Swedish Tea Ring (Two Fillings + Dorm-Friendly Version)

The Swedish Tea Ring is a beautiful, braided sweet bread shaped into a circle and filled with warm cinnamon, sugar, and sometimes fruit and nuts. It looks fancy enough for holidays and brunch, but it’s really just a simple enriched dough shaped into a ring. In this post, you’ll learn how to make the classic Swedish Tea Ring two ways, plus a mini dorm-friendly version that works in a toaster oven, microwave, or mini rice cooker.

This recipe uses the same soft, slightly sweet dough as my Swedish Bread and Swedish Tea Braid. Once you know the base dough, you can turn it into loaves, braids, or rings with different fillings.

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What Is a Swedish Tea Ring?

A Swedish Tea Ring is a sweet yeast bread shaped into a circle, filled with cinnamon sugar or fruit and nuts, then sliced part way through and twisted so the filling peeks out. It’s often served at Christmas, Easter, or cozy weekend brunch with coffee or tea. The dough is soft and lightly sweet, with almond and vanilla notes, and the ring can be topped with sliced almonds, sugar, or icing.

In this post, you’ll get:

• One base dough recipe for all versions
• Tea Ring I: classic cinnamon-sugar filling
• Tea Ring II: fruit-and-nut holiday filling
• Dorm-Friendly Mini Tea Ring: small batch for toaster oven, microwave, or mini rice cooker

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Tea Ring I vs Tea Ring II

Both Tea Ring I and Tea Ring II use the same soft, enriched dough. The main difference is in the filling and topping:

• Tea Ring I: classic cinnamon-sugar filling with butter, optional raisins, and a simple almond-sugar topping.
• Tea Ring II: richer fruit-and-nut filling with cinnamon, raisins, chopped nuts, and an optional vanilla icing drizzle.

If you want a simple, cozy ring that tastes like a cinnamon roll in ring form, start with Tea Ring I. If you want something more festive and holiday-style, try Tea Ring II.

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Swedish Tea Ring Dough (Base Recipe)

This is the base dough for both Tea Ring I and Tea Ring II. You can also use it for Swedish Bread and Swedish Tea Braid.

Swedish Tea Ring Dough

Servings: 1 large ring (or 2 small)   |   Prep Time: 20 minutes + rising   |   Cook Time: 20–25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk, warmed
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional but recommended)
• 1 large egg
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet)
• 3–3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

1. Warm the milk: Heat milk until warm to the touch (not hot). Stir in sugar, melted butter, salt, and almond extract.
2. Add egg and yeast: Beat in the egg, then stir in the yeast.
3. Add flour: Mix in 2 1/2 cups flour. Add more flour a little at a time until the dough is soft and only slightly sticky.
4. Knead: Knead on a lightly floured surface for 5–8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
5. First rise: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1–1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.
6. Shape: Use this dough to make Tea Ring I, Tea Ring II, or both.

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Swedish Tea Ring I (Classic Cinnamon)

Tea Ring I is the classic version with a simple cinnamon-sugar filling and optional raisins. It tastes like a giant cinnamon roll shaped into a ring.

Swedish Tea Ring I (Classic Cinnamon)

Servings: 1 large ring   |   Prep Time: 25 minutes (plus dough rising)   |   Bake Time: 20–25 minutes

Filling Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons softened butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1–2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds (optional)

Topping

• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 1–2 tablespoons coarse sugar or regular sugar

Instructions

1. Prepare dough: Make the Swedish Tea Ring Dough and let it rise until doubled.
2. Roll out: Punch down the dough and roll it into a rectangle about 9x16 inches.
3. Add filling: Spread softened butter over the dough. Mix sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle evenly over the butter. Add raisins and sliced almonds if using.
4. Roll up: Starting from the long side, roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam to seal.
5. Form ring: Transfer the log to a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet and form it into a circle, pinching the ends together.
6. Cut and twist: Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, cut slits about 2/3 of the way through the ring every 1–1 1/2 inches. Gently twist each slice slightly outward so the filling shows.
7. Second rise: Cover lightly and let rise 20–30 minutes, until puffy.
8. Egg wash and topping: Brush the ring with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and sugar.
9. Bake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes, or until golden brown.
10. Cool and serve: Let cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm with coffee or tea.

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Swedish Tea Ring II (Fruit and Nut Holiday Ring)

Tea Ring II uses the same dough but adds a richer fruit-and-nut filling and a simple vanilla icing. It’s perfect for holidays and special brunches.

Swedish Tea Ring II (Fruit and Nut)

Servings: 1 large ring   |   Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus dough rising)   |   Bake Time: 20–25 minutes

Filling Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons softened butter
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (or white sugar)
• 1–2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or almonds)
• 2–3 tablespoons chopped dried fruit (optional)

Topping

• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds or chopped nuts
• 1–2 tablespoons coarse sugar (optional)

Simple Vanilla Icing

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons milk or cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Prepare dough: Make the Swedish Tea Ring Dough and let it rise until doubled.
2. Roll out: Punch down the dough and roll into a 9x16 inch rectangle.
3. Add filling: Spread softened butter over the dough. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon evenly. Scatter raisins, chopped nuts, and dried fruit over the top.
4. Roll up: Roll from the long side into a log and pinch the seam to seal.
5. Form ring: Place on a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet and form into a circle, pinching ends together.
6. Cut and twist: Cut slits about 2/3 of the way through the ring every 1–1 1/2 inches and gently twist each slice outward.
7. Second rise: Cover and let rise 20–30 minutes, until puffy.
8. Egg wash and topping: Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with nuts and sugar.
9. Bake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown.
10. Make icing: Stir powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla together until smooth and drizzle able.
11. Finish: Let the ring cool slightly, then drizzle with vanilla icing before serving.

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Dorm-Friendly Mini Swedish Tea Ring

This mini version uses a small batch of dough and fits in a toaster oven, microwave, or mini rice cooker. It’s perfect for college students who want a cozy Scandinavian treat without a full-size oven.

Dorm-Friendly Mini Swedish Tea Ring

Servings: 1 mini ring   |   Prep Time: 15 minutes + rising   |   Cook Time: 1–20 minutes (depending on appliance)

Ingredients (Small Batch Dough)

• 1/2 cup warm milk (microwave 20–30 seconds)
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 1/4–1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Simple Cinnamon Filling

• 1 tablespoon softened butter
• 1–2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4–1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon raisins (optional)

Topping

• 1 egg yolk + 1 teaspoon water (optional egg wash)
• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds (optional)
• 1 teaspoon sugar for topping

Instructions

1. Mix dough: In a bowl, combine warm milk, sugar, melted butter, salt, and almond extract. Stir in yeast.
2. Add flour: Mix in 1 cup flour, then add more until the dough is soft and only slightly sticky.
3. Knead: Knead 2–3 minutes in the bowl or on a clean surface.
4. First rise: Cover with a plate and let rise 30–45 minutes.
5. Roll out: Roll dough into a small rectangle (about 5x10 inches).
6. Add filling: Spread softened butter over the dough. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon, then add raisins if using.
7. Roll and shape: Roll into a log from the long side, pinch seam, and form into a small ring. Pinch ends together.
8. Cut and twist: Cut slits about 2/3 of the way through the ring every 1 inch and twist pieces slightly outward.
9. Second rise: Let rest 15–20 minutes.
10. Toaster oven: Place on foil or a tiny tray. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle almonds and sugar, and bake at 350°F for 12–15 minutes.
11. Mini rice cooker: Place in greased pot. Cook 20 minutes, flip, then cook 5–10 more minutes. It may not brown much.
12. Microwave: Place in a greased microwave-safe dish. Microwave 45 seconds, then 15–20 second bursts until firm. It will be pale but soft.
13. Optional finish: Brush warm ring with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.

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Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

• Room temperature: Store cooled Tea Ring tightly wrapped for 2–3 days.
• Freezing: Wrap slices or the whole ring in plastic wrap and then foil. Freeze up to 2 months.
• Reheating: Warm slices in the microwave for 10–15 seconds or in a low oven until soft.

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More Scandinavian-Style Breads to Try

• Swedish Bread: Simple sweet loaf using the same dough.
• Swedish Tea Braid: Braided version of this dough with almonds and sugar.
• Dorm-Friendly Mini Swedish Tea Braid: Small-batch braid for toaster oven, microwave, or mini rice cooker.

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