Hot Cross Buns Recipe – Soft, tender and lightly spiced brushed with sweet syrup and filled with juicy raisins. Absolutely delightful anytime!
Whenever Easter rolls around there are a couple of things that start filling my mind. This is what’s on my mind today – Hot Cross Buns. Sticky, sweet, scented and soft buns.
You know you just can’t beat homemade hot cross buns, right?
The first time I tried these buns was coincidentally during the Easter Season.
My aunt had just returned from one of her glamorous trips to London and this time she wanted to share with us a treat that is enjoyed during the Easter Season there. But before she did, we promised to sit patiently and listen to her tales about Europe – Latest outfits, the meals that made you drool, the people – their customs, and the list goes on.
While she was immersed in her narrative suspense, I was deep in thought – to tell you the truth I didn’t hear a darn thing she was talking about. She could have been speaking gibberish and I would have smiled and nodded happily. All I could think about was the hot cross buns – the taste, texture and could I have seconds. Yeah, that was me during my preteen years. Obsessed with food and I still am today.
Fast forward to today, here I am making these buns during the Lenten Season – the scent wafting through the house gets me each time. What I do is triple the batch, make and freeze the dough. Whenever the craving hits, I remove, defreeze and just pop in the oven. You seriously don’t have to sweat it out in the kitchen every time.
Desmond (my son) does not like any of the spices that goes into this. He picks out the raisin and hands the roll to me. He prefers the regular dinner rolls. It is just not happening, he is going to sit this one out and wait for this season to be over.
This hot cross bun is not too overpowering – so it is great enjoyed with dinner, breakfast or just because. Adjust the spices to suit your taste buds.
Most recipes use flour and water paste to make the cross but you can use icing (fondant, cream cheese icing or white chocolate) The choice is yours.
Enjoy!!!
Watch How to Make It
Hot Cross Buns Recipe- Soft, tender and lightly spiced brushed with sweet syrup and filled with juicy raisins. Absolutely delightful anytime!
- 1 package 2 ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons Warm water 105F- 115 F
- 1 cup (230 grams, 240 ml) milk
- 4 ounce (114 gram) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 3 3/4 cups (445grams or more) all-purpose flour
- ¾ -1 cup (150 grams) raisins/currants
- 1 tablespoon grated orange
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice) 1/2 teaspoon each
- 1- cup (120grams) flour or more
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon water (adjust to thick consistency)
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon warm milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- In a standing mixer or large bowl combine 2 tablespoons lukewarm water and yeast. Let it sit until dissolve for about 5 minutes. Mix for about a minute.
- Meanwhile in a microwave safe medium bowl, combine milk, with the butter pieces, sugar, salt and microwave for about a minute. Stir until everything is melted.
- Lightly whisk in the egg to the butter mixture (if the mixture is too hot let it cool to a warm to prevent eggs from curding.)
- Dump everything into the yeast mixture, and
- Mix by hand or on medium high speed using dough hook until all the ingredients are combined.
- Then add 3 1/2 flour cups of flour, spices and grated orange. Continue mixing dough and stop when the dough doesn’t stick to the sides or bottom of the bowl when kneading.
- Add additional flour (if needed) to make soft dough.
- If kneading by hand, turn dough on lightly floured surface and knead for about 6 minutes, then add the raisins, continue kneading for another 2 minutes or more if you want airy buns. Or you may carry out this same process with in a standard mixer with a dough hook
- Place bun dough in a greased large bowl. Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 to 2 hours or until doubled. Punch the dough down.
- At this point the dough maybe divided into 12 equal pieces. Shape into balls. Place in greased 12-inch skillet, 9x13 baking pan or baking sheet.
- Mix the flour and sugar with water to make the paste for the cross – add the water 1 tablespoon at a time, so you add just enough for a thick paste. Spoon paste into a piping bag Pipe a line along each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses. Let it rise for about 15 -20mins until risen.
- You may refrigerate before baking for up to 24 hours
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Bake until the crust is deep golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove from the baking pan
- Combine milk and sugar and brush buns, let it cool. Delicious when served warm
it is possible your flour paste is too thin. happened to me too. but with thicker paste they were perfect.
Hi Megan, I made it this weekend and it you are right . The consistency was too thin and the crosses were not as visible . Tried it again with 1/2 cup water and about 2 tablespoons water and it turned out great . Have adjusted recipe . Thank you for bringing this to my attention.
Happy Easter!!!
I knew one recipe wouldn’t be enough so I made three, shared some; the rest are being eaten as I write this thank you note, and will have to make some more soon.
So thank you for a wonderful recipe from a Caribbean Nana
Thank you for dropping by, too. Glad you all like it. Will be making another batch of this, too, for tomorrow. 🙂
Best recipe I’ve found online. I’m terrible at baking and this worked a treat! Thank you!
why do my crosses disappear after baking?
I can’t say for sure without actually being there . You might want to try make the crosses a little bigger .
my crosses are actually bigger than yours originally, i’m retrying the recipe right now! i hope it works out this time. thank you for your reply!
I made three recipes, shared some the rest are being eaten as I write this thank you note, and will have to make some more soon.
So thank you for a wonderful recipe.
@Alexa, as Megan said your crosses were to thin, mine also disappeared however were very delicious, soft and fluffy. Thank you Immaculate bite!Harriet
Your welcome Harriet.
I have revised recipe . Happy Easter!!!
This recipe is perfect!!! Just like the hot cross buns i used to eat in Australia! Unfortunately they are almost impossible to find in the US.
I’m so glad I found it! They are very fluffy! I left out the orange peel and they still taste amazing!
Please what are the constituents of the “All spice”. I would really love to try it!!!!
All spice is a single spice also known as Jamaican pepper – you can easily substitute with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves (equal amount of each)
It is called pimento never heard of Jamaican pepper.
I made these recently and made a couple of changes: I used 1 tsp. cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp. each of the allspice and nutmeg. I also added 1 peeled & finely chopped apple and about 1/2 chopped chopped walnuts after toasting in the oven for 5 minutes. Not traditional, but delicious!
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
Great! Thanks for taking the time to share this with us. Glad to hear it worked out well for you.
Thanks for the great recipe, came out just like the hot cross buns at home in Australia 🙂
Thank you very much for this recipe. I made them yesterday following the recipe exactly (except for subbing raisins with craisins) and they turned out perfectly. They are a new tradition for this Swede.
I made these tonight for Easter breakfast tomorrow, but I don’t think they’ll make it – they seem to be magically disappearing. They turned out so amazing, I will never buy them from the stores again! First time I’ve made a bread recipe that turned out perfect the first time. I used my stand mixer for mixing and kneading and the entire process was so easy. I did forget to brush them with the milk sugar after baking but it didn’t matter because they’re awesome! Thanks SO much for posting this recipe.
Oh you are SO sweet Marlene! Everyone wants the last piece . Happy Easter!!!
I made them today and they came out wonderful! Thank you so much for your recipe.
Awesome! So happy to hear this.
After refrigerating should the dough be brought back to room temperature? About how long do you estimate that to take? I’m making these to take to a brunch and want to make sure I have the timing right.
Hi Kacie! Yes,it’s best to bring to room temperature before baking. Hope it all goes well at your brunch.
Hi. Thanks for sharing. Just trying this out now. My kids are so curious as to what am making. I just pray it raises fast. lol. So glad I found you.
Thanksssssss
Hi Jane,So happy you are here. Hope it works out too!
This is the first recipe that explained that the cross is traditionally made of flour paste. Thank you, as the other recipe i tried called for piped icing on top! I knew that was just wrong, !! but I did not know what to use. They are setting in the fridge right now to be baked in the morning !
Glad you appreciate the extra step. Happy eating !!!
These look wonderful and I am going to try them out tomorrow. I’m curious though, at what stage do you freeze the dough for later use? Do you freeze it in one lump or separate portions?
After shaping the dough. You have to bring to room temperature before baking , after freezing. You do not have to freeze if making it for the next day.
I made these for the first time last Easter and boy were they YUM! I sang the nursery rhyme in kindergarten and always wondered what they tasted like. Now I’m making them AGAIN and it’s summer! I love my one a penny two a prnny hot cross buns!
Now you’ve got me singing… If you have no daughters, give them to your sons.One a penny two a penny, Hot cross buns!
Happy Cooking!!!!
This look really good, I’ll make this. Thanks for the share
Awesome! Can’t wait to hear how it all works out for you!
Pls where do you leave yours to rise, that is; the draft-free location. Don’t know if an empty cupboard in my kitchen will suffice.
I look for the warmest area in my kitchen, so it rises faster.
Your photos are so clear and beautiful. Makes me want to cook/bake.
In Bermuda we serve with sliced cheddar cheese and/or codfish cakes.
Oh boy! That sounds delicious!!! Thanks for sharing!!!!
So there is no second rising after you shape the rolls into rounds? Just want to double check… 🙂
After you add the cross you may let it rise for about 15 -20 mins,if desired. I usually do if i want them to be super soft.
Looks Good…I have to try this recipe.will use lemon versus orange peel..just to see how it works.
As usual another great recipe with nice photos.
Have a great w/end.
You too Sandy! Thank you so much!!!!
I Love You!!!!! How did You know my favorite?mama. now I don’t have to go to the bakery to get this!
Not another trip to the bakery- WIN! Love you too!!! Have a Great Weekend!
Hi Imma
Wt gorgeous pictures. Thank u so much for posting.
Wld u let me know the conversion of flour, sugar, mixed fruits, milk, from cups to gms
Alternatively, cld u guide me to website for conversion.
So looking forward to trying out the recipe for Easter.
God Bless
On the 1 1/2 tsp of nutmeg and etc. is it of each spice or 1 1/2 tsp of one of your choice?
It is 1 1/2 teaspoons of the spices combined together. You can go with only one spice .
This should be in the recipe as I used the amount for each spice listed so it didn’t turn out. Very frustrating.
The recipe states AND between spices, not OR.
Sorry about that. Have updated recipe to make it clearer.
looks so yum. if its not too different from bread, ill try it out. the process doesnt look as tedious as i thought it would be,lol. welldone!
Thanks ronke, it is really quite easy to make . Let me know how it works for you
I need to try this out..Oh my…Well without the raisins!!! It looks good..
Yef
Yes, Let me know it works for you. They sure taste even better.
Thanks Nagi. I would love to see your take on this. You should still make it
Listening to her stories was SO WORTH these hot cross buns! I think you read my mind, I was thinking of making some but now there’s no point! 🙂 These are gorgeous, I love the glossy surface!
They look so good! I am British but live in Sweden and we have nothing like Hot Cross Buns here! Keep meaning to make some!
But you have semlor! Which I think are a great substitute.
LOVE! “One a penny two a penny hot cross buns…. If you have no daughters give them to your sons” Remember that nursery rhyme? Great pictures and presentation as always 🙂
Yes I do! And now my 3 year old sings it all the time, which is why I’m making this today.
Awesome!
Always wanted to make these. WillGive it a go this weweekend.Thanks for all you do.