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Home » Swedish recipes

Swedish Semla

Published: Feb 9, 2022 · by Cecilia Hoikka · Affiliate links are marked with an *asterix

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The Swedish Fat Tuesday buns or Lenten buns are known as Semla. This Semla recipe is an absolutely delicious dessert for winter days. Delicious cardamom buns filled with almond filling and whipped cream.

3 filled semla on plate.
Jump to:
  • What are semla buns
  • History
  • How do Swedes celebrate Fat Tuesday?
  • Lent buns in other parts of Scandinavia
  • How do you eat your semla?
  • Ingredients for Semla dough
  • Ingredients for almond filling
  • How to make semla buns
  • Instructions on how to fill your shrovetide buns
  • How to make vegan semla
  • How to make gluten-free semla
  • Swedish Semla-Fat Tuesday buns

Fat Tuesday is also called Fettisdagen. Swedes really love their semlor. They eat nearly 6 million lenten buns every year. 132 tons of marzipan and 211 ton of heavy cream is used every year to produce this amount of semlor. (source)

Semla is also called hetvägg, fastlagsbulle, fettisdagsbulle.

What are semla buns

Semla is a sweet cardamom-flavored bun. The top has been cut off, and there is almond paste in the center. There is a generous amount of whipped heavy cream in the middle. The lid is placed on top of the cream, and some powdered sugar is sprinkled over the bun.

Semla is called Fastlagsbulle by swedish speaking in Finland. Fastlag means shrovetide.

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History

Did you know that Semlor is also called Kingslayer buns? This is because king Adolf Fredrik died after eating too many Lenten buns in February 1771.

The Shrovetide bun tradition is originally from Germany. In Germany round, flavored buns were eaten with warm milk already in the 1600s. These were called "heisse wecke". This delicacy spread to Sweden, and the first Shrovetide buns were called Hetvägg. They were served in a bowl of hot milk as they did in Germany. (source)

Also, the word semla has german origins and reminds the word Semmel, which is a german white round bread. The nowadays semla got its modern look at the beginning of 1900.

How do Swedes celebrate Fat Tuesday?

This was the day before Lent started, so people would indulge themselves. In Finland, people ate pea soup, but in Sweden, it was more local delicacies like pork-filled potato dumplings (kroppkakor), fish, and savory pancakes.

One tradition during Shrovetide was to dress up as fettisdagsgubbe. People would dress up, especially kids, and go to the neighbors to get some food. This tradition still lives on in some parts of Sweden. Kids dress up in masquerade costumes and get candy. (source)

In the southern part of Sweden, they would also decorate their horses with flowers or tree branches. Superstition, games, and plays were a part of the Fat Tuesday celebration in the past. Old traditions were mixed into the Christian faith. (source)

Since Sweden is not that religious nowadays, Shrovetide Tuesday is no longer celebrated in its original meaning. Now it is just an excuse to eat buns in most parts of Sweden.

Semlor used to be eaten before Easter, but nowadays, the bun season starts already in January, right after Christmas.

Lent buns in other parts of Scandinavia

Lent buns are eaten throughout the whole of Scandinavia, but all countries have their own twist on the buns. In Finland, the buns are eaten with strawberry or raspberry jam. Some like it with marzipan, but the marzipan is not made to a paste as in the Swedish buns. (See the Finnish Shrovetide bun recipe)

In Norway and Denmark, the buns are called fastelavnsbolle. In Norway, they are also enjoyed with raspberry jam. In Denmark, the buns are baked with a different type of dough. The buns are made from flaky pastry dough. Vanilla custard and marzipan remonce is baked inside the buns and topped with icing. So the Danish buns are a totally different type of dessert.

How do you eat your semla?

Start with the lid and scoop some cream with it. Eat the bun straight from hand to mouth. If the bun is too big or too creamy, you can use a small fork and knife or spoon.

You can also eat it as the old tradition from a bowl of warm milk. This makes the bun soft, and it is easier to eat with a spoon. Especially good for some dry buns.

Ingredients for Semla dough

ingredients in various bowls.
  • Milk. Whole milk gives the best taste.
  • Fresh yeast, or dry active yeast
  • Sugar
  • Butter
  • Ground cardamom. (from green pods)
  • Salt
  • Bread flour or all-purpose flour

Ingredients for almond filling

marzipan, milk, crushed almonds
  • Marzipan
  • Milk
  • Crushed almonds. These are optional but give a nice crunch
  • Bitter almond aroma. Just some drops

On top

  • Egg
  • Powdered sugar

How to make semla buns

dough slurry in bowl.
Make a slurry
floury dough in making.
Knead to get the viscosity
butter added to dough and hand kneading it.
Add the butter
  1. Microwave your butter for some seconds so it softens up to room temperature.
  2. Mix your yeast with lukewarm milk. If you use dry yeast you need the milk to be 108F, 42C.
  3. Dissolve your yeast into the milk. Add the sugar, cardamom, salt, and 1-2 cups of flour. Make a slurry.
  4. Add in the rest of your flour and start kneading.
  5. Once you have some elasticity in the dough, you can add your butter.
  6. Keep on kneading for additional 7-15 minutes. Knead until the dough is firm enough so it does not break when you stretch a small piece between your fingers.
  7. After kneading, you need to let your dough rest and rise. Cover your bowl with a cloth and let the dough rest in a warm place for 20 minutes.
  8. Bake the dough into 15 round buns by kneading them against the surface of your palm.
  9. Let your buns rise to double the size. It is good to keep your buns covered with plastic wrap or cloth so the surface does not dry up.
  10. Brush the buns with beaten egg.
  11. Bake at 400 (200C) F for about 14 minutes. The buns should be golden brown on top.
  12. Let the buns cool down. In the meantime make your filling and whip the cream.
  13. Filling: Grate the marzipan and make a paste together with milk. You can microwave it for 10-15 seconds. This makes it easier to mix. Add in some drops of almond essence if you want to.
  14. Slice the lid from the buns. Carve out some of the inside of the bun. Add 1-2 tablespoons of almond filling in the middle and add whipped cream. Decorate with powdered sugar.

Instructions on how to fill your shrovetide buns

bun with a thin lid cut.
Cut the lid
bun with a small hole in the middle.
Carve the inside
almond paste in the middle of semla bun.
Add filling
bun piped with whipped cream.
Pipe cream
powdered sugar on buns.
Sprinkle powdered sugar

Whipped cream tips

  • Your cream should be cold when you whip it.
  • Start with a slow speed so it does not make a mess, add your speed gradually.
  • Don't overwhip. Over-mixed is curdled and grainy.
  • Heavy whipping cream holds its shape longer, it has a fat percentage of 36%.

Different ways of cutting the lid

The two main types of cutting patterns are round or triangle. The round cut is easier and faster. The triangle is more elegant.

Just remember that the Swedish semla is not cut in the middle like a hamburger but neatly on the top.

You can also experiment with different shapes, like making a heart from the lid.

a semla with triangular lid.

How to make vegan semla

Vegan Fat Tuesday buns are easy to make. Just change the milk to plant-based milk. Instead of butter use margarine and for cream use a plant-based whipping substitute. Brush your buns with some plant yogurt instead of the egg before the oven.

How to make gluten-free semla

Instead of wheat flour in the dough use a gluten-free flour mix. This does not form viscosity so you also need to add 1 tablespoon of psyllium husk powder to your liquid when making the buns. The gluten-free batter does not need to be kneaded as long as the regular wheat dough.

The flour amount is quite the same, but depending on your flour mix brand the liquid absorption might be different, so start with less flour than in the recipe and add if needed.

Add also just half the amount of butter, since otherwise the buns will be too heavy and lack fluffiness.

When is Semla day?

Semla day is the same as Fat Tuesday or Shrovetide Tuesday. Shrove Tuesday is 47 days before Easter Sunday. Semla day is always in February or March.

How to store semla

Store your filled buns in the fridge airtight in a container or wrapped with some plastic. The unfilled buns can be stored at room temperature airtight for some days.

Can you freeze semla?

You can freeze your semlor. Remember to have them airtight in the freezer so they don't take any taste or odor from the freezer. Thaw them in the fridge so the cream does not melt.

What does semla mean?

Semla means buns in Swedish. In Sweden, Semla always means Shrovetide bun but in Finland, Swedish speaking uses the word semla for round bread buns.

three lenten filled buns with cream.

Swedish Semla-Fat Tuesday buns

Cardamom spiced buns with marzipan and cream filling.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 40 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
1 hr 20 mins
Total Time 2 hrs 15 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine Swedish
Servings 15
Calories 520 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups milk
  • 50 grams fresh yeast or 3 tablespoon dry active yeast
  • ¾ cups sugar
  • 150 grams butter, (⅔ cup)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cardamom from green pods
  • 5½ cups bread flour or all-purpose flour

Filling

  • 200 grams marzipan
  • 3 tablespoon milk
  • 3 tablespoon crushed almonds
  • ¼ teaspoon bitter almond aroma (a few drops)
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream

On top

  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Mix your yeast with lukewarm milk. If you use dry yeast you need the milk to be 108F, 42C.
  • Dissolve your yeast into the milk. Add the sugar, cardamom, salt, and 1-2 cups of flour. Make a slurry.
  • Add in the rest of your flour and start kneading. Once you have some elasticity in the dough, you can add your butter.
  • Microwave your butter for some seconds so it softens up to room temperature.
  • Knead the dough for 7-15 minutes. Knead until the dough is firm enough so it does not break when you stretch a small piece between your fingers.
  • Cover your bowl with a cloth and let the dough rest in a warm place for 20 minutes.
  • Bake the dough to 15 round buns by kneading them against the surface in your palm. (If you want even sized buns, measure out the balls with a kitchen scale to be 100-120 grams a piece)
  • Let your buns rise to double the size. It is good to keep your buns covered with plastic wrap or cloth so the surface does not dry up.
  • Brush the buns with beaten egg.
  • Bake at 400F (200C) F for about 14 minutes. The buns should be golden brown on top.
  • Let the buns cool down. In the meantime make your filling and whip the cream.

Filling

  • Grate the marzipan and make a paste together with milk. You can microwave it for 10-15 seconds. This makes it easier to mix. Add in some drops of almond essence if you want to.
  • Whip your cream. Make sturdy peaks but keep it smooth. Be cautious not to overwhip, this makes grainy cream.
  • Slice the lid from the buns. Carve out some of the insides of the buns. Add 1-2 tablespoons of almond filling in the middle and add whipped cream. The cream is most neatly added with a piping bag and a big star tip.
  • Decorate with powdered sugar.

Video

Notes

Nutrition for one bun: 520 cal, 25 g fat, 62 g carbs, 2,2 grams fiber, 10 g protein. 
To make milk-free buns replace with plant-based milk, margarine, and vegan whipping cream. 
If you don´t like almonds you can fill your buns with jam.

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Comments

  1. Stanislava

    August 21, 2022 at 5:33 pm

    How big is the cup you are measuring with?Thank you!

    Reply
    • Cecilia Hoikka

      August 22, 2022 at 6:32 am

      I have used American Cups as measurement. One cup is 2,4 dl

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Cecilia. I want to share Scandinavian and Nordic recipes for you who want to connect with your Nordic heritage and learn to make delicious, simple Scandinavian food and learn about the food culture.

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