Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (2024)

Hot Cross Buns Recipe,Updated

April 11, 2017 by Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

I wrote my original hot cross buns post in April 2009.

Over the past eight years, it’s become one of the most used recipes on our blog. Since that time, we’ve simplified the methodology (ie. I’ve gotten lazier), so that it can now be made by hand with very little kneading, or in a large stand mixer. Two tips: buy a fresh box of yeast before you start, and don’t rush the second rise. And remember,as my friend Jay says, there’s no such thing as too much glaze!

I’ve now updated our old post and hope you’ll give these a go for Easter!♥

Fig Jam and Lime Cordial Yeasted Hot Cross Buns

Posted in Recipes | 31 Comments

31 Responses

on April 12, 2017 at 12:09 am Kim
They are simply breathtaking.
- on April 12, 2017 at 4:46 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  Thanks Kim! :)
on April 12, 2017 at 12:32 am Cathey
They are gorgeous and look sooooo good! But please, as a novice baker, what is in “mixed spice?” I’m in California so, if this is an Australian product, we don’t seem to have it here.
- on April 12, 2017 at 4:22 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  Cathey, it’s a sweet spice mix. I think you could use use allspice or pumpkin pie spice instead?
on April 12, 2017 at 1:49 am Susan
YOU BET!! It’s on my list, just finished three 22″ long, 6 braid Challahs. These breads are SO fun. Happy Easter to you and yours!!
- on April 12, 2017 at 4:47 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
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  Braiding IS so much fun – thank you for the reminder. I haven’t made them for ages! Happy Easter to you too!
on April 12, 2017 at 6:21 am My Kitchen Stories
They loomy so delicious. I would so love to make some.
- on April 12, 2017 at 4:47 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  Go for it, girlfriend!
on April 12, 2017 at 6:29 am Chica Andaluza
They look absolutely amazing, you clever lady!
- on April 12, 2017 at 4:47 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  Thanks lovely! Happy Easter to you all! xxx
on April 12, 2017 at 7:37 am bokolm
Have you ever tried making sourdough HCBs Celia? I was going to give it a try with my new starter today…. Guessing they won’t be as soft but hopefully more digestible :)
- on April 12, 2017 at 7:47 am Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  Yes I have. There’s a link on the original post but they do take a lot longer to prove!
on April 12, 2017 at 12:01 pm Cath C
Oh Celia how I love you! I was sitting on my lounge last night thinking “I really should give hot cross buns a go” and then picked up my phone and checked my emails and there was your post! So guess what I’m in the middle of right now – making your hot cross buns! Just waiting whilst the dough does its first 20 minute rest, with a lovely cup of tea.
I don’t comment very often at all so may I take the time now to say thank you for your blog, which I have been reading for years, I truly admire you Celia, you are a wonderful person, so inspiring. Happy Easter to you and your family xo
- on April 12, 2017 at 4:48 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  That’s so lovely, thanks Cath! Happy Easter to all at your place too! :)
  See Also
  Hot cross buns – Paul Hollywood’s recipe
on April 12, 2017 at 12:21 pm Francesca
I was looking through your previous recipes and thinking about whether I would bother this year and now, here’s an updated recipe. Celia you are a mind reader and national treasure. xx
- on April 12, 2017 at 4:49 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  Hahaha…not a mind reader, but maybe we’re just in sync, Fra! Hope you have a wonderful Easter with your gorgeous fam! xxx
  - on April 12, 2017 at 5:06 pm Francesca
    And all my Easter love to you and your family too Celia.xx
on April 12, 2017 at 3:42 pm Manuela
I bought self rising flour just so I could make hot cross buns. I have made the sourdough version several times and substituted craisins instead of the dried fruits. The childen (and I) love them.
- on April 12, 2017 at 4:49 pm Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial
  Manuela, I actually haven’t made the SD version for ages – there’s always such a high demand that only the yeasted ones prove quickly enough! :) Happy Easter and congratulations on your latest addition – wonderful news! xxx
on April 13, 2017 at 2:45 am Karen
I always loved hot cross buns but haven’t had them in years. Yours look perfect. Happy Easter to you and your family.
on April 13, 2017 at 10:06 am Amanda (@lambsearsandhoney)
A lovely recipe, thanks Celia. I’ve tweaked it a tiny bit & whipped some up last night.
on April 13, 2017 at 11:35 am Maureen | org*smic Chef
I haven’t made hot cross buns for a couple of years but after looking at yours, I must have another go. Happy Easter!
on April 14, 2017 at 2:46 am Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
Celia, those buns look like perfection! I love how you simplified it; I’m doing more and more of that!
on April 14, 2017 at 3:19 pm Rewriting Tradition. Easter Cuisine Old and New. Part 1 – ALMOST ITALIAN
[…] more digestible than the common supermarket variety. If you are a beginner at yeasted baking, try Celia’s recipe here. It is foolproof and very […]
on April 14, 2017 at 10:47 pm Sally
Dear Celia, you are a life saver! I was getting panicky about not finding a good recipe for Easter buns, as the batch I made a few days ago wasn’t very nice. Then this post dropped into my lap on Wednesday night and I knew it would be brilliant, just as all of your recipes and tutorials have shown me. So I made them today, Good Friday, and they are just sensational. Well they must be good, there’s only one left! I followed your instructions step by step.. it’s definitely no fail, and I love that you’ve taken all the guesswork out of it, even saving us the task of calculating how many grams each ball of dough should weigh. These are the best Easter Buns we’ve ever tasted! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. Happy Easter to you and your family. X
on April 14, 2017 at 10:52 pm Sally
Oh and I forgot to mention….that glaze..!!! Heavenly..!! I reheated some buns tonight and the glaze held up well.
on April 16, 2017 at 6:16 pm flythesevenseas
Tried them and loved them! I’ll add this recipe to my collection for years to come – thank you!
on April 18, 2017 at 5:02 am Elizabeth Hodkinson
Made these yesterday, they were awesome! I admit I didn’t make your glaze, I just heated up some ginger marmalade that a local shop was selling off for 5p (UK money) and then tipped it over and it worked very well. The buns were incredibly light and not too sweet, my Easter house guests loved them.
on April 24, 2017 at 1:52 am themateriallady
I have been making your sourdough hot cross buns (without the crosses) all year as they go down so well here. I can only imagine how good your kitchen smelled after making those. Yumm…..
on April 24, 2017 at 10:15 pm helen Andreatta
Thanks for this fabulous Hot Cross Buns recipe- my almost 5 year old grandson and I spent quite a bit of time in the kitchen on Good Friday, following the recipe with all of the proving stages. We ended up with less dried fruit even though I was very generous in weighing them out. The sultanas kept popping up to the surface and so they were immorality popped in to his mouth and that of his younger brother who wanted to ” hep” The recipe is a keeper!~ :-)
on July 16, 2017 at 2:22 am Stacia May
Love hot cross buns, my husband is Irish, so I started a tradition to make them at Easter!

Comments are closed.

FAQs

Why didn t my hot cross buns rise? ›

The most common reasons are as follows: Over kneading – this is more likely to happen if you use an electric mixer and dough hook. If you over knead dough it will break down the glutens and make the buns hard. Under kneading – if dough is under kneaded it won't rise properly.

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What to add to hot cross buns? ›

Goat's cheese, fig and rosemary

2. Halve and toast the hot cross bun and spread both sides with goat's cheese. Add the fresh fig or spoon over the dried figs. Drizzle the fresh fig with honey or the dried fig with some of the syrup and add some finely chopped fresh rosemary.

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What does a traditional hot cross bun contain? ›

They're yeasted sweet buns filled with spices and various fruits such as currants, raisins, and/or candied citrus. They're decorated with a white cross representing the crucifix, either marked right into the dough or etched on top with icing. Hot cross buns are a traditional Easter food, typically eaten on Good Friday.

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Why do my hot cross buns go hard? ›

If the dough is too dry, the buns will end up being tough. You may need to add a little extra liquid or flour depending on the protein content in the flour.

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How do you fix dough that didn't rise? ›

Let your dough proof at a high temperature (80–90°F or 27–32°C) and high humidity (about 75%) for at least 1 to 3 hours, as heat and moisture will make your dough rise faster. Add more yeast, blend in the starter, or knead in more flour to help initiate rising.

Can Muslims eat hot cross buns? ›

Your hot cross buns are made entirely out of vegetable products so there's no need for anyone to pray over the batter while the baker stirs in currants and citrus peel. The stamp on the package simply signals to Muslims that it's okay to eat those buns — not that someone prayed over them.

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What is the white thing on a hot cross bun? ›

HOT CROSS BUNS ON GOOD FRIDAY

Each bun is decorated with a cross made from flour paste, which represents the cross on which Christ died. The spices in hot cross buns are said to represent the spices that were used to embalm Christ after his death. Read more about Easter Traditions in Ireland.

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What is the shelf life of hot cross buns? ›

Hot Cross Buns can typically last 1-2 days at room temperature, but this can be extended if they're kept in a cool, dry area. Once opened or sliced, they should be consumed within a day for optimal freshness. If stored in a refrigerator, they can extend their shelf life to about 7 days.

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Why is my hot cross bun dough sticky? ›

Your dough can become sticky when you add too much water or the flour isn't suitable for the type of dough you are making. Over proofing or fermenting the dough can also result in the gluten structure weakening causing sticky dough.

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Why do hot cross buns make me bloated? ›

Wheat. Wheat contains a protein called gluten, which may cause bloating, gas, stomach pain, and diarrhea for some people. Bread, pasta, and many baked goods contain gluten.

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Why aren't my buns rising? ›

The liquid was too hot, or not hot enough.

It will usually tell you to use “warm” water. The water temperature should be between 110 - 115 F degrees. If your liquid is too hot (i.e. boiling) it will kill the yeast and prevent the rise. If it's not hot enough, the yeast won't have the heat needed to bloom.

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Why didn't my buns rise in the oven? ›

If you're dough didn't rise, the yeast is probably dead. This could be because the yeast was old, it wasn't refrigerated, or because the water you bloomed it in was too hot (ideally the water should be warm, about 100F). You can still bake the dough but don't expect the same flavor.

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Why aren't my buns light and fluffy? ›

Use a good-quality bread flour that has a high protein content, as this will give your dough the structure it needs to rise and become light and fluffy. Make sure to use the right amount of yeast for your dough. Too much yeast will cause the dough to rise too quickly, resulting in a denser texture.

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