Cinnamon Swirl Swedish Tea Ring

A friend of our family made this fabulous Cinnamon Swirl Swedish Tea Ring for us when I was a little girl, and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. I have no doubt it will melt in your mouth at first bite like it does for me and my family!

The recipe looks like it takes a ton of work, but I promise it’s not as hard as it looks. Like all of my recipes, if I can do it you can too. Follow the step-by-step directions to make this fabulous creation that will wow your family and friends!

(For the full recipe and ingredient list, please scroll to the bottom of the post.)

• In a saucepan, heat milk, water and butter until very warm (120-130 degrees); butter does not need to melt.
• Using your bread dough hook (see below if you don’t have a bread dough hook for your mixer), combine 1 1/4 cups of flour, yeast, sugar and salt and mix well.
• Add liquid ingredients to flour mixture.
• Add 1 egg and blend at low speed until moistened.
• Gradually add in additional flour to make a dough, 1/2 cup at a time. (You’ll want to keep your mixer on low speed so that you don’t get flour all over the place.)
• Once the ingredients start to form a dough, continue mixing on medium speed for 5-8 minutes. Your dough should pull away from the bowl and form a ball around the hook. It should be elastic and smooth to the touch (it shouldn’t stick to your fingers).

• Spray a bowl with cooking spray and place your dough in it. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare your filling by combining the brown sugar and cinnamon.

• On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll dough into a rectangle until it’s about 1/2 inch thick. (I just eyeball it.)

• Spread butter onto rolled out dough (I don’t measure out two tablespoons but just eyeball it and make sure the surface is covered) and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar mixture.
• Starting with the top (longer portion) of your rectangle, roll it up tightly.

• Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray and place your ring seam side down on it. Form your dough into a ring and tuck the ends into each other.

• With kitchen scissors, make cuts 1 inch apart through the top of the ring to 1 inch from the center.

• Turn each slice on its side.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, 15 minutes.
• Combine 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Gently brush onto ring. (I didn’t have a brush so I used a spoon.) Sprinkle with sugar.

• Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove from cookie sheet (I used two spatulas) and cool.
• Once it’s cool, make icing by combining the powdered sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. If it’s too thick, add an additional 1/2 tablespoon of milk at a time.

• Place the tea ring on your serving dish and spoon icing over it.
• Place maraschino cherries on a paper towel to drain and remove any juices (otherwise your icing will have pink streaks). Place the cherries on top of the tea ring!

This Swedish Tea Ring recipe is very versatile. If you’d like, you can add nuts or raisins!

No matter what filling you choose, you’re sure to have a happy crowd (and an empty dish) when all is said and done!