Saffransbullar: Swedish Saffron Buns

Saffransbullar: Swedish Saffron Buns are essentially cardamom buns but instead of cardamom dough and cardamom butter filling these use saffron dough and vanilla butter filling. They are the sweeter and butterier sister of lussekatter.

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Lussekatter and Saffransbullar: The Saffron Bun Family

Nothing says Christmas in Sweden more than saffron. Lussekatter are the original saffron bun. They have no filling and are adorned simply with raisins. They are eaten to celebrate St. Lucia’s Day on December 13th. St. Lucia is the patron saint of light, and her festival is one of the highlights of the winter season.

Saffransbullar evolved from lussekatter. While lussekatter are ubiquitous, many think them dry and boring. Many bakeries in Stockholm now make saffron buns in addition to lussekatter.

Saffransbullar: The Dough

Swedish saffron buns use the same dough as cardamom buns, vetedeg. Instead of cardamom, however, they are intensely flavored with, you guessed it! Saffron! The filling is usually flavored with vanilla, and the buns are twisted into some form of knot. The shape really depends on the bakery and their style preferences.

My Experience Making Saffransbullar

I have made saffransbullar at both bakeries I worked at in Stockholm. They are so incredibly popular, we could barely keep up with production!

Toppings and Serving

They are most commonly topped with pearl sugar but would be just as delicious left plain or topped with normal sugar.

Saffransbullar are delicious and festive, perfect for enjoying during the holiday season. 

Here are some additional tips for making Saffransbullar:

• Use high-quality saffron for the best flavor.
  
• Let the dough rise in a warm place until it is doubled in size.
  
• Do not overbake the buns. They should be golden brown when they are done.
  
• Enjoy your Saffransbullar with a cup of coffee or tea.
  

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Saffransbullar: Swedish Saffron Buns!

Print Recipe

Saffransbullar: Swedish Saffron Buns

Nothing says Christmas in Sweden more than saffron! These are essentially cardamom buns but instead of cardamom dough and cardamom butter filling these use saffron dough and vanilla butter filling. They are the sweeter and butterier sister of lussekatter.

Ingredients

Dough

• 1100 g flour
• 500 g water
• 50 g fresh yeast OR 17g dry yeast
• 200 g unsalted butter
• 200 g sugar
• 25 g non-fat milk powder
• 10 g salt
• 50 g cognac
• 1 g saffron

Filling

• 300 g very soft butter
• 250 g sugar
• 3 g vanilla sugar
• 3 g salt

Instructions

Day 1

• Pour the water, cognac, and saffron in a small pot. Bring the mixture to a boil. As soon as it boils, turn off the heat and let it infuse overnight at room temperature.

Day 2

• Pour the saffron infusion into the bowl of your stand mixer. Add the flour, sugar, milk powder, salt, butter, and yeast.
• Using the hook attachment, knead the ingredients on low speed for 5 minutes.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase the speed to medium-fast and continue kneading for 25-30 minutes.
• To check if the dough is ready, do a “windowpane” test. Dip your fingers in water, pull off a piece of dough and stretch it. If it doesn’t rip and you can see your fingers through it, the dough is ready. If it does rip, keep kneading for 5 minutes then test again.
• Take the dough out of the bowl and shape it into a flat rectangle. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour to chill and relax.
• While the dough is resting, mix all the filling ingredients together and set to the side.
• Once the dough is completely cold, roll into a large rectangle about 1cm (⅓ inch) thick.
• Arrange the dough so the short side is to you.
• Spread all the filling over the entire piece of dough, going out to the edges.
• Fold the top third down, then the bottom third up.
• Roll out again until the dough is about 2-2 ½cm (¾-1in) thick.
• Cut vertically into strips weighing between 80-90g.
• Take each piece and twist into a knot. For different shaping methods check out my youtube channel.
• Place on a parchment-lined baking tray leaving about 5cm(2in) of space between each bun.
• Cover and let rise until doubled in size. This can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is.
• Bake at 200C(400F) for about 9 minutes or until golden brown. I like to check mine and rotate the tray at the 5 or 6 minute mark so they bake evenly.
• Brush with egg wash as soon as they come out of the oven then immediately sprinkle with pearl sugar.
• Let cool (if you can wait that long) and enjoy!

Video

Notes

• It is important to apply the egg wash as soon as the buns come out of the oven because the heat of the freshly baked buns cooks the egg.
• You can substitute simple syrup for egg wash if you prefer.
• You can adjust the amount of saffron according to your taste and budget. The buns should have a yellow color, but the exact amount is up to you.
• The milk powder is optional but helps improve the texture.