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Danish Swirls

17/11/2023

Danish swirls, also known as “Danish Swirls” or “Kanelbullar” (in the case of the Swedish version), are leavened pastry sweets that originally come from Scandinavia. I can provide you with a classic version of the recipe, with an Italian twist reflected in the use of extra virgin olive oil instead of butter, in part or entirely, for a slightly more Mediterranean variant.

Ingredients

For the dough:

  • 500 g of type 00 flour
  • 250 ml of lukewarm milk
  • 100 g of sugar
  • 100 g of butter at room temperature (you can replace it with a comparable amount of extra virgin olive oil for a lighter variant with a Mediterranean scent)
  • 1 egg
  • 25 g of fresh yeast (or 7 g of dry yeast)
  • 1 pinch of salt

For the filling:

  • 100 g of soft butter (you can also use olive oil here for a lighter version)
  • 80 g of brown sugar (preferably, for a richer flavor)
  • 2 tablespoons of cinnamon powder

For the finish:

  • 1 egg to brush
  • Brown sugar and cinnamon as needed for sprinkling

Preparation

  1. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the sugar and salt, then add the milk and yeast mixture, the egg, and the softened butter (or oil).
  2. Knead until it becomes smooth and homogeneous. Let it rise, covered, in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it doubles in volume.
  3. In the meantime, prepare the filling by mixing the soft butter with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
  4. Roll out the leavened dough into a rectangle about 5 mm thick, spread the filling evenly on top, and roll up the dough from the longer side to form a long cylinder.
  5. Cut the cylinder into slices of about 2 cm and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, spaced apart.
  6. Cover the swirls again and let them rise for another 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180 °C.
  7. Before baking, brush the surface of the swirls with the beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
  8. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
  9. Let them cool slightly before serving.

Curiosity

In Scandinavia, these swirls are common during the feast of Saint Lucia and are often paired with a good coffee in what is known as “fika,” a kind of break for a socializing snack.

With this base, you could also experiment with other types of fillings, such as pastry cream, jam, poppy seeds, or chocolate, to create your personal version of the sweet. Enjoy your preparation and bon appétit!

Danish Swirls