Pulla (Finnish Cardamom Bread)

Pulla is a traditional Finnish cardamom bread known as Pullapitko. The braided look of this sweet bread recipe makes a stunning treat for the holidays, whether for breakfast or for afternoon tea. The delightful aroma of cardamom really warms the soul during the winter season.

My mother-in-law, Diane, first discovered pulla when she lived in Finland. She had moved to Scandinavia with her family and later volunteered as a missionary there, where she was welcomed into homes and kitchens that introduced her to local traditions. Among the recipes she brought back, pulla quickly became a favorite.

Pulla (pronounced POOL-la) is Finland’s beloved cardamom bread, often braided into a golden loaf and topped with pearl sugar. Lightly sweet and wonderfully aromatic, it’s the kind of bread that makes any gathering feel festive and fills the kitchen with a comforting scent as it bakes.

With a few small tweaks of my own, this has become one of Diane’s cherished recipes passed down to her children, including my husband.

We recently discovered that at Christmastime, my husband’s extended family still keeps up the tradition of baking braided pulla. They’ve even started sharing photos of their loaves with each other. Since we live far apart, we don’t often gath

If you enjoy traditional Finnish baking, you might also like my recipe for Mustikkapiirakka, a creamy Finnish blueberry pie. It’s a simple dessert that pairs beautifully with coffee — much like pulla.”

The Secret to This Soft and Fluffy Pulla

This recipe has a little different method from most pulla recipes. Instead of stirring melted butter into the dough midway, she creams the butter with sugar and eggs first, almost like beginning a cookie dough. That small step changes everything — the bread bakes up soft and fluffy inside, yet sturdy enough to slice cleanly.

I’ve also adapted her recipe slightly over time. The original recipe also calls for 3 tablespoons of cardamom to go with 8 cups of flour, which I think it is too much for me. But if you love the scent of cardamom and don’t mind the intense taste of it, use it all.

I like adding raisins to pulla because they bring a gentle tangy sweetness that my family has always enjoyed. It’s the way my mother-in-law often made it, so it feels familiar at our table. The bread is just as good without them, of course. Leaving out the raisins gives you a more traditional pulla if that’s what you prefer.

Preparing Cardamom for Pulla

I prefer grinding whole cardamom pods rather than using the pre-ground spice. Jarred cardamom quickly loses its fragrance, but freshly ground seeds release a stronger aroma and a brighter flavor in the bread.

To prepare it, lightly crush the pods with a mortar and pestle, remove the papery skins, and grind the seeds until fine. You’ll need less freshly ground cardamom compared to store-bought, but the flavor payoff is worth the extra step.

Step-by-Step Visual Guide to Making Pulla (Finnish Cardamom Bread)

The full instructions are in the recipe card below, but here’s a quick look at the process with photos so you can see how the dough comes together, rises, and gets braided.

Grinding the cardamom: Freshly ground seeds release a stronger aroma. Crush the pods, remove the papery skins, and grind until fine. Set 2 teaspoons aside for later.

Preparing the dough: In a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, cream the butter, sugar, and eggs until the mixture looks pale and smooth — this step helps create a lighter crumb in the finished bread. Mix in the milk, yeast, salt, and cardamom.

Add 7 cups of flour, a cup at a time, until the dough comes together and feels soft but not sticky. Mix in the raisins (optional) with the final cup of flour.

Switch to a dough hook and knead on low speed just until the dough pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl — this is a good sign that the gluten is developed enough without overworking it.

First rise: Let the dough rise until doubled in size; it should feel airy and spring back lightly when pressed. A full rise is important for both flavor and texture, so don’t rush this step.

Once risen, divide the dough in half, then shape each half into 4 equal strands. This recipe makes two loaves, each braided with 4 strands — a balance I find easier to handle than 5, while looking more impressive than a simple 3-strand braid.

Braiding (4 strands pulla): Shape each portion of dough into ropes about 1½ inches thick and 20 inches long. Arrange four strands side by side and braid them loosely — this gives the loaf room to expand as it bakes. Tuck the ends neatly underneath for a clean finish. If you’re new to the four-strand method, my tutorial video below shows the sequence step by step.

Final proof and finish: Before baking, brush with egg wash and sprinkle pearl sugar. The dough should look slightly puffy but not collapsed when ready for the oven.

Bake: Give the braided loaves a final egg wash and a generous sprinkle of pearl sugar, then bake at 375°F (190°C) until they’re deeply golden and fragrant, about 25 minutes. Let them rest briefly before moving to a wire rack, where they should cool fully to keep the crust from softening.

Serving & Storage Tips

Cool the pulla completely, then store it in a plastic bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.. After that, I often slice and toast it — it makes wonderful French toast.

For longer keeping, slice the loaves and freeze them in a zip bag for up to 3 months. This way, you can thaw only what you need and enjoy fresh-tasting slices anytime.

Personal Note: This recipe makes two large braided loaves. One stays at home, while the other almost always goes out as a holiday gift — often paired with a tin of my Swedish gingerbread cookies. It’s a simple but meaningful way to share the warmth of homemade baking during the season.

Traditional Cardamom Bread Recipe Video (Full Version)

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