While in Stockholm last week, I went on a mission to find the best cinnamon rolls, better known as Kanelbullar, in the entire city. After asking several Swede friends of mine, including a local restaurant critic, I was told two places–Cafe Saturnus and wait for it...7-Eleven. Yes, that's right. I just said 7-Eleven.
So, off I went. Luckily it wasn't too difficult of a mission, as there is a 7-Eleven just around the corner from Cafe Saturnus (and just about every other destination in Stockholm).
At Cafe Saturnus, the bakers have been making kanelbullar since 1960 and by now, they've perfected their recipe. The roll was HUGE, the dough was not sweet at all, had lots of coursely ground cardamom throughout, was moist in the center, yet crispy and chewy on the outside. It had just the right amount of cinnamon filling, with a nice thin glaze, topped with tons of course sugar. If I had to make one suggestion, a tad bit more salt in the dough would have made it the best cinnamon roll in the world.
The 7-Eleven kanelbullar (surprisingly!) wasn't bad at all. It was quite moist, but lacked the changes in texture that a homemade cinnamon roll has. It had a nice amount cardamom in it's dough, but I didn't love the variety of cinnamon they used–too strong. There was no glaze, but it did have a good scattering of course sugar on top. For just 16 SEK, and the convenience of being available 24 hours a day, I can't complain too much.
The verdict: Cafe Saturnus won. (Thankfully, right?!) And if you are in Stockholm anytime in the next 50 years, I suggest you make a trek to have a kanelbullar as big as your head. You'll be a bit overwhelmed by their size, but then, you'll look down at the sparrows at your feet and realize you have no crumbs to share–because you just ate an entire bun yourself!
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