Hot Cross Buns
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4.8
100 reviews
Excellent
Hot Cross Buns
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Hot Cross Buns are soft, slightly spiced yeast buns with raisins, traditionally marked with a cross and glazed for a shiny finish. The dough combines milk, sugar, butter, eggs, and warm yeast, creating an elastic texture enriched with raisins soaked optionally in rum. Baking includes a glaze made from sugar syrup and a cream cheese icing option for a sweet topping. These buns blend warm spices, tender crumb, and fruity sweetness, suitable for Easter or any cozy breakfast.
Description
Hot Cross Buns feature a soft, risen dough infused with nutmeg and studded with plump raisins, which can be soaked in rum to enhance their flavor. The milk and butter add richness, while the yeast allows the dough to develop an elastic, tender texture. After mixing and resting, the dough is shaped into buns and marked with traditional crosses—either a flour-water paste or later iced with a cream cheese glaze. Baking yields buns with a lightly spiced aroma, tender crumb, and slightly sweet crust enhanced by a syrup glaze, giving a shiny finish.
These buns are enjoyable fresh, often served warm for breakfast or snack, pairing well with butter or preserves. The spice and fruit combination offers a comforting balance suitable for a seasonal treat. Soft and pliable, they are ideal for sharing with family or as a festive homemade bread.
The recipe notes highlight a traditional option for the crosses made with flour and water paste instead of icing, and timing tips for proofing the dough, including refrigerating overnight and warming proofing if needed. It also advises checking yeast activation before proceeding to ensure a good rise.
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Ingredients
For hot cross buns
- 1½ cups milk lukewarm between 98°F (36.5°C) and 110°F (43.3°C)
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 large egg
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted (1/2 stick), softened
- 1 cup raisins soaked in rum if preferred
For syrup glaze
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup sugar
For cream cheese icing
- ½ cup powdered sugar same as icing sugar or confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter unsalted, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine the lukewarm milk, sugar and yeast. Stir and let it rest for about 10 minutes until the yeast activates, you will notice bubbles forming.
- Soak the raisins in rum. This step is completely optional. If you're soaking them in rum, you'll need about ¼ cup of rum.
- In the bowl of your mixer add 4 cups of flour, salt and nutmeg. Mix until combined. Add the eggs and butter to the yeast mixture and stir. Pour the yeast mixture over the flour, and using the dough hook attachment mix for about 5 minutes.
- Add raisins (drained if soaked in rum) and continue mixing for another minute. If the dough is too wet add more flour as needed. The dough should be quite soft and elastic. You will know when it's done when it doesn't stick to the sides of the bowl anymore.
- In a large bowl add a bit of oil, about a tablespoon and place the dough in the bowl, rolling it around so that it gets oil all over, this way it won’t get dry. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. You need to let the dough rise for a couple hours until doubled in size. You can also do my trick where I turn the oven on for about 1 to 2 minutes just until it’s warm in there, and place the bowl in the oven, close the door, make sure you turned off the oven and in about half an hour the dough would have doubled in size.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. I used a roasting pan that's 16x12 inches.
- Clean and flour your work surface. Usually I don't add any flour to my work surface because I find it easier to roll the buns on a clean surface, but it's totally up to you. Punch down the dough, and cut it into 15 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece into a ball by cupping your hand around the dough and rolling it in a circular motion on a flat surface. Apply gentle pressure as you roll to create a smooth, round shape.
- Place each ball onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between them to allow for expansion. Cover the buns with a towel and let them rise for another 30 minutes.
- While the rolls are rising, make the syrup by mixing the sugar with the water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil over low heat. Continue boiling for another minute or until syrup thickens a bit. Let it cool.
- Transfer the baking pan to the oven and bake for about 20 or until golden brown. Mine were actually done after 17 minutes so keep an eye on them. As soon as you take the rolls out of the oven, brush them with the glaze.
- To make the cross icing, whisk all the ingredients together and pour in a piping bag and refrigerate until ready to use. If the icing is too thin add more icing sugar, if it's too thick add more water until desired consistency.
- Allow the rolls to cool, then pipe crosses onto your rolls.
Equipments used:
Notes
- For a traditional finish, make crosses from a flour and water paste piped on before baking instead of icing.
- You can prepare the dough up to the shaping step the day before; refrigerate dough overnight to allow slow rising.
- If the dough hasn’t doubled in size after refrigerating, place it in a warmed (but turned off) 200°F oven for 30 to 45 minutes to encourage rising before baking.
- Confirm that yeast has activated before mixing the dough; if it fails to foam, the dough will not rise properly and the recipe should not continue.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1bun
Calories
283kcal
(14%)
Carbohydrates
52g
(17%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
6g
(9%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.5g
(3%)
Monounsaturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Trans Fat
0.2g
(10%)
Cholesterol
39mg
(13%)
Sodium
109mg
(5%)
Potassium
169mg
(4%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
15g
(30%)
Vitamin A
203IU
(4%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
44mg
(4%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 15Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 283 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1bun | |
| Calories | 283kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 52g | 17% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 6g | 9% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.5g | 3% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 39mg | 13% |
| Sodium | 109mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 169mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 15g | 30% |
| Vitamin A | 203IU | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 44mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
100 reviews
Excellent
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