The traditional Swedish Saffron Buns
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What’s the secret to capturing the scent of Christmas? The Traditional Swedish Saffron Buns! Made with saffron-infused dough and rich yeast, Tthe Saffron buns are soft, buttery, and golden—perfect for the holiday season. Traditionally baked on December 13th for St. Lucia Day, these buns symbolize light and hope during winter.
Paired with coffee or mulled wine, they’re a treat for all your senses and a staple of Swedish Christmas festivities. Whether you’re celebrating St. Lucia or simply enjoying a winter afternoon, these buns will fill your kitchen with warmth and nostalgia.
💡The buns are known as lussekatter, formed in the “S” shape. Magnus Nilsson mentions in his remarkable book The Nordic Cookbook that the shape is really called the julgalt, or Christmas boar.
🕌St. Lucia origins and traditions
St. Lucia’s Day, is known as the festival of lights and is celebrated in Scandinavian countries on December 13 to honor St. Lucia.
Both girls and boys dressed in white full-length gowns singing songs together holding candles. The atmosphere is special when the lights are dimmed, and the voices of the children vibrate in the space.
The St Lucia’s tradition can be traced back to the martyr Lucia of Syracuse who was killed in 304 CE by the Romans. The legend has it that she used to bring food to Christians hiding in the Roman catacombs, and she was wearing a candle lit wreath on her head to light her way and to be hands-free to carry as much food as possible.
According to Sweden.se, the current custom is a blend of old traditions. “In the Agrarian Sweden, young people used to dress up as Lucia figures (lussegubbar) that night and wander from house to house singing songs and scrounging for food and schnapps. The custom did not become universally popular in Swedish society until the 1900s, when schools and local associations began promoting it. Stockholm proclaimed its first Lucia in 1927. The custom whereby Lucia serves coffee and buns dates back to the 1880s.”
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What is the symbolism of St Lucia’s celebration?
Christians believe that St Lucia is the symbol of the Light of Christ into the world’s darkness. For others, Lucia is described as an ancient mythical figure who becomes the bearer of light in the dark Swedish winters.
Looking for more homemade recipe inspiration? Try our Crispy Ginger Cookies and German Spice Cookies for holiday delights. And if you’re in the mood for an exotic flavor, the Eggless Coconut Cookies are a must!
Why we love 💕this recipe
- The buns have a golden ✨yellow color and the raisins look like little eyes
- The buns smell wonderfully!
- Even if they are not a part of your traditions, they are a reminder of an innocent and playful 👶childhood
🍭📝Special ingredients
This recipe does not use special ingredients with the exception of saffron. Saffron is expensive to buy and a few grams will cost you a fortune. But it is worth it. You make these buns once a year so go for it.
Additionally, you will need dry yeast that may not be largely available in all grocery stores. Check also with your local bakery. It may well sell it.
🕐How to make the traditional Swedish Saffron Buns
- Ideally, start the night before. Grind the saffron into a powder and put it in a small portion of alcohol like cognac, whiskey or vodka. Let it overnight infuse and develop the intense yellow-golden color
- After making the dough, cover it with a wet towel and let it rise for 30 minutes or until doubles in size.
- Eggwash the buns for a more impressive yellow outcome
- The steps are described in detail in the recipe below
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Looking for holiday recipe inspiration? Check out our 🎄Christmas recipes
📖RECIPE CARD
Traditional Swedish Saffron Buns
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp dry active yeast
- 1 egg
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ⅓ cup milk
- ⅓ tsp saffron
- 3 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Sift the all-purpose flour in a bowl
- In a pot, heat the milk over medium heat
- Once it comes to a boil, take off the heat
- Pound the saffron with 1 tsp of sugar. Add to the milk. Mix well
- Add the remaining sugar and mix again. Wait for it to come to 86° ℉
- Now add the yeast and mix. Wait for it to get activated
- Then add the flour, salt and butter. Mix into a soft dough
- Knead well for 5 minutes and let it rise for 30 minutes. Make sure to cover the top with a lid or a wet kitchen towel
- Divide the dough into 6 balls. Roll each into a log
- Roll them into a “S” shape. Place them on a greased baking sheet
- Brush the top using egg wash. Add raisins on top
- Bake for 10 minutes at 400° ℉
- Let it cool down for 10 minutes and then serve.
Notes
- You can grind the saffron with the sugar, using a mortar and pestle. And if you can wait a day, you can drip a little cognac, whiskey or vodka on top, and let stand overnight. This will give a grown-up taste to your saffron buns
- Don’t overcook the buns because they will become very dry to eat
- You can freeze the buns up to 30 days in plastic bags.
