A Thread of Sunshine
These buns start with a tiny bit of magic. You take a few saffron threads. They look like little red wires. You crumble them into hot water. Watch the water turn a sunny yellow. It smells like a warm, faraway meadow. I still laugh at that. Such a big color from such a small thing.
That color is the heart of the bun. It matters because food should delight our eyes, too. Doesn’t that smell amazing? Fun fact: Saffron comes from the center of a purple crocus flower. It takes thousands of flowers to make just one ounce! Have you ever cooked with saffron before?
St. Lucia’s Story
These are called Saint Lucia buns. They are made for a festival of light. It happens on the darkest day of the year. Long ago, a girl named Lucia wore a crown of candles. She brought food to people who had none. Her story is about bringing light and warmth.
That is why we make these golden buns in December. The swirls are meant to look like curled-up cats. Some say they are for the light returning. I like that idea. Baking them feels like sharing a little light. Do you have a favorite food story from your family?
Making the Dough
Now, we make our dough. Mix the sunny saffron water with milk, butter, and an egg. It will look like a lovely, creamy soup. Pour it into the flour. The mixer will do the hard work of kneading. The dough will become smooth and soft.
Here is a mini-anecdote. My first time, I added the currants too fast. They flew all over my kitchen! So add them slow. Letting the dough rest is important. It matters because rest gives the yeast time to breathe. This makes the buns light and fluffy later.
The Fun Part: Shaping
This is my favorite step. You roll the dough into a rectangle. Then you cut it into strips. Each strip becomes a long rope. Now, make an ‘S’ shape. Coil each end of the rope in opposite directions. It is like drawing with dough.
If the dough fights you, let it sit for five minutes. Dough gets tired, just like us. Then it will behave. Place your ‘S’ shapes on a baking sheet. They look like little sun symbols already. Which shape do you think is the most fun to make with dough?
Into the Oven
Give your buns a gentle brush with egg wash. This makes them shine. You can sprinkle on pearled sugar. It adds a sweet, tiny crunch. Then into the oven they go. Your kitchen will fill with the most wonderful smell.
Watch them turn a deep, golden brown. The swirls will puff up. Let them cool completely. I know it is hard to wait. But it matters because the flavors settle. The texture becomes just right. Then you can taste your thread of sunshine.
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Boiling water | ¼ cup | |
| Saffron threads | ¼ teaspoon, crumbled | |
| Ground turmeric | ⅛ teaspoon | |
| All-purpose flour | 3½ cups (17½ ounces/496 grams) | |
| Instant or rapid-rise yeast | 2 teaspoons | |
| Whole milk | ¾ cup | room temperature |
| Unsalted butter | 6 tablespoons | melted |
| Granulated sugar | ⅓ cup (2⅓ ounces/66 grams) | |
| Large eggs | 2 | 1 at room temperature, 1 for egg wash |
| Salt | 1 teaspoon | |
| Currants | ⅓ cup | |
| Pearled sugar | ¼ cup | optional, for sprinkling |
The Golden Coils of Saint Lucia
Hello, my dear. Come sit at the table. I want to tell you about a special bun. It’s called a Saint Lucia bun. It’s golden yellow and shaped like a lovely “S”. We make them for a festival of light. The secret is a tiny bit of saffron. It gives the buns their sunshine color and a wonderful smell. Doesn’t that smell amazing? It reminds me of my own grandmother’s kitchen. She would hum old songs while she baked. I still laugh at that.
Making these buns is like a cozy afternoon project. You get to stir, knead, and shape. The dough becomes soft and friendly under your hands. Let’s begin our baking story together. I’ll guide you through each step.
Step 1: First, we wake up the saffron. Pour the boiling water over the threads. Add a pinch of turmeric for extra gold. Let it sit for 15 minutes. It will turn a deep, beautiful yellow. This is the magic potion for our dough. (Hard-learned tip: Use the full kettle’s boil, then measure. It’s more accurate!)
Step 2: Now, mix your flour and yeast in a big bowl. In another, whisk the milk, butter, sugar, one egg, and your golden saffron water. Pour this wet mixture into the flour. Let your mixer stir it on low. It will look shaggy at first. Then, just cover the bowl and walk away for ten minutes. This rest makes the dough happy.
Step 3: Time to add the salt and knead. Let the mixer run for about 8 minutes. The dough will become smooth and pull away from the sides. See how elastic it is? Now, add the little currants on low speed. They are like sweet, chewy surprises. What other dried fruit could be a fun surprise? Share below!
Step 4: Give the dough a quick knead by hand on a floured counter. Form it into a soft ball. Place it in a greased bowl, seam-side down. Cover it with greased plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm spot. It needs to grow about half its size. This takes patience, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. I use this time to tidy up.
Step 5: Gently press the air out of the dough. Roll it into a big rectangle on your clean counter. Use a pizza cutter to slice it into 16 strips. Cover them with that greased plastic again. This keeps them from drying out. They look like little ribbons, don’t they?
Step 6: Here’s the fun part! Take one strip. Gently roll and stretch it into a long rope. If it fights you, let it rest for five minutes. Then, coil each end in opposite directions to make an “S” shape. Place each bun on a parchment-lined sheet. Let them rise once more until puffy. They get all ready for the oven.
Step 7: Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Gently brush each bun with the egg wash. This gives them a lovely shine. Sprinkle with pearled sugar if you like a little crunch. Bake them until they are a perfect golden brown. Switch the pans halfway for even baking. Let them cool completely on a rack. The wait is the hardest part!
Cook Time: 15–20 minutes
Total Time: About 4 hours 30 minutes
Yield: 16 buns
Category: Baking, Holiday
Three Twists on a Tradition
I love traditions. But I also love a little kitchen play. Here are three fun twists for these buns. They make the recipe feel new again.
Citrus Sunshine: Add the zest of one orange to the dough. It brightens the flavor beautifully.
Cardamom Spice: Swap the currants for chopped almonds. Add a teaspoon of ground cardamom with the flour.
Winter Jewel: Use dried cranberries instead of currants. Their tartness is a lovely holiday touch.
Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving Your Sunlight Buns
These buns are wonderful all on their own. But here is how I like to serve them. For a real treat, split one and spread it with soft butter. A dollop of lingonberry or raspberry jam is perfect too. On a brunch table, they look lovely on a wooden board with some cheese.
What to drink? For a cozy morning, a big mug of strong coffee is my friend. In the evening, a glass of sweet sherry pairs wonderfully. Or, for everyone, a cup of warm glögg (mulled wine) without the wine, just the spices.
Which would you choose tonight?
Keeping Your Saffron Buns Fresh and Bright
These golden buns are best the day you bake them. But we can save some for later. Let them cool completely first. Then, store them in a bread bag or airtight container. They will stay soft on your counter for two days.
For longer keeping, freeze them. Wrap each bun tightly in plastic wrap. Then, place them all in a freezer bag. They will keep for one month. I once froze a whole batch for my grandson’s surprise visit. He was so happy!
To reheat, thaw at room temperature if frozen. Warm them in a 300-degree oven for five minutes. This brings back their soft, fresh-baked feel. Batch cooking matters because it saves time. You can have a special treat ready anytime.
Have you ever tried storing buns this way? Share below!
Simple Fixes for Common Bun Troubles
Is your dough too sticky? Do not add more flour right away. Just let the dough rest for ten minutes. The flour will drink up the liquid. I remember when my dough stuck to everything. Patience was my best helper.
Are your buns not rising well? Check your yeast. Make sure your milk is just warm, not hot. Hot milk can hurt the yeast. Good rising gives you light and fluffy buns. That matters for the perfect soft bite.
Are the currants falling out? Knead them in on the lowest mixer speed. Or, fold them in gently by hand. This keeps them tucked safely inside the dough. Every bite should have a sweet little fruit surprise.
Which of these problems have you run into before?
Your Saffron Bun Questions, Answered
Q: Can I make these gluten-free? A: I have not tried it myself. Use a good all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. You may need a bit less liquid.
Q: Can I make the dough ahead? A: Yes! After the first rise, press it down. Keep it covered in the fridge overnight. Shape the buns the next morning.
Q: I don’t have currants. A: Use the same amount of raisins or chopped dried cranberries. They will work just fine.
Q: Can I make a half batch? A: You can. Just halve all the ingredients. Your baking time might be a little shorter.
Q: Is the pearled sugar needed? A: It is optional but lovely. It adds a sweet crunch. Fun fact: This sugar is called “pearl sugar” because it looks like tiny pearls!
Which tip will you try first?
Bake, Share, and Enjoy
I hope you love making these special buns. The smell of saffron baking is pure joy. It always reminds me of cozy winter mornings. I would love to hear about your baking day.
Tell me about the twists you added. Did you share them with someone you love? Your stories make my kitchen feel full of friends.
Have you tried this recipe? Tell me about your experience in the comments.
Happy cooking!
—Grace Ellington.
Saffron Swirl Saint Lucia Buns
Description
Celebrate the tradition of St. Lucia’s Day with these beautiful, saffron-infused sweet buns, shaped into distinctive S-swirls and dotted with currants.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine boiling water, saffron, and turmeric in small bowl and let steep for 15 minutes.
- Whisk flour and yeast together in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk milk, melted butter, granulated sugar, egg, and saffron mixture in 4-cup liquid measuring cup until sugar has dissolved. Using dough hook on low speed, slowly add milk mixture to flour mixture and mix until cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Cover bowl and let dough sit for 10 minutes.
- Add salt to dough and knead on medium-low speed until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl but sticks to bottom, about 8 minutes. Reduce speed to low, slowly add currants, and mix until incorporated, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with greased plastic wrap, and let rise until increased in size by about half, 1½ to 2 hours.
- Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Press down on dough to deflate, then transfer to clean counter. Press and roll dough into 16 by 6-inch rectangle, with long side parallel to counter edge. Using pizza cutter or chef’s knife, cut rectangle vertically into 16 (6 by 1-inch) strips and cover loosely with greased plastic.
- Working with 1 dough strip at a time (keep remaining pieces covered), stretch and roll into 16-inch rope. (If dough resists stretching, let it relax for 5 to 10 minutes before trying to stretch it again.) Coil ends of rope in opposite directions to form tight S shape. Arrange buns on prepared sheets, spaced about 2½ inches apart. Cover loosely with greased plastic and let rise until puffy, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Gently brush buns with egg mixture and sprinkle with pearled sugar, if using. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Transfer rolls to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour, before serving.
Notes
- For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a full kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. If the dough becomes too soft to work with at any point, refrigerate it until it’s firm enough to easily handle.