Discover the joy of making soft, fluffy hot cross bun filled with warm spices and raisins. Serve them warm with a smear of butter and a hot cup of coffee. Hot cross buns are rich with history, dating back to the 12th century. These yeasted sweet buns are filled with spices and various fruits such as currants, raisins and candied citrus. They are traditionally decorated with a white cross representing the crucifix, either marked directly into the dough or etched on top with icing. Typically eaten on Good Friday, hot cross buns are a beloved Easter food.
Those hot cross buns are a delightful cross between a dinner roll and a cinnamon roll. They are soft yet dense, with a delicious spiced flavour from cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Feel free to play with the spices even adding a little cardamom, nutmeg and allspice. Feel free to play with the spices, even adding a little cardamom for an extra twist. The buns are primarily sweetened with brown sugar and then brushed with apricot jam. For an extra burst of flavour, try adding a bit of orange zest or candied orange peel to the dough. This recipe uses raisins, though you can also use currants if available.
Hot cross buns from scratch are far superior to those from the grocery store. Sweet, lightly spiced and mouth-watering fragrant, these soft homemade buns brushed with apricot jam and are best served warm. They gain their delicious flavour and aroma from a trio of ground spices- cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Usually the cross that gives this sweet bread is made from a simple mixture of flour and water and piped onto the dough before baking. Alternatively, you can use a thick glaze for the cross.
Many people hesitates to make recipes involving yeast, but there is no need to worry. Homemade hot cross buns are worth the effort. Unlike store-bought versions, homemade buns retain the freshness of their spices and lack the artificial flavours and preservatives found in economical brands. Once you’ve tried homemade, it’s hard to go back.
Making soft, fluffy hot cross buns at home is easier than you think. With the right spices, a touch of sweetness and a bit of patience, you’ll have a batch of delicious, fragrant buns that are perfect for your Easter celebrations.
Ingredients needed for Hot Cross Buns:
Flour: Bread flour or all-purpose flour works great in this hot cross bun recipe. Using bread flour will yield a chewier bun that stays soft for longer.
Butter: Opt for good quality unsalted butter.
Dried Fruit: Raisins or dried currants are essential for the buns.
Yeast: Dry yeast activated with warm milk and sugar, helps the buns rise. Be sure to use active dry yeast, not rapid-rise or instant yeast.
Eggs: You need 2 large eggs, one for the dough and one for an egg wash. Use room temperature eggs for best result.
Spices: Salt, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg add a warm, comforting flavour to the buns.
Crosses: To make the crosses, you only need all-purpose flour and water to form a paste.
Can you make the buns ahead of time?
You can prepare the dough ahead of time. After the first rise, cover the dough with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge. Follow the recipe until the dough balls are formed and placed on a baking tray. Instead of letting the dough do a second rise, cover and refrigerate the dish. The next day. Take the pan out, let the dough ball reach room temperature and rise in a warm place. Once the dough balls are visibly puffed, brush with egg wash and bake as directed.
Storage Tips:
Refrigeration: To store leftover hot cross buns, place them in airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezing: To freeze wrap each bun tightly in plastic wrap and foil.
Reheating: Defrost the frozen buns for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Then place on a baking tray and reheat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or in the oven or air fryer at 180ºC for a few minutes.
Ingredients
For the Buns:
450 gm Bread Flour
240 ml Warm Milk
50 gm Sugar
7 gm Dry Yeast
85 ml Butter (melted)
2 no. Egg
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Grounded All-spice
1 tsp Grounded Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg (freshly grated)
100 gm Raisins
Apricot jam
For the Crosses:
40 gm All-purpose Flour
2-3 tbsp water
Preparation
For toasted Bread crumbs:
- Step 1: In a bowl, stir together 120 ml warm milk, 15 gm sugar and yeast. Let the mixture sit until its very foamy on top, about 10 minutes.
- Step 2: Next, in another bowl combine with the rest 120 ml milk, yeast mixture, melted butter and stir to incorporate everything properly.
- Step 3: In a large mixing bowl add bread flour, salt, grounded All-spice, grounded Cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg and whisk everything properly.
- Step 4: Then add yeast-egg mixture little by little and mix together to form a soft and pliable dough.
- Step 5:Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes.
- Step 6: Sprinkle over the raisins then knead the dough lightly for about 30-60 seconds. The dough should be smooth and elastic with dried fruit throughout.
- Step 7: Grease a large bowl with oil. Shape the dough into a ball and place it into the prepared bowl. Cover with cling wrap and set aside in a warm place for 1-2 hours or until double in size.
- Step 8: Turn out the proofed dough onto the lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll each pieces into a ball.
- Step 9: Grease a baking tray with butter and transfer the buns to the tray spacing them equally apart. Cover with a towel or cling wrap and return to a warm spot to proof for another hour, until the rolls proof together.
- Step 10: After the second proof preheat the oven to 200ºc (400ºF). Beat the remaining egg with 1 tsp of milk or water and brush the buns with egg wash.
For the cross Topping:
- Step 11: In a small bowl stir together flour and water until a thick paste forms. Transfer it to a piping bag with one corner cut off.
- Step 12: Pipe a straight line through the center of each bun. Repeat making a second set of line perpendicular to the first set, forming a cross on top of each bun.
Baking the buns:
- Step 13: Bake them for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack. Brush them with apricot jam while warm.
- Step 14: Serve the buns with butter and big cup of tea. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Pro tips:
Make sure the yeast you are using is fresh for optimal rising. Expired yeast will hinder the rise of your buns, so always check the expiration date. If the yeast doesn’t become very foamy after 15 minutes in warm milk, start over with new yeast.
Instead of raisins, try using dried fruits like cranberries, currants, diced apricot, blueberries or orange peel. You can also use any nut of your choice.
Enhance the dough’s taste by adding orange zest or lemon zest.
If you prefer a glaze cross instead of a flour paste cross, bake the buns without the flour paste cross. After baking and cooling, make a thick glaze by whisking together 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoon of milk or water. Transfer the glaze to a piping bag and pipe crosses on the top of each bun.
About Me
DEBJANI MONDAL
Welcome to Kitchenstagram, the home of delicious recipes, culinary inspiration and cooking adventures. I’m Debjani and I’m thrilled to be your guide through the wonderful world of food. I’m a self-taught professional baker, home chef, recipe developer, author of Kitchenstagram and an aspiring YouTuber.
My passion for food and cooking began at a very young age, when I would watch my mom and dad cook for me and my brother. My dad, in particular is a great cook whose culinary skills made a lasting impression on me. My dad would cook up a storm on special occasions by cooking variety of dishes, from delicious biriyani to samosa, fish fry, rasgullas and kachoris (sweet & spicy deep fried pastry with filling of lentils, meat or fish…>>>>>
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