Giant Cardamom Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Get ready to make brunch dreams come true with this giant cardamom cinnamon roll! This big, fluffy, rich cinnamon bun, baked in a cast iron pan, was inspired by the delicious flavors of classic Finnish cinnamon buns. The rich, buttery cardamom-flavored dough is wrapped around a thick ribbon of brown sugar & cinnamon filling, similar to traditional cinnamon rolls- but without the added shaping time of individual rolls. This giant bun makes for an appealing addition to the breakfast or brunch table, especially when you’re feeding a small crowd! Cut it into big slices, if you can resist just diving in with a bunch of forks!

Tools & Equipment for this Giant Cardamom Cinnamon Roll

• Stand mixer fitted with dough hook attachment 
• Kitchen scale- optional
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Liquid measuring cups
• Spice grinder- if grinding your own cardamom
• 12 inch cast iron pan- for best results- can substitute a similar size stainless steel frying pan, or even a 10-inch springform pan. See notes below
• Rolling pin 

Ingredients for this Giant Cardamom Cinnamon Roll 

 For the roll:

• 1.5 Tbsp active dry yeast- or instant yeast is ok too, see instructions below
• 1/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground cardamom, or substitute pre-ground cardamom 
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm (105-115 degrees)
• 4 1/2 cups (540 g) all-purpose flour 
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt 
• 1/3 cup (5 1/3 Tbsp) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
• 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional), for drizzling over roll 

 Filling:

• 6 Tbsp butter, softened (salted or unsalted butter are ok for the filling)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup (114 g) lightly packed brown sugar

 For the glaze: 

• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• pinch of salt (if using unsalted butter, omit if using salted) 
• 2 cups powdered sugar- sift for smoothest results
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) heavy cream (or can substitute whole milk or half-and-half for a slightly thinner texture)

The Process: How to Make Your Cardamom Cinnamon Roll  

Make the Dough

If using active dry yeast, stir your yeast into your warm water and set aside for 5 minutes to dissolve. 

Add flour and salt to a medium bowl and mix.

Add yeast mixture, warm milk, sugar, cardamom, and eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook. 

If using instant yeast, simply add the yeast, along with the water, milk, sugar, cardamom and eggs to the bowl.

Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes, until somewhat well mixed- it doesn’t have to be totally cohesive.

With the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the dry ingredients. Mix on low until well mixed, then increase the speed to medium and mix for 5-7 minutes. The dough will likely still stick to the sides of the bowl.

Decrease the mixer speed to low again and add butter one pat at a time until it is all incorporated into the dough. If it clings to the side of the bowl, use a spatula to scrape the sides. 

Once all the butter is incorporated, increase the mixer speed to medium again for a couple more minutes. The dough should cling to the dough hook more, but may not entirely clear the sides of the bowl.

Place the dough in a lightly greased large bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place to rise until doubled- one to 1.5 hours (depending on the temperature of your kitchen). 

Shape the Dough

A note: this is a pretty soft, tacky dough. It’s that way by design: when baked it will be super soft and fluffy! If there was more flour in the dough, it would be a bit easier to work with, but stiffer and drier as a result. If you want, stick the whole bowl in the freezer for 30 minutes or so before shaping. It will be a bit easier to shape and work with. It will still relax during the second dough rise but I’ve found that I get better shaping results when I freeze it for a bit first. 

Prepare a lightly floured surface and use a bowl scraper to turn your dough gently onto your work surface. You may wish to lightly flour the top of your dough and your rolling pin as well. This is a pretty tacky dough.

Line your cast iron pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the paper with butter. 

Use your rolling pin to gently roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 12 inches by 16 inches is a good size.

Make the filling

In a small bowl use a fork to mix together the softened butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until a well-blended, soft mixture forms.

Scoop the butter & sugar mixture onto the dough rectangle and use a small spatula to gently spread the mixture over the surface of the dough. Starting on one side, roll the dough up into a fairly tight log. If the dough sticks to the counter, gently use a bowl scraper or bench scraper to pry it up and keep rolling. 

Use a sharp knife to slice the log of dough directly down the middle the long way.

Turn the halves of dough so that you have room to work with them. Place them so that the cut sides, with the filling showing, are both facing up. Pinch the pieces together on one end.

Cross one half over another in an “X” shape. Repeat gently, continuing to keep the cut sides up while crossing the pieces of dough over one another until you get to the other end. Pinch the other ends of the dough together. 

To shape the roll, start with one end in the middle and wrap the rest around it in a circle/spiral. Tuck both ends under the roll gently and hoist the whole thing onto the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise until puffy, about 45-60 minutes. 

Bake the Roll

Toward the end of the second rise, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 

Before baking, optionally drizzle the heavy cream over the top of the roll for a little extra fluff!

Place your pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, then rotate it 180 degrees and bake for 20-25 more minutes, until golden brown.

If you used a 10 inch pan or a springform pan: decrease the oven temperature to 350 degrees and increase your bake time: check it periodically after the first 45 minutes with a toothpick in the center, but I found that in a springform pan the roll took 60 minutes to bake fully. The other issue with the smaller pan is that the crust tends to get a little overly dark on the bottom: try placing your springform pan onto a baking sheet to prevent this.

Toward the end of your bake time, prepare the glaze. Melt butter in a small-medium glass container and whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, cream and salt (if using) until a smooth glaze forms. 

When your cinnamon bun is done baking, remove it from the oven. Let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes, then pour the glaze over the top. 

Cut a big slice and enjoy warm! 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Should I Store My Giant Cardamom Cinnamon Roll?

This is best, by far, eaten fresh out of the pan. You can freeze the un-glazed roll, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for a month or so: thaw it on the counter, then bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or so. 

The glazed bun can be kept on the counter, in a sealed container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for a day or two- reheat in the microwave to serve. 

Alternative toppings:

if desired, you can sprinkle some Swedish pearl sugar on the bun before baking, and omit the glaze, especially if you want to cut back on the sweetness somewhat.

You can also swap out the glaze for a classic vanilla buttercream or cream cheese frosting, if you prefer. 

To prep the night before:

You can put the pan into the refrigerator immediately after shaping, covered in plastic wrap, and leave it overnight. Pull it out in the morning and leave it on the counter for 2- 2.5 hours- it will need the time to get warmer, and then to complete the second rise. Once it’s puffy, bake and glaze as instructed. 

What Should I Make Next?

Try the original Finnish cinnamon roll recipe here!

For other cardamom flavored treats:

• Finnish Butter-Eye Buns
• Finnish Shrovetide Buns
• Cardamom Shortbread
• Finnish Pulla

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Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it went in the comments! If you share on Instagram, please tag me at @sisuhomemaker. And I always love to hear from you- send questions, comments, concerns, etc to carol@sisuhomemaker.com!