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Semlor with cream and powdered sugar in a café display case
hej ♥ Fettisdagen

Typically Swedish

Semla

Cardamom, almond filling and lots of cream – Sweden’s bun before Lent.

Between Christmas and Easter

A bun with a lid

A soft cardamom bun, filled with almond paste and a thick layer of whipped cream. The cut-off top sits on as a lid, dusted with powdered sugar.

Its big day is Fettisdagen, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. But semlor show up in Swedish bakeries soon after Christmas.

Semla on a plate with apple slices
Close-up of semlor: almond filling, cream and a lid dusted with powdered sugar
Semla on a wooden table in a café
♥ ♥ ♥
Swedish baking tradition

Four things about the semla

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Ingredients and method

The recipe

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Dough

  • 75 g butter
  • 300 ml milk
  • 25 g fresh yeast
  • 50 g sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1–2 tsp freshly ground cardamom
  • 1 egg
  • approx. 500 g all-purpose flour (German Type 550)

Filling

  • the insides of the buns
  • 200 g almond paste (German Marzipanrohmasse or Swedish mandelmassa)
  • approx. 100 ml milk

You’ll also need

  • 1 egg for brushing
  • 300 ml whipping cream
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

  1. Start the dough

    Melt the butter, pour in the milk and let it cool to lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast in it, then stir in the sugar, salt, cardamom and egg.

  2. Knead

    Work in the flour little by little and knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until it is smooth and comes away from the side of the bowl.

  3. Let it rise

    Cover and let rest for about 40 minutes, until the dough has visibly risen.

  4. Shape the buns

    Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, roll them into smooth balls and place them spaced apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and let them rise again for about 40 minutes.

  5. Bake

    Brush with beaten egg and bake at 220 °C for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Let them cool completely under a towel.

  6. Fill

    Cut a lid off each bun and scoop out some of the inside. Mix the crumbs with grated almond paste and enough milk to make a soft cream, then spoon it into the buns.

  7. Finish

    Whip the cream until stiff and pipe it generously on top. Put the lids back on and dust with powdered sugar.

The most important tip

Fill them just before serving

The buns can easily be baked a day ahead or frozen. Fill them just before serving – that way the lid stays light and the cream holds its shape.

Frequently asked questions

Baking semlor

When do people eat semlor?

Traditionally on Fettisdagen, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Today bakeries sell them from shortly after Christmas until Easter.

What can I use instead of Swedish almond paste?

Any almond paste with a high almond content, such as German Marzipanrohmasse. Mixed with the crumbs and a little milk, it turns soft and creamy.

Can I make semlor ahead?

Yes. The buns can be baked a day ahead or frozen. Only fill them just before serving.

What is hetvägg?

A semla served in a bowl of hot milk – the way it used to be eaten.

Goes well with

More typically Swedish

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Images: my own photos