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Hot Cross Buns for Easter

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 Hot sticky buns, fresh from the oven, studded with fruit and spice, with a cute little cross on top, these Hot Cross Buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, but are so good, you’ll want to make them more than once a year!

hot cross buns on a cooling rack

I love Easter. It’s rather a bigger deal in New Zealand than it is here in the USA. Good Friday is a public holiday, as is the Monday following.

A 4 day weekend, with 2 of those steeped in a tradition that involves food? Sign me up! Every year my Mum would make or buy hot cross buns and we would devour them on Good Friday. I looked forward to eating these Easter buns way more than the chocolate received on Sunday from the Easter Bunny!

Want some more Easter recipes? How about some Cinnamon Rolls? Try my easy “How to Roast Lamb” recipe, or these epic sides: Green Beans Recipe, Roasted Brussels Sprouts (with bacon, people. BACON!

These particular buns are soft, spicy and have raisins in them. Grocery stores these days sell them with no fruit, and adding chocolate chips instead – but as a hot cross bun PURIST, I say no to chocolate chips. And frosting crosses. They have to be made from a paste of flour and water… not frosting!

That said – I won’t judge if you add either chocolate OR frosting (powdered sugar/confectioners sugar and a little butter/milk) to yours. You do you!

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

  • You can make it in a stand mixer, or bread machine (I have given instructions for both)
  • It’s super easy – just follow the step by step pictures!
hot cross buns with pink flower

Ingredients:

  • DOUGH
    • YEAST – I use instant yeast.
    • SUGAR
    • SALT
    • BREAD FLOUR – you can sub all-purpose flour, but the results will have less chew
    • WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR
    • BUTTER
    • WATER
    • EGG
    • CINNAMON
    • PUMPKIN PIE SPICE – grab it from the store, or make your own pumpkin pie spice.
    • BROWN SUGAR – I use light brown sugar
    • RAISINS – can use any kind of raisins, or even dried currants if you prefer. I suppose you could use chocolate chips. I GUESS.
  • CROSSES
    • FLOUR
    • WATER
  • GLAZE
    • SUGAR
    • WATER
ingredients needed for hot cross buns

How to make Hot Cross Buns:

Full, printable recipe and bread machine instructions below – just scroll down to the recipe card!

MAKE THE DOUGH

hot cross bun dough
  1. Combine the dough ingredients in your stand mixer or a large bowl if doing by hand – and knead for about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the spices, brown sugar and raisins, and knead until elastic and smooth.
  3. Let rise in a warm place for about an hour (dough will triple in size). 
  4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 16 roughly equal pieces. Roll them into balls, and place them on a baking stone (or cookie sheet lined with parchment) or baking pan.. The balls of dough should almost touch each other.
hot cross bun dough

MAKE THE CROSSES

  1. In a small bowl, combine the flour and water until smooth.
  2. Transfer to a zip lock bag, seal. Snip off the corner and pipe the crosses onto the surface of the buns.
  3. Cover with plastic wrap (loosely) or a clean kitchen towel.
  4. Allow the buns to rise at room temperature a further 20 minutes (up to 30mins – they should double in size)
putting the crosses on hot cross buns

BAKE & GLAZE

  1. Bake in a preheated oven 400°F for 20-25 minutes (buns should be a golden brown).
  2. Meanwhile, make the glaze by combining the sugar and water, and heat in the microwave or a saucepan until it forms a simple syrup.
  3. Remove buns from the oven and while piping hot brush over the sugar glaze.
  4. Cool on a rack.
glazing hot cross buns

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hot cross buns on a cooling rack

Hot Cross Buns

Hot sticky buns, fresh from the oven, studded with fruit and spice, with a cute little cross on top, these Hot Cross Buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, but are so good, you’ll want to make them more than once a year!
4.95 from 20 votes
Print Pin
Course: Bread, Breakfast
Cuisine: American, New Zealand
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 241kcal
Author: Kylee Cooks
Want to scale this recipe?Simply click on the serving amount and move the slider up or down – the recipe will automatically adjust!

Ingredients

Dough

Crosses

Glaze

  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbs water

Instructions

MAKE THE DOUGH

  • Combine the dough ingredients in your stand mixer or a large bowl if doing by hand – and knead for about 10 minutes.
  • Add the spices, brown sugar and raisins, and knead until elastic and smooth.
  • Let rise in a warm place for about an hour (dough will triple in size).
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 16 roughly equal pieces. Roll them into balls, and place them on a baking stone (or cookie sheet lined with parchment) or baking pan.. The balls of dough should almost touch each other.

MAKE THE CROSSES

  • In a small bowl, combine the flour and water until smooth.
  • Transfer to a zip lock bag, seal. Snip off the corner and pipe the crosses onto the surface of the buns.
  • Cover with plastic wrap (loosely) or a clean kitchen towel.
  • Allow the buns to rise at room temperature a further 20 minutes (up to 30mins – they should double in size)

BAKE & GLAZE

  • Bake in a preheated oven 400°F for 20-25 minutes (buns should be a golden brown).
  • Meanwhile, make the glaze by combining the sugar and water, and heat in the microwave or a saucepan until it forms a simple syrup.
  • Remove buns from the oven and while piping hot brush over the sugar glaze.
  • Cool on a rack.

Notes

Bread machine instructions
1. Add all dough ingredients into the bread machine in the order as listed by the manufacturer.
2. Set a timer for 20 minutes if your machine doesn’t have a fruit addition timer built-in. Turn the machine on using “dough only” function.
3. After 20 minutes, add the spices, brown sugar and raisins.
4. When the dough cycle completes, remove the dough onto a well floured surface and divide into 16 roughly equal pieces. Roll them into balls, and place them on a baking stone (or cookie sheet lined with parchment). The balls of dough should touch each other.
5. Follow the instructions as from “make the crosses”

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 223mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1.2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @kyleecooks or tag #kyleecooks!

Update: This was originally posted in 2016 and has been updated to improve reader experience.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Wow! They’re a huge part of my childhood. My mother used to make them, but the grocery stores begin making them super early in New Zealand. I LOVE them.

    • Thanks Tania. We ate alllll of them in the space of 2 days. My 2 and 4 year olds were delighted by them! (the Husband and I literally hid some)

  8. I don’t think you can put an unheated baking stone (with the buns already on it) into a hot oven. It’s very likely to crack. And to put them on the pre-heated stone (all 16 of them) at once (even using a peel) would be very difficult.

    I’m sticking with the parchment-on-cookie sheet method.

    They’re presently doing their first rise (mixing bowl with dough hooks) . Really looking forward to the end result 🙂

    Reply

    • Hi Len! Thanks for stopping by.
      I actually DO put an unheated baking stone into a hot oven. It’s only likely to crack if I put a hot stone into cold water.
      Mine’s a Pampered Chef one, and the manufacturer instructions say this:

      No preheating—just place food on Stoneware and cook.
      Amazing heat retention.
      Nonstick “seasoning” builds up with every use: the darker it looks, the better it cooks!
      Microwave-, freezer- and conventional and convection oven-safe.

      Of course, you should always follow the instructions of your baking stone manufacturer, but I have not had a problem with putting my stone into my hot oven!

      Enjoy your buns!

    • They turned out perfect. Didn’t have the w.w. flour so went with 100% unbleached white A.P. so thanks for this recipe. The last (different source) recipe I tried turned out a dozen little lego blocks (ie not so good).

      Regarding your stone, you seem to have got a good one. I looked on amazon for that brand and in the comments found that around 50% of the people who bought it and followed those instructions had their stone crack (a lot around 3 months). The paper/pan route worked for me (as always).

      Again, thanks for this recipe. The buns taste like h.c. buns should taste 🙂

    • Thanks for looping back and letting me know how the recipe worked out! I’m really really happy they were good for you!

      Regarding the stone: I think it might depend on the piece. I use the large bar pan, and I LOVE it!

  10. I’ve never heard of these before but oh my word they look so good! Will definitely be on my to-do list! (I’m originally from Manila and Easter there is a massive deal. Most everyone takes the the week off. The country literally shuts down for Holy Week. I live in Toronto now where we only get Friday off )

    Reply

  19. I’ve never had a hot cross bun because Easter is always on Passover. Except this year! I know my inlaws won’t be having any, but I’m going to have to find a way to get one anyway.

    Reply

    • Just make them, Kate! (You don’t have to do the crosses if you are opposed), but it would be SUCH a shame not to have a … spicy raisin bun…

  21. We’ve never really eaten Hot Cross Buns for Easter, but I don’t know why not?! They look so happy and delicious and I love the symbolism. I think I’ll give these a try next week and I promise not to use chocolate chips 🙂

    Reply

    • You just gave me a cool idea. Might have to combine the nursery rhyme with the buns for my boys! (I’m so not doing green eggs and ham though)

  25. I made these today, Kylee! My crosses faded after baking in the oven so I (gasp!) piped on some after the fact with a powdered sugar/milk glaze. These tasted amazing – nice and soft and super fluffy. Thanks for the great recipe! 🙂

    Reply

  27. I’ve never made or even tried these… that needs to change! I could serve these in place of dinner and nobody would be asking where the ham was. Can’t wait to try these!

    Reply

  28. Oh I love hot cross buns so much, I somehow missed out last year (couldn’t find any good ones), and have vowed to make my own this year. This version sounds great will be giving it a go with the kids this weekend 🙂

    Reply

    • You should! You could always put something else in there… maybe craisins? currants? chopped dried apricots? (Unless you just hate dried fruit, of course).

  31. Okay, now I’m feeling like an Easter slacker. I have forgotten to make these for like the last 3 years and my bread machine (which I use to cheat and knead dough for me is still packed). I’ll have to give your version a try this weekend.

    Reply

  37. Your Easter weekend sounds pretty much the same as what we had in South Africa. It was typical for our community in Cape Town for almost everyone to prepare pickled fish and hot cross buns on Good Friday, regardless of whether they were Christian (friends and relatives) or Muslim (like us).

    My only attempt at hot cross buns as a teenager were (in my opinion) a disaster, although the rest of the family finished them off. Next time I have a bun craving I will try your recipe instead 🙂

    Reply

  38. I am so glad that you insist on the flour paste crosses, although “cute” is not a term I would use considering the symbolism? I, too, am not of a religious bent, but do decry the commercialization of so many of the “holy days” of those who are.

    I think I will give these lovely buns a go in my bread machine…have never made them before at home and eschewed the “sugar-icinged” ones on offer at the store.

    P.S. Loved my time in NZ in late 80s for the Orchid Conference in Auckland! Lovely country, lovely people!

    Reply

  40. These look so good. Never made my own hot cross buns. My kids love this so much. We will buy this when getting a chance in school every year.

    Reply

  42. Wow, these looks super tasty and just in time for my easter brunch planning too! I think these look easy enough to make as well…

    Reply

  43. This was my first time making Hot Cross Buns and they came out perfect! Such an easy, delicious recipe! I’m making them again next weekend and am certain they are going to become a regular treat around here. Thank you!

    Reply

  44. I love making Hot Cross buns, it reminds me having making them for Easter with my mom. Using Bread flour is a great option provides the chewiness I love. Plus adding pumpkin spice along with the traditional spices sounds fabulous..I can’t wait to make these next weekend when my niece is visiting.

    Reply

  45. These buns look delicious and so adorable. I never made cross buns by myself at home. I always buy them in stores. But this recipe is so inviting. I think I’ll give it a try this Easter.

    Reply

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