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Semla: Traditional Swedish Fat Tuesday Buns (Semlor)

This semla recipe, will provide you with Sweden’s version of Scotland’s cream buns (or vice versa!) are a delicious way to celebrate Fat Tuesday with a Swedish twist! Semlor are a delicious tradition in Sweden, but you can make them in your own kitchen, no matter where you live!

Dusting semla with powdered sugar

If you’re already a fan of my Scottish Cream Buns, then you’re going to love this semla recipe!

cream buns similar to Swedish semla or semlor
Scottish Cream Bun

Last month we had our Swedish friends over for tea, and I made some cream buns. One of them immediately asked, “Are these semlor?” To which I responded with my own question, “What are semlor?”

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What are Semlor, or What is a Semla?

First of all, let me explain that semlor is plural for semla. A semla is a Swedish cream bun (a cardamom version of  Scottish cream buns), which has a marzipan type filling, whipped cream and dusted with powdered sugar. I created this semla recipe from my cream bun recipe and a Swedish friend’s recipe for the filling.

Swedish Cream Buns

I did some research into these traditional Swedish buns which have a very colorful history. Apparently, King Adolf Fredrik of Sweden died in 1771, after consuming 14 of these creamy buns of goodness which were soaked in warm milk (a traditional way to eat them).

This review of my Semlor makes me very happy! You can see the original in the comments.

review by expat Swede

They’ve also become a bit of an obsession with the Swedish people, as they are no longer only served for Shrove Tuesday, or fettisdag, sometimes appearing in bakeries before Christmas and all the way through Lent.

Speaking of Lent, I have lots of seafood recipes, including this popular seafood pasta!

seafood pasta

Homemade Marzipan Filling

I called my Swedish friend’s mother to get some proper advice on the the filling as I’d never even tasted a Semla before. Although I don’t like marzipan, she assured me that I’d like her recipe, as she doesn’t like marzipan, either. I will now attest, if you make your own, the almond paste is delicious.

She told me to use ground almond meal (not almond flour as it’s too fine), an egg white and powdered sugar for the filling.

I’m lucky enough to have a friend with chickens, so when I heard that I needed to use a raw egg white, I went over to pick up some eggs right from the nest! Unless you can get your hands on such fresh eggs, I wouldn’t advise consuming raw eggs, so you can use an alternate filling recipe I include below.

Swedish Cream Buns semlor semla recipe for Fat Tuesday

The almond paste I made was a bit heavy, so next time, I’d whip the egg white, and then add the ground almonds and sugar, which is how I wrote the semla recipe below.

How to Eat Swedish Semla or Semlor

Although they can just be eaten as is, as I noted above, Semlor can also be served in warm milk, which my husband tried, and thought was okay. I can’t say that a soggy cream bun is my idea of a great sweet, so the Brit in me will continue to eat them “sans-milk”, as they are absolutely wonderful this way. It’s obviously a cultural thing, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong in serving semlor this way, my preference is just as is.

Remember, today is Shrove Tuesday, but you can make these all the way through Lent if you go by today’s Swedish custom. I actually wouldn’t mind making this semla recipe any time of the year.

If you’re also interested in the traditional British dish for Pancake Tuesday, here is the pancake recipe I use.

Shrove Tuesday Pancakes

An Italian treat for Carnevale are these beautifully light and crisp bows of dough which go by many different names, but two of which are frappe and cioffe.

Frappe or Cioffe: Bows and Ribbons of Fried Sweetened Dough

And last, but not least, if you like using yeast recipes, I urge you to try my PERFECT YEAST DOUGHNUTS!

Perfect Yeast Doughnut on more doughnuts

Traditional Swedish Semla (Semlor Recipe)

adapted from Christina’s Scottish Cream Buns and R. Linna
makes 15-18 depending on size  FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW

Make the Dough

In bread machine or stand mixer, place the lukewarm water, yeast and 1/2 tsp of sugar. Allow to rest for a few minutes, until the yeast begins to grow. Mix the milk, melted butter, beaten egg together, then add to the yeast mixture.

Add the cardamom, flour, 1/3 cup (2.5 oz) of sugar and salt, and turn on machine (dough setting on bread machine or use a dough hook if using a stand mixer.) Mix and knead by hand if you aren’t using a machine.

Dough will be slightly sticky. Allow cycle to finish on dough setting; with stand mixer, or by hand, when the dough is ready, cover it and let rise on the counter until doubled in size.

dough-rising for Swedish semlor semla recipe for Fat Tuesday

Shape the Semlor Buns

After it’s risen, punch down the dough, and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut pieces of the dough and shape into round balls (about 15 to 18), and place onto a greased cookie sheet (or silicone sheet) about an inch apart. I baked mine with the buns too close together and they touched, so don’t put them as close as I did in the photo below.

I also weighed mine so they would all be of equal size, however it’s really unnecessary unless you are a Type A personality, like me. :) Place the tray in the oven (do not turn it on) to rise for about half an hour or until doubled in size. (I put a large cup of boiling water in the oven for steam, so the buns don’t get a hard crust).

Once doubled, remove the buns from the oven and brush with the egg glaze (just mix the egg and cream together and brush on gently.)

Swedish semlor recipe for Fat Tuesday

Preheat the oven to 350º F (175ºC) then cook the buns for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown. While they are baking, prepare the almond paste.

Almond Paste/Marzipan Filling

Whip the egg white until soft peaks form, then fold in the ground almonds and powdered sugar. Cover and set aside.

Remove the cooked buns from the tray, and place on a cooling rack.

Swedish semlor semla recipe for Fat Tuesday

When the semlor are completely cool, whip the cream and assemble them.

Assemble one Semla at a Time

Begin by slicing into each bun with a sharp knife. Now, cut down into the center of the bun to create a space for filling in the bun. I made circular cuts, but you can make them triangular if you like.

cutting Swedish semlor to fill

Then put a teaspoonful, or more, of the almond paste into the center.

making Swedish semlor semla

Next, top with whipped cream. I used my iSi Gourmet Whip, which I adore! Updated Feb. 3 2021: I’m giving one away for Valentine’s Day right now on Instagram!!! Good luck!

filling Swedish semlor semla recipe for Fat Tuesday

Place the top on the cream, and dust the semla with powdered sugar (this is what I use to dust them).

Semla ready to be served!

Semla in front of more Semlor

Ready to serve! These brioche semla buns are light and flavorful, especially with the cardamom in this semla recipe.

Swedish semla recipe

I hope you enjoy this semla recipe as much as my family did! These were my first semlor, and most definitely won’t be my last!

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Semla in front of more Semlor

Semlor: Traditional Swedish Fat Tuesday Buns (semla recipe)

Servings: 18
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
A traditional Swedish cream and marzipan filled brioche bun which is made for Lent.
4.8 from 131 votes

Special Equipment

  • 1 bread machine (optional)
  • 1 stand mixer
  • 1 scale (optional)
  • 1 brush
  • 1 ISI Cream Whipper (optional)

Ingredients

Buns:

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour, add more if needed
  • 2 tsp dry yeast
  • cup

    + ½ tsp sugar divided

  • ½ cup milk warmed
  • cup butter melted
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • 1 tsp cardamom
  • ½ cup water lukewarm

Glaze:

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 Tbsp cream

Almond Paste (See notes for a raw egg-free recipe):

  • 1 fresh egg white (mine came from my neighbor and it’s the only way I eat raw eggs not recommended with store-bought eggs)
  • ½ cup ground almonds without skins
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar

To Assemble:

  • 2 cups whipping cream as needed
  • 1 Tbsp powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

  • In bread machine or stand mixer, place the lukewarm water, yeast and the ½ tsp of sugar. Allow to rest for a few minutes, until the yeast begins to grow. Mix the milk, melted butter, beaten egg together, then add to the yeast mixture.
  • Add the cardamom, flour, sugar, and salt, and turn on machine (dough setting on bread machine or use a dough hook if using a stand mixer.) Mix and knead by hand if you aren’t using a machine.
  • Dough will be slightly sticky. Allow cycle to finish on dough setting; with stand mixer, or by hand, when the dough is ready, cover it and let rise on the counter until doubled in size.
  • After it’s risen, punch down the dough, and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut pieces of the dough and shape into round balls (about 15 to 18), and place onto a greased cookie sheet (or silicone sheet) about an inch apart. I baked mine with the buns too close together and they touched, so don't put them as close as I did in the photo below.
  • I also weighed mine so they would all be of equal size, however it’s really unnecessary unless you are a Type A personality, like me. Place the tray in the oven (do not turn it on) to rise for about half an hour or until doubled in size. (I put a large cup of boiling water in the oven for steam, so the buns don’t get a hard crust).
  • Once doubled, remove the buns from the oven and brush with the egg glaze (just mix the egg and cream together and brush on gently.)
  • Preheat the oven to 350º F (175ºC) then cook the buns for approximately 20 minutes, or until golden brown. While they are baking, prepare the almond paste.
  • Make the marzipan by whipping the egg white until soft peaks form, then fold in the ground almonds and powdered sugar.
  • Cover and set aside.
  • Remove the cooked buns from the tray, and place on a cooling rack.
  • When the Semlor are completely cool, whip the cream and assemble them.
  • Begin by cutting a top on each bun with a sharp knife, cutting down into the center of the bun to create a space for filling in the bun. Then put a teaspoonful, or more, of the almonds paste.
  • Next, top with whipped cream. I used my ISI Cream Whipper, which I adore!
  • Place the top on the cream, and dust with powdered sugar. Repeat with remaining Semlor.

Notes

  • Alternate marzipan recipe without raw egg.
  • You will likely have whipped cream leftover.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bun | Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 175mg | Potassium: 79mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 547IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg

Please let me know what you think of my semla recipe below!

Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

4.76 from 131 votes (131 ratings without comment)

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119 Comments

  1. I can vouch for this recipe as an expat Swede. They turned out fantastic. Swedish recipes will usually assume you have fresh yeast, but that’s harder to come by here in the UK.

    I filled them with ground Swedish almond paste (mandelmassa) mixed with the scooped-out crumbs and some unwhipped cream.

    Almond paste does not have the same sugar/almond proportions as marzipan and tastes better, in my opinion. I don’t think anyone in Sweden would use marzipan, but then almond paste is readily available in stores there.

    1. Thank you so much, Henrik! I’m so happy you approve! That means a lot to me! Yes, making things in other countries is a bit trying when you can’t source the proper ingredients. Thanks again and enjoy! CC

  2. I did not end up using all of the flour in your recipe, but the buns turned out great! This is the first time I’ve successfully made a yeasted bread all by myself that didn’t have any problems. I used a filling recipe from another source: breadcrumbs from hollowing out the buns mixed with grated marzipan and slightly dampened with milk and then topped with whipped cream (sweetened and a dash of vanilla/drop of almond). Excellent.

    1. I’m so happy to hear this, Emily! So lovely that you decided to try these, and glad it was a success! Hope this encourages you to try more yeast recipes! :)

  3. Like anything in print, it has to be read with common sense in mind. My neighbors treat their chickens like chickens and we all wash our hands. There is no misconception about my confidence in backyard chickens given that common sense is used regarding health and safety. Did you read the entire article or just the headline?

    1. Just a note: it’s a common misconception that only the eggshell is contaminated with salmonella. If the chicken is carrying salmonella, the egg can become infected during formation. This means the bacteria will be inside the egg, not just on the shell. Handwashing and proper hygiene won’t help you if you consume it. Free range eggs from happy, healthy chickens are less likely to carry this bacteria than those from a factory farm in cramped/unsanitary conditions. However, the risk is not zero and can’t be avoided by common sense/safe food handling ….

      https://www.cdc.gov/features/salmonellaeggs/index.html

      1. Hi Kat, thanks for that, but this is a given. We need to have safe food handling and common sense with ALL food, not just eggs. My family and I have eaten uncooked eggs in different forms our entire lives and never had salmonella poisoning (my dad is 83).

  4. What a lovely surprise to find a semla recipe from the USA by a lady from Bonny Scotland – love it! :-)
    They do look good, and they are! I live in Sweden and promise you all that semlor are indeed the yummiest buns i’ve ever eaten – and i love that in Sweden they’re only available in bakeries at this time of year (around Lent), as it makes them even better, to look forward to them. Nowadays in Sweden some funky bakeries are pushing the semla boundaries and baking them with chocolate cream, or in a wrap instead of a bun (which i find sacrilegious!) I had a semla & espresso last weekend, from a gorgeous little cafe in town, made with a kind of Danish pastry-type bun (made with cardamom, of course!) which I adored! Oh, and for the record… most Swedish people would NEVER dip their semlor in warm milk (I’ve only seen the old folk, with no teeth doing this!!)
    Christina, I wonder if it would be at all possible (for your European fans) to put the recipes also in metric? It is so hard to convert everything each time, and i’ve no idea what size a cup is, or an ounce… my mum & gran were pounds & ounces gals… not me! ;-)
    Thanks for the delicious recipe. x

    1. Hi Claudia! Yes, I’m pretty mixed up myself (I’m actually Italian) so my recipes rather follow suit! :) I am very careful to post proper recipes, though! I agree with you when a classic is changed outrageously, as you described with the chocolate or wrap semlor! Ugh.

      That’s good to hear that the milk drenched semlor isn’t as popular as I thought! Regarding the weight, I am actually going to be switching all of my recipes over to a new system and that way they will have cups and grams, however, I’m currently traveling in New Zealand, so it won’t be until I return. Some of my recipes are already in grams, too, but not all of them. Both of my scales have ounces and grams as options, so when I started writing recipes I did them in cups (for US) and ounces (for my UK readers), however I think many newer scales in Europe ONLY have the gram option, which is probably what you have.

      Thanks so much for your comment and soon you’ll be seeing more grams on my page! :) CC

  5. Christina,
    Thank you so much for this recipe. The instructions were written with great clarity and the illustrations were succinct. We were Sweden in Late January and tried these treats for the first time in our lives, we immediately loved them, and your representation is all things authentic. Kudos to you and thanks for sharing!!!

    1. Oh thank you SO MUCH for this comment! I have never been to Sweden to taste Semlor, so this means a great deal to me! So glad you could enjoy a taste of Sweden at home :) Thanks again, Tony!

  6. I grew up in Sweden, and a childhood friend of mine just posted a picture of herself eating a semla, which triggered a powerful sensory memory of these buns. So I started looking at recipes and I have to say yours seems like the only one I would even consider using. Kudos on the clarity of your directions, the history, and the gorgeous presentation.
    I do have one question: I never use a machine to make bread dough. How would you make this by hand?

    1. What a compliment, Susan! Thank you so much!

      It’s very simple to make these by hand. just do step one in a bowl, place the dry ingredients in a larger bowl, then pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and stir with a wooden spoon (or your hand). Continue to mix by hand, then when it comes together into a dough, roll out onto a floured worktop and knead about 10 minutes. Allow to rise in a draught free place until doubled, then follow the rest of the instructions starting at step 4. Enjoy!!