Cook This: 3 recipes from The Swedish Cookbook, including vanilla buns

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Tip: Swap pointed, hispi or sweetheart cabbage for green cabbage or a milder savoy cabbage as an alternative, if you wish.

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VANILLA BUNS

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“To me, vanilla buns are the slightly more luxurious cousin of the cinnamon bun — soft, fluffy and loaded with a sweet vanilla filling,” says Niklas Ekstedt. Photo by Haarala Hamilton

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Vaniljbullar

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Makes: about 15

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1 oz (25 g) fresh yeast or 1 x 1/4-oz (7-g) envelope instant yeast (roughly 2 1/4 tsp)
1 cup (250 g) whole milk
4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour (or use bread flour)
1/3 cup plus 1/2 tbsp (75 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cardamom
5 tbsp (75 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp salt

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For the cream filling:
1/2 cup (125 g) whole milk
A pinch of vanilla powder or 1/2 vanilla bean
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tsp cornstarch
Scant 2 tbsp (25 g) unsalted butter, softened

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To finish:
Scant 2 tbsp (25 g) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar

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Step 1

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First, make the filling. Heat the milk with the vanilla in a saucepan over a medium heat until the milk just starts to boil. Immediately remove the pan from the heat.

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Step 2

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In a bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg yolks and cornstarch. Stir continuously as you pour in the warm milk (remove the vanilla bean, if necessary).

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Step 3

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Return the pan to a medium-low heat and stir until the mixture thickens to the consistency of custard (don’t let it get too thick, as it will firm up further when the buns bake). Add the butter, then stir to melt and combine.

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Step 4

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Pour the cream filling into a cold bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to stop a skin forming, then refrigerate until needed (alternatively, you can dispense with the plastic wrap and just stir frequently as it cools).

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Step 5

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To make the buns, crumble the fresh yeast into a mixing bowl or tip in the instant yeast (use the bowl of a stand mixer, if you have one).

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Step 6

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Pour the milk into a small saucepan and place it over a medium-low heat. Warm the milk gently until it reaches 99F (37C) on a cooking thermometer (‘blood’ temperature — just lukewarm to the skin). Pour the milk into the bowl with the yeast and stir to dissolve. Add the flour, sugar, cardamom, butter and salt and mix to a homogeneous dough.

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Step 7

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By hand or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook on medium speed, knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel, and leave the dough to rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, until doubled in volume.

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Step 8

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Meanwhile, line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

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Step 9

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Divide the risen dough into 15 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Place the balls on the lined baking sheets, spacing them well apart. Once you have rolled them all, cover the pans with a clean dish towel and leave the balls to proof in a warm place for 40 minutes until risen.

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Step 10

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Heat the oven to 400F (200C). Spoon the vanilla cream filling into a piping bag fitted with a plain 1-inch (2.5-cm) tip (if you don’t have one, you can spoon the cream into the buns, so don’t worry).

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Step 11

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Press your thumb gently into the middle of each bun to create a hollow and pipe or spoon in the vanilla cream.

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Step 12

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Bake the buns in the middle of the oven for 7-9 minutes, until golden. Remove the pans from the oven and leave the buns to cool. Once cooled, brush them with the melted butter and roll them in the 1/4 cup (50 g) of granulated sugar to finish. The buns will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

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Recipes and images excerpted from The Swedish Cookbook: Lagom Flavors for the Modern Kitchen. Used with the permission of the publisher, Bloomsbury. Text copyright ©2026 by Niklas Ekstedt, Photography copyright ©2026 by Haarala Hamilton.

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