Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat on low-medium until warm but not boiling. Whisk in the coconut oil and maple syrup, then pour this mixture into a large heat-safe bowl.
500 ml nondairy milk, 70 grams coconut oil, 3 tablespoons maple syrup or honey, 4 teaspoons active dry yeast*
Check to make sure it's not too hot (it should be just warmer than your skin) before whisking in the yeast. Let it rest for about 15 minutes, or until foaming.
Stir in 150 grams (1 cup) of flour, the cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Add the remaining flour in 80 gram (1/2 cup) increments, stirring between additions, until it becomes too difficult to stir with a wooden spoon.
800 - 900 grams light spelt flour**, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured countertop and knead, sparingly adding more flour as necessary, until a soft and smooth dough forms, about six minutes.
Oil a large bowl and place the dough into it, turning it a couple of times to coat it in a little oil. Place a large plate over the bowl and set it into a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about an hour.
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Gently punch the dough down and place it onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a large rectangle, about 2 cm (4/5th of an inch) thickness, and spread with the filling.
Fold the dough into thirds, taking the side furthest from you and bringing it towards you two thirds of the way, then folding the other side over it.
Use a serrated knife to cut 18 equal strips of dough, then gently stretch each strip before twisting as many times as you can, then tie into knot shapes, tucking one end underneath and pulling the other up through the centre of the knot. Alternatively roll into spirals.
Place completed buns onto the prepared baking sheets, then cover with a kitchen towel and set them on the counter to rise for another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Once the buns are finished rising, bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Cool for about ten minutes on the baking sheet before serving. These are best the day they're baked.
Filling
Melt the coconut oil over low heat, then whisk in the coconut sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and cardamom. This can cool slightly if you make it before the dough, but don't let it harden fully (this helps to prevent the filling from running out during baking).
* You can also use one cube of fresh yeast here in place of the dry. ** Normal wheat flour will work well here but I wouldn't try using all whole spelt as it makes them too heavy. If they need to be whole grain then go for sprouted spelt instead, but they won't be as light.