Snúðar (Icelandic Iced Cinnamon Buns)

An Icelandic snúður is its own species — cardamom in the dough, crisp edges, and a thick set chocolate icing unlike gooey pull-apart rolls.

Ingredients

• 600g flour, 50g caster sugar, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp cardamom, 7g yeast, 350ml warm milk, 60g melted butter
• 75g soft butter, 100g brown sugar, 2 tbsp cinnamon (filling)
• 250g icing sugar, 3 tbsp cocoa, 3–4 tbsp water (glaze)

Preparation

• Foam yeast in warm milk with a pinch of sugar. Knead with flour, sugar, salt, cardamom, and butter 8–10 minutes.
• Rise 1 hour until doubled. Roll into a 40×30 cm rectangle, spread butter, sugar, and cinnamon.
• Roll tightly, cut 12 slices, space on a tray, rise 30 minutes.
• Bake at 200°C for 12–15 minutes until golden. Cool completely.
• Whisk icing sugar, cocoa, and water to a thick glaze. Smear generously over each bun and let set hard.

Chef's tips

• Glaze only cooled buns or it melts and slides off.
• Cardamom in the dough is the Icelandic signature — do not omit.