Hot Cross Buns

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Celebrate Easter with this easy-to-follow recipe for soft and flavorful Hot Cross Buns. We'll guide you through every step, from mixing the spiced dough to achieving a glistening apricot glaze.

Prep Time30

Cook Time20

Proofing Time3 30

Total Time4 20

Course: afternoon tea, breakfast, lunch

Cuisine: European

Keyword: Easter, Easter baking, Easter treats, homemade buns, hot cross buns

Servings: buns

Calories: 259kcal

Author: Bakabee

Ingredients

For the buns

450 g bread flour
1 tsp sea salt
50 g caster sugar
7 g instant dry yeast
50 g unsalted butter softened
1 large egg
150 ml milk
75 ml water
75 g sultanas
100 g mixed peel
zest of 2 oranges
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg

For the cross

75 g all purpose flour
5 - 6 tbsp water

For the glaze

75 g apricot jam

Instructions

Preparation

Zest two oranges using a fine grater.
Chop the butter into small cubes.

Make the dough

Place flour, yeast, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Give them a quick mix using the dough hook.
Add in milk, water and egg. Continue to mix for around 5 mins until a rough dough forms.
Keep kneading the dough with the dough hook and gradually add in the diced butter. Continue kneading until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and doesn’t stick to your fingers.
Pour in the sultanas, mixed peels and zest of orange. Once everything is added, continue to knead it until everything is well incorporated. The dough should be smooth and shouldn’t break when it’s stretched.
Alternatively, dust a work surface with flour and follow stages 3 to 6, kneading by hand for about 10 minutes.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and place in a warm environment to rise until doubled in size. This will take between 1 to 3 hours depending how warm it is. For your reference, mine took 2 ½ hours in the off-oven with a glass of warm water.

Forming the buns

Dust the work surface with flour.
Remove the cling film and sprinkle some flour onto the dough. Punch the dough to deflate it.
Upturn the bowl and the dough should drop easily onto the surface.
Pinch the sides to the centre of the dough and flip the smooth side over.
Shape the dough into a log. Cut evenly into 12 equal pieces.
Take one piece and stretch the dough to create a smooth surface. Pinch the sides to the bottom. Then roll the dough on your palm briefly to form a ball. You should end up with a round dough with a nice smooth surface.
Place the round ball with the smooth side up on a 8 x 12” lined baking tray. Repeat the same process for the remaining dough. Line them up 4 x 3 with a small space in between.
Cover them with a tea towel and place in a warm environment for the 2nd rise. This takes around 45 to 60 minutes.
After around 30 minutes, preheat oven to 190℃ / 374℉.
Mix flour and water until they form a thickish paste that will still pipe.
Place the paste into a piping bag and secure with a silicone rubber band. Snip a tiny hole at the top.
Remove the tea towel from the buns. Hold the piping bag straight and start piping crosses onto the buns. Pipe slowly, making sure the flour paste falls onto the curves of the buns.

Bake and glaze the buns

Bake in a preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes or until the buns turn a deep golden brown.
Meanwhile, place the jam in a heat-proof bowl, microwave it for 20 seconds until it becomes slightly runny.
Press the jam through a sieve to get rid of any lumps for easy glazing.
When the buns are done, remove them from the oven. Brush with jam while they are still warm.
With the help of the parchment paper, lift the buns onto a wire rack to cool to warm.
Enjoy them with a generous portion of butter!
Happy Easter (or any other time, don’t limit your pleasure to once a year)!

Video

Notes

Watch my video tutorial to see the whole process in action!
The buns are best to serve warm and toasted with plenty of butter.
Store them in an airtight container for up to three days.
Alternatively, wrap the bun in foil and a ziplock bag in the fridge. Reheat the wrapped buns in the oven.

Nutrition