Celebrate the season with a batch of fragrant, soft Traditional Hot Cross Buns that fill the kitchen with sweet spice and warmth. Lightly spiced, studded with plump fruits, and topped with a beautiful cross, these buns are a timeless symbol of comfort and festive tradition.
Ingredients Breakdown
Dried fruits are essential to the character of hot cross buns. Currants, raisins, and candied citrus peel bring bursts of sweetness and texture. Soaking them beforehand in tea or apple juice ensures they become juicy and tender rather than dry and chewy during baking.
Choosing between tea and apple juice depends on the flavor you prefer. Black tea lends a subtle, earthy richness, while apple juice infuses the fruits with a light, natural sweetness that brightens the overall profile of the buns.
The foundation of the dough is built on quality all-purpose flour, instant yeast, and a well-balanced mix of spices. These elements ensure a light, soft crumb with just the right amount of structure to hold the fruits evenly throughout.
Butter, milk, and eggs enrich the dough, making it softer, more flavorful, and slightly sweet. The combination results in a tender bite with a delicate richness that feels luxurious yet familiar.
While store-bought mixed spice works, crafting a homemade blend allows for a deeper, fresher flavor that sets these buns apart. A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves creates a warm, complex aroma that defines every bite.
Step-by-Step Preparation Guide
To achieve the best flavor and texture, begin by soaking the fruits well in advance. Cover the dried fruits with hot tea or apple juice and let them rest until fully plumped. This extra step ensures that the fruits remain moist and flavorful after baking.
Mixing and kneading the dough transforms simple ingredients into a supple, elastic mass. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook, blend the dry and wet ingredients together and knead until the dough is smooth and slightly glossy. Adding the soaked fruits towards the end of kneading helps distribute them evenly without overworking the dough.
For the first rise, place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it loosely, and let it sit in a warm environment until doubled in size. A barely-warmed oven provides a consistent, draft-free space that encourages steady fermentation and results in a beautifully risen dough.
Shaping the buns is a crucial step to achieving a smooth, even finish. Divide the dough into equal portions and roll each piece into a tight, round ball, sealing the seams underneath for a neat appearance.
The second rise is when the buns become puffy and light. Cover them gently to avoid restricting their expansion, and wait until they nearly double in size before baking. This proof ensures an airy crumb and a soft texture.
Decide how to arrange the buns based on your preference: closer together for pull-apart buns or spaced apart for perfectly round, individual rolls.
Creating the signature cross offers a few different options. A flour paste cross applied before baking yields a classic look, while shortcrust pastry strips create a more textured finish. Alternatively, a thick icing cross piped on after baking adds a sweet, decorative touch.
Bake the buns until deep golden brown and sounding hollow when tapped on the bottom. As soon as they come out of the oven, brush them with your choice of glaze. A simple sugar glaze, warmed golden syrup, or gently melted apricot jam provides a shiny, mouthwatering finish.
Recipe Tips & Frequently Asked Questions
Why soaking the fruit overnight enhances flavor:
Overnight soaking deepens the fruit’s flavor, ensures juiciness, and prevents dryness during baking.
Managing dough stickiness without over-flouring:
If the dough feels overly sticky, add small amounts of flour gradually. Too much flour will toughen the buns.
Choosing the right glaze for shine and sweetness:
Sugar glaze adds a classic glossy finish, golden syrup provides rich warmth, and apricot jam delivers fruity sweetness.
Tips for maintaining softness after baking:
Store buns in an airtight container while slightly warm, or wrap individually to lock in moisture.
Can I make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it?
Yes, refrigerate the dough after the first rise. Bring it to room temperature before shaping and baking.
How should I store or freeze the buns for freshness?
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze baked buns in freezer bags. Thaw and rewarm before serving.
What’s the best substitute if I don’t have candied peel?
Use finely chopped dried apricots, dried cranberries, or extra raisins as a substitute.
Can I customize the spices or fruits in the recipe?
Absolutely. Swap spices to suit your taste or substitute other dried fruits for a different flavor profile.
What to Serve With This Recipe
Serve these buns warm, split open and slathered with butter for a classic touch. Add clotted cream and a spoonful of berry jam for an extra luxurious experience. Honey also pairs beautifully with the spices and fruits, offering a natural, floral sweetness.
Pair hot cross buns with a steaming cup of spiced tea, rich coffee, or a glass of mulled cider for a cozy afternoon treat. Their warmth and spice make them an ideal companion to flavorful, aromatic beverages.
If you have leftovers, transform the buns into a decadent bread pudding or make French toast. Their enriched dough absorbs custards and syrups beautifully, creating a rich, comforting dessert.
Creative Variations
Fold in a handful of chocolate chips or dried cranberries to put a twist on tradition. The chocolate melts into little pockets of sweetness, while cranberries bring a tart contrast to the spiced dough.
Adding a little orange zest or swapping lemon zest for a deeper citrus flavor can brighten the buns even further, giving them a fresh, lively finish.
For gatherings or parties, shape the dough into mini hot cross buns. Smaller portions bake quickly and are perfect for sharing with a crowd.
Traditional Hot Cross Buns are more than just a recipe—they’re a celebration of the season, filled with fragrant spices, sweet fruits, and handcrafted touches. Whether served warm from the oven with butter or transformed into a rich dessert, these buns bring warmth, joy, and a sense of occasion to any table. Sharing them with loved ones creates memories as sweet as the buns themselves.
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups Milk, room temperature
1/4 cup Butter, room temperature
1 Egg, room temperature
1 Egg yolk, room temperature
4 cups All-purpose flour
1/4 cup Granulated sugar
2 teaspoons Instant yeast
2 teaspoons Mixed spice or homemade mixed spice (recommended for best flavor)
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon Salt
Zest of one lemon
3/4 cup Dried currants or raisins
1/4 cup Diced candied orange and lemon peel (homemade strongly recommended)
1/4 cup Hot black tea (or substitute apple juice)
Instructions
Pour the hot tea or apple juice over the dried currants or raisins along with the diced candied peel. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the fruit to soak for about an hour, giving it time to absorb the liquid and plump up beautifully. For deeper flavor, this step can be prepared ahead of time—overnight soaking works perfectly.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, mixed spice, cinnamon, salt, and lemon zest. Stir to evenly distribute the dry ingredients. Add the milk, butter, egg, and egg yolk. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the mixture on medium speed for around 5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly glossy. Introduce the soaked fruit and knead for an additional 2 minutes until the fruit is well incorporated throughout the dough.
Transfer the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and set it in a warm spot to rise. A pre-warmed oven (set briefly to 80–90°F) is an excellent rising environment. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in volume; this could take between 1 to 2 hours depending on the warmth of the surroundings.
Once risen, gently punch down the dough to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly greased surface and divide it into 12 equal portions. Shape each piece into a tight, smooth ball and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover the shaped buns with lightly greased plastic wrap, ensuring it is loose enough to allow expansion, and let them rise again until puffy and nearly doubled, around 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400°F midway through the second rise to ensure it’s ready for baking.
At this stage, you can choose how to arrange the buns. For a traditional look where buns pull apart after baking, position them closer together. If you prefer neatly rounded individual buns, space them farther apart on the baking sheet.
To create the signature cross on each bun, you have several options:
Flour Paste Cross: Mix 1/4 cup of flour with approximately 3 tablespoons of water to form a thick paste. Place it in a piping bag (or a sandwich bag with the tip cut off) and pipe a cross over each bun before baking.
Shortcrust Pastry Strips: Roll thin strips of pastry and lay them across the buns in a cross shape before baking.
Icing Cross (Post-Baking): After the buns have cooled, pipe a cross using a thick icing made from powdered sugar, a touch of vanilla extract, and milk.
Bake the buns on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes. They should develop a deep golden-brown color and sound hollow when tapped on the base.
As soon as the buns come out of the oven, apply a glaze while they are still hot:
Sugar Glaze: Combine 1/4 cup of water with 1/4 cup of sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer for 3 minutes before brushing over the buns.
Golden Syrup Glaze: Warm 3 tablespoons of golden syrup and brush generously over the buns.
Apricot Jam Glaze: Lightly melt apricot jam and brush over the buns for a fruity sheen.
Allow the glazed buns to cool slightly. Serve them warm or at room temperature, sliced open and spread with butter, clotted cream, jam, or honey for a delightful treat.
Store any leftover buns in an airtight container for up to two days. For the best experience with leftovers, slice and lightly toast the buns before serving.
Traditional Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups Milk room temperature
- 1/4 cup Butter room temperature
- 1 Egg room temperature
- 1 Egg yolk room temperature
- 4 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons Instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons Mixed spice or homemade mixed spice recommended for best flavor
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- Zest of one lemon
- 3/4 cup Dried currants or raisins
- 1/4 cup Diced candied orange and lemon peel homemade strongly recommended
- 1/4 cup Hot black tea or substitute apple juice
Instructions
- Pour the hot tea or apple juice over the dried currants or raisins along with the diced candied peel. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the fruit to soak for about an hour, giving it time to absorb the liquid and plump up beautifully. For deeper flavor, this step can be prepared ahead of time—overnight soaking works perfectly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, mixed spice, cinnamon, salt, and lemon zest. Stir to evenly distribute the dry ingredients. Add the milk, butter, egg, and egg yolk. Using the dough hook attachment, knead the mixture on medium speed for around 5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly glossy. Introduce the soaked fruit and knead for an additional 2 minutes until the fruit is well incorporated throughout the dough.
- Transfer the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and set it in a warm spot to rise. A pre-warmed oven (set briefly to 80–90°F) is an excellent rising environment. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in volume; this could take between 1 to 2 hours depending on the warmth of the surroundings.
- Once risen, gently punch down the dough to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly greased surface and divide it into 12 equal portions. Shape each piece into a tight, smooth ball and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover the shaped buns with lightly greased plastic wrap, ensuring it is loose enough to allow expansion, and let them rise again until puffy and nearly doubled, around 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F midway through the second rise to ensure it’s ready for baking.
- At this stage, you can choose how to arrange the buns. For a traditional look where buns pull apart after baking, position them closer together. If you prefer neatly rounded individual buns, space them farther apart on the baking sheet.
To create the signature cross on each bun, you have several options:
- Flour Paste Cross: Mix 1/4 cup of flour with approximately 3 tablespoons of water to form a thick paste. Place it in a piping bag (or a sandwich bag with the tip cut off) and pipe a cross over each bun before baking.
- Shortcrust Pastry Strips: Roll thin strips of pastry and lay them across the buns in a cross shape before baking.
- Icing Cross (Post-Baking): After the buns have cooled, pipe a cross using a thick icing made from powdered sugar, a touch of vanilla extract, and milk.
- Bake the buns on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 15–20 minutes. They should develop a deep golden-brown color and sound hollow when tapped on the base.
As soon as the buns come out of the oven, apply a glaze while they are still hot:
- Sugar Glaze: Combine 1/4 cup of water with 1/4 cup of sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, then simmer for 3 minutes before brushing over the buns.
- Golden Syrup Glaze: Warm 3 tablespoons of golden syrup and brush generously over the buns.
- Apricot Jam Glaze: Lightly melt apricot jam and brush over the buns for a fruity sheen.
- Allow the glazed buns to cool slightly. Serve them warm or at room temperature, sliced open and spread with butter, clotted cream, jam, or honey for a delightful treat.
- Store any leftover buns in an airtight container for up to two days. For the best experience with leftovers, slice and lightly toast the buns before serving.
