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St. Lucia Buns Recipe

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4.3 from 5 reviews

Traditional St. Lucia Buns are soft, saffron and cardamom spiced sweet buns shaped into elegant S-coils with raisins on top. Perfect for festive occasions, these buns are lightly glazed with a sweet icing, delivering a delicate and aromatic treat fresh from the oven.

  • Total Time: 2 hours 26 minutes
  • Yield: 24 buns

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 2 packages active dry yeast
  • ½ cup warm water (105–115°F)
  • ⅔ cup lukewarm milk, scalded and cooled
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon powdered saffron
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ½ – 5 cups all-purpose flour, divided

For Shaping and Topping

  • Raisins
  • Softened butter for brushing

For the Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 tablespoons milk (enough to thin)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Saffron: Add the saffron threads and 1 teaspoon of sugar to a mortar and pestle. Grind until the saffron becomes a fine powder. Set aside to infuse flavor.
  2. Activate Yeast: In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in warm water (105–115°F). Allow it to sit for about 5 minutes until the mixture is foamy, indicating active yeast.
  3. Mix Wet Ingredients: Stir in the lukewarm milk, sugar, softened butter, eggs, ground cardamom, saffron mixture, and salt into the yeast mixture for a fragrant dough base.
  4. Add Flour & Form Dough: Add 3 cups of flour and mix with the dough hook until smooth. Gradually add 1.5 to 2 more cups of flour, using about 4½ cups total, just until the dough is soft and pliable.
  5. Knead Dough: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and elastic, developing gluten structure.
  6. First Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  7. Divide and Rest: Punch down the dough to release air. Divide into 24 pieces, shape each into a short log, cover, and rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.
  8. Shape Buns: Roll each piece into an 8-10 inch rope and shape into an S. Curl both ends inward to form a loose coil, then place the buns onto greased baking sheets. Place one raisin in the center of each coil.
  9. Second Rise: Lightly brush buns with softened butter. Let them rise again for 30–45 minutes until puffy and nearly doubled.
  10. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the buns for 18 to 20 minutes until lightly golden but not over-baked to avoid drying out.
  11. Butter Brush: Optionally brush the baked buns with softened butter immediately after baking to enhance softness.
  12. Prepare Glaze: Mix powdered sugar with enough milk to create a thin glaze. Drizzle or spread the glaze over cooled buns for a sweet finishing touch.

Notes

  • These buns are softest the day they are baked; warm leftovers briefly before serving to restore softness.
  • Saffron and cardamom add distinctive traditional flavors; ensure to grind saffron properly for the best aroma.
  • Do not over-bake, as the buns can dry out quickly.
  • Softened butter brushing before and after baking enhances richness and softness.
  • Use lukewarm milk and water to activate yeast properly without killing it.
  • Author: Chef
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 16 minutes
  • Category: Baking
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Saint Lucian
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Find it online: https://avascooking.com/st-lucia-buns-recipe/