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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!
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!
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
How to make Hot Cross Buns:
Full, printable recipe and bread machine instructions below – just scroll down to the recipe card!
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.
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Hot Cross Buns
Suggested Equipment
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 Tbs instant yeast
- 1 Tbs granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups bread flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 Tbs butter melted
- 1 1/4 cups water warmed to lukewarm not hot
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 Tbs ground cinnamon
- 1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup raisins
Crosses
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup water
Glaze
- 1/4 cup granulated white 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.
Tips & Notes:
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 facts
Nutritional Disclaimer
Recipes written and produced on Kylee Cooks are for informational purposes only. Kylee is not a certified nutritionist. Nutritional data provided on Kylee Cooks has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration.
Update: This was originally posted in 2016 and has been updated to improve reader experience.
Rebecca says
I wish I could post my picture. These are SO delicious! Thank you for the recipe!
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness says
I LOVE eating hot crossed buns for Easter, but I have yet to try making them myself. This looks so perfect, I will need to give this a go!!
JO says
Those buns looks perfect, it would be such a hit with everyone. Love it for breakfast, lunch or dinner, it’s perfect!
Natalie says
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.