Norwegian Cinnamon Buns (Skillingsboller)
The original cinnamon bun of Scandinavia. This rustic, free-form style of cinnamon bun from the city of Bergen is one of the best cinnamon buns you will ever eat.
Scandinavia is well-known for their interpretation of the cinnamon bun, an idea originally brought to the region by German bakers. Cinnamon however, coming from the tropics, had no business being in the Nordic countries. The first supply of cinnamon to Nordics came via the city of Bergen. Bergen was the first city in the region to the join the Hanseatic League, a historic union of key trading cities such as Hamburg, London and Bruges. Bergen had its own valuable delicacies in the form of dried cod, and in return they would sometimes receive spices like cinnamon and cardamom from the tropics, now thoroughly popular in Nordic baking. This cinnamon bun, known as the ‘skillingsbolle’ (they used to cost one shilling), is originally from Bergen, and boasts a simple filling of cinnamon and dark sugar. The buns are baked free-form, not huddled together, giving each one a golden crust and a fluffy interior. Unlike most modern cinnamon buns, skillingboller are not tightly wound into attractive spirals. In fact, the simpler the spiral the better, as the bread is able to bloom fully into a fluffy, moist bun. I’ve taught this recipe for many years in my Nordic baking classes and dare I suggest it might be the best cinnamon bun you will eat. Ever. Let’s go!
