Kanelbullar, kanelsnegl, skillingsboller — different names, same obsession. Scandinavian-style cinnamon rolls are lighter, less sweet, and more fragrant than their American counterparts: enriched yeasted dough, cardamom-forward filling, and finished with pearl sugar instead of frosting. Here are the best examples from around the world.
Understated North Shore bakery with a Scandinavian-influenced cardamom-cinnamon sticky bun. Rated 4.8 with 561+ reviews. Also does a Biscoff variant and babka scroll.
Seattle's premier Danish bakery, founded 1965. The signature snitter is a Danish-American invention: cinnamon roll dough rolled flat with custard and almond paste. Mon-Sat 8am-2pm only.
Considered by many locals to be Stockholm's most authentic bakery. Bakers visible rolling dough in the back, flour-dusted atmosphere. Kanelbullar described as tall but packed with cinnamon flavour, not air.
Founded by World Cup Bronze Medal-winning pastry chef John Kraus. The Pecan Cinnamon Pull Apart uses croissant pieces rolled with cinnamon, cardamom, pecans, and caramelized sugar. Featured by Food Network.
Founded by Michelin-starred chefs Mathias Dahlgren and Martin Berg, deliberately casual despite the pedigree. Kanelbullar juicy with a crunchy top. Winner of the La Liste Pastry Ethical & Sustainability Award 2025.
Roll Style
Scandinavian
Featured by
La Liste Pastry Awards 2025Scandinavia StandardVisit Stockholm
Three things: cardamom in the dough or filling (or both), a less-sweet overall profile, and pearl sugar on top rather than cream cheese frosting. The dough is enriched with butter and milk, similar to brioche, but rolled and shaped into a knot (Sweden) or tight spiral (Denmark). The result is more fragrant and less cloying than an American-style roll — close to the best quality you can get at a fika break in Stockholm.
Where can I find the best Scandinavian cinnamon rolls outside Scandinavia?+
New York City has several excellent options: Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery and Bien Cuit both do a Scandinavian-influenced roll. In London, Bageriet in Covent Garden is the most authentic Swedish bakery in the city. Chicago's Lost Larson (Andersonville) and Austin's Swedish Hill Bakery both trained in Scandinavia. Minneapolis's FIKA at the American Swedish Institute is the top choice in the Midwest.
What is fika?+
Fika is the Swedish tradition of taking a break — usually mid-morning or mid-afternoon — with coffee and something sweet, most commonly a kanelbullar (cinnamon bun). It's a deeply ingrained social ritual: not just a coffee break, but a cultural expectation. Most Swedish workplaces have formal fika times, and most Swedish bakeries are built around the format. Kanelbullens Dag (Cinnamon Roll Day) on October 4th is the annual celebration.
