Kanelstang (Cinnamon Danish)

The cinnamon roll recipes and variations we have shared so far on this blog are many. That’s no secret. But until we run out, we won’t stop sharing our favorites and hoping that you try out the recipes! Today’s recipe is for kanelstang, which translates to “cinnamon stick,” but we call it a cinnamon Danish. In the US, a Danish is either a round pastry (like spandauer) or a longer, braided pastry. This one seems to be closer to the latter, so it seems accurate to call it a Danish!

Anyway, we love this recipe! It’s a fantastic alternative to regular cinnamon rolls and has the whole “pull-apart” factor which is incredibly appealing. You’ll want to make sure it’s baked all the way through though, as a center that is too gooey won’t be very nice. You should end up with a crispy exterior and delicious, fluffy interior. Throughout the entire pastry you should see the lovely swirls of cinnamon sugar butter, which are what make a kanelstang so flavorful! Cut into slices and share this with a group of friends or just enjoy with an afternoon cup of coffee.

If you’ve made yeasted dough before, this recipe will be very familiar! Mix together your ingredients (as explained in the recipe) and knead for 10-12 minutes. Let this rise once for an hour to an hour and a half. Then, roll out your dough into a large rectangle and spread on the filling. Roll up the dough into a log and cut it in half to create two logs. Then comes the trickiest part! Using a pair of scissors, cut pieces out of the log at an angle and not all the way through the log. Pull each piece out to the side, alternating as you go. Then, let the logs rise again, egg wash, bake, and voila! We hope you try it!

Kanelstang (Cinnamon Danish)

4.50 from 10 votes

This delicious kanelstang may be plenty of fun to make, but it’s almost more fun to eat! Gooey on the inside and crisp on the outside, it’s the perfect companion to a cup of coffee.

Servings 16 servings

Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

IMPORTANT NOTE:

We always bake using a digital scale and the metric system (grams and milliliters). We can’t promise that our cup measurements will be as accurate! Additionally, we bake and develop our recipes in a convection (fan) oven.

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

DOUGH

• 150 ml (2/3 cup) milk
• 2 tsp instant yeast (2.25 tsp active dry yeast, 17.5g fresh yeast)
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 50 grams (1/4 cup) sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or vaniljesukker, if you happen to have it!)
• 1/2 tsp cardamom (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 375 grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour
• 57 grams (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg for egg wash

REMONCE (FILLING)

• 85 grams (6 tbsp) unsalted or salted butter, softened
• 112 grams (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• Pinch of salt (if using salted butter, don’t add this)

Instructions

 

• Heat up the milk, either in the microwave or in a saucepan, until it is “fingervarm” (finger warm), meaning it should feel warm to the touch but not hot. You don’t want to kill the yeast! Add the yeast and stir to dissolve. Let it rest 5-10 minutes until it begins to froth and bubble a little bit. (If your yeast doesn’t do anything, it may be expired. Check the expiration date on the package and start over with new yeast!)
• Combine the egg, egg yolk, sugar, vanilla extract, cardamom, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well.
• Add the milk and yeast mixture to the egg mixture and whisk to combine.
  
• Slowly add the flour and softened butter, stirring with a wooden spoon. Once the dough starts to come together, you can start kneading.
  
• Knead until smooth and elastic, probably around 5-10 minutes. Add a bit of flour if the dough sticks to your hands or the surface. If you prefer not to get your hands messy, feel free to use a stand mixer for this step. The texture of your dough before its first rise should be soft and smooth, not sticky and not too dry.
  
• Cover and let your dough rise for about 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
• For the filling, combine softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt and stir together until you get a smooth paste.
• Once your dough has doubled in size, roll it out into a rectangle that is about a quarter of an inch (0.5cm) thick.
  
• Spread your filling evenly on top.
  
• Roll it up into a log along the longer edge of the rectangle.
  
• Cut the log in half.
  
• Place the two logs (seam-side down!) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Begin to create the braid pattern by cutting the log with a pair of scissors at a bit of an angle, about an inch from the previous cut. Do not cut all the way through! Pull the piece to the side, alternating each time.
  
• At the end you should have a log that looks like this!
  
• Cover and leave the swirled loafs to rise for another 45 minutes, or until the dough has almost doubled in size and passed the poke test (when poked, the dough springs back slightly, but leaves an indentation). In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Once your dough is ready, brush with an egg wash. Bake for about 20 minutes – make sure to check the center for doneness and add more time if needed!
  

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Danish

Keyword: autumn, buttery, cinnamon, danish pastry, loaf, warm spices, winter

Difficulty: Intermediate