Semlor 2026

✨ Semla season is here, and you can order yours through SwedCham! 🇸🇪☕

Have you ever tried a semla? This is one of Sweden’s most loved seasonal pastries, a soft cardamom bun filled with almond paste and fluffy whipped cream.

In Sweden, semla is traditionally eaten on Fettisdagen (Shrove Tuesday), the day before Lent. Lent is a traditional Christian period leading up to Easter, when people historically avoided rich and festive food. That’s exactly why Fettisdagen became the day to enjoy something extra special, like a semla, before the fasting period began.

💡 Fun fact: Fettisdagen is not always in February. The date moves every year and can fall in early February or early March, depending on when Easter takes place.

Originally, semla was a simple bun eaten with warm milk. Over time, it developed into the beloved cream-filled treat we know today, and has become a symbol of Swedish fika, togetherness…