pulla

Pulla is a Finnish sweet yeast bread and a staple of Finnish baking. It is typically an enriched dough made with milk, butter, sugar, and eggs, spiced with ground cardamom, and often containing raisins. The dough is kneaded, left to rise, then shaped into a loaf, a braided loaf called pullapitko, or individual buns. After shaping, it is allowed to rise again before baking until golden.

Common finishes include brushing with milk or butter and dusting with sugar, or glazing with sugar icing. In many households, pulla is served warm with coffee or tea; it is also eaten for celebrations and at cafés and markets.

Variants: The cinnamon-topped korvapuusti is a widely loved pulla-based bun, and other fillings include cinnamon, vanilla, or chocolate. In Sweden and other Nordic countries, similar enriched buns exist, such as kardemummabulle, illustrating shared culinary traditions.

Regional and seasonal notes: Pulla is especially associated with coffee culture in Finland and is enjoyed year-round, with special saffron- or cardamom-flavored versions during winter holidays. Non-yeast or richer yeast variations exist, but the classic pulla is defined by its cardamom-spiced, lightly sweet dough.