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Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns

Bake Hot Cross Buns now: soft spiced buns with raisins and orange zest, perfect for sharing.

Prep Time125 minutes
Cook Time26 minutes
Total Time151 minutes
Yield12

Ingredients

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the milk and melt the butter

Warm the milk gently in a small saucepan until tiny bubbles form at the edges (aiming for about 181°F) and remove from heat. Pour the hot milk into a mixing bowl, stir in the granulated sugar and salt until dissolved, then add the room-temperature butter and stir until melted. Allow this wet mixture to cool to about 110°F or just lukewarm so it won’t kill the yeast — this warm, sweetened milk-and-butter base is the flavor backbone of the buns.

Step 2: Proof the yeast

In a small bowl combine the active dry yeast with ½ cup of warm water (about 110°F) and 1 teaspoon sugar; let it sit ten minutes until foamy and fragrant. This bubbly, alive yeast is your rising engine — when it’s glossy and frothy it’s ready to meet the milk mixture.

Step 3: Combine wet flavorings with the yeast-milk

Stir the proofed yeast into the cooled milk mixture, then whisk in two whole eggs along with the ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. The batter will be loose and warmly spiced at this point; whisk until everything is evenly distributed so the final dough has an even spice and color through every bite.

Step 4: Add flour and develop the dough

Begin by adding about two cups of all-purpose flour and mix with a dough hook or by hand, then continue adding more flour a little at a time until the mixture comes together into a tacky but manageable dough (you’ll use roughly 4–5 cups total). Knead on medium-low with the hook for 4–5 minutes (or knead by hand) until the surface is smooth and the dough feels elastic and slightly springy to the touch.

Step 5: Fold in dried fruit and zest

Flatten the dough slightly and scatter the raisins (or currants) and the orange zest, then knead briefly to distribute them evenly — the dough should be freckled with dark fruit specks and tiny orange flecks. The texture at this point is soft, slightly tacky, and studded with chewy fruit.

Step 6: First rise, punch down, and shape into rolls

Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and set it in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 90 minutes. After it’s doubled, punch the dough down gently, divide and shape into 12 even rounds, and arrange them snugly into a greased 9×13 rectangular pan. Cover and let the shaped rolls rest and puff for 20–25 minutes until slightly risen and billowy.


Step 7: Prepare the cross paste and egg wash, then pipe

While the rolls are resting, whisk together the flour-and-water paste until it’s thick enough to pipe and hold its shape; transfer it to a piping bag. Beat the reserved third egg with a teaspoon of water for an egg wash and lightly brush the tops of the risen rolls. Pipe neat white crosses over each roll with the flour paste — the crosses should sit as ridged, tactile lines on the soft dough surface.

Step 8: Bake the buns until golden

Set the prepared pan aside while you preheat the oven (bake at 400°F) and then slide the pan into the oven to bake until the tops are a deep golden brown and the centers sound hollow when tapped, about 24–26 minutes. The finished tops should be glossy, domed, and carry the raised white crosses as a signature contrast.

Step 9: Finish and serve warm

Allow the pan to cool slightly, brush with a light glaze or a dab of butter if you like, then pull the buns together or serve straight from the pan while warm — the crumb inside should be airy and tender, studded with raisins and perfumed with orange and warm spices.

Notes