Hot Cross Buns

Much like pastry, bread has always scared me a little in the kitchen. It’s the yeast, the scientific nature of the weather, the this and and the that, that makes me all a little too scared. I LOVE the idea of baking my own sourdough but again, my fears have always got in the way.

It’s always around this time of the year that I see people making hot cross buns and have felt a little the same, but this year iso life had me all “what the HECK” (kind of like the haircut I gave myself yesterday, but that’s another story all together). My brother had a crack at these last year so I knew it was possible and when I was able to get yeast AND flour a few years ago, I mentally set them aside for this day and for this recipe: my first crack at hot cross buns on Good Friday nonetheless!

Don’t be scared of them, or the process, you will relish every step in the smells and the textures and the SMUGNESS, you guys, the smugness is next level. Let’s do this.

Hot Cross Buns

2 x yeast packets
1 1/4 cups milk (310mls warmed)
1/4 cup caster sugar
4 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons  ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground mixed spice
1 teaspoon salt
60 grams butter
3 cups mixed fruit (I used one with peel but took out the cherries)
2 eggs

For the cross:
1/3 cup self raising flour
1/4 cup water

For the sugar glaze:
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons caster sugar

1. Warm your milk and whisk together with the yeast and sugar until dissolved and then set aside for about 10 mins or until it’s bubbling away and looks frothy. I soaked my fruit for about 5 mins in hot water to soften and then drain

2. Sift plain flour and spices into a large bowl then add in the butter (I cubed it) and then rub the butter into the flour using your finger tips to make it look kind of like bread crumbs

3. Add the yeast mixture to the flour, then add in the eggs, and the drained, softened fruit and mix with a spoon then transfer onto a floured surface and knead by hand for about 5 minutes. I had to add in quite a lot of extra plain flour as my mixture was quite wet so added extra until I had a decent dough

4. Transfer into a bowl to prove. I covered mine with cling wrap and placed it in a warm spot until it was double the size (this took about an hour)

5. When the mixture has doubled in size punch it to let the air out (this is SO much fun) and then transfer back onto a floured bench and knead for a few more minutes then divide the sough into 12 small balls (my buns were quite large in sizes you could definitely make smaller size and probably get about 18 out this amount). Place the buns into a lined or grated baking tin and set them aside to prove again for another 15-20 mins. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (fan forced)

6. Make up your mixture to pipe your crosses on by mixing the self raising flour and water, spoon into a zip lock bag and snip the corner when you are ready to make the crosses. Do one line down the centre of each row and turn and do the other rows. Place into the oven and cook for 10 mins at 200 then turn down to 180 and bake for a further 15 mins or until golden brown

7. Make your sugar syrup by placing the sugar and the water into a saucepan and place over heat until the sugar is dissolved and boil for a min or so then set aside and brush over the buns when they are out of the oven and still warm

8. Enjoy with lashings of butter and get stuck in right away while they are hot and fluffy!

Hot Cross Buns

These delicious buns make Easter for me and you can make them at home without too much trouble...it's worth the effort I promise!
3.67 from 3 votes
Prep Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 12 buns

Ingredients
  

  • 2 packets yeast 7 grams per pack
  • 1 1/4 cup milk warmed
  • 1/4 cup caster sugar
  • 4 cup plain flour
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground mixed spice
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 60 grams butter cubed
  • 3 cups mixed fruit of your choice
  • 2 eggs

For the Cross

  • 1/3 cup self raising flour
  • 1/4 cup water

For the sugar glaze

  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar

Instructions
 

  • Warm your milk and whisk together with the yeast and sugar until dissolved and then set aside for about 10 mins or until it's bubbling away and looks frothy. I soaked my fruit for about 5 mins in hot water to soften and then drain
  • Sift plain flour and spices into a large bowl then add in the butter (I cubed it) and then rub the butter into the flour using your finger tips to make it look kind of like bread crumbs
  • Add the yeast mixture to the flour, then add in the eggs, and the drained, softened fruit and mix with a spoon then transfer onto a floured surface and knead by hand for about 5 minutes. I had to add in quite a lot of extra plain flour as my mixture was quite wet so added extra until I had a decent dough
  • Transfer into a bowl to prove. I covered mine with cling wrap and placed it in a warm spot until it was double the size (this took about an hour)
  • When the mixture has doubled in size punch it to let the air out (this is SO much fun) and then transfer back onto a floured bench and knead for a few more minutes then divide the sough into 12 small balls (my buns were quite large in sizes you could definitely make smaller size and probably get about 18 out this amount). Place the buns into a lined or grated baking tin and set them aside to prove again for another 15-20 mins. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees (fan forced)
  • Make up your mixture to pipe your crosses on by mixing the self raising flour and water, spoon into a zip lock bag and snip the corner when you are ready to make the crosses. Do one line down the centre of each row and turn and do the other rows. Place into the oven and cook for 10 mins at 200 then turn down to 180 and bake for a further 15 mins or until golden brown
  • Make your sugar syrup by placing the sugar and the water into a saucepan and place over heat until the sugar is dissolved and boil for a min or so then set aside and brush over the buns when they are out of the oven and still warm
  • Enjoy with lashings of butter and get stuck in right away while they are hot and fluffy!

This was so enjoyable and I was SO SO proud when they were done. The girls were also thrilled with it all. While it did take a little prep, the feeling of smugness and the smell and of course the taste – well it’s worth it every time. Every! I think this may just become a new Good Friday tradition (except we are always preparing for the Easter market so that’s not likely to happen out of Corona Time).

Have you made Hot Cross buns before?
Got any Easter cooking traditions you always do?

Comments

  1. Looks delicious! For us stuck-at-home Americans, can you please further describe what you mean by “3 cups mixed fruit (I used one with peel but took out the cherries)”?

    Is this fresh fruit or dried, does it come in a jar, is it the same as fruit used in fruitcake, and what kind of peel is in it? A picture of the fruit would be really helpful, if you have any left.

    Happy Easter, and Thanks!

    • It is the same as what you use for fruit cake. Usually sultanas, currants, raisins and diced orange/lemon peel. Sometimes it also has glacé cherries. I hate peel so I just do my own blend of the first 3 fruits.

    • try Cyndy – yes dried fruit like you would use in a fruit cake. Yiyu can just use sultanas if that’s what you like

  2. 5 stars
    Hi Beth,
    Love your recipes. Yesterday I made your lemon meringue pie recipe. Delicious! Will be trying these next.
    Thank you

  3. Stuart Folkard says

    1 star
    Mine didn’t work. They tasted like beer and hardly rose.

    • That’s a shame – I yonder if they weren’t in a warm enough spot or the yeast was off. Sorry about that…mine have worked great both times.

  4. In the oven right now. I have a daughter that prefers chocolate so we split the dough and made a few choc chip for her. Rose really well on this super warm 2021 Melbourne Easter. May well be the highlight of our day! Everyone helped a little and all enjoyed!

  5. hulls Beth, love your recipe, but please Why the cross,, we dont need that until Easter Week,, and for all of December and January we need CHRISTMAS STAR BUNS,, and then bring back our delicious STICKY BUNS,,with a choice of different yummy glazes right up toEaster Week when we all look for our special
    HOT CROSS EASTER BUNS. that is our delight,, BUT when they shove Hot Cross Buns at us right after Christmas, they become so boring by Easter, !!?!?!? please we need help here,,, thankyou. ,,, Marion

  6. 5 stars
    Better than shop bought

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