Skolebrød (Norwegian School Bread/Sweet Rolls)

Skolebrød (pronounced sku-lah-BREWD) is a custard filled, coconut topped Norwegian cardamom sweet roll whose name roughly translates to “school bread”. Whether you’re looking for something new for your breakfast line-up or to try your hand at Scandinavian baking, these deliciously delicate sweet rolls are sure to delight!

As some of you may know, I worked in a bakery in Norway for a year and a half.

My shift often started before the bakery opened for the day and one of the my favorite parts of the morning shift was stepping out of my car, crunching across the dark, frozen parking lot to pull open the heavy back door to the bakery. On the other side: An instant flood of warmth and the smell of freshly baked cardamom sweet rolls.

I’d shout a greeting up the elevator to the baker on the second floor who’d start lowering icing-oozing, still warm pastries for me to place in the display case.

Always piled high were the Norwegian favorite: Skolebrød.

How to make this Norwegian sweet roll

First, make the custard filling.

In a saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the custard except the egg yolks and cornstarch; You’ll whisk those together in a separate bowl. Cook the mixture until it almost reaches a boil.

Pour a little of the hot liquid into the egg yolk/cornstarch mixture, whisk, and pour everything back in the saucepan. Continue cooking on low until it reaches a thick, pudding-like consistency.

Place the custard in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to use it. This custard can be made up to two days in advance.

Second, make the dough.

Combine the yeast, warm milk and one teaspoon sugar and allow to proof for five minutes, or until frothy.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine all of the ingredients for the dough except the butter. Using a dough hook (or your hands), knead on medium for about 10 minutes.

With the mixer on low, add cubes of butter to the dough. Increase the speed to medium and continue kneading for another 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and allow to rise until double in size.

Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll to form balls. Use a spoon or your finger to create an indent in the center. 

Place the rolls on parchment paper lined baking sheets and allow to rise until almost double in size.

Spoon or pipe a few tablespoons of custard into the indent in the center of each roll and bake at 420F for 10-12 minutes.

Finally, top with icing and shredded coconut.

Stir together the powdered sugar and water to form a glaze. Pipe or drizzle that onto the cooled rolls and roll in shredded coconut.

A note on substitutions:

If you’re not into coconut, it’s just as traditional to make these sweet rolls without it. Simply glaze them with the icing and skip the coconut.

Tips for making the perfect sweet roll

• Working ahead: The custard filling for this recipe can be made up to two days in advance.
• Getting dough to rise: Cold temperatures can affect rise times. If your home is on the cool side, you can help your dough rise by placing it in a warmed oven. I like to turn my oven on for 1-2 minutes before putting the dough in to rise. You never want to turn the oven on while the dough is inside it.
• How to get perfectly browned sweet rolls: The secret to perfectly browned sweet rolls is brushing them with an egg wash before baking.
• Overnight sweet rolls: Don’t have time to make these in one go? Simply make the dough and allow it to rise overnight in the refrigerator. To use, bring the dough to room temperature (about 30-60 minutes), divide into 12 pieces and continue.
• Storage: These sweet rolls can be stored in an air tight container for up to two days.

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it went in the comments below. Better still, snap a photo and tag it on Instagram with #thesimplesweetlife. I love seeing your creations!

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If you liked this, you might also like…

• Kokosboller
• Kransekake
• Norwegian marzipan cake

Update Notes: This post was originally published in September of 2013 but was republished with updated photos, directions and tips in February of 2022.