My husband is Swedish and I remember the first year he took me to Sweden to visit family during the holidays. We went to see a Santa Lucia production in Stockholm.

The children and adults performing wearing white and holding a candle. The girls had crowns that looked like candles carefully balanced on their heads. So many festive songs.

That week we had Saffron Bread which is common to have around Santa Lucia and Christmas. However, it’s hard for many of us with Autoimmune conditions to eat gluten and dairy so this is my Paleo version of the Santa Lucia Saffron Bread recipe below. I think you’ll love these.

Santa Lucia Saffron Bread – Paleo

Jessica Green

Every year my husband's family in Sweden make Saffron Bread for Santa Lucia. This recipe though is made gluten, grain, and dairy-free. The saffron flavor is mild and there's just a bit of sweetness with this bread. You can also change the shape if you like. This shape is what I was taught to make.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Swedish

Servings 8

Equipment

Electric Mixer

Ingredients

1 cup coconut flour
1 cup tapioca flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp saffron ground with a mortar and pestle
16 raisins two per bun if using the 'S' shape
2 eggs pasture raised and organic if possible
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
6 tbsp apple sauce organic
4 tbsp filtered water
½ cup nut milk I used macadamia nut milk but any kind will do
1 tbsp maple syrup
½ cup melted coconut oil organic

Instructions

Set oven to 350° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl, mix to combine
Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Using the electric mixer, combine until doughy and a mass forms.
Form the dough into 8 balls. Roll balls into 6 to 8 inch long pieces and shape into traditional S shape. Note the dough will be crumbly so it’ll take some finesse to shape it. Add a raisin into each crevasse of the S shape.
Place each S shaped bun onto parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until the top starts to get slightly golden and the bread is spongy.