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Hot Cross Buns are perfect for Easter and springtime baking, or anytime you want a cozy, homemade roll. These soft, spiced yeast rolls are speckled with dried fruit and feature warm spices and a classic white cross glaze for a beautifully traditional treat.
Hot Cross Buns are just one of the best baking projects I know. They’re a special treat at Easter and make such a nice tradition to carry forward each spring. The buns are easy and fun to make and absolutely DIVINE to eat!
Hot cross buns fit in that category of holiday breads that have always captivated me. This traditional sweet bread is one various bakers in my family have made over the years during Easter time (they’re associated with Good Friday), every year perfecting the recipe with various tweaks. As in: how do we get the glaze cross to look great on top? And not run all over the pan and hands?
My recipe yields an incredibly soft, spiced roll studded with dried fruit and topped with the traditional white glaze cross, enhanced in my recipe with orange blossom water.ย I’ve figured out a great way to keep the cross looking great. Be not afraid of a piping tip and piping bag! At the same time, you can free hand the cross if you prefer.
What Are Hot Cross Buns?
Hot cross buns are spiced sweet buns made with a mix of flour, sugar, and dried fruit, typically currants or raisins and candied fruit. They are marked with a cross made of glaze or dough. Often baked on Good Friday, they are wonderful warm, with a pat of butter. Such a special Easter recipe tradition. When you take your first bite, you’ll be greeted with the golden brown exterior and soft interior. Then the warm spice flavor envelopes. The sweetness of the orange zest and dried fruit make your eyes go wide!
Ingredient Notes
Follow this breakdown of the key components for this homemade hot cross buns recipe:
- All-purpose flour
- Yeast:ย I prefer instant yeast to active dry yeast because it encourages rising for the dough that is enriched. That means it’s laden with milk, butter, and egg. Active dry yeast can be substituted; be sure to dissolve it in warm water before adding to the recipe.
- Dried Fruit:ย The classic combination is sultanas (raisins) and currants, but my personal favorite is dried cherries (I’m a Michigander!). Candied fruit like citron is also traditional for doughs like this one, though feel free to experiment with your favorites. Try chocolate chips for a modern twist.
- Sweetness: Granulated sugar is included for a light sweetness.
- Whole milk, warmed, ย is vital for encouraging the yeast and the rise of the enriched dough. Make sure it’s not too hot, or you’ll risk killing the yeast!
- Eggs and Butter:ย A large egg enriches the dough. Unsalted butter adds tenderness. Another egg makes a lovely egg wash on top of each bun before baking to encourage a golden brown, shiny crust.
- Spices and Flavorings: Incorporating orange zest and a hint of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice or clove makes for a fragrant bun that is so aromatic and festive. You can also add a little orange juice, vanilla extract or almond extract.
Icing Ingredients
To finish off your hot cross buns, you’ll need a simple icing made from powdered sugar and a little milk–and orange blossom water (or rose water) for a special floral note. Using a piping bag, you can create that classic cross on top of each bun, giving them their distinctive look.
Tips & Variations
Achieving the perfect batch of hot cross buns is easy to do with the right tips to get us all there. Those tips for how to make hot cross buns the best they can be are here!
- Dough Rising: For the first rise, cover your large mixing bowl with a tea towel to keep the dough warm and create a proper environment for the yeast. A warm place will help the dough rise effectively. After about an hour (or slightly longer), the dough should roughly double in size.
- Work Surface: When shaping your dough into balls, divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, bring the sides of the balls to the base to stretch and smooth the top, and roll them into smooth dough balls on a dry countertop while rubbing out the seam as you go.
- Egg Wash: The egg wash on the risen dough balls before baking is essential! This creates a deep golden brown crust that is shiny and appetizing.ย
- Sticky Dough Solutions:ย If your dough feels too sticky, incorporate extra flour slowly, one tablespoon at a time to control overdoing it, while kneading gently. A good rule of thumb is to avoid adding too much flour at once to prevent overly dry buns. To ensure your dough has developed enough gluten, perform the windowpane test. Stretch a small piece of dough; it should become thin and translucent without tearing.
- Double the Batch:ย If youโre hosting friends or family, consider making a second batch! It’s sooo easy to eat more than one…. Leftover hot cross buns can be frozen and reheated the next day or anytime for breakfast or a treat.
- Crossing Options:ย The simplest, most delicious way to make the cross on top of the bun is making a small bowl of a simple powdered sugar glaze. Be sure the glaze is very thick, which requires restraint in the amount of liquid you add to it and stirring with some patience. Don’t pipe the glaze until the buns cool completely right on their parchment paper line baking sheet. Use a piping bag with a flat tip to make even, nicely shaped crosses. Another cross option uses a flour paste that is piped on the cross before baking. The drawback is that the flour paste can be finicky (too wet, and it won’t hold its shape; too dry, and it doesn’t smooth out). Also, this approach does not add any flavor (sweetness!) to the rolls.ย
- Serving Suggestions: These sweet buns can be served warm or at room temperature. Enjoy them plain or toasted with a spread of creamed butter, labneh, cream cheese, or maple syrup.
- Flavor Variations: Feel free to experiment with flavors. Instead of traditional spices, consider adding cardamom. For a delightful surprise, consider mixing in chocolate chips or creating cinnamon rolls by rolling the dough and filling with cinnamon sugar before shaping.
More Easter Traditions
Ma’amoul are a traditional molded Middle Eastern shortbread cookie with various fillings like dates and sugared nuts.
Ka’ak is a sweet bread or crunchy cookie often flavored with anise and molded to take on a lovely imprint.
Coconut Date Balls are an old-fashioned, chewy-crisp confection that are perfect for spring celebrations.
Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon orange zest, from one orange
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, or allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup currants, raisins, or dried cherries, if using cherries, finely chop them
For the egg wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons water
For the cross glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons milk, any fat content
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup, for gloss and hardening
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water, or vanilla
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, warm the milk with the butter, orange zest and sugar over medium low heat until butter melts.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, or by hand in a large mixing bowl, stir the flour, yeast, spices and salt to combine. On low speed or with a spoon, incorporate the beat the milk mixture and the egg for 30 seconds, then add the dried fruit. Continue to beat or knead by hand until the dough is cohesive.
- Coat a large bowl with a teaspoon of neutral oil. Gather the dough in a ball and flip it around in the bowl to lightly coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Set aside in a warm spot, or the proofing setting in the oven, to rise for 90 minutes, until doubled.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. When the dough is ready, divide it into 12 equal pieces (patting it into a log and marking 11 evenly spaced cuts is a good way to do this). Shape each piece into a cohesive ball by stretching the top down and collecting the seams at the base of the ball. Roll the ball under your palm on the countertop to incorporate any openings or seams into the dough.
- Place the balls on the baking sheet about 2-3 inches apart. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Set aside again in a warm spot, or the proofing setting in the oven, to rise for 90 minutes, until doubled.
- When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 425ยฐF. Make the egg wash. In a small bowl, whisk to combine the egg, water, and salt. Brush each dough ball thoroughly with the egg wash, reaching all the way to the base of each one. Bake the rolls until deep golden brown, 14-15 minutes. Set them aside to cool completely.
- When the rolls are cool, make the glaze. In a medium bowl, stir to combine the confectioners' sugar, milk, corn syrup, and orange blossom water. The glaze should be quite thick in order to hold its shape on the rolls without running off the rolls. Watch for a thick, slow drizzle when the glaze drops off the spoon.
- Fit a piping bag or gallon ziplock bag with a flat topped piping tip (#44 or #45), or cut the tip of the bag off by 1/4-inch. Fill the bag with the glaze; it's easiest to do this by setting the bag into a tall glass and folding back the opening to make way for the glaze spooned into the bag.
- Pipe the crosses on the rolls. Start by touching the roll on one side with the piping tip, and as you squeeze, lift the tip away from the roll, allowing the piped glazed to fall onto the roll from an inch or so above it. This allows for greater control and a better looking line of glaze. End with a flick of the tip.
- Allow the glaze to set for at least 30 minutes, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
