London’s best semla

Cinnamon bun semla - Scandinavian Kitchen London
It's the season...

A Swedish tradition for Shrove Tuesday, semlor typically consist of a cardamom bun, almond paste filling – not marzipan – lots of whipped cream and powdered sugar on top. While you can find the true classics at bakeries such as Fabrique and Bageriet, other London bakeries bring out exciting variations of the big, billowy buns. From fig reduction to orange liqueur and sweet, golden-brown cinnamon buns, it’s the season for London’s best semlor.

Semla - Fabrique Bakery London

Semla bun: Fabrique Bakery

Fragrant cardamom-flecked dough layered with almond paste, a cloud of whipped cream and powdered sugar on top. A super fluffy bun with a pronounced, fruity kick, Fabrique’s semla sells out fast for good reason.

Multiple locations

Semla - Bageriet London

Semla bun: Bageriet

Cardamom bun filled with copious amounts of almond paste, whipped cream and powdered sugar on top. Not only is this semla enormous, but chef/owner Daniel Karlsson roasts half of the almonds first, which achieves the most decadent, sweet-nutty flavour in the filling. 

24 Rose St, London WC2E 9EA

Semla - e5 bakehouse London

Semla bun: E5 Bakehouse

Cardamom bun with orange- and Cointreau-spiked almond paste, velvety vanilla cream plus a little powdered sugar on top. The almond filling is thick yet moist, rich yet citrusy, with an underlying freshness that makes you want more, more and more.

396 Mentmore Terrace, London E8 3PH

Semla - Soderberg London

Semla bun: Söderberg

Light, pillowy cardamom bun with almond paste, a generous amount of airy whipped cream and a touch of powdered sugar on top.

36 Berwick St, London W1F 8RR

Semla - Brett & Bailey London

Semla bun: Brett & Bailey

Cardamom bun filled with milky-soft almond paste, a swirl of whipped cream and lots of powdered sugar on top. A unique take on the filling, Brett & Bailey blitzes almonds with the fluffy interior (the hollowed part of the bun) plus organic whole milk, which gives it a much creamier texture.   

London markets

Semla - Fortitude Bakehouse London

Semla bun: Fortitude Bakehouse

Long-fermented brioche dough with fig reduction, vanilla and orange flower water cream and powdered sugar on top. The sweet syrupy figs, the subtle orange note and the dough, so soft inside it barely requires any effort to cut or chew, this isn’t a traditional Swedish semla no, but Fortitude’s, a bakery in a league of its own.

35 Colonnade, London WC1N 1JA

Cinnamon bun semla - Scandinavian Kitchen London

Cinnamon bun semla: Scandinavian Kitchen

Cinnamon bun filled with cinnamon butter, smooth almond paste, a tower of whipped cream plus crunchy pearl sugars on top. Scandinavian Kitchen swaps the classic cardamom bun for a gooey, golden-brown kanelbullar, one of the many variations to find on the counter at the weekend.

61 Great Titchfield St., London W1W 7PP

Laskiaispulla - Dunn's Bakery

Finnish semla: Dunn’s Bakery

Cardamom bun with custard-like almond paste, a glob of chunky blueberry compote, whipped cream, plus a light dusting of powdered sugar on top. Tangy and sweet and not entirely traditional, this is Dunn’s take on the Finnish bun for Fettisdagen

6 The Broadway, London N8 9SN

Semla - Miel Bakery London

Semla bun: Miel

Cardamom brioche with toasted almond paste and a mountain of crème Chantilly on top. A rich buttery bun from a classically trained pastry chef, it’s perhaps no surprise that Shaheen Peerbhai makes a very French, Swedish semla.

57 Warren St, London W1T 5NR

Semla - Sourdough Sophia London

Semla bun: Sourdough Sophia

Cardamom brioche bun with almond paste – or pistachio paste – and a glob of cardamom-spiced white chocolate Chantilly on top. If the option of two different fillings isn’t enough, the cream is sweet with a soft vanilla flavour, a reason alone to make the trek.


24 Middle Ln, London N8 8PL

Semla - Curious Yellow Café London

Semla bun: Curious Yellow Café

Crusty cardamom bun with dense, ultra-smooth almond paste, oodles of thick cream and a dusting of powdered sugar on top. The complete opposite to commercial semla in presentation, but it’s wholesome and so very Fika nonetheless.

77 Pitfield St, London N1 6BT

Written By
More from Siobhan
London’s Best White Chocolate Desserts
From blondies to brownies, cookies and cookie cups, there's even a babka...
Read More
0 replies on “London’s best semla”