Saffron Buns (Lussekatter) With Herat Saffron: A Tested Recipe

Lussekatter are the S-shaped saffron buns baked in Sweden for St. Lucia Day on December 13 and through the weeks before Christmas. They are soft and lightly sweet, and their golden crumb, the color of a candle flame, comes from saffron. This recipe makes 16 buns from half a gram of saffron, which is half of our 1 g Raihan Saffron vial.

• Yield: 16 buns
• Prep time: 45 minutes
• Rising time: up to 2 hours 15 minutes
• Bake time: 24 minutes (two sheets, 10 to 12 minutes each)
• Total time: 3 hours 24 minutes
• Oven: 200°C (400°F)

Ingredients

• 0.5 g Raihan Saffron threads (half of a 1 g vial)
• 4 g (1 teaspoon) granulated sugar, for grinding the saffron
• 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk
• 85 g (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 100 g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 480 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour, plus a little for shaping
• 7 g (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
• 4.5 g (3/4 teaspoon) fine salt
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 32 raisins
• 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for brushing

Cup measures assume flour spooned into the cup and leveled. Weighing is more reliable, and the gram amounts are the ones to follow.

Equipment

A mortar and pestle (or a small bowl and a spoon), a small saucepan, a large bowl or stand mixer with a dough hook, two baking sheets, parchment paper, a pastry brush and, if you have one, an instant-read thermometer.

Method

1. Grind the saffron. Put the saffron threads and 4 g of sugar in a mortar and grind to a fine orange powder, about 1 minute. No mortar? Crush them together in a small bowl with the back of a spoon.
2. Bloom the saffron in the milk. Warm the milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat just until the butter melts. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the saffron sugar and let it steep for 15 minutes, until the milk is deep golden and has cooled to lukewarm, about 40°C (105°F).
3. Mix the dough. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, 100 g of sugar, the yeast and the salt. Add the saffron milk and the egg, and stir into a shaggy dough.
4. Knead. Knead by hand for 8 to 10 minutes, or for 6 to 8 minutes on medium-low speed with a dough hook, until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time only if it sticks to everything.
5. First rise. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled, 60 to 90 minutes.
6. Shape. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Divide the dough into 16 pieces of about 60 g each. Roll each piece into a rope about 30 cm (12 inches) long, then coil both ends in opposite directions to make an S. Place 8 buns on each sheet and press a raisin into the center of each coil.
7. Second rise. Cover loosely and let the buns rise until puffy, 30 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) with a rack in the middle.
8. Bake. Brush the buns with the egg wash. Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, until deep golden and an instant-read thermometer in the center of a bun reads about 88°C (190°F).
9. Cool. Move the buns to a rack and cover them loosely with a clean towel while they cool, which keeps the crust soft.

Notes that make the difference

• Grind with sugar. Sugar crystals act like grit and break the threads into powder, so the color spreads evenly through the dough instead of leaving orange streaks.
• Warm, not hot. Warm milk draws the color out of the saffron. Milk that is too hot can kill the yeast, so wait until it is lukewarm before mixing.
• Soft dough bakes soft buns. The dough should feel slightly tacky. Extra flour is the usual reason saffron buns turn out dry.
• Plump the raisins. Soak them in warm water for 10 minutes and pat them dry, so they stay juicy in a hot oven.
• Make ahead. After kneading, cover the dough and refrigerate it for 8 to 16 hours. Shape it cold and allow 60 to 90 minutes for the second rise.
• Storage. Keep cooled buns in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or freeze them for up to 1 month. Warm them at 150°C (300°F) for 5 minutes.

Why Herat saffron

Everything in a saffron bun is plain except the saffron, so it carries the whole bun. Ours is Grade A saffron threads from Herat, Afghanistan, from our sister brand Raihan Saffron. Our March 2026 lot was tested by the Saffron Quality Control Lab, Herat Directorate of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (Report 004389). It meets ISO 3632-1:2010 Category I on all tested parameters, and no artificial colorants were detected. Coloring strength, the measure behind that golden crumb, read 296.5 against a Category I minimum of 200. See all four values on Our Saffron.

Saffron gifts for bakers

The Saffron Baker's Gift Box holds 2 g of Raihan Saffron, whole cardamom, a vanilla bean, recipe cards for saffron buns, saffron shortbread and saffron rice, and a linen tea towel. The Noël Noir box includes 1 g with a saffron bun card, and the Fireside trunk includes 1 g with a recipe card. Baking for St. Lucia Day on Sunday, December 13? Order in November so the saffron is in your kitchen with time to spare.

Shop all Christmas gifts or every box with saffron in Saffron Gifts, and check every holiday date on our order-by dates page.

Questions

How much saffron do lussekatter need?

This recipe uses 0.5 g of saffron threads for 16 buns, which is half of a 1 g vial.

Can I make the dough the night before?

Yes. Refrigerate the kneaded dough for 8 to 16 hours, shape it cold and allow 60 to 90 minutes for the second rise.

Why are my saffron buns dry?

Usually too much flour or too long in the oven. Keep the dough slightly tacky and take the buns out when the center reads about 88°C (190°F).

When is St. Lucia Day?

December 13 every year. In 2026 it falls on a Sunday.