Kanelstang is a classic Danish pastry that's a bit like cinnamon rolls in a loaf form. It's gently crisp on the outside, soft and tender inside and full of warm cinnamon flavor. A delicious coffee-time treat.
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As the weather starts to cool this time of year, I'm all for getting into cozy mode with a cup of coffee and a treat while I sit with a blanket over me. In other words I go all in on a sense of hygge and many Nordic treats are perfect for the mood.
I've long been a fan of cardamom buns, and apparently many of you are, too, as it's always popular. Danish raspberry bars are delicious, though feel a little more summery, as do chokladbollar (chocolate oat balls) being no bake.
This Danish cinnamon twist, meanwhile, feels especially fitting in the cooler months. And while it does need a little patience to allow for rising, it's relatively easy to make, and well worth the effort.
Kanelstang origins
"Kanelstang" translates as cinnamon stick or cinnamon rod and is a traditional Danish baked good that you'll find commonly sold in bakeries and supermarkets in Denmark. While it's not technically a Danish pastry since the dough isn't laminated, it is part of that same baking tradition.
What's often called Danish pastries elsewhere are known as "Wienerbrød" in Denmark - Viennese bread. Apparently there was a large bakery worker strike in 1850, and some bakeries invited foreign workers. Some Viennese bakers came and brought with them the traditions of laminating dough. In Denmark, they adapted these to add fillings and additional fat, creating the Danish pastry style we know today.
Kanelstang is not laminated, as I said, but is instead more like Swedish cinnamon and cardamom buns, or American cinnamon rolls, in how the dough is made and filled. But the big difference with this treat is you don't separate out individual portions.
The end result is a loaf that you can slice as thick or thin as you like. It has more of the soft, tender middle part and to me is easier to eat but just as delicious.
Steps to make Danish cinnamon twist
This is made with a yeasted dough, enriched with butter and often some egg. It's slightly sweet and while not always, here also gently flavored with cardamom. Most typically you would use fresh yeast for this but since I can't ever find it, I've instead written this for dry yeast which still works well.
The steps to make this are:
- Mix together the dough ingredients, bring together then knead until smooth.
- Leave the dough to rise and double in size, around 1 hour.
- Mix the sugar, butter and cinnamon for the filling and set aside.
- Knock back and roll out the dough into a rectangle, spread over the filling leaving the edge clear.
- Roll up the rectangle then snip at even spacing around ¾ to 1 inch apart (2 - 2.5cm) cutting around ½ to ¾ of the way down.
- Gently push the dough left and right alternately and slightly push the ends closer, as needed, so the part-cut rolls are sticking out to either side but relatively tightly together (see photos below).
- Leave to rise a second time so it puffs up, around 45 minutes.
- Towards the end of rising time, preheat the oven, then brush the loaf with egg wash and bake until golden all over.
While you don't have to, this is especially good with a little drizzle of icing over the top. Not only is it tasty but it makes it look that bit more special, too. Some also sprinkle some flaked almonds on top which you are welcome to do, though I didn't here.
You will also find versions that add an additional filling of vanilla pastry cream which makes the filling extra gooey and sticky. Just spread a thin layer of pastry cream on top of the cinnamon filling before rolling.
Additional tips
The main thing to keep in mind with this is to not rush the process. Knead the dough a few minutes, and make sure you give enough time for the rises.
When you roll out the dough, the exact thickness can be flexible, but you don't want the dough either too thick or too thin. You want to have a few layers of filling, but also not so thin there's nothing in them. Here I've gone on the thinner side - a little thicker is maybe better but as you prefer.
Don't roll up the dough too tightly as it will expand. You can even make it a little loose and have a slightly flatter form. Make sure you don't cut all the way through when you make the cuts - I find scissors make it pretty easy but you can also use a sharp thin knife.
You can press the sections to the side more than I have here if you like. Just make sure you scrunch them in a little so they are close - you might want to lift in the ends a bit. This both helps keep the filling in but also helps it hold together as a loaf.
You may well find that some of the filling leaks out a bit as it bakes which is relatively normal. While you can't rescue it all, I find a couple things help. First I use a spatula to scrape any filling that's soft and sitting to the sides in towards the loaf so that it hopefully firms and becomes an extra sticky layer on the base. Then, I leave it to cool on the lined baking sheet and some of the leaked filling absorbs into the loaf as it cools.
Kanelstang is a lovely combination of soft, buttery dough, warm spice filling and just enough sweetness to feel like a treat. It's perfect for sharing and enjoying over a cup of coffee. Or really any excuse you want to find.
Try these other coffee companion treats:
- Norwegian chocolate buns, sjokoladeboller (delicious soft and gently sweet rolls, aromatic with cardamom and studded with chocolate)
- Date and walnut loaf (an easy and tasty quick bread)
- Quark stollen with prunes (technically more of a festive bake, but a delicious aromatic sweet bread with a marzipan filling)
- Plus get more snack recipes, both sweet and savory, and Nordic recipes in the archives.
Kanelstang - Danish cinnamon twist
Ingredients
For the dough
- ½ cup milk
- 1 egg divided, use rest for egg wash
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour plain flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon fast acting yeast
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom if freshly ground, double if pre-ground
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
For the filling
- 4 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
To bake and optional decoration
- egg leftover from above - won't use all
- 4 tablespoon confectioner's sugar icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon water or a drop or two more as needed
Instructions
Forming dough & first rise ( around 1 hour)
- Warm the milk gently and set aside - I usually just give it around 30 seconds in the microwave. Whisk the egg and divide in half. You will use half in the dough and save the other half for egg wash before baking.
- Place the flour, salt, yeast, sugar and cardamom in a bowl and whisk to mix. Add the butter in small chunks and rub in to break up the pieces. Add most of the milk, reserving a little in case not all is needed, and the half egg for the dough. Bring the mixture together , adding the rest of the milk assuming it is needed - it will be relatively soft and sticky, so if it's not, you likely need all the milk. Bring the dough together in a ball and turn it out on to a lightly floured surface. Knead for around 5 minutes until it is no longer sticky and the dough feels smooth. Note, you can also do the mixing and kneading in a stand mixer, just give it a little less time kneading.
- Put the dough into a clean, lightly-buttered or oiled bowl and cover. Set aside in a warm place for around one hour to double in size.
Filling and forming loaf
- When the dough is almost done with it's first rise, mix together the butter, sugar and cinnamon for the filling. It should be a relatively smooth paste.
- Roll the dough out into a relatively thin rectangle, approximately 11 x 15 inch (30 x 38cm). Spread the filling evenly over the top, leaving a strip around the edges without filling around ½ inch (1.5cm) or slightly more. Roll up the dough on the shorter side, but not too tight, so you get a log similar to making cinnamon rolls.
- Transfer the roll to a lined baking sheet/tray (line with parchment or silicone mat). Using clean scissors or a sharp knife, cut the dough roughly every ¾ to 1 inch (2 - 2.5cm) cutting around ½ to ¾ of the way through - don't cut all the way to the bottom.
- Push the pieces out to the sides left and right alternating and bunch them up slightly by pressing the ends in a little so you get almost like small buds on a stem (see pictures). You can pull or flatten the sections a bit more than I have here, as you prefer.
Second rise (around 45 minutes) then baking
- Gently cover and set aside to prove for around 45 minutes - it won't rise too much but it will get slightly puffy. Towards the end of this time, preheat the oven to 350F/175C.
- Lightly brush the log with the reserved egg then bake for around 18 - 22 minutes until the loaf is golden all over and gently crisp. Take out of the oven and scrape in any leaked filling to help it crystalize by the loaf. Leave to cool on the baking sheet until it's just gently warm.
Decorating (optional)
- If adding glaze, place the confectioner's sugar in a small bowl and add the water. Add a drop or two more if needed to form a smooth glaze that will drizzle but relatively thickly. Drizzle over the cooled loaf and let dry slightly before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition (per serving)
I'd recommend using a Silicone Baking Mat on top of a Half Baking Sheet to make these. (affiliate links)
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