that you'll find these delicious foods for sure!
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Hello there!
I’m Varpu. One blonde,
travel-loving,
Finnish engineer driving this site.
Hei Varpu, kiitos for this recipe! I made pulla today for my mum’s birthday – I had to swap the vanilla sugar for extract as England is sadly devoid of vanilla sugar! (At least, I was unable to find any near me.) They still taste absolutely amazing and I know I’ll be making them again. <3 They certainly won't be around long!
Hei Kat! awww thank you so much for letting me know this. I’m so happy that you liked these! <3
Hi Varpu,
I love Finnish Pulla. I’m not Finnish but my childhood best friend’s mother was, and they bring back so many happy memories of running around her garden in a manic state, climbing the plum trees, then running in just as quickly when she banged the saucepan with her wooden spoon, signally break time! This recipe is very similar to hers, if I remember correctly, but a smaller batch. I can remember the ingredients, just not the quantities. She had a large family and with half the neighbourhood’s children in her garden, many mouths to feed!
I am now vegan for both health and ethical reasons, so wondered if you could help me with substitutes, please?
Butter:
Can I use an olive spread or sunflower spread that says it is suitable for baking? Eg Flora or Bertolli
Milk:
Almond or Coconut milk? Sweetened or unsweetened?
Egg:
Any suggestions for the egg wash substitute?
I really appreciate your help. Thank you.
Hei! Thank you so much for your comment! I’d love to help. I have been googling for vegan recipes in Finnish and yes, they use either one of the spreads you mentioned! For milk, I can see coconut milk, almond and oat milk all used. Coconut milk gets many thumbs up especially. With eggs, guess what – you can give this recipe a go without an egg!
Kiitos reseptistä! Olemme valmistaneet korvapuustin kolme kertaa nyt ja ne ovat todella herkullisia. Ja helppoa – bonus!! 🙂
Thank you for the recipe. We’ve made the buns three times and they are really delicious. 🙂
Varpu, we really appreciate your lovely newsletters during these strange times – they are welcomed – thank you.
Hei Scott & Lisa, thank you so much for this lovely feedback. You made my day. Kiitos <3
Hei Varmu! I have fond memories of my grandmother having me sit on the floor to pound cardamom seeds with a hammer. A few of us in the family here in the U.S.A. know how to make her pulla and rye bread. I just made a batch of the pulla following your quantities. It was nice to make a smaller amount than usual. For a change, I switched out half of the flour with whole wheat, and they seem quite light and fluffy. I usually just braid them and top with an egg wash and sugar, but I followed the instructions for the cinnamon spirals and it came out really well. My family is making them disappear quickly, which is good news for me. 🙂 Kiitoksia paljon! – Debra
Hei Debra, I’m beyond happy to hear that the recipe was a success and your family enjoyed these pullas too. Kiitos!!! <3 You made my day.
I made these for Christmas dinner. Just like muumuu’s pulla. Kiitos!
I’m so happy to hear that, John. Thank you so much!
I remember these from my childhood. I’m of Finnish heritage, born in the US. My Gramma used to make pulla in a loaf and cinnamon buns too. I made them when I was first married to my husband and he loved them. Then he was diagnosed as celiac. I have read so much about Finland being a gluten free friendly country. Do you know of a gluten free recipe for Pulla?
I really enjoy your blog/site.
Julie S
Hei Julie! I’m so sorry for the late reply! I can find a lot of great gluten-free recipes in Finnish for pulla. I wonder if Google translate is enough to help you with them. For example this one by Valio: https://www.valio.fi/reseptit/gluteeniton-pulla/
Thank you so much for this beautiful recipe for these Finnish Cinnamon Buns. They take me bake to making them with my grandmother. Although she baked and I ate. I’ve tried half my life trying to copy her and now I know why I couldn’t.
Thank you so much for these easy to follow steps so I can do it without being a rocket scientist. I also appreciate the beautiful photos that will help me know if I’m doing it right.
Just in time for the upcoming holiday season.
I look forward to making Pulla Bread with you now – and so much more.
Awww Debra, you are so sweet, thank you. You just made my day. <3 Baking pulla is the best. I'm so glad to hear this recipe was a success.
Katya is rude. Katya needs a lot of love. Please people; send a lot of love to Katya, she really, really needs it. Have a nice day and a pleasant tomorrow!
I hope all finnish people put up there recipes for the world to enjoy… I have fond memories of my grandmother making batches of pulla and all of us devouring these delicious buns – adults with a traditionally ground coffee and the children with a hot chocolate or milk drink. Miss those days. I am glad I am not the only one who found Katya’s comments rude and offensive.
Hei Hilma! Thank you so much for your lovely comment. I rarely receive rude comments and didn’t first understand what it was. A troll, as the internet tells me 😀 I deleted the comment because there’s no point keeping it here. Thank you for your kind words. I hope to publish many recipes here <3
I love these buns, but surely what you are making here is korvapuustit? I’m being told by all my Finnish in-laws that pulla is the delicious cardamon bread, which comes in the shape of an oblong loaf.
Hei! Thank you so much for commenting. 🙂 I think I know what you mean.
Pulla is an umbrella term for all these pastries coming from the pulla dough.
Korvapuusti usually means a butterfly-shaped pulla which comes from cutting the loaf and baking it sideways. These pullas in my pictures, I wouldn’t call as “korvapuustit” because they are baked as rolls. But, it could be so that some families call these korvapuusti too.
All in all, whatever they’re called, they are super yummy! 😀
Kiitos! My daughter who has grown up in England wanted to make Finnish cinnamon buns and this recipe is just perfect!
Hei Theodora! Thank you so much for letting me know that. I’m so glad these buns were a success!
Hei Varpu, Cardamom and Cinnamon pulla baked today, for the first time!!!! This recipe is the taste of Finland I miss every morning.
Paljon kiitos for sharing, my best regards, Barbara
Hei Barbara, thank you so much for letting me know! I’m so happy to hear that! <3
You’ve got me making bulla for the first time in 20 years…..left Finland a lifetime ago but it’s still home ❤️❤️❤️
Hei Seija! Oh, that’s so great. Ihan parasta kuulla, tämä teki minut tosi iloiseksi. Kiitos kun kerroit! <3
I love these but the next day they are always hard. Is it because the sugar hardens like candy and makes them hard. Not nice and soft like when they come out of the oven. thanks for your recipe and picture.
Hei Shirley, you are right! Pulla tastes the best when it’s straight out of the oven. I think they are almost as good if you freeze some on the baking day and microwave them hot when you want to serve them. I try not to have pullas in a plastic bag overnight, luckily that’s impossible in this household 😀
Thank you for the recipe! I had lost mine and was looking for a really traditional finnish recipe. Found yours and used it, and my korvapuusti turned out awesome!! 🙂
Hei Maruxa, I’m so, so happy to hear that! <3 Thank you for letting me know!
Hei Varpu, Thank you for this ,I love Korvapuutsti but it’s way more complicated to make,this seems easy,I can’t wait to try making these.
kittos
Hei Bindi! Yess, rolls are super easy to make! Somehow in my family, it has always been a tradition to make rolls not korvapuusti-shaped buns. You’ll love these!