Hot Cross Buns

Easter just wouldn’t be the same without this classic treat. Yes, you can buy hot cross buns from the supermarket, but there’s something special about a homemade batch. Why not try our hot cross buns recipe? Prepare the dough beforehand (if you can), pop them in the oven and let the smell of freshly baked hot cross buns fill your home. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Buns
1 cup milk
2 tsp dried yeast
2 medium size eggs
1/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp salt
150g butter, melted
4 1/4 cups plain flour
1 Tbsp mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup sultanas
OR 1 cup choc chips or roughly chopped chocolate

Crosses
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup cold water

Glaze
1/4 cup white sugar
3 Tbsp water
1/4 tsp vanilla

MAKES: 9
READY IN: 4 HOURS

*We recommend making the dough the night before for quicker hot cross buns for breakfast.

Method

1. In a small pot on low heat, gently heat milk, until lukewarm (but not hot!). Remove from heat, sprinkle over yeast and leave for about 3 minutes to dissolve and foam.
2. In a large bowl or bowl of your stand mixer, whist together eggs, sugar, salt and melted butter. Once yeast has foamed, stir into egg mixture.
3. In a large bowl, mix flour, mixed spice and cinnamon. Add half the flour mix to the wet mixture and stir to combine. Add remaining flour mix and bring together with your hands (or your mixer).
4. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, until smooth. Alternatively, knead with your dough hook attachment for about 5 minutes.
5. Knead in raisins and sultanas or chocolate for about 2 minutes, until well combined.
6. Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave to rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, until it has almost doubled in size. Alternatively, leave in the fridge overnight.
7. Divide dough into 9 balls and place on a lined oven tray so they are just touching. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.
8. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 170°C.
9. In a small bowl, whisk together crosses ingredients, until smooth. Place in a piping bag or snap lock bag and cut in a small hole. Pipe crosses on the buns.
10. Bake buns for about 40 minutes, until golden and cooked through. A knife inserted should come out clean.
11. Meanwhile, prep the glaze. In a small pot, combine sugar, water and bring to the boil to dissolve sugar. Once boiling, remove from heat. Brush buns with glaze using a pastry brush as soon as they’re out of the oven.

*Be sure to check out our other Easter recipes and activities here.