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Hot Cross Bun Cinnamon Rolls
5 from 12 votes

Hot Cross Bun Cinnamon Rolls

These Hot Cross Bun Cinnamon Rolls combine the spicy warmth of cinnamon and mixed dried fruit with a tender, sticky enriched dough. The dough uses a mix of all-purpose and bread flour alongside eggs and butter, creating soft rolls studded with fruit and flavored with fresh orange juice. The rolls are finished with a light orange juice and powdered sugar frosting, giving a fruity brightness. The recipe includes an egg wash step to create a glossy crust and offers options for soaking the fruit to soften and infuse taste.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
25 mins
Additional Time
10 hrs
Servings: 9 rolls
Calories: 374 kcal
Course: Dessert, Breakfast, Brunch
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Dough
  • ¼ cup milk or whole milk, warmed to 104°F (40C, full fat
  • 2¼ teaspoon dry active yeast
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour or plain flour
  • ¾ cup bread flour or strong flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 egg ideally at room temperature, one egg separated into yolk and white, large
  • ½ cup butter softened at room temperature and cut into small chunks, plus extra for greasing the bowl, unsalted
Ingredients for the Filling
  • ½ cup light brown sugar firmly packed
  • 6 tablespoon butter softened at room temperature, unsalted
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 3 oz dried fruit mix raisins, sultanas, chopped dried apricot, etc, mixed
  • ½ cup orange juice fresh orange juice, not from concentrate
Ingredients for the Frosting
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar sifted if particularly lumpy
  • 1½ teaspoon orange juice fresh orange juice, not from concentrate

Instructions

Instructions for Dough
    Cup of Yum
  1. Begin by sprinkling the yeast and a teaspoon of the sugar into your warmed milk. Stir and set aside for about 10 minutes until the yeast has developed a foam on top.
  2. Meanwhile in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the flour, bread flour, remaining sugar and salt. Give this a quick stir.
  3. Once the yeast is frothy, add this to the flour mixture, immediately followed by two full eggs and one egg white. Reserve the remaining egg yolk to make an egg wash later. (see note)
  4. Turn the mixer to a low setting and knead for 15 minutes, stopping once or twice early on to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure all of the flour is incorporated. After 15 minutes your dough should have come together and be pulling itself from the sides of the bowl (though it will still be sticky).
  5. With the mixer still on a low setting, slowly begin adding the butter a couple of bits at a time. Once all of the butter is incorporated, continue kneading for 15 minutes until the dough has come together again and is pulling itself away from the sides of the bowl. (see note)
  6. Scrape the dough into a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator to proof slowly for about 8 hours (or overnight).
Instructions for Filling
  1. To prepare your filling, start by infusing the dried fruit in the orange juice. Place the fruit and juice in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Bring this to a boil, stirring occasionally to make sure none of the fruit is sticking to the base of the pan. Once boiled, remove from the heat and leave the fruit to sit in the warm juice for about half an hour before before draining and setting aside to cool. (see note)
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the softened butter, sugar and ground cinnamon until you have a smooth spreadable butter mixture.
Instructions for Rolling and Second Proof
  1. Line an 8" square baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. After the dough's overnight proof, turn this out onto a floured work surface and press into a rectangle. Use a rolling pin to roll out into a large rectangle, about 12" wide by 15" long.
  3. Spread the butter mixture over the surface of the dough, leaving a gap around the edges. Then sprinkle with your soaked (and drained) fruits.
  4. Roll the dough from the bottom to the top, forming a tight log.
  5. Use flavorless dental floss or thin kitchen twine to trim the uneven and unfilled ends (about an inch or two off each end). Then divide the dough into 9. Use the floss to cut your nine rolls.
  6. Place these in your lined square baking pan and cover with a clean kitchen towel to proof at room temperature for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
Instructions for Baking and Frosting
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175C/155C Fan).
  2. Make a quick egg wash using the reserved egg yolk and a splash of milk. Brush this over the top of your rolls once they're done the second proof.
  3. Place the rolls in the centre of the preheated oven for about 25 minutes until risen and golden.
  4. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes while you mix together the powdered sugar and orange juice for the frosting.
  5. Use a piping bag with a round nozzle (or a ziploc bag with the corner cut) to pipe the frosting in a cross pattern over the rolls. This is a simple pattern - just a line through the centre of each roll, crossed with another as shown in the images.
  6. Serve fresh and still warm.

Notes

  • Reserve egg yolk separately in the fridge for the egg wash before baking, mixing it with a splash of milk for a shiny crust.
  • Sticky dough after kneading is normal for this recipe; don’t add extra flour unless absolutely necessary.
  • Soaking dried fruit overnight in orange juice softens the fruit and enhances flavor; otherwise, use the fruit dry and omit orange juice, resulting in a chewier texture.

Nutrition Information

Calories 374kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 45g (15%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 20g (31%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 5g (25%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 103mg (34%) Sodium 290mg (12%) Potassium 183mg (4%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 24g (48%) Vitamin A 672IU (13%) Vitamin C 8mg (9%) Calcium 62mg (6%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 9 rolls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 374

% Daily Value*

Calories 374kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 45g 15%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 20g 31%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 5g 25%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 103mg 34%
Sodium 290mg 12%
Potassium 183mg 4%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 24g 48%
Vitamin A 672IU 13%
Vitamin C 8mg 9%
Calcium 62mg 6%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.