Fragrant, soft and fluffy Hot Cross Buns made from high-grade flour, yeast, sugar, spices, milk, butter, orange zest, vanilla, egg and sultanas. Homemade just tastes better.
A little bit of effort goes a long way with these fluffy, spiced, homemade Hot Cross Buns. So much better than the supermarket version and they will make your house smell incredible. Spiced with a hint of orange and juicy sultanas you can devour warm from the oven, or at anytime toasted and topped with butter.
If you like these, you might also love my Cinnamon Pinwheels! Or check out the 'related recipes' section below for more Easter Inspiration. If your hot cross buns don't get gobbled up straight away (hard to believe, but you never know) you could use them in my amazing Hot Cross Bun Turamisu.
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Ingredient notes:
- Dried Fruit: I like to use sultanas because they are a bit juicier than other dried fruits. You can also use currants, raisins, cranberries or apricots but they can suck moisture out of the dough making your buns a bit dryer. If you want to use these other fruits, I recommend soaking them in boiling water for 10-20 minutes before draining well and adding to the dough. Also, if you don't have fresh orange zest you could use mixed peel or a few drops of orange essence.
- High Grade Flour: Use bread flour or high grade flour for this recipe, it makes for a stronger dough to stretch and catch all the air bubbles giving softer, fluffier buns in the end.
- Spices: Feel free to add extra spice or make these your own by changing up the spices you use. Nutmeg, all spice, cardamon are all other good options you could try.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
In a stand mixer, add all the dry ingredients and combine. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, water and melted butter (the mix should be warm but not hot). Add the remaining wet ingredients and mix well.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a dough hook attachment to knead for 5 minutes (or by hand for 10 minutes) until the dough comes together. Add the sultanas and mix until they are evenly spread throughout.
Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll into a ball shape. Oil your mixing bowl and the surface of the dough. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with cling film and set in a warm spot for about 2 hours or until the dough doubles in size. Punch the dough down and turn out onto a floured surface. Roll into logs, then cut into 12 even pieces. Roll each piece into a tidy bun so the surface is smooth and round.
Place the buns in a lined tray, sitting 1-2 cm apart. Brush with a little water and cover with glad wrap to stop them drying out. Set in a warm spot for 1.5 hours or until they are 1 ½ times the size.
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. For the crosses, mix the flour, sugar and water until smooth. Use a piping bag or snap lock bag with the corner snipped off to draw on your crosses. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
To glaze the buns, dissolve the sugar in boiling water and brush the sugar syrup on the buns while hot, set on a rack to cool. Enjoy!
Recipe FAQs:
Yeast is a live culture so keep it in the fridge and check that it's not past the expiry. If your dough isn't rising your yeast could be dead. If in doubt it's best to do a quick check before you get started. Take 1 tsp of yeast, a pinch or sugar and a dash of warm water. If it foams up it is alive. If nothing happens you may need new yeast. Also yeast likes warm and wet conditions, that's why we cover with cling film and store in a warm place. The warmer your dough, the faster it will rise (that's why I add the wet ingredients warm - to kick start the process).
Yes of course! Swap fruit for nuts or chocolate chips or just go for the plain spiced buns, still delicious.
Storage:
Hot Cross Buns are best eaten fresh. Store in an airtight container, gently warm or toast the buns before serving with lots of butter, yum! Can freeze for up to a month too in a sealed bag.
Top tips:
Substitute the sultanas for choc chips if you or the family don't like dried fruit. Just add them a bit later than the fruit, when you are shaping the buns so they don't melt in the warm spot before baking.
Related Recipes:
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Hot Cross Buns
Homemade hot cross buns made from flour, yeast, sugar, spices, milk, butter, orange zest, vanilla, egg and sultanas.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sultanas
DRY
- 5 cups high-grade flour
- 1 Tbsp dried yeast
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp ground ginger
- 1 Tbsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp salt
WET
- 1 cup milk
- ¾ cup warm water
- 75g butter melted
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
CROSSES
- ¼ cup white Flour
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tsp sugar
GLAZE
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp boiling water
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, add all the dry ingredients and combine.
- In a separate bowl, mix the milk, water and melted butter (the mix should be warm but not hot). Add the remaining wet ingredients and mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a dough hook attachment to knead for 5 minutes (or by hand for 10 minutes) until the dough comes together.
- Add the sultanas and mix until they are evenly spread throughout.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll into a ball shape. Oil your mixing bowl and the surface of the dough. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with cling film and set in a warm spot for about 2 hours or until the dough doubles in size.
- Punch the dough down and turn out onto a floured surface. Roll into logs, then cut into 12 even pieces. Roll each piece into a tidy bun so the surface is smooth and round.
- Place the buns in a lined tray, sitting 1-2 cm apart. Brush with a little water and cover with glad wrap to stop them drying out. Set in a warm spot for 1.5 hours or until they are 1 ½ times the size.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. For the crosses, mix the flour, sugar and water until smooth. Use a piping bag or snap lock bag with the corner snipped off to draw on your crosses. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
- To glaze the buns, dissolve the sugar in boiling water and brush the sugar syrup on the buns while hot, set on a rack to cool. Enjoy!
Notes
- Dried fruit - I like to use sultanas because they are a bit juicier than other dried fruits. You can also use currants, raisins, cranberries or apricots but they can suck moisture out of the dough making your buns a bit dryer. If you want to use these other fruits I recommend soaking them in boiling water for 10-20 minutes before draining well and adding to the dough. Also if you don't have fresh orange zest you could use mixed peel or a few drops of orange essence. Another fun addition to try out could be your favorite nuts, just add them at the same time as the fruit, up to a cup of nuts would work fine.
- High grade flour - Use bread flour or high grade flour for this recipe, it makes for a stronger dough to stretch and catch all the air bubbles giving softer, fluffier buns in the end.
- Spices - Feel free to add extra spice or make these your own by changing up the spices you use. Nutmeg, all spice, cardamon are all other good options you could try.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 372Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 255mgCarbohydrates: 71gFiber: 3gSugar: 25gProtein: 8g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
Shobna Dharamsi says
Hi, can I omit eggs.?
VJ cooks says
No, the eggs are a critical binding agent. It would be best to search for an egg-free hot cross bun recipe.
Bee Phillips says
Yum! Can we make these dairy free, using oil or dairy free spread instead of butter? And change the milk to oat?
Do you think they'd still work.
VJ cooks says
I really haven't tried this recipe dairy free sorry. I'm sure there are plenty of tested dairy free hot cross bun recipes on the internet though 🙂
Natalie Bryant says
Plain flour or Self raising?
VJ cooks says
Hi Natalie, the recipe calls for high-grade flour which is neither 'plain' nor 'self-raising'. High grade flour has a higher gluten content making it perfect for making dough.
Meryl Greathead says
Could you suggest some warm places for the dough to rise please.
Would an oven on very low be ok?
VJ cooks says
Hi Meryl, you can let the dough rise on a sunny bench top or in an airing cupboard if it is warm (modern hot water cylinders lose less heat than older ones). You can let the dough rise in the oven but not with it on. I recommend turning the oven on to low while you're making the dough. Once the dough is ready, turn the oven off. Place a damp tea towel over the dough then place in the oven to rise.
Nikki says
Made these today! Pretty impressed with myself ! How do I make the crosses more vibrant?
VJ cooks says
You could try increasing the flour a little bit, but it might be harder to pipe.
Fiona says
Can I put in hot water cupboard over night to prove the first time
VJ cooks says
Hi Fiona, you can prove it overnight on the bench, or in the hot water cupboard for 2 hours (or until doubled in size). However, if you leave it in the hot water cupboard overnight it will get huge and probably spill everywhere!
Mikayla Ryan says
Hello! Can you have these prove overnight?
VJ cooks says
Yes you can prove the dough overnight on the bench.
Abigail says
Hi VJ
Would I be able to use a bread maker to do the dough part?
VJ cooks says
I haven't tried this recipe in a bread maker sorry.