Easter Hot Cross Buns
Hot Cross Buns are soft, lightly spiced sweet rolls studded with currants and citrus zest, marked with a piped flour cross and finished with a sticky sugar glaze. Traditionally baked for Good Friday and Easter, they're best served warm, split and buttered.
By YumYum Editorial · Holiday & Seasonal
Prep: 30 min · Cook: 20 min · Total: 50 min · Serves 12
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 cup currants or raisins
- to taste Zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 cup flour + 6 tbsp water, for crosses
- 3 tbsp apricot jam, warmed, for glaze
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together bread flour, sugar, yeast, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
- Add warm milk, melted butter, and egg; mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Knead in the currants and orange zest until evenly distributed. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1-1.5 hours, until doubled.
- Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Shape into tight balls and arrange in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan, leaving small gaps between them.
- Cover and let rise again for 45 minutes, until puffy and touching.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Mix the flour-water paste until smooth and pipe crosses over each bun using a piping bag or ziplock with a corner snipped.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, until golden brown and buns sound hollow when tapped.
- While still warm, brush the tops with warmed apricot jam for a glossy shine. Cool slightly before pulling apart and serving.