Directions

1. 1

   Warm the milk to about 110°F (43°C). In a large bowl, whisk together the warm milk, 0.5 cup of the sugar, and the instant yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.

2. 2

   Add 1 stick of the softened butter and the ground cardamom to the yeast mixture. Stir until well combined.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the yeast mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.

4. 4

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as needed to prevent sticking.

5. 5

   Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.

6. 6

   Once risen, punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Roll it into a 16 x 12-inch rectangle.

7. 7

   In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 1 stick of softened butter, the remaining 0.5 cup sugar, and the ground cinnamon until well combined.

8. 8

   Spread the cinnamon-butter mixture evenly over the dough rectangle. If desired, sprinkle raisins over the filling.

9. 9

   Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Cut the log into 30 equal pieces, each about 1 inch wide.

10. 10

    Place the rolls on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 45-60 minutes, until puffy and nearly doubled.

11. 11

    Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). If desired, brush the tops of the rolls with water and sprinkle pearl sugar or granulated sugar over each bun.

12. 12

    Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the rolls are golden brown and set. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before serving.