Get ready to treat yourself with a delicious Easter classic: homemade Hot Cross Buns.
These soft and fluffy spiced rolls are the perfect addition to your Easter celebration. With a simple recipe that requires just a little patience and time, making these buns is a breeze.
A distinctive cross on the top adds an extra special touch and holds a special meaning.
What are Hot Cross Buns?
Hot Cross Buns are a beloved Easter tradition that is traditionally served on Good Friday. These yeast-based rolls are packed with warm spices and often have a shiny glaze on the outside. To symbolize the cross on which Jesus died, a flour paste is piped in a cross on top. The buns are also studded with raisins or currants and represent the honoring of Jesus’ body after His death.
I have a classic recipe for Hot Cross Buns that I’ve adapted from an old church cookbook of mine. This easy bread recipe is made with aromatic spices, and it’s both simple and delicious.
Ingredients & Variations
Dough – These rolls are made with a simple yeast dough that’s easy to prepare. After the dough has risen, we knead in some raisins or currants before forming rolls.
Spices – Warm and fragrant spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg are the traditional spices used in Hot Cross Buns. For a light citrus flavor, freshly grated lemon or orange zest can also be added.
Add-Ins – The possibilities are endless when it comes to add-ins for this Hot Cross Buns recipe. In addition to raisins and currants, you can add toasted nuts, pieces of candied orange peel, dried cranberries, or even toasted coconut to the dough. Mix and match to create your own unique twist on this classic recipe.
PRO TIP: Avoid overstuffing the rolls with ingredients so the flavors don’t overwhelm the spices.
How to Make Hot Cross Buns
As with most leavened bread, there are a couple of steps to this recipe. But the end result is moist and beautifully crossed buns.
- Prepare the dough according to the recipe below.
- Knead and add raisins. Form into rolls.
- Pipe a flour cross on the rolls and let rise.
- Brush with egg wash & bake until golden.
How to Make Crosses on Hot Cross Buns
- Make the flour paste and place it in a piping bag (or plastic bag with a small corner cut off).
- Pipe a cross across each hot cross bun and let the rolls rise for another 20-25 minutes.
TIP: As you pipe the cross, go slowly to allow the flour mixture to run down between the edges of the rolls a bit.
Storage
Keep leftover hot cross buns in a covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They’re best served on the day of baking.
If they’ve sat a bit, we heat them in the microwave to warm and soften.
More Easter Baking
Did your family enjoy these Hot Cross Buns? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup sugar + 1 teaspoon sugar divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
- 3 eggs divided use, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 4-5 cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup raisins or currants
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
Flour Cross
- ⅓ cup flour
- ¼ cup water*
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat milk over medium heat just until bubbles begin to form at the edges (the temperature should reach about 181°F.) Do not boil.
- Pour the milk into a bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl) and add ½ cup sugar and salt. Whisk to combine. Add butter and stir until the butter is melted. Let the mixture cool to 110°F (or lukewarm).
- Meanwhile, combine yeast, ½ cup warm water (110°F), and 1 teaspoon sugar in a bowl. Let sit 10 minutes or until foamy.
- Add the yeast to the milk mixture. Whisk in 2 whole eggs (reserve the third egg for brushing the rolls before baking), cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- Add 2 cups of flour and mix with a dough hook (see notes to mix by hand). Continue adding more flour until it forms a dough that holds together and isn't too sticky (you will use about 4-5 cups of flour total). Turn the mixer to medium-low and let it knead for 4-5 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Add raisins or currants and orange zest if using and knead again to incorporate.
- Place the dough into a large oiled bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Set in a warm place and let rise until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
- Punch the dough down and form into 12 even-sized rolls. Place the rolls in a greased 9×13 pan and let rise 20-25 minutes.
- While the dough is rising, combine the flour and water for the cross. It should be thick enough to hold its shape. Brush rolls with egg wash and place the flour mixture in a piping bag and pipe a cross on each roll.
- While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Bake for 24-26 minutes or until cooked through.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Bread, Breakfast
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Recipe from a homemade church cookbook.
I made these buns Easter Sunday and they were fabulous!! Did exactly as the recipe called for and will definitely make them again!!!
Couldn’t be better.
Thx, Holly
So happy to hear that Donna! Thank YOU!
Wow. This is fairly simple and absolutely delicious.
So glad you loved them!
If you have a bread maker use that to make the dough. Add ingredients in the order indicated for your bread maker. Choose setting. Mine would be raisin dough. Leave until time is up. Then take dough out and carry on as suggested. Works for me.
THank you for sharing your tips Roy!
Question regarding hot cross bun recipe, the list of ingredients calls for 3 eggs separated(so I should separate yolks from whites) but when I read the instructions it says to add 2 whole eggs
“ Add the yeast to the milk mixture. Whisk in 2 whole eggs (reserve the third egg for brushing the rolls before baking),” please clarify — thank you in advance for your help.
The eggs are not separated in this recipe. Two eggs are added to the dough and the last egg is whisked and brushed over the rolls before baking to give a shiny top.
Will surely try it some day… Looks delicious and tempting.