Cardamom Bread: Your New Favorite Bread Machine Recipe (2024)

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Sneak Preview: This crazy-good Cardamom Bread (aka Swedish Cardamom Bread or Pulla Bread) is a rich and sweet yeast bread mixed in a bread machine and then shaped into a braid by hand. After a final rise, bake it in your oven for a delicate and delicious crust. It’s a winner!

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Secret ingredients have a magical attraction for me. I want to be part of the inner circle that knows what it takes to make a recipe memorable and irresistibly tasty.

This recipe for Bread Machine Cardamom Bread (also known as Pulla Bread) is a sweet and rich yeast bread with a magic ingredient: cardamom!

You may not have that spice in your kitchen now, but after you try this bread, you’ll never be without it again.

Happy Bakers Speak Up

“What a perfect bread! It is delicious in every way. The cardamom adds such a unique, warm flavor. It may look complicated, but it isn’t, so I urge you to give it a try and be amazed!” NANCY N.

What Does Cardamom Bread Taste Like?

It is a soft bread (all-purpose flour is your first clue) with a sweetness that goes great with a cup of tea or coffee. The crust is glazed with milk to add color and serves to glue down the sugar sprinkled over the top.

Serve this instead of cinnamon rolls for a special occasion, holiday, or company. It may be unexpected, but your family and friends will love the subtle cardamom seasoning even if they can’t identify it. Of course, the braid makes a spectacular presentation.

Slice thickly and serve with lemon or orange curd, your favorite jelly, or room-temperature butter.

What Is Cardamom Powder?

It is an aromatic spice originating from a green cardamom pod. The powder has a sweet, intense flavor and aroma that’s difficult to describe. It looks like a pale-colored cinnamon powder, but its taste is different and exotic.

There are other types of cardamom, but the powder is what you most commonly see in the spice aisle at your local supermarket.

Where do I buy cardamom?

If you’re like me, you don’t want to pay $4-5+ for a spice to use in only one recipe–especially an experiment. I suggest buying a small amount where spices are sold in bulk.

This is an excellent idea if you live in a metroplex area with stores like Central Market, Whole Foods, or Winco.

If you live in a less populated area, you may not have that luxury. In which case, trust me, cardamom is worth the money. (Check Amazon if you can’t find it at the grocery store.)

You’ll find other uses for cardamom if you are a baker. Check out my Banana Whole Wheat Bread recipe that alsocalls for cardamom. It isone of my all-timefavorites.

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What can I substitute for cardamom?

You might be tempted to substitute cinnamon. Of course, you could,and it will probably be delicious.

But I promise, if you try the cardamom, people will rave. They will ask you about that mysterious flavor. Then, more than likely, they will come back for another slice. It is THAT good!

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Ingredients and Substitutions

  • FLOUR: I always keep unbleached flour in the house, which I use. Bleached all-purpose flour will work, too.
    • Speaking of flour, I recommend you weigh it, if possible. It is so much better than any dipping method. Investing in digital scales and using them will improve your baking if you make a lot of bread. Promise!
  • YEAST: Anytime you use a bread machine, instant yeast or bread machine yeast makes it easy. But if you only have active dry yeast in the house, you can use it instead. No need to dissolve it these days. Use it in the same amount and in the same way as instant yeast. It is often slower to activate, but it will happen.
  • MILK: I prefer whole milk. Substitute low-fat or fat-free milk, but your bread won’t be as rich. By the way, there is no need to heat the milk. The friction of the blades will heat your ingredients in a hurry.
  • CARDAMOM: It’s the distinctive ingredient in this recipe. You could leave it out or substitute cinnamon, but I don’t recommend it.
  • SUGAR TOPPING: I use regular granulated sugar. Many people use sanding sugar (larger particles) on top. Suit yourself.

How To Shape the Dough into a Braid

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Remove the bread to a wire rack to cool before slicing.

FAQs About Cardamom Bread

If I don’t want to braid this loaf, what else can I do?

If braiding intimidates you or you don’t want to mess with it, place the three balls side-by-side into a 9 x 5-inch bread pan. Let it rise, glaze it with milk, sprinkle it with sugar, and bake as directed.

Can I bake this bread in a bread machine?

If you prefer to bake this bread in the bread machine, set the machine for a regular bread cycle that mixes, kneads, and bakes. You won’t get the beautiful braided shape, the lovely texture, or a thin and tender crust. But hopefully, it will taste just as good.

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Parting thoughts: This is one of my favorite bread recipes on this website. You will love it. If you have leftovers, I recommend slicing this loaf (after a day or two old) and making sweet melba toasts with cinnamon and sugar. They are irresistible and make a great gift.

Recipe Help at Your Fingertips: For questions or suggestions, email Paula at saladinajar.com. If you need help, I’m happy to troubleshoot via email (faster than leaving a comment). Attach pictures and as many details as possible for the best advice.

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Yield: 12 slices

Cardamom Bread Recipe (aka Swedish Cardamom Bread) for a Bread Machine

Cardamom Breadis a sweet yeast bread recipe designed for mixing and kneading in a bread machine. Cardamom is the ingredient that makes this recipe stand apart from the others.

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Video

Prep time: 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes minutes

Total time: 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup (170 g) milk cool
  • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon table or sea salt
  • ¾ teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 large (50 g) egg
  • ¼ cup (57 g) butter chopped
  • 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose unbleached flour
  • 2 teaspoons bread machine or instant yeast

Glaze

  • 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

  • Add 3/4 cup (170 g) milk, 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon (½ teaspoon) table or sea salt, 3/4 teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) cardamom, 1 large (50 g) egg, 1/4 cup (57 g) butter, 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose unbleached flour, and 2 teaspoons bread machine or instant yeast to the bread machine pan in the order given. Select the DOUGH cycle.

  • Open the lid after a minute and check to ensure the paddles are engaged and working correctly. The dough should start to clump.

    If the dough looks like pancake batter or is dry and crumbly, you may have inadvertently mismeasured an ingredient, or perhaps there is a mistake in the recipe. Add flour, one tablespoon at a time if the dough is too wet. Add liquid if the dough is too dry (wait a couple of minutes between each addition).

  • Recheck your dough again after 15-18 minutes. The dough should stick to the sides, then pull away cleanly. See the video to watch this in action. Note how shiny and elastic the dough is.

    If you aren’t sure if your dough looks right, read more about this surprising secret that will help you make fabulous bread every time.

  • When the DOUGH cycle is completed, the dough should be smooth, elastic, and risen to double the original size. Remove the dough from the pan to a lightly floured surface.

  • Divide into 3 balls and let the dough relax for about 10 minutes.

  • Roll each ball into a long rope approximately 14 inches long. Braid these shapes, pinching ends under, securely. Place the braid on a prepared cookie sheet

  • If this method doesn’t work for you, divide the dough into two or three balls. Use your fingers to pull the dough to the bottom and pinch to seal. Place the balls smooth side up next to each other into a 9 x 5-inch bread pan.

  • Set aside to rise again until the braid is not quite double the original size.

  • Brush the 2 tablespoons milk over the braid and carefully sprinkle with a light coating of sugar.

  • Bake in a preheated oven at 375˚F (190˚C) for 20 to 25 minutes. Cover with foil for the last 10 minutes, if necessary, to prevent over-browning. Move from the cookie sheet to a cooling rack.

Notes

Directions for making bread with a stand mixer or by hand:

  • To make this recipe in a heavy-duty stand mixer: Add ingredients to the bowl in the same order. Turn on LOW to mix until all ingredients are moistened. Then, using a dough hook, turn the speed to 2 or 3. Continue beating/kneading until dough becomes smooth and elastic (about 5-10 minutes). Cover and allow to rise in a warm place. Deflate dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
  • If making by hand: Combine all ingredients into a shaggy ball in a large bowl. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead with your hands until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Kneading will likely take 10-20 minutes, depending on your experience. Place the dough ball into a greased bowl. Cover and allow to rise until double. Deflate the dough gently and shape as indicated in the recipe.
  • Please note: If you only have active dry yeast, use 1/4 teaspoon more than called for in the recipe. It no longer needs to be dissolved first, but you can if you prefer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 186kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 144mg | Potassium: 83mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 163IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 2mg

All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com

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Cardamom Bread: Your New Favorite Bread Machine Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Which flour is best for a bread machine? ›

Be sure to use a flour made from hard wheat, which means it's high in protein, and therefore high in gluten. The gluten combines with water to form the elastic strands that trap carbon dioxide given off by yeast, allowing bread to rise.

Why is my bread so dense in my bread machine? ›

Too much heat or humidity might lead to a too-quick rise and a crevice near the center of your bread. Conditions that are too cold might delay proofing or rising, resulting in a super-dense loaf. The bread machine works on a timer and hums along at its regular pace.

What is the best order to put ingredients in a bread machine? ›

You add the ingredients, and the bread machine makes and bakes the bread in one handy appliance. Liquid ingredients are added first, then oils or fats, dry ingredients, and finally yeast (if your recipe calls for it). The machine will mix, knead, rise, and bake the dough to a beautifully soft bread with a crisp crust.

What ingredient makes bread soft and fluffy? ›

Milk powder.

Instant milk powder makes bread dough super soft and fluffy and also helps to give it a good rise. It also contributes to the dough staying nice and soft after baking for a little longer than a recipe that does not use milk powder.

What is one drawback of using a bread machine? ›

One disadvantage of using a bread maker as opposed to your hands is that the paddles are typically fixed, meaning they remain in the dough when baking, often leaving a hole in the middle of the loaf.

What flour do professional bakers use for bread? ›

While bread flour is more than adequate for everyday breads, some professional bakers use high-gluten flour with a 14% protein content to provide extra strength to dense, chewy doughs like bagels and pizza dough. High-gluten bread flour gives milk bread it's taut structure and compact (but tender) crumb.

Why are breadmakers no longer popular? ›

Some attribute the demise of the bread machine to the fact that cooks were just disappointed by their results. Lara Pizzorno, the author of Bread Machine Baking, chalked it up to food snobs who regarded the machine as “the electric equivalent of The Bridges of Madison County” in a 1996 article in The New York Times.

How can I make my bread fluffier instead of dense? ›

Potato Flakes or Potato Water

Starch helps the dough by trapping the gas from the yeast in the dough and makes the bubbles stronger. This helps the bread to rise and be lighter and fluffier. If you are boiling potatoes, you can use the unsalted water in place of the water in your bread recipe to help out the yeast.

What is the best yeast for a bread machine? ›

The Very Best: Instant Yeast

Instant yeast is the only yeast I ever use in my baking. Always have and always will. The yeast of choice in most restaurant kitchens and commercial bakeries, it's easy and convenient.

Is it cheaper to buy bread or make it in a bread machine? ›

Making bread from a machine is marginally cheaper than buying it, as long as you eat bread frequently enough to offset the cost of the appliance. Specifically, I see this as an investment that's smart for households that go through bread quickly, like large families or homes with multiple roommates.

Do you put liquid or solid first in a bread machine? ›

It depends. Some instructions tell you to put wet ingredients in first, followed by dry ingredients. Others suggest you put the flour in, followed by salt and sugar, then wet ingredients, and finally the yeast. Almost all recipes will suggest you add the yeast last, otherwise, the dough won't rise quite as well.

Why does bread maker rest before mixing? ›

A: Why does it rest before kneading? The rest period lets the bread pan and its contents warm up to the right temperature. This is an important step if you keep flour and yeast in the fridge or freezer. After resting, the bread machine will continue mixing and kneading the ingredients.

How do bakeries get their bread so soft? ›

Commercial bread is softer due to the steam process used by bakeries, which is made to keep bread hydrated and fresh. Use cold water in a pan and put it on a rack beneath your bread to create steam.

What does adding eggs to bread dough do? ›

besides the nutritional benefits there are a few other good reasons to use egg in breadmaking. It makes the bread lighter and fluffier. The reason for that is the fat in the yolk that inhibits gluten formation just as any other fat would. This results in a looser dough that can expand and puff up more.

Does letting bread rise longer make it fluffier? ›

Does Rising Bread Affect Its Texture? For a fluffy bread texture, the key is to let the bread rise long enough.

Is there a difference in bread flour and bread machine flour? ›

"Bread machine bread flour" is the same thing as bread flour; both contain more gluten than all-purpose flour. If you don't have bread flour, you can make a substitution: 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1 teaspoon wheat gluten (available at health food stores & some supermarkets) to make 1 cup of bread flour.

Can I use regular all-purpose flour in my bread machine? ›

Yes, you can easily use all purpose flour in a bread machine. All purpose flour is used in many bread machine recipes, especially sweet “quick breads” such as banana bread, pumpkin bread, gingerbread, zucchini bread, etc. You can also use all purpose flour to replace bread flour in many sandwich-type breads (esp.

What flour makes bread rise the best? ›

This is because the higher protein content of bread flour will help you create the high rise and rustic crust of an artisan style loaf. If, however, you're looking to bake a super soft brioche, you'll need to use a bread flour in the lower protein range.

Which 3 flours are most often used for making bread? ›

There are 4 types of wheat flour that are most used in bread recipes. : all-purpose flour, bread flour, whole wheat flour and white whole wheat flour.

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