Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Easter is almost here so why not make some homemade delicious hot cross buns. Did you know it was so easy to make these? A little bit of kneading with raisins and sultanas is all it takes to give your family homemade fresh bread they will enjoy.
Hot cross buns are made on Good Friday just before Easter. The cross on the buns symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The spices symbolize the embalming of the bodies at the time before burial.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour – I prefer to use bread flour because it gives a soft tender bread but for years we made these with plain all-purpose flour /maida.
- Milk – you can use fresh milk or evaported milk for a more enhanced milky flavor.
- Fruit – Im using raisins and sultanas but you can also use cranberries, chopped dates, figs.
- Spices – I love the combination of cinnamon, and nutmeg with all spice.
- Cross – the cross on the top is made with flour and water before it is buns are baked. But, you can also make it with icing.
How to make hot cross buns
- Fruits – Soak the rainsins and sultanas in warm water for 10 minutes – drain and set aside
- Dry ingredients – In the bowl of the stand mixer with the hook attachment, combine flour, salt, and spices
- Wet ingredients – In a small bowl combine warm milk, eggs, sugar, melted butter, and yeast.
- Wet to dry – Now, combine the yeast mixture with the flour mixture. Knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Fruit – Add the drained fruits to the dough and knead for 2 minutes until well combined.
- Rise – Shape the dough into a ball. Place it in a greased bowl and let rise into a warm place for 60 to 90 minutes.
- Divide – When double in size, divide into 12 equal pieces – shape each portion into a smooth ball. Place them in a 13 x 9 rectangle pan.
- Proof – Cover with a clean kitchen cloth and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes
- Preheat the oven at 180 C / 350 F
- Flour paste – in a small bowl, combine the flour and water to make a smooth paste that can be piped similar to frosting. Pipe the cross on each cross.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Glaze – combine the apricot jam with hot water. Brush on the buns as soon as they are out of the oven.
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Easter is almost here so why not make some homemade delicious hot cross buns. Did you know it was so easy to make these? A little bit of kneading is all it takes to give your family homemade fresh bread they will enjoy. I have used raisins in the bread but you can certainly add other dry fruits such as apricots, dates, cranberries or plums.
Equipment /Tools
- Kitchen scale
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 180 ml (¾ cups) Milk warm
- 2 ¼ tsp Yeast or 25 grams fresh yeast
- 2 Eggs
- 50 grams (¼ cups) Sugar
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 100 grams (8 tbsp) Butter unsalted, melted
- 430 grams (3 3/4 cups) Bread flour or plain flour, all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder
- 150 grams (1 cups) Raisins
- 75 grams (½ cups) Sultanas
- 1/2 cup Flour maida for kneading
For the cross
- 1/2 cup All-purpose flour maida
- 1/3 cup Water
Glaze
- 2 tbsp Apricot Jam with 2 tbsp hot water
Instructions
- Fruits – Soak the rainsins and sultanas in warm water for 10 minutes – drain and set aside
- Dry ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, salt, and spices
- Wet ingredients – In a medium bowl combine warm milk, eggs, sugar, melted butter, and yeast.
- Wet to dry – Now, combine the yeast mixture with the flour mixture. Knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Fruit – Add the drained fruits to the dough and knead for 2 minutes until well combined.
- Rise – Shape the dough into a ball. Place it in a greased bowl and let rise into a warm place for 60 to 90 minutes.
- Divide – When double in size, divide into 12 equal pieces – shape each portion into a smooth ball. Place them in a 13 x 9 rectangle pan.
- Proof – Cover with a clean kitchen cloth and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes
- Preheat the oven at 180 C / 350 F
- Flour paste – in a small bowl, combine the flour and water to make a smooth paste that can be piped similar to frosting. Pipe the cross on each cross.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Glaze – combine the apricot jam with hot water. Brush on the buns as soon as they are out of the oven.
Recipe Notes
- Combine 1 cup powdered sugar/ icing sugar with 2 tbsp of water to create a smooth paste – don’t add too much water – it must be thick.
- Put the icing in a piping bag and pipe crossed on each bun -after the buns are cooled down completely.
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Nutrition Information
Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 664mg | Potassium: 198mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 272IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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