{"id":89157,"date":"2026-09-06T06:05:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-06T06:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/89157\/"},"modified":"2026-09-06T06:05:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-06T06:05:11","slug":"7-of-the-best-cardamom-buns-in-sydney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/89157\/","title":{"rendered":"7 of the Best Cardamom Buns in Sydney"},"content":{"rendered":"

Traditional cardamom buns are, quite simply, things of beauty. Glossy topped and gently spiced, fluffy and chewy and crusted in sugar. And while kardemummabullar have been adored in Sweden since the 20th century<\/a> \u2013 powered by cardamom that made its way to the continent from India at least 500 years ago \u2013 and become staples in bakeries across Scandinavia, they\u2019ve had nowhere near as much Aussie uptake as their cinnamon-laced relative<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But, that\u2019s all changing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s not just one correct way to make the cardamom bun,\u201d Swedish baker Alva Brattgard, of The Vicar\u2019s Daughter, tells Broadsheet. \u201cEvery bakery and baker has their own preferred shape, size, amount of cardamom, recipe of the dough. I can definitely tell more people know about the cardamom bun \u2013 in the beginning [of my bakery], not many knew what cardamom tasted like, or would be brave enough to try it. But now people come in asking especially.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSix years back, when we first did them, a lot of people would ask what cardamom was,\u201d says Flour Shop\u2019s Anu Haran. \u201cThat\u2019s certainly not the case now.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, new Scandi bakeries<\/a> could be behind the popularity, or maybe we\u2019re on the hunt following all the postcards from Copenhagen Fashion Week<\/a>. Whatever it is, C-buns are in town, Sydney. Here are seven of the best, plus one that\u2019s worth a trip south.<\/p>\n

The Vicar\u2019s Daughter, Collaroy<\/p>\n

Swedish baker Alva Brattgard is in her beachside kitchen<\/a> from 4am (or earlier) each morning, kneading bread, laminating pastry and knotting her cardamom buns into a \u201cStockholm twist\u201d. By the time you get one, it\u2019s been cold-fermented overnight, proofed in the early morning light and then baked \u2013 arriving dark, glossy and ultra-fragrant courtesy of the course-crushed cardamom.<\/p>\n

Thursday to Sunday, $8 each<\/p>\n

Flour & Stone, Woolloomooloo<\/p>\n

Nadine Ingram\u2019s version goes big on fluffiness, thanks to the celebrated baker\u2019s use of the Japanese tangzhong<\/a> technique when making her brioche. The soft dough is layered with cardamom butter, twisted into a tight knot and then left to prove. The glazed C-buns are glossy-topped, with a crown of pearl sugar and cardamom powder \u2013 fragrant with the ground spice, vanilla bean and orange zest, gently sweet with maple syrup. Only available at the Flour & Stone counter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Monday to Thursday, $10.50 each<\/p>\n

The Bakery on Glenayr, Bondi<\/p>\n

The least traditional on this list, this cardy-B ventures into monkey bread territory \u2013 with some kouign-amann caramelisation, too. The beachy bakery<\/a>\u2019s riff delivers a definitive crunch on the outside, peel-able layers of pastry heaving with cardamom, and a pillow-soft centre. Baker Michael Klausen mixes the nostalgia for his Danish childhood with his French techniques, and powers his bakes with single-origin Hellfire flour \u2013 giving them a certain je ne sais quoi. Pieces of laminated dough are tossed in cardamom sugar, jumbled into a tin to prove and then hit the oven. They\u2019re baked at 6am, so arrive when they open at 6.30am for a freshie \u2013 and the floral notes of cardamom sweetening the corner block.<\/p>\n

Daily, $8 eachb<\/p>\n

Khanom House, Chippendale<\/p>\n

Yeen Verasenee\u2019s corner joint<\/a> serves some of Sydney\u2019s most special bakes, infused with the flavours of his Thai heritage. Pandan\u2019s gentle sweetness and green hue layered through his honey cakes, Basque cheesecakes laced with milk tea. His cardamom buns play it straight, though: a simple, soft brioche dough, spread with butter spiced with \u201cjust the right amount\u201d of cardamom, then hand-shaped into chubby swirls. The vibe is fragrant, not overpowering. Khanom House\u2019s buns are made in small batches for now, so go early.<\/p>\n

Daily, $8.50 each<\/p>\n

Flour Shop, Turramurra<\/p>\n

Anu Haran first baked these classic Swedish buns to use cardamom and saffron \u2013 Indian spices of her heritage \u2013 in a new way. \u201cI found it intriguing and exciting that these two spices found their way into Swedish baked goods when there’s not much historical connection between Sweden and India,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

The scent of her north-of-the-bridge bakery<\/a>\u2019s buns is \u201cintoxicating\u201d: slightly caramelising sugar, heady cardamom and buttery brioche. \u201cEven after all these years, as we glaze the hot buns, it’s very hard not to eat at least one.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The knack here is the use of whole cardamom, pods and all. The green shells are used in Indian desserts too, adding extra depth. The fresh-ground spice is laced through a brioche dough, fermented overnight and then shaped, proofed and baked. You\u2019ll find straight-up cardamom buns at Flour Shop, along with a sunnier version with added saffron. Hot tip: the first batch hits the counter at 7am.<\/p>\n

Rotating special, check Instagram<\/a> for availability. $9 each<\/p>\n

Fika, Manly<\/p>\n

Fika<\/a> has been serving beachy locals salmon-topped rye, Scandi brekkie plates and more since 2013 \u2013 along with a full line-up of scrolls. The team\u2019s cardamom buns are squishy, heady with cardamom and on the sweeter side. Plus, they\u2019re baked throughout the day \u2013 so you\u2019re likely to get one warm from the oven whenever you drop in, ready to eat on the beach.<\/p>\n

Daily, $9.50 each<\/p>\n

Goodwood, Marrickville<\/p>\n

One of Sydney\u2019s best bakeries<\/a> \u2013 from husband and wife team Jamie Goodin and Alex Alewood \u2013 exclusively uses NSW-grown flour<\/a> for their ever-changing, ever-popular line-up. That includes a glazed scroll, its swirled layers carrying cardamom, whole pecans and orange, aptly named The Cardi P. Not the one for you if you\u2019re looking for something trad, but a bloody excellent choice for everyone else.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Thursday to Sunday<\/p>\n

Worth the trip: Under, Canberra<\/p>\n

The C-buns at Under<\/a> are the work of chef and baker Lachlan Cutting, who perfected his knots after returning home from a stint in Copenhagen. They\u2019ve been on the menu since his 2019 market days, and since 2020 in Cutting\u2019s first proper shop in Canberra\u2019s Mawson. Now there are two shops, with racks stacked with breads of all sorts, pastries and a trio of buns (cinnamon and vanilla both joining the show). Those glorious cardamom buns, though, are the ever-shiny, ever-spicy star of the show \u2013 and well worth a trip south.<\/p>\n

Wednesday to Sunday, $5 each<\/p>\n