Hveteboller (Norwegian Cardamom Buns)

A recipe for Hveteboller (Norwegian Cardamom Buns) for #BakingBlogger’s Yeast Breads event! These soft, cardamom-scented rolls are perfect for pairing with butter and geitost.

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#BakingBloggers

Created by Sue of Palatable Pastime, #BakingBloggers get together monthly to vote on a different baking project. For November, we are featuring Yeast Breads and I am joining in with a recipe for Hveteboller (Norwegian Cardamom Buns)!

Check out more of my #BakingBloggers recipes here: Voisilmäpulla (Finnish Butter Eye Buns), Karpatka (Polish Carpathian Cream Cake), and Broyé du Poitou (Shortbread from Poitiers).

Hveteboller (Norwegian Cardamom Buns)

Hveteboller (literally translates to wheat buns) are light and soft Norwegian rolls wonderfully scented with cardamom and baked until golden. They are a personal favorite paired alongside coffee and served with butter and a thin slice or two of Geitost (Gjetost- Norwegian brown goat’s cheese). The kids also enjoy them with jam. The buns take some time to rise, but are overall fairly easy to make.

After activating the yeast in lukewarm milk, the mixture is combined with flour, sugar, cardamom, salt, egg, and melted butter to form a smooth, loose dough. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until soft with just enough flour to keep the surface from sticking to your fingers. Take care not to add too much extra flour as this will cause the rolls to toughen. If the mixture is just too dry and crumbly, add a splash or two more of milk.

The prepared dough is covered and allowed to rise until doubled. This will take about an hour, but may be closer to 2 in cooler kitchens. After rising, the dough is separated into individual buns, arranged on a baking sheet, and allowed to rise again- this time for 30 minutes or until they puff up a bit. At this point, they are brushed over the tops with an egg wash and baked in a 375˚F (190˚C) oven until golden.

The Hveteboller are best the day they are made, especially warm from the oven. Leftovers will keep for a day or two in an airtight container at room temperature.

I paired the Hveteboller with salted butter and thin slices of Geitost. Geitost is a type of Norwegian Brunost (brown cheese) made from the leftover whey of goat’s milk. The mixture is boiled down until caramelized with a sweet-tangy taste and fudge-like texture. I used this Boska Copenhagen Cheese Slicer (Ostehøvel) from Amazon to cut the thin slices of cheese for easy serving. For those in the Los Angeles area, I was able to find Geitost at Cultured Slice in Hermosa Beach.

Want rolls with a little more texture? Mix in some raisins to make Rosinboller (Norwegian Raisin Buns) or chocolate to make Sjokoladeboller (Chocolate Buns)! 

Check out what everyone else made for #BakingBlogger’s Yeast Bread!

• Bagels from Sneha’s Recipe
• Connie’s Swedish Rye from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Crunchy Herbed Whole Wheat Breadsticks from Cook with Renu
• Crusty No-Knead Oatmeal Bread from Making Miracles
• Hearty Slow Fermented Rustic Bread from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Hveteboller (Norwegian Cardamom Buns) from Tara’s Multicultural Table
• Overnight Yeasted Cheese Scones from Food Lust People Love
• Pizza Focaccia from Palatable Pastime
• Sourdough Rolls from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Hveteboller (Norwegian Cardamom Buns) Recipe

Adapted from The Great Scandinavian Baking Book

Print Pin

5 from 6 votes

Hveteboller (Norwegian Cardamom Buns)

A recipe for Hveteboller (Norwegian Cardamom Buns) for #BakingBlogger's Yeast Breads event! These soft, cardamom-scented rolls are perfect for pairing with butter and geitost.

Course Bread

Cuisine Norwegian

Keyword bread, cardamom, Norway, Norwegian, roll

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Resting Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

Servings 12 Rolls

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
• 1 cup (240 ml) lukewarm milk 105-115˚F (40-46˚C)
• 3 1/2 cups (460 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (75 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 4 tablespoons (55 grams) unsalted butter melted

Topping:

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

• In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the lukewarm milk. Stir to combine, then allow to sit until frothy, 5-10 minutes.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough attachment or a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt.
• Mix in the yeast with milk, egg, and melted butter to form a light, loose dough.
• Knead on a lightly floured surface until soft and smooth. If too sticky, add a little more flour. (be careful not to add too much flour, just enough to handle). If too dense and crumbly, add a little more milk. Transfer the dough into a greased bowl, turning to coat, cover, and allow to rest until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C). Line two baking sheets with parchment or lightly grease.
• On a lightly oiled surface, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Arrange on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches (5 cm) apart, cover, and allow to rest until puffed, about 30 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Brush over the tops of each roll. Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 15 minutes.
• These rolls are best served the day they are made.