Swedish Saffron Buns, also known as Lucia Buns or Lussekatter, are a traditional part of Swedish Christmas celebrations. These saffron buns are made with part wholegrain spelt flour, but otherwise follow a traditional recipe.
Welcome to Sweden
Having lived in Sweden now for over a decade, I have mostly embraced the Swedish winters.
Although one never really gets used to 2pm sunsets, I do love how Swedes light up the darkness of winter with zillions of lights. Along with the lights, these brightly coloured saffron buns, known colloquially as lussekatter, or "Lucia cats" named for the cat-like coils, are ubiquitous in the holiday season.
Although St. Lucia Day is on December 13th, saffron buns start appearing in shops as early as mid-October. Most Swedes I know think it's blasphemous to eat lussekatter outside of the holidays, but once December 1st rolls around, it's game on.
This recipe for Swedish saffron buns might look like a lot of work, but I assure you it's easy to manage. With just a few simple steps, you, too, can enjoy this traditional holiday recipe.
Let's make Swedish saffron buns together!
Step 1
Combine the warmed milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and let it stand for 10 minutes to activate the yeast. It may not get super foamy - this is perfectly fine.
Add the sugar, spelt flour, and half of the bread flour. Stir to combine.
Step 2:
Using the dough hook, knead the dough until just combined.
Add the room temperature butter, the egg, the saffron with liquid.
Step 3:
Use the dough hook to bring the mixture loosely together. The dough will look extremely wet / loose at this point. This is correct.
Add the remaining flour.
Step 4:
Using the dough hook, allow the mixer to knead the dough for about 10 minutes. It should be smooth and pulling away from the sides of the bowl when it is ready.
Step 5:
Sprinkle the dough with a little flour, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about one hour.
Step 6:
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop, and gently knead for about one minute. Form the ball into a smooth ball.
Divide the dough in half, and then half again, and half again until you have 24 relatively equal pieces of dough.
Step 7:
Roll each piece into a long rope (mine were about 16 inches).
Coil the ends of the rope towards the center from opposite sides to form your lussekatt.
Repeat steps 14 and 15 until you have coiled all of the saffron dough into lussekatter!
Step 8:
Place each coiled bun onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover and let rise until almost doubled, about 30 minutes
Brush buns with beaten egg. Drain the raisins, and press a one into each end (two raisins per bun).
Step 9:
Bake on the center rack for 8-10 minutes. Buns should be puffed and golden, brown on the bottom, and sound slightly hollow when tapped.
Allow the your lussekatter to cool slightly before you dig in!
Pro tips / recipe notes:
What kind of saffron is best?
The best saffron to use is whatever you have on hand! In Sweden they sell little packets of finely ground saffron during the holiday season, and that is what is most commonly used in this recipe.
If you have saffron threads rather than saffron powder, you will need to grind them up prior to using. You can do this by placing into a bowl with a sugar cube and crushing them together.
If you don't like the flavour of saffron, you can of course leave it out. Apparently the inexpensive grocery store lussekatter are coloured with turmeric rather than saffron, so that is always an option.
Can lussekatter be made in advance?
Yes! You've got a few options:
1) Make the saffron buns up to the point of the final rise on the tray, and then cover and refrigerate overnight. Simply bring to room temperature before baking.
2) Make the saffron buns up to the point of the final rise on the tray, and then freeze the unbaked lussekatter. You can bake them from frozen, or bring to room temperature first.
3) Bake the saffron buns as directed, and once the buns have cooled off, pop into a freezer bag. This way you can pull them out on demand and just warm them up in the microwave.
Frozen Lucia buns will last for about three months in a tightly-sealed bag.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
Brown Sugar Shortbread
Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
Turmeric Latte Mix
Salted Coconut Caramels
Lussekatter - Swedish Saffron Buns
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk warmed to body temperature
- 2 Tablespoons active dried yeast or 50g fresh yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups wholegrain spelt flour
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1 gram saffron about 1 teaspoon ground saffron
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 egg
For Garnish
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 48 raisins
Instructions
- Combine the saffron with one tablespoon of water and set aside.1 gram saffron
- Combine the milk and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer and let it stand for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.2 cups whole milk, 2 Tablespoons active dried yeast
- Add the sugar, salt, spelt flour, and half of the bread flour. Stir to combine.3 cups wholegrain spelt flour, 3 cups bread flour, ⅔ cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt
- Using the dough hook, knead until the dough until just combined.
- Add the room temperature butter, the egg, the saffron with liquid, and the remaining flour.½ cup butter, 1 egg
- Using the dough hook, allow the mixer to knead the dough for about 10 minutes. It should be smooth and pulling away from the sides off the bowl when it is ready.
- Sprinkle the dough with a little flour, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- While the dough is rising, combine the raisins with water and set aside to plump up.48 raisins
- Pre-heat the oven to 200C / 400F. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper, or grease well with butter.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop, and divide into 24 pieces.
- Roll each piece into a long rope (mine were about 16 inches), then coil the ends of the rope towards the center from opposite sides. Place each coiled bun onto the prepared baking sheet. Cover and let rise until almost doubled.
- Brush buns with beaten egg and press a raisin into each end (two raisins per bun).1 egg
- Bake on the center rack for 8-10 minutes. Buns should be puffed and golden, brown on the bottom, and sound slightly hollow when tapped.
Notes
- I used a blend of wholegrain spelt and high gluten bread flour in my Lucia buns. You can also use 100% all purpose flour.
What kind of saffron is best?
The best saffron to use is whatever you have on hand! In Sweden they sell little packets of finely ground saffron during the holiday season, and that is what is most commonly used in this recipe. If you have saffron threads rather than saffron powder, you will need to grind them up prior to using. You can do this by placing into a bowl with a sugar cube and crushing them together. If you don't like the flavour of saffron, you can of course leave it out. Apparently the inexpensive grocery store lussekatter are coloured with turmeric rather than saffron, so that is always an option.Can lussekatter be made in advance?
Yes! You've got a few options: 1) Make the saffron buns up to the point of the final rise on the tray, and then cover and refrigerate overnight. Simply bring to room temperature before baking. 2) Make the saffron buns up to the point of the final rise on the tray, and then freeze the unbaked lussekatter. You can bake them from frozen, or bring to room temperature first. 3) Bake the saffron buns as directed, and once the buns have cooled off, pop into a freezer bag. This way you can pull them out on demand and just warm them up in the microwave. Frozen Lucia buns will last for about three months in a tightly-sealed bag.
Nutrition
Elizabeth Hughes 2831204 says
These are beyond yummy !!! Recipe very clear.
pamela says
I tried my hand at making these today! They did not turn out as amazing looking as yours, but I’ve definitely eaten 4 already today! Such a yummy treat, will try again and perfect my shapes!
mbakes (@mbakes_mbakes) says
I have decided that I much prefer the size of your buns compared to the bakery. I think I've had this type of shaped confection in the mediterranean, but it was a biscuit as opposed to a bun.
themuffinmyth says
I think I've seen cookies in this shape as well. And the size is fun, but a little overwhelming perhaps.
Jess says
Oh these are so fun, and such a lovely insight into a Swedish tradition. My grandmother always had a little Lucia doll that she would set out under the tree, with the wreath and the candles on her head, but I never really knew the story behind it. Thank you!
themuffinmyth says
It really is a beautiful tradition. That's so cute that your grandmother had a Lucia doll. Was she Swedish?
Sally says
I admire the size of your lucia buns compared to the originals! the bigger, the better! They look amazing and while I've never had a bun of this variety before, something tells me I would just love it. They look irresistable!
themuffinmyth says
The Lucia buns in bakeries are somewhere between mine and that other bun, so I don't feel like I was *that* far off. If you like the flavour of saffron and eggy sweet breads, then you'd love these! I hope you give them a try some time.
Christin@FortMillSCLiving says
Your Lucia buns look amazing! Love hearing about Swedish traditions. Hopefully I will get to visit someday. I've never baked with saffron before, but love the flavor.
themuffinmyth says
If you love the flavour of saffron then definitely give them a try!
Orchidea says
Hi,
I totally agree with you about Sweden... I live in Stockholm and I understand what you say about darkness and light in winter here.
Your lussekatt look really good! I love lussekatt and I will soon bake them too but with a recipe that I learned some years ago... with sourdought starter, here is my recipe:
https://blog.sabrinagiacometti.com/2010/12/14/lussekatt-con-pasta-madre-brioche-svedesi-allo-zafferano-tipiche-di-santa-lucia/
They are so easy to make but of course it takes a bit longer time to do them.
Ciao.
themuffinmyth says
Your recipe looks really interesting! I never would have thought to use a sourdough starter. I'll have to try that out next time!
Leanne says
I absolutely would have made huge buns, too --especially if they looked reasonable prior to baking! These sound delicious and I'm a newcomer to baking with saffron, so I'm definitely intrigued.
This question may have a painfully obvious answer, but why all the candles in Sweden? It sounds absolutely lovely, but I'm curious as to why Swedes light candles instead of (or in addition to?) turning on lights. Is it just tradition? The ambiance they create? Or is there some kind of energy consumption limit? Just wondering.
themuffinmyth says
The candles are in addition to the lights. I think its partly tradition, partly because of ambiance, and partly just because it's so dang dark out. But one of the families I work with lights candles at the breakfast table even in the summer time, so... I dunno. But there are definitely electric lamps and electric candle arches in a lot of windows in addition to the real thing.
The Beeroness (@TheBeeroness) says
I love hearing about traditions in other cultures. I want to visit Sweden, it's one of the places I've wanted to see, but haven't been able to go yet. Your Lucia Buns look amazing.
themuffinmyth says
Sweden is great! Although I recommend visiting in June, when the sun never sets, over December, though the darkness is pretty in it's own way. Thanks for the kind words - maybe you could find a way to sneak beer into this recipe?
Kathryn says
I'm pretty sure I also would have made buns of a similar size (although the little ones are awfully cute). I actually prefer the golden-brown colour of yours; it makes me want to tear into one!
themuffinmyth says
They were particularly tear-into worthy straight out of the oven. I highly recommend giving them a try.