Swedish Buns brings back fond memories of my mom making these wonderful soft enriched dinner roll buns. It was a traditional holiday favorite buns that she made every Thanksgiving and Christmas as far back as I can remember, somewhere around late 1950’s. The family would get together around your farmhouse dining room table that could hold 18 relatives. I can still remember the basket of these buns on the table along with all the traditional trimmings.
All about the buns:
Swedish Bun recipe has evolved over years, I have made thousands of Swedish Buns around the holiday’s a whole speed rack of rolls at a time. That’s 4 dozen rolls on sheet tray and rack holds 22 sheet pans or 1056 rolls one batch. We would sell these to raise money for Bakery Program around Thanksgiving. So my mom’s recipe evolved making large quantity had to do some modifications to original recipe. This recipe is modify version on mom’s recipe using ingredients that we have today. We had fresh cream and butter, cage free eggs, lard and basic all-purpose flour. These where staples in farm house kitchen.
These Swedish Buns is enriched dough with lots of milk, heavy cream, fresh eggs, butter, lard, all-purpose flour and salt. Now day’s it’s hard to find fresh cream in glass bottle, so I use heavy cream between 36 to 40% butterfat. Today there are more cage free eggs available but it’s expensive, large AA eggs will be fine. Good whole milk 3% works best, be sure to scald the milk to 165°F and cool down to 80°F.
Use good quality unsalted butter, over the years the lard was replaced with healthy shortening like Crisco. The flour is important part of recipe, all-purpose flour will work, but it needs to be a strong bread flour like King Arthur Unbleached. This flour is close to 13% protein which will make a good Swedish Bun dough. Remember do not forget the salt, use plain salt that doesn’t have iodine.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 24 rolls | 30 minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 18 minutes | 3 hours |
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Swedish Buns is a enriched roll that is perfect for the Holidays. Based on my mom's recipe that dates back to 1950's. Mom made these for so many family gatherings on Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you are looking for a wonderfully sweet tasty dinner roll this is the one for you. I have made thousands of these Swedish Buns over many years, so many always asking for more.
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- 2 pkts instant yeast
- 1/3 cup water warm 100°F
- 10 2/3 ounces milk, whole scalded 165°F
- 1 1/3 ounces unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/3 ounces crisco shortening
- 8 ounces bread flour
- 2 teaspoons plain salt
- 2/3 cup sugar, granulated
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup heavy cream scalded to 165°F
- 3 cups bread flour depending on humidity use more or less flour.
- Start the yeast with first amount of warm water in bowl. This activates yeast for faster rise.
- Scald milk over medium heat until the milk reaches 165°F. A skin will from on top of milk. Remove from the heat and cool to 110°F.
- Pour the cooled down milk, soft butter, shortening, activated yeast and water mixture and first amount of flour to mixer bowl. With paddle attachment attached to the mixer beat on medium speed until soft dough is formed. This should take about 3 minutes to mix. Remove the paddle from dough and scrap clean. Cover soft dough with plastic wrap and let sponge ferment for 45 minutes.
- Scald the heavy cream to 165°F and cool while the sponge dough is fermenting.
- After the sponge dough has fermented, add cooled scalded cream, eggs, sugar, salt and remaining bread flour. With dough hook attachment mix on medium speed the dough. This should take about 10 minutes, the dough will be sticky but should be too sticky to fingers. If very sticky mix a little longer, caution not to add too much flour this makes a heavy dough. Stretch dough to see if it will form thin window pain like structure. If it doesn't form the gluten is not developed enough. Note this is enriched dough so it takes lots of mixing to achieve proper structure.
- Cover dough and let raise for 30 to 40 minutes. Then refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours, this allows dough to develop flavors and dough is easier to handle. The Swedish Bun Dough doubled in size. Notice the finger print holding shape.
- Cut to dough into 2.5 ounce portions and shape into balls. Use your hands cupped slightly rolling on board to shape into rounded balls.
- Place on prepared sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Cover Swedish Buns with sprayed plastic wrap while final raising. and let raise until double in size. This should take up to 60 minutes in warm place.
- Bake in 350°F oven. About half way through baking rotate pans for even baking. Swedish Buns take about 12 to 15 minutes to bake.
- They should be nice golden brown but not too brown. Brush with melted butter to nice shine.
- Serving suggestion, Smoked Root Beer Ham with Cranberry Jam. Perfect for the Holidays and New Year Parties.
