Lussekatter in a Baking Pan
1 hr 40 min
Soft, golden saffron buns baked together in one pan — like a pull-apart bun cake. Perfect for Lucia Day on December 13th.
bakingbreadchristmas
Got leftover pinnekjøtt from Christmas dinner? This is exactly what you do with it. The pepper glaze against the salty lamb is something else.
Instructions
- 1
Pull the meat off the bones and tear it into decent-sized pieces.
- 2
Bring the sugar and apple cider vinegar to a boil for the pepper glaze. Chop the chili, ginger, and garlic and add them to the liquid. Let it steep for 4–5 minutes, then take the pot off the heat and let it cool.
- 3
Blend everything into a smooth sauce using a hand blender or food processor. Stir in the sweet soy sauce. Finely chop half the coriander and mix it into the sauce.
- 4
Toast the whole peppercorns in a dry pan until they start to smell fragrant. Crush them roughly in a mortar, then stir them into the sauce along with the pinnekjøtt.
- 5
Mix all the dressing ingredients together and let it sit so the flavours can develop.
- 6
Stir together the rice vinegar, sugar, water, and salt. Peel the carrots and slice them thin, along with the celery and cucumber. Pour the pickling liquid over and mix well. Let the vegetables sit for at least 10 minutes.
- 7
Toast the brioche buns. Spread the dressing on the bottom half. Top with leaf lettuce, pickled vegetables, and the pinnekjøtt.
Per average serving
1.3k
Calories
kcal
85.4
Protein
g
144.4
Carbs
g
46.3
Fat
g
8.2g
Fiber
78g
Sugar
5198mg
Sodium
Family Portions
2portions
Adults
2
Children
No children added
Ingredients
Per average serving
1.3k
Calories
kcal
85.4
Protein
g
144.4
Carbs
g
46.3
Fat
g
8.2g
Fiber
78g
Sugar
5198mg
Sodium
Tips from the kitchen
- Pull the meat while it's still a little warm. It comes off the bones easier and tears into cleaner pieces than when it's gone cold.
- Let the chili, ginger, and garlic actually steep for those 4-5 minutes off the boil. Rush it and the glaze tastes thin and sharp instead of round.
- Toast the peppercorns until you can smell them, then stop. Push it too far and they turn bitter, and you'll taste it in every bite.
- Don't pickle the vegetables longer than you need to. Ten minutes gives you crunch with a bit of bite. Leave them an hour and they go soft and floppy.
- Make the dressing first so it can sit while you do everything else. The garlic and onion powder need that time to stop tasting raw.
Ways to vary it
- No pinnekjøtt left over? The glaze works on pulled pork shoulder too if you want to make these outside of Christmas.
- Swap the brioche for a soft potato bun if you like something a little less sweet against the salty lamb.
- A handful of thinly sliced red onion in with the pickled vegetables adds a sharper edge if you want it.
Storage & leftovers
The glazed meat keeps 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and the pickled vegetables hold a couple of days but get softer as they sit. Reheat the meat gently in a pan with a splash of water so it doesn't dry out, and assemble the buns fresh. The dressing freezes poorly because of the sour cream, so keep that in the fridge and use within 3 days.
What to serve with it
Some crispy roast potatoes or a pile of fries on the side does the job. A cold beer suits the salty lamb.
UC
By Untrained ChefPublished 22 April 2026 · Updated 11 July 2026
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