Lussekatter Recipe
- Daniel
- 13 hours ago
- 2 min read
I’ve always loved saffron: that rich golden color and honey-floral aroma. Today I decided to make Lussekatter, the Swedish saffron buns traditionally baked for St. Lucia’s Day on December 13th.
Look how beautifully yellow the dough is...
It’s a simple dough, rich with butter, milk, and eggs, shaped into the iconic “S” curl and dotted with raisins. They came out beautifully golden, with a fragrance that fills the kitchen long after baking.
Right before baking...
Lussekatter (literally “Lucia cats”) are said to represent light in the darkest time of year. In Sweden, families bake them to honor St. Lucia, whose crown of candles symbolizes the return of brightness during winter.
Just outta the oven...
The buns are usually shared with coffee or glögg, and though they look elaborate, the process feels peaceful, warm milk, saffron steeping slowly, dough rising patiently.
If you’ve never tried making enriched dough, this recipe is a wonderful start. It’s forgiving and tactile, the kind of baking that invites you to slow down.
Watching the saffron turn the dough golden is its own quiet reward. Serve these warm with butter, and you’ll understand why Swedes keep the tradition alive every December.
Ingredients:
(Make 6)
Unsalted Butter, 55g
Whole Milk, 115g
Saffron, A Huge Pinch
Granulated Sugar, Pinch + 35g
Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 285g
Sea Salt, 4g
Active Instant Dry Yeast, 5g
Egg, 1 + More For Egg Wash
Egg Yolk, 1
Pure Vanilla Paste, 1 TSP
High Quality Olive Oil, For Greasing
Raisins, For Garnishing
Pearl Sugar, For Garnishing
Equipment:
Oven
Sauce Pot
Pestle & Mortar
Directions:
Infuse the Saffron
Melt the butter with milk over gentle heat.
Grind the saffron with a pinch of sugar, then mix in a little of the warm butter-milk to draw out its color.
Combine everything and let it cool to room temperature.
Make the Dough
In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, yeast, and 35g of sugar.
Pour in the cooled saffron milk along with the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
Stir until a rough dough forms, then knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
If the dough feels dry, add a teaspoon of milk at a time; if sticky, dust lightly with flour.
First Rise
Lightly oil the bowl, place the dough inside, turn to coat, and cover.
Let rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Shape the Buns
Divide the dough into six equal pieces.
Roll each portion into a tight dough ball.
Cover and set it aside to relax for 15 minutes.
Roll each into a thin rope and curl both ends to form an “S.”
Place on a parchment-lined baking tray.
Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes.
Bake
Preheat the oven to 190 °C / 375 °F.
Brush each bun with egg wash, press a raisin into each curl, and sprinkle pearl sugar on top.
Bake for 18–20 minutes, until lightly golden.
Serve with some Glogg or coffee while it’s still warm.
Enjoy your fika.
I'm gonna need some coffee...
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