Hot Cross Buns
It’s taken me a while to perfect a hot cross bun recipe – and boy, it was worth the wait! They’re not at all hard to make but like all good bread recipes, they take a little time. To get the buns super light and soft, you make a yeast ‘super booster’ at the start to get it all going. It adds a smidgeon more time to the process, but it’s so worth it. And you probably only make hot cross buns once a year, so what’s your rush? Just enjoy the magic of breadmaking and then stuff yourself with the spiced buttered deliciousness. (And yes, you can add chopped up dark chocolate instead of fruit, you naughty people!)
VEGAN VERSION: Use 1 tbsp ground flaxseed (linseed) soaked in 3 tbsp water instead of the egg, and firm coconut oil (chopped up finely) instead of butter.
GLUTEN-FREE: Sorry, but you can’t use GF flour for this one, it just won’t work. Try my gluten-free hot cross bun cakes instead.
Makes 16 buns
Prep time – 30 minutes, plus 3-4 hours rising time
Cooking time – 17-20 minutes
Ingredients
Super Booster
1 ¼ cups high grade white flour (or strong flour)
1 ½ cups milk
2 tbsp sugar
3 tsp active dried yeast (check expiry date)
Fruit
1 ½ cups raisins, sultanas, chopped apricots or a mixture
Zest and juice of 2 oranges (I like to strip the peel off with a peeler then chop finely)
Dough
3 cups high grade white flour (or strong flour)
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp salt
50g chilled butter
‘Super Booster’ (see recipe above)
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
Glaze
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup reserved fruit liquid from above (make up with water if need be)
Crosses
½ cup flour
1 tbsp sugar
3-4 tbsp water
½ tsp baking powder
Method
Fruit
Heat the orange juice and zest in a small saucepan until hot. Add the fruit to a bowl or a resealable bag and pour the orange liquid in. Seal/cover and leave for an hour or so, or overnight. Drain the fruit in a sieve before using and reserve the liquid.
Super Booster
Add the first measure of flour to a large mixing bowl.
Add the milk to a heatproof bowl and microwave in 20 second increments until it reaches skin temperature – about 32c is ideal. If it gets too warm, just let it cool down to skin temp before using.
Add the sugar and yeast and whisk gently for 20 seconds or so.
Make a well in the flour and pour in the milk mixture, stirring to combine evenly. Cover with a clean damp cloth or a plastic bag, and leave somewhere draft-free* for about 45 minutes. It should be bubbling away nicely and puff up.
Dough
Once the superbooster has risen, add the second measure of flour, sugar, spices and salt to a large metal or plastic mixing bowl and stir. The bowl needs to be big enough for the dough to double in size in later.
Finely chop the chilled butter and add to the flour mixture along with the Super Booster mixture and egg. Stir with a wooden spoon to bring it all together into a rough dough.
Tip it out a clean benchtop you’ve cleared some space on. Start to knead – it will feel very wet and sticky at first and your hands will feel caked in dough. You can rub your hands in a little more flour to clean them, adding the crumbs back to the dough. Keep kneading and eventually, the dough will stop sticking to your hands and the bench so much. Don’t be tempted to add heaps of flour – a little bit at the start is OK, but a sticky dough will produce much better buns than a dry dough. My tip is to invest in a dough scraper to clean the bench as you go – it’s a lifesaver.
Knead firmly for 10 minutes – it needs to be very smooth and stretchy (see tips below). You should be puffed with a mild sheen of sweat by the time you’re done (it’s good fitness). I literally stand one leg and throw all my weight into it. Once it’s ready, leave to sit for 5-10 minutes to relax before adding the fruit.
Drain the fruit well in a sieve and tip on to the benchtop. Squash the dough out on top and knead it all together for another minute or so. It will feel slippery and weird to start with – just persist with gentle kneading and it will all come back together into a cohesive, very sticky dough eventually.
Add the dough back to the mixing bowl, pop a plastic bag on top and leave in a draft-free place* (see tips below) until it’s doubled in size – usually an hour or two – it depends on the temperature of the surroundings, among other things. It’s a visual clue, not a timed one.
[At this point, you can punch the dough right back down in the bowl so all the air is gone, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Then continue to the next step].
Tip the dough out on a clean benchtop and divide into 15-16 even pieces (you can weigh them if you have electric scales). Firmly roll (and I mean firmly – I use the bench and really roll it around hard with one hand) each portion until you have a fairly smooth ball.
Place the balls nearly touching on a baking tray/metal roasting pan/enamel roasting dish lined with baking paper (mine was about 30 x 20cm). My buns were pretty much touching start with, so all the buns joined up nicely as they rose. If you use a thin metal roasting pan with sides to support the buns as they rise, they will look more like mine in the photo.
Cover with lightly oiled clingfilm (or I prefer uncovered in the turned-off oven with the bowl of boiled water) and leave to rise again for another hour or so until puffed up into proper bun size – they don’t rise any more when cooking, like cakes do.
Preheat the oven to 180c regular bake.
Crosses
Only do this just before you pipe the buns, or the mixture goes claggy. Stir the flour, baking powder, water and sugar together with a fork to form a smooth paste. Add to a piping bag with a small round nozzle (or a snaplock bag with a tiny corner cut off). Pipe thin crosses on top of each bun.
Bake immediately in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes – or until dark golden brown all over. You can turn the oven up to 200c for a couple of minutes if they aren’t browning.
Glaze
Use the reserved fruit liquid and any water needed to make up 1/3 cup of liquid total. Add this to a heatproof bowl with the sugar. Microwave on high for 1 minute then whisk to dissolve the sugar. Brush on top of the buns as soon as they come out of the oven.
You did it! Homemade hot cross buns! They won’t look perfect because it’s home baking and you can’t produce buns like the bought ones – nor should you want to. No matter what they look like, you’re an absolute legend and they will taste better to you that anything you’ve bought a shop.
If eating them more than half a day later, I’d toast them.
*Dough rising
There’s no set time for dough to rise, room temperature is usually OK in the warmer months. It will rise slowest in cold conditions and faster in warm humid conditions (ideal temperature is about 32c). Try placing a bowl or tray of just-boiled water in a turned-off oven and pop the covered dough in there with it. Shut the door and there will be enough warmth trapped in there to help it rise nicely. It’s worth noting that yeast dies at temperatures above 50c, so don’t be tempted to warm it up too much.
Tips
Kneading
Proper kneading at the start means a lighter bun at the end. Knead by pushing the dough away – literally stretching it out – downward and away from you with the heel of your hand, then grabbing it and bringing it and repeating. You’re stretching out the gluten strands in the flour so the dough can rise properly. At the end, try to stretch and coax a piece of the dough out into a ‘window’ with your fingers – when the dough is ready, it should stretch enough you can see light through a thin pane of ‘glass’. If it’s not ready, it will just tear. You’ll get there – just keep going until you do. It’s a good workout!
Using a machine
I prefer not to use a machine – it actually ends up taking longer to achieve the result you want. However, if you must, you can use the dough hook on the machine to start the kneading process. Use a low speed for 5 minutes. You’ll need to finish the kneading by hand for another 5-10 minutes to get the ‘window-pane’ result I’ve mentioned above, which is critical.
I’m afraid I only have standard flour in my cupboards due to high grade flour shortage during lock down. Is this a fail before I even start? I usually only use high grade for all my baking but have run out.
Hi Chelsea. Looking forward to making these! Can I make a double starter and use the 2nd half the next day??
Hi, I found it took me most of the day to make last time and I have a sore back – can you do any of the raising stages the day before (i.e today) and then cook tomorrow (Good Friday!)?
Can you substitute plain flour? No high grade in the shops :(
Could these be made in the evening and left overnight before cooking? If so,should the dough be left in the fridge or hot water cupboard?
Could i make these in the afternoon/evening and cook them the next morning? if so should i leave the dough in the fridge or hot water cupboard?
Oh Chelsea, I would be so happy if you did do a Gluten-free recipe for hot cross buns!
Is it possible to start this recipe the day before?
Just wondering if I can put the dough in the fridge overnight and finish the following day?
Hi, I only have instant yeast, would this still work? Would you halve the quantity?
Thanks!
Hey Chelsea,
I have plain flour or self raising flour which should I use?
Hello Chelsea, thank you for the recipe, we are looking forward to making them. Unfortunately we do not have any flour other than wholemeal flour, can this be substituted? I hope you are making the most of the lock down and keeping yourself and your Family safe.
Could you do a gf version please?
Recipe looks amazing but would it make a huge difference using plain flour. That’s all I can find in the shops right now
Hi Chelsea All I have is instant yeast to use, will this work okay instead of the yeast you recommended? Many thanks! PS I just made your date loaf … soooo good! Any chance of a ginger loaf in your next cookbook? Would love to make one for a friend who gets bad morning sickness.
Hi Chelsea, is there anyway to make these into chocolate hotcross buns?
Hi Chelsea, Is there anyway to make these into chocolate hotcross buns? Do I just sub a couple of tbsp of flour for cocoa and swap the fruit for chocolate?
Hey Chelsea, can you use Instant yeast sachets instead of active dried yeast?
Yes!
Chelsea left a message on Facebook for you regarding expiry dates on yeast, I was going to throw out but my partner who has in the past made heaps of camp oven bread, said try it first with warm water and a little bit of sugar and if it starts working it is fine to use especially those little tin foil packs. Dated 2014 works well made 2 loaves and some buns, what do you think. Especially as there was no yeast to be had for love or money.lol
Would it be ok to add more fruit?
Hi , can I use ‘fast acting’ bread maker yeast for these if it is all I have?
This sounds like a great recipe – determined to try it!
Can I swap out the egg for Flaxseed “egg”?
Can you substitute straight gluten free flour instead? The reviews sound amazing and would love to give them a crack!
No, sorry, gluten-free flour doesn’t work for bread, I’ll have to do another recipe altogether :(
Hi Chelsea
Can you leave the dough in the oven over night and cook them in the morning ?
We used gluten free flour and found that adding another 1/3 of a cup of milk as we were kneading made this delish and gluten free ????
We had great success with these this year! Everyone loves them.
However, I’ve never had success with any fruit loaf rising, could I use this recipe to make a fruit loaf do you think?
Hey there everyone……I only have instant dry yeast, is it possible to use that in place of the active dry yeast? Sorry I’m very very new to working with yeast so have zero idea.
Wondering if these could be made dairy free somehow? Would a non dairy milk substitute work ok and for the butter…olivani or coconut oil?
I’ve never made hot cross buns before so of course I’m going to try out a fellow Kiwis recipe. I’ve made plenty of bread dough before so had no problems in that respect, buns were soft and fluffy. My only criticism is that the spice flavour was too subtle for me so next time I’ll be doubling the mixed spice.
Hey Chelsea. I’m trying to make this in Australia and we don’t sell Sure Bake yeast here. We have Tandaco (brand) dried yeast. Do you know if it’s just a 1 to 1 substitution? Thanks :)
My mixture was wet and sticky when tipped on the bench. I have gone through recipe and can’t see where I have gone wrong. Kneading to a window pane is Taki g a very long time.
Hi Chelsea, sorry if this has been asked before. I couldn’t see it in the comments above. We love this recipe so much! My youngest is allergic to egg and we were wondering if these can be made egg free? Thanks
Great!!! Filled a locked down saturday with deliciousness :-)
Hi Chelsea – I am struggling to get normal yeast but have instant yeast. Do you think this will work instead and how should I adapt the recipe if so?
Hi Chelsea!
Can I make these with all purpose flour I can’t get my hands on hi grade at the moment ! Thanks
I could only get fast acting yeast at the supermarket (covid19 dramas!). Will this work?
Hi Chelsea. I’ve heard great things about these but I’m gluten intolerant and based on my experience of GF bread making, kneading isn’t always needed/is too hard. Do you have any tips for trying this with GF flours?
Hi, I love making these and cant wait to again for Easter!! Super yummy!! Just wondering if I can use Surebake yeast mixture (red cap)? Its all I have in this lockdown. Thanks!!
Has anyone attempted these using gluten free flour? I have made these several times normally with great success but this year I have a gf person to cater for…
Made these yesterday and they were delicious, came out perfect, great for a lockdown day. I am wanting to do a dairy free/vegan bun and was wondering if anyone had adapted this recipe or if you think the milk could be substituted for plant based and the butter for oil? Thanks :)
Is there a GF flour that would work as a substitute?
Do you really mean 2 tablespoons of mixed spice? I am seeking a spicy recipe as all those I have tried seem not spicy enough for my taste. But 2 tablespoons is way more than even I would have thought. Trouble is I don’t really know what 3 cups of flour looks like by weight (which is how most of the world bakes, America!) so cannot figure out the proportions.
my dough was still very sticky and i could not roll them into nice bun shapes
What could have gone wrong.
I did what you said in the recipe when I tipped the dough onto the bench the last time it was fluffy and sticky
OMG made these for easter!! Best hot cross buns ever!! My 3 year old granddaughter had a ball glazing them and putting hundred and thousands on her bun (she calls them fairies lol) well worth the effort, will never buy a store bought one again!!!
Thanks Chelsea for sharing your recipes! Making crazy italian chocolate cake now smells delish????????
Hey Chelsea. If I’ve got to the stage where I’ve mixed in the fruit into the dough can I put dough in fridge overnight or better to leave it out on the bench overnight? Then out in a warm spot to ride tomorrow? Or will it wreck the dough? Thanks, Kim
Fantastic. I made them took hours but they turned out so light and fluffy Wanted to post a pic but couldnt. So damn proud of myself. Thank you Chelsea Winter. First time ever trying to cook with yeast to make bread or buns. Sooooo happy thank you thank you
Made these last weekend and they were fabulous first time! Could do with a little more spice in the next batch I think. Thanks for the fantastic recipe will try a chocolate chip version next!
These are so good! Everyone I know who has tried to make their own has told me they’ve ended up like rocks. These are fluffy and delicious and I’ve no experience with bread before! My family and friends demolished the fist batch do I’m currently making another lot for tomorrow morning.
Which book is this recipe in.
Heya, we are making these today. I left my Superbooster overnight as I run out of time and it shrunk overnight. Will it still work to make the dough with?
Help. My dough is not at all sticky. It’s actually quite dry. I’ve kneaded it. It has come together… But it’s dry. I actually added about 1/8th of a cup of water as I was kneading… I’ll keep going… Just resting it before adding the fruit. But I’m not liking the chances that this batch will work out well ????
Chelsea made these last year and they were incredible. Plan to make them this easter but i’ve forgotten to get oranges in my shopping :( Do you think I’ll get the same result if I leave out the soaking process and just use the dried fruit as is?
FYI I have just used lemon zest and a cup of pulpy oj from a bottle, worked fine, same effect, smells delish. Still waiting for them to come out of the oven ????
OMG Just made these – best hot cross buns ever, I love them, thanks Chelsea for sharing your recipe
HI,
These look so good! Just 1 question, could I use instant yeast instead of active?
Thanks! I can’t wait to make these