Today we are gonna take a trip to Sweden to make these lush rich single-serve Swedish Saffron Rolls! Sometimes we crave good stuff and sometimes good things come in small packages. These Swedish Saffron Rolls are singe-serve, can be made in a mug, and bake into fluffy fragrant rolls in just a minute.
Okay, but in case you landed here because you were curious about what saffron rolls are and why are they Swedish? Let me help you. So St. Lucia Day is a festival of lights celebrated in Sweden and these rolls are made using a traditional yeasted dough and then baked into “S” shaped rolls, also known as Lucia buns.
But if you landed here while looking for Lucia Buns, you can give this one a go. This is not a traditional Lucia Bun, but a cross between a Lucia Bun and a cinnamon Roll and sized down to a single serving.
This is perfect for you if you love warm soft fluffy fragrant and flavorful buns but do not have the time or equipment or the energy to make a traditional yeasted bun.
Table of contents:
- Equipment required
- Ingredients required
- Procedure
- Step-by-step picture
- Video Tutorial
- FAQ
- Recommended recipes
- Recipe Card
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What equipment do I need to make single-serve Swedish Saffron Rolls?
A set of teaspoons and tablespoons: This stainless steel measuring spoon set is my go-to whenever I’m baking.
This big bowl has been with for years now and a good bowl is always required for all sorts of baking. You can use it to measure out all the dry ingredients for this recipe.
Adorable mugs is my thing and you may want to check this out! It’s not what I used but I want you to have this:)
Chopping board: You are going to need a chopping board to roll out the Lucia buns. I bought mine from Shantiniketan years back and it’s already time to buy a new one because I have already cracked it.
What ingredients do I need to make a single-serve Swedish Saffron Rolls?
All-purpose Flour
I’m using refined flour for this recipe. A common question would be if you can substitute it with whole wheat flour, to that, I say, no you can’t because I tried this recipe using whole wheat flour and it didn’t turn out soft and fluffy. The flour is what gives structure and shape to the saffron cardamom roll. I use this brand and my baked goods always turn out amazing.
Castor Sugar
I am using castor sugar to make this dough because it dissolves easily and adds moisture to my dough. Now if you have checked my other bread recipes, you will see I am always saying that the sugar is also responsible for coloring the bread. However, sugar takes a little while to caramelize. In this recipe, the microwave doesn’t allow the sugar at that time to caramelize. It cooks but does not caramelize resulting in a wheatish coloured saffron roll. I usually use this sugar but recently started using this one and I’ll say I love them both. The sugar doesn’t form any lumps and the grains are very fine.
Baking powder
This recipe does not require yeast and relies on baking powder for the rise. This is what will make your saffron pastries fluffy! I use this one and I think everyone uses this in India.
Milk
I used milk to bind the dough together for these Lucia buns or Swedish saffron and cardamom rolls. The milk provides not just a soft texture, but also a rich and mild sweet taste.
Butter
I used butter to ensure that the brown sugar sticks to the dough. Also who says no to more butter? No one. If you were nodding your head like me, let me give an idea. How about browned butter instead of butter inside the dough? Pretty cool right I also have a how-to brown butter guide on my blog for free! Check it out here.
Cardamom powder
Cardamom powder is the heart of a saffron and cardamom roll-in-a-mug recipe so obviously I went generous with it. But it’s up to you, you can be generous or reserved with the amount you use. If you are not a fan of cardamom but love cinnamon, consider checking out this Cinnamon roll-in-a-mug recipe.
Brown sugar
Brown sugar gives that moist, rich, caramel-like taste to this saffron pastries and when used in the filling creates a beautiful brown layer inside.
Saffron
Channel the inner bougie and be friends with the most expensive spice in the world! Saffron gives the Lucia Buns mild color and lots of flavor
Sugar glaze
We will make a glaze using icing sugar and milk because Starbucks does it. Alternatively, you can also add some cream cheese frosting on top. Check out this cream cheese frosting recipe that I made from scratch (psst didn’t buy a cow, but did make the cream cheese, huhu). Oh and in case you have extra frosting left over, give these carrot muffins a go or this red velvet cake that got 10,000 views on Instagram!!
How to make a single-serve Swedish Saffron Rolls?
Warm the milk a little and let the saffron strands soak in it. Add crushed cardamom pods with the shell to them. Grind the cardamom seeds to a fine powder and keep aside.
Mix the milk and sugar till the sugar dissolves.
Measure and sieve the flour, cardamom powder, and baking powder together,
Add it to the milk mix.
It should form a very sticky dough. Don’t knead, we are just mixing and combining everything.
You see in the microwave, things cook very fast, hence a little bit of kneading is enough to create an unpleasant tough and chewy cinnamon roll. This is why I recommend just combining in the last step. Don’t worry, it will come together once we start rolling the dough out.
Now sprinkle some flour generously on the work surface.
Roll out the dough into a thin long rectangle. Make sure that the breadth should be half of the cup or mug you will be using to bake it in as the roll will double up in the microwave.
Smear the butter on the dough.
Add the brown sugar generously all over the surface.
Now roll it up and place it in the mug.
Place it in the microwave and bake it for a minute on the highest setting.
Let’s prepare the glaze now, mix the sugar and milk together, and generously slather it on the saffron roll.
Garnish it with saffron and sprinkle some brown sugar on top.
Have it right away as the Swedish saffron roll is fluffy and light and will start toughening up as it cools. The lack of fat in the dough is what results in the dough toughening up while it’s cooling.
Enjoy!
Step-by-step pictures on how to make a Single Serve Swedish Saffron Rolls:
Frequently Asked Questions about Single-Serve Swedish Saffron Rolls:
How to store it?
This recipe is not meant for storage. This is created specifically for cravings and is meant to be eaten hot.
Can I freeze it?
No, you cannot freeze it. Reheating will result in overcooking and thereby will toughen up the gluten.
Why are my Swedish saffron and cardamom rolls so chewy?
Chances are you have overworked or overkneaded your dough too much. It can also be chewy if you end up baking it longer.
Can I bake it in the oven?
No, you cannot use this recipe in the oven.
Can I use any other frosting for my Swedish saffron and cardamom rolls?
Of course, you can use my cream cheese frosting recipe over here.
Why is my Swedish saffron roll, not browning?
This recipe is a quick 1-minute recipe, therefore, it does not allow enough time for the sugar to start caramelizing, hence the cinnamon roll will not brown. It will be baked so you don’t have to worry.
Why is my dough sticky?
The dough is supposed to be a little sticky. If it’s too sticking and cannot be rolled out, chances are that you have added too much milk.
Why did my dough stick to the surface?
Make sure that you are generously dusting the surface with flour before rolling the dough out. Even while checking, lift the dough and check if it is sticking anywhere. If it is sticking anywhere, flour the surface and continue.
Other mug recipes that you may like:
Microwave Granola in a mug
No egg Red Velvet Cake in a Mug
Fudgy Mug brownie recipe no egg
Chocolate chip mug cake recipe
Healthy instant coffee overnight oats
Single Serve Swedish Saffron Rolls in a MINUTE!
Take a trip to Sweden with these lush rich single serve Swedish Saffron Rolls that bakes into fluffy soft rolls in just a minute!
Ingredients
- For dough-
- All purpose Flour: 5 tbsp
- Castor Sugar: 1 tbsp
- Baking powder: 1/4 tsp
- Milk: 3 tbsp
- Butter: 3 tbsp
- Cardamom Powder: 1/2 tsp
- Brown Sugar: 1 tbsp
- Saffron strands: 6 pcs
- Cardamom pod: 2 nos
- For Icing-
- Icing sugar: 25 gms
- Milk: 2 tbsp
Directions
- Step 1 Warm the milk a little and let the saffron strands soak in it. Add crushed cardamom pods with the shell to them. Grind the cardamom seeds to a fine powder and keep aside.
- Step 2 Mix the milk and sugar till the sugar dissolves.
- Step 3 Measure and sieve the flour, cardamom powder and baking powder together,
- Step 4 Add it to the milk mix.
- Step 5 It should form a very sticky dough. Don’t knead, we are just mixing and combining everything.
- Step 6 You see in the microwave, things cook very fast, hence a little bit of kneading is enough to create an unpleasant tough and chewy cinnamon roll. This is why I recommend just combining in the last step. Don’t worry, it will come together once we start rolling the dough out.
- Step 7 Now sprinkle some flour generously on the work surface.
- Step 8 Roll out the dough into a thin long rectangle. Make sure that the breadth should be half of the cup or mug you will be using to bake it in as the roll will double up in the microwave.
- Step 9 Smear the butter on the dough.
- Step 10 Add the brown sugar generously all over the surface.
- Step 11 Now roll it up and place it in the mug.
- Step 12 Place it in the microwave and bake it for a minute on the highest setting.
- Step 13 Let’s prepare the glaze now, mix the sugar and milk together, and generously slather it on the saffron roll.
- Step 14 Garnish it with saffron and sprinkle some brown sugar on top.
- Step 15 Have it right away as the Swedish saffron roll is fluffy and light and will start toughening up as it cools. The lack of fat in the dough is what results in the dough toughening up while it’s cooling.
- Step 16 Enjoy!
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