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A pan of hot cross buns next to a kitchen cloth.
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Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Hot cross buns are spiced and fruited rolls topped with a flour cross and brushed with a lightly sweet glaze.
Course bread
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 36 minutes
Rising 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 6 minutes
Servings 12 buns
Calories 368kcal
Author Kate @ I Heart Eating

Equipment

Ingredients

Dough

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons instant rise yeast 1 packet
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4-4 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 cup raisins or currants

Flour cross

  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 5-6 tablespoons water

Glaze

  • 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
  • 1 tablespoon water
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Buns

  • To make the buns, pour milk into a microwave-safe measuring cup.
    1 cup whole milk
  • Microwave in 30-second intervals until it reaches about 110-115 degrees F. If it gets too hot, let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to come down in temperature.
  • Add warm milk, brown sugar, and yeast to the bowl of your stand mixer. Use a fork to lightly stir it all together. Let sit for 5 minutes for yeast to bloom.
    1/2 cup light brown sugar, 2 ¼ teaspoons instant rise yeast
  • Add eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Use the fork again to lightly beat the eggs.
    2 large eggs, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pour in 3 ½ cups flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and raisins.
    4-4 ½ cups all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1 cup raisins or currants
  • Use a paddle attachment on your stand mixer to combine the ingredients, then switch to the dough hook.
  • With the dough hook, knead the flour into the liquid ingredients until combined.
  • Continue to knead with the dough hook for another 8-10 minutes, or until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should feel slightly sticky if pinched but shouldn't come off on your fingers. Add additional flour in 1/4 cup increments until it reaches the correct consistency. You may need to use a little more or less flour, so go by the consistency.
  • Grease a clean bowl lightly with oil.
  • Remove dough from the mixing bowl and place it in the greased bowl, turning to coat in oil on all sides.
  • Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise for about 30-60 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
  • After the first rise, divide the dough into 12 even-sized rolls.
  • Roll into a ball and place each into the prepared baking pan.
  • Cover the pan with the towel again.
  • Allow to rise once more for about 30-60 minutes.

Flour Cross

  • Whisk the cross ingredients together, starting with just 5 tablespoons of water and adding more if necessary. You should have a thick paste that will pipe easily.
    1/2 cup all purpose flour, 5-6 tablespoons water
  • Add paste to a piping bag, and pipe a line down the center of each row of buns, then repeat in the opposite direction to create crosses.
  • Bake buns for about 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown on top. If browning too quickly as they cook, you can tent with aluminum foil.
  • Allow buns to cool slightly as you prepare the glaze.

Glaze

  • Whisk together apricot preserves and water.
    2 tablespoons apricot preserves, 1 tablespoon water
  • Using a pastry brush, brush over the top of the warm buns. Serve warm.

Notes

    • Whole milk: I recommend using whole milk because the fat in the milk helps to make the buns tender. Using skim milk or 1% milk will give you a leaner dough.
    • Butter: Feel free to use salted butter + 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt if you prefer.
    • Flour: It's important to properly measure the flour to avoid heavy, crumbly buns. Weighing will give you the most accurate measurement, or you can sift or stir it to break it up, lightly spoon into the measuring cup, and level. You'll only want to use as much flour as you need to use to get the dough to the correct consistency.
    • Salt: Sea salt makes a good substitute. If you're using table salt, use half the amount of salt.
    • Nutrition values are estimates. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1bun | Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 317IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 3mg