Hot Cross Buns: the easy recipe for a classic Easter treat

There's nothing like a freshly baked hot cross bun around Easter. With their lightly spiced, fragrant aroma, lightly sweet flavor, and soft, fluffy texture, homemade hot cross buns are a fun baking project to make during the Easter holiday.

These delicious baked treats are studded with plump raisins, currants, or cranberries and lightly seasoned with warming baking spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

They get their name from the fact the buns are decorated with a cross made out of icing, which represents the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday. Hot cross buns are perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, or as a lightly spiced sweet snack to enjoy over Easter.

What are Hot Cross Buns?

Hot cross buns are sweet, lightly spiced buns that are traditionally made and enjoyed at the end of Lent. They're originally from the UK and are believed to date to about the 14th-century. During the reign of Elizabeth I, hot cross buns were banned except for Good Friday, Christmas, and at burials.

The ingredients in hot cross buns are rich with symbolism. The cross represents the Crucifixion. The spices in the buns represent the spices used to embalm Jesus. They were historically eaten on Good Friday, but plenty of people eat them on other days as well.

Hot Cross Bun Ingredients 

The exact ingredients in hot cross buns can vary slightly, but there are a few essentials you'll need. Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before you start baking, except for milk.

First off, flour, sugar, yeast, butter, and milk are a must. Hot cross buns are essentially enriched dough like a brioche, so you'll need many of the same ingredients.

You'll also need spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, but allspice, cloves, and other warming spices will work well in your buns.

Dried raisins, currants, or cranberries are folded into the buns to give them extra sweetness. These are typically rehydrated in boiling water before adding them to the dough.

Finally, you'll need some powdered sugar and milk to make the icing to shape the cross.

How to Make Hot Cross Buns

It's super easy to make hot cross buns. If you've ever made bread or rolls before, it'll be an absolute breeze. And even if you haven't, all you need to do is follow these simple steps, and you'll be making hot cross buns like a pro in no time.

Making the Dough

Your first step to making the perfect homemade hot cross buns is to make the dough. Rehydrate the raisins (or cranberries) by placing them in a bowl with boiling water for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes have passed, drain them and put them aside.

Next, combine ½ tsp sugar with ¼ cup of warm milk. Stir in the yeast, then leave for 10 minutes until it froths. Mix ½ cup warm milk, ½ cup sugar, butter, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Pour in the eggs and yeast mixture, followed by the cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix in the flour one cup at a time.

Knead the dough for 8 to 12 minutes on medium. Your dough should be nice and smooth, and slightly sticky to touch. The sticker the dough, the softer and more moist the buns will be. Add the raisins to the dough.

Rising the Dough

Once all of the ingredients are in the dough, transfer it to a bowl that's been generously greased with butter (you can use oil if you prefer), then cover it with a damp cloth and leave it in a warm place to double in size. This can take away from one to two hours.

Shaping the Dough 

Once the dough has doubled, flour a work surface and turn out the dough. Slice the dough into 12 pieces and shape each piece into a ball. Put the balls in a greased baking dish, and cover them with a damp tea towel. Let them proof for another 30 minutes or so.

Baking the Hot Cross Buns

Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the buns. Bake your hot cross buns for 15 to 17 minutes until golden brown. Take the baking dish out of the oven and let the buns cool slightly. You don't want them too hot when you're adding the crosses, but they should still be warm.

Making the Crosses on Hot Cross Buns

Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the buns. Bake your hot cross buns for 15 to 17 minutes until golden brown. Take the baking dish out of the oven and let the buns cool slightly. You don't want them too hot when you're adding the crosses.

Can You Make the Cross Before Baking the Hot Cross Buns?

Don't decorate the buns with a cross before baking them. The icing will melt. Wait until your hot cross buns have cooled slightly but are still relatively warm before adding the icing cross.

If you made the cross before baking the hot cross buns, you can trace it again with the icing once they are baked.

Tips for Making Easy Hot Cross Buns

Check your yeast before adding it to the dough. If the yeast isn't fresh, your dough won't rise.

Use raisins, dried cranberries, or currants, or do a mixture of your favorite dried berries for ultra-luxe hot cross buns.

Add candied citrus zest for a hint of bright, zesty flavor.

Don't use too much flour – your buns will end up hard.

You can also leave out the raisins if you prefer.

For those with a sweet tooth, you can mix chocolate chips or cocoa powder into your dough to make chocolate hot cross buns.

Serve your hot cross buns slightly warm or at room temperature.

How to Store Homemade Hot Cross Buns

Once cooled, place your hot cross buns in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For long-term storage, you can freeze hot cross buns for up to 2 months.

How to Make Hot Cross Buns

Grease a bowl with butter and set aside. Grease a casserole dish with butter and set aside.

Place the raisins in a bowl.

Add 1 cup of boiling water.

Leave for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.

Dissolve ½ tsp sugar in ¼ cup warm milk.

Stir in the yeast, then leave for 10 to 15 minutes until foamy.

Add ½ cup warm milk, ½ cup sugar, butter, and salt to the bowl of your stand mixer. Stir to combine.

Pour in the eggs.

Add the yeast mixture.

Stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Set your stand mixer to medium-low and gradually add the flour one cup at a time. Knead for 8 to 12 minutes on medium until the dough is smooth, supple, and slightly sticky.

Add the dried fruit to the dough.

Place the dough in the buttered bowl.

Cover it with a damp towel.

Leave it rest for 1 ½ hour or until doubled in size.

Lightly flour a work surface. Slice the dough into 12 equal portions.

Shape the dough into balls.

Arrange the balls in the casserole dish.

Cover with a damp tea towel and allow the dough to proof for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375F. Brush the egg wash over the tops of the rolls.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until golden brown. Take the baking dish out of the oven and let the buns cool slightly.

Whisk the powdered sugar and milk in a bowl. Transfer to a piping bag or use a tablespoon.

Decorate each bun with a cross. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Use a 9×13-inch baking dish for baking your hot cross buns.