Kleinur (singular kleina) are Iceland's twisted doughnuts: a lightly sweet, cardamom-scented dough cut into a diamond, slit down the middle and pulled into a knot before frying. They come out crisp on the outside and soft and cakey inside, and they are the classic partner to a cup of coffee.
In Iceland they are an everyday treat rather than a special-occasion bake, and similar twisted doughnuts are found across Scandinavia; in Sweden they are called klenäter. This recipe uses buttermilk or kefir for a tender crumb.
Makes 30–40 · Prep 20 minutes plus 30 minutes chilling · Frying about 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 500 g (about 4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for rolling
- 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, freshly ground if possible
- 50 g cold butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 large egg
- 250 ml buttermilk or kefir (thick plain yogurt loosened with a little milk also works)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Neutral oil for deep frying (rapeseed/canola or sunflower), about 1.5–2 litres
Preparation
- Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom together in a large bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Beat the egg with the buttermilk and vanilla. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Do not knead it hard, because overworking makes the kleinur tough.
- Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes, which makes it easier to roll and cut.
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 5 mm (¼ inch) thick. Cut into diamonds roughly 10 cm long and 5 cm wide.
- Cut a lengthwise slit of about 3 cm in the middle of each diamond. Push one pointed end up through the slit and pull it out the other side to make the classic knot.
- Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 175–180°C (350°F). Fry 3–4 kleinur at a time for about 1–1½ minutes per side, turning once, until deep golden brown.
- Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Let them cool for a few minutes before eating.
Chef's tips
- Use a thermometer and keep the oil at 175–180°C. If it is cooler, the kleinur soak up oil and turn greasy; if it is hotter, they brown before the inside is cooked.
- Fry a test piece first. If it is dark outside and doughy in the middle, lower the heat slightly.
- Roll the dough evenly so all pieces cook at the same speed, and re-roll the scraps only once.
- Fry in small batches so the oil temperature stays steady.
- Grind cardamom fresh from the pods for the most aromatic result, as ground cardamom loses flavour quickly.
Variations and substitutions
- No buttermilk: stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice into 250 ml of milk and leave it for 5 minutes.
- Flavour: try a little finely grated orange zest alongside the cardamom for a fresher note.
- Finish: kleinur are good plain; a light dusting of icing sugar is optional.
Storage
Kleinur are best on the day they are made. Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Cooled kleinur can also be frozen in a single layer, then bagged; warm them from frozen in a 160°C (325°F) oven until heated through.
Kleinur FAQ
What do kleinur taste like?
Lightly sweet with warm cardamom, and a texture between a cake doughnut and a cruller: crisp outside, soft inside.
Why are my kleinur greasy or hard?
Greasy kleinur usually mean the oil was too cool. Hard ones usually mean the dough was overworked or rolled with too much extra flour. Keep the oil at 175–180°C, handle the dough lightly and brush off excess flour before frying.
Can I bake kleinur instead of frying?
The shape and texture depend on frying, so baking gives a different, more bread-like result. For a baked Icelandic sweet treat, try snúðar (cinnamon buns) instead, or make pönnukökur (Icelandic pancakes).
What else goes with coffee?
Browse our pastries and sweets, or try laufabrauð (leaf bread) for Christmas.
Sources
- Iceland Food Centre: Kleinur (cultural notes and quantities used to cross-check this recipe)
About Sigrún Ólafsdóttir
Sigrún grew up baking rúgbrauð with her grandmother in Akureyri and has spent the last decade collecting recipes from kitchens all over Iceland. She writes Icelandic MAT's recipes, one dish at a time.