Description
Hot Cross Buns recipe — soft, spiced Easter buns studded with currants and orange zest, perfect for Desserts & Sweets and holiday brunch meal prep. Makes 12 glossy buns in 1 hour 50 minutes with 16 simple pantry-friendly ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500 g (4 cups) bread flour or strong all-purpose flour
- 50 g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
- 7 g (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
- 10 g (2 tsp) fine sea salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- 150 g (1 cup) currants or raisins
- 250 ml (1 cup) whole milk, warmed
- 50 g (3 tbsp + 1 tsp) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 large egg
- Zest of 1 orange
- 75 g (1/2 cup) plain flour for crosses
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) water for crosses
- 50 g (1/4 cup) apricot jam for glaze
- 1 tbsp water for glaze
Instructions
- Warm the milk and bloom the yeast by adding it to 38–43°C (100–110°F) milk. Let sit until foamy.
- Combine dry ingredients including flour, sugar, salt, spices, and currants.
- Mix the dough in a mixer bowl with the dry ingredients until shaggy.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled for about 60–75 minutes.
- Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and divide into 12 pieces, shaping into tight balls.
- Cover the shaped buns and let rise until puffy, about 30–40 minutes.
- Mix flour and water to create a cross paste and pipe onto buns.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and bake for 18–20 minutes until golden.
- Brush the buns with apricot jam for shine and cool on a rack before serving.
Notes
- Fridge Storage: Once the buns have cooled completely (about 1 hour on a wire rack), place them in a single layer inside an airtight container with a sheet of parchment between layers. Refrigerated buns stay fresh for up to 5 days. The cold environment slows staling but can firm the crumb slightly, so always reheat before serving for the best texture and aroma.
- Freezer Storage: Wrap each fully cooled and glazed bun individually in plastic wrap, then place wrapped buns into a heavy-duty freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible before sealing. Frozen buns maintain peak quality for up to 3 months. Label the bag with the freeze date so you can track freshness. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for 2 hours before reheating.
- Oven Reheat: Preheat your oven to 160 °C (320 °F). Wrap buns loosely in aluminum foil to prevent the tops from over-browning, and place on the center rack. Heat for 8–10 minutes until the interior is soft and steaming. Unwrap for the final 2 minutes if you prefer a slightly crisp crust. This method produces the closest-to-fresh result, especially for buns stored in the fridge.
- Microwave Reheat: Place a single bun on a microwave-safe plate and cover loosely with a damp paper towel. Microwave on medium power (50%) for 25–30 seconds. Check the center—it should feel warm but not hot. Overheating in the microwave toughens enriched doughs rapidly, so keep intervals short. This method works best for a quick weekday breakfast when you need a warm bun in under 1 minute.
- Air Fryer Reheat: Preheat the air fryer to 150 °C (300 °F). Place buns in a single layer in the basket—do not stack. Heat for 3–4 minutes, checking at the halfway point. The circulating hot air gently crisps the exterior while keeping the interior soft and pillowy. This method is ideal for reviving frozen buns that have been thawed, giving them a freshly baked crunch on the outside in minutes.
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Desserts & Sweets
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 buns
- Calories: 265 calories
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 26mg