These ultra-soft hot cross buns are made with a spiced dough, juicy raisins, and a simple sweet glaze. You’ll love this traditional and mouthwatering recipe!
Looking for more Easter goodies? Give paska a try — it’s a dome of raisin-stuffed brioche bread that inspired this recipe.
What Are Hot Cross Buns?
Hot cross buns are spiced buns filled with dried fruit and decorated with icing in the shape of a cross. They originated in England and are deeply symbolic of Jesus Christ’s death. The cross on the buns signifies the crucifixion of Jesus, the dried fruit represents His body buried in the tomb, and spices in the dough represent His embalming. Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday and enjoyed warm with butter or jam. However, they can also be eaten cold at any time of the year!
Hot Cross Buns Video
How To Make Hot Cross Buns
The process for making these hot cross buns is super simple. Make the dough, add the fruit, bake, and then decorate with icing!
- Bloom the yeast: Combine the milk, yeast, and one cup of flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together, cover, and set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes.
- Separate and beat the eggs: Separate the egg yolks and whites into two separate bowls. Add 1/2 cup of sugar to the egg yolks and beat together. Then, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and knead: Add the egg yolk mixture, melted butter, vanilla, and spices to the dough. Fold the egg whites in. Gradually mix in the remaining flour and knead the dough until it becomes elastic and smooth.
- Allow the dough to rise: Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes.
- Add the fruit and allow the dough to rise again: Soak the raisins in hot water for at least 15 minutes, then drain and mix them into the dough. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
- Shape and prove the buns: Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 (or 15) equal pieces. Shape each piece into a seamless ball and arrange them in a parchment-lined 18×13 inch baking dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and allow the buns to rise for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Bake the buns: Whisk together the egg with one teaspoon of water. Brush the egg wash over the buns after they have risen, then bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Decorate with icing: Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk, then pour the icing into a piping bag or ziplock bag with the corner tip snipped off. Drizzle the glaze over the warm buns in a cross shape. Serve and enjoy!
Don’t have a stand mixer? No problem! Knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface for 10-15 minutes.
Flavor Variations
The base of these hot cross buns is incredibly tasty as-is, but a slight tweak never hurt anyone! Try any of these flavor variations to create the most flavorful sweet buns.
- Citrusy: Mix in one tablespoon of lemon or orange zest for a vibrant citrusy burst.
- Spiced: Add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg for a warm, woody flavor.
- Fruity: For a fruity twist, glaze the buns fresh out of the oven (before adding the icing) with two tablespoons of apricot jam mixed with 1 1/2 tablespoons of hot water.
Hot tip: Soak the raisins in orange juice or rum to infuse more flavor into the fruit.
Tips for Super Fluffy Hot Cross Buns
Get ready to sink your teeth into the softest hot cross buns you’ve ever tried! Listen up to these five tips to “cross” over into sweet doughy paradise.
- Bloom the yeast properly. First things first — make sure your yeast is fresh. If it doesn’t foam after being bloomed in the milk, buy new yeast. Also, make sure to heat the milk to 110-120°F to properly activate the yeast and produce the optimal rise.
- Adjust the flour. Depending on the type of flour, you may need to add more or less — the dough should be tacky but not sticking to your fingers. King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill brand are our top picks for the most consistent results. We usually use all purpose flour, but bread flour may be used as well.
- Knead the dough until it is elastic. Smooth, elastic dough produces the fluffiest buns! A great way to know if your dough is properly kneaded is the windowpane test. Take a small piece of dough and stretch it between your fingertips. If light filters through the thin dough without any tearing, it’s ready.
- Allow the dough to rise in a warm place. Here’s a hack for you — turn the light on in the oven to create the perfect proving area for your dough!
- Cover the buns with foil if they brown too quickly. Because of the sugar in the dough, these buns take on color rapidly. If the tops are too dark before the baking time is up, cover the pan loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.
Storage
Hot cross buns are especially soft on the first day, but there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy them again later. Here’s our secret to keeping the buns fresh for days (or even months!) to come.
- Room temperature: Store leftover buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
- Freezer: Store leftover buns in a ziplock bag and freeze for up to two months.
Hot tip: Wondering what to do with the leftovers? Hot cross buns are delicious sliced in half, toasted, and slathered with butter. They also make phenomenal French toast!
More Sweet Buns
- Poppy Seed Buns — Super soft and loaded with poppy seeds
- Cinnamon Rolls — Filled with a gooey cinnamon sugar sauce
- Bulochki Knots — A mouthwatering combo of sweet dough, jam, and a crunchy topping
- Cottage Cheese Buns — Sweet, light, and full of protein
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk lukewarm, around 110°F
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 3 3/4 cups all purpose flour divided
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup raisins
Egg Wash
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tsp water
Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp milk
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, yeast, and 1 cup of flour. Whisk together, cover, and set aside in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
- While the yeast mixture is rising, separate the egg yolks and whites into two separate bowls. Add 1/2 cup of sugar to the egg yolks and beat together. Then, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
- Mix the egg yolk mixture with the dough, followed by the melted butter, vanilla, allspice, and cinnamon. Fold the egg whites in.
- Gradually mix in the remaining 2 3/4 cups of flour using the dough hook attachment. Knead the dough until it becomes elastic and smooth. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the raisins to a small bowl and soak them in hot water for at least 15 minutes.
- Drain the raisins thoroughly and add them into the dough. Mix until just incorporated. The dough will be slightly tacky, but it shouldn't stick to your fingers.
- Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Cover and allow the dough to rise for 30 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 (or 15) equal pieces. Shape each piece into a seamless ball. Evenly arrange the buns in a parchment-lined 18×13 inch baking dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and allow the buns to rise for 30 minutes, or until they are puffed up. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a small bowl, combine the beaten egg with 1 tsp water. Brush the egg wash over the buns after they have risen. Bake the buns for 25-30 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
- Allow the buns to cool a bit. Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk to create a smooth consistency, then pour the icing into a ziplock bag and snip off the corner tip.
- Drizzle glaze over the cooled buns in a cross shape. Serve and enjoy!
Hi how is yours so perfect and shiny but mine didn’t come out the same as yours
Hi Anna, did you brush them with egg wash before baking? That makes them shiny. If its not enough shine for you, you can brush them with sugary water, it will add another layer.
So yummy 😋 I just made those . My family and kids loved the buns . Thank you !
I'm thrilled you love them as much as we do - thanks for sharing. Happy Easter! 🙂