How to Make Hot Cross Buns
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These hot cross buns feature a soft and fluffy lightly spiced yeast dough dotted with currants or raisins and a simple vanilla glaze on top.
Hot cross buns are more than just a nursery rhyme or a song you learned during your first piano lesson as a kid. They’re an actual real thing and traditional hot cross buns are an Easter tradition all around the world.
They’re simple, delicious, and a great easy recipe to add to your Easter lineup. Let’s learn about them and then learn how to make them.
DON’T BE AFRAID OF THIS YEAST BREAD
When I started baking with yeast, I was super nervous. Once I realized how simple it was, I was able to create a whole slew of deletable yeast breads, and these pillowy-soft buns were on that list. With my go-to yeast bun base, some swaps for spice, and a gooey glaze, you can say goodbye to dry, stale grocery store buns by switching to homemade.
What are Hot Crossed Buns?
Hot cross buns are typically served at Easter, sometimes on Easter Sunday but more traditionally on Good Friday. They are a soft enriched yeast roll that is sort of a cross between a sweet cinnamon bun and a dinner roll, filled with some sort of dried fruits, and marked with a cross design.
These sweet buns are typically glazed with some sort of simple vanilla glaze, and while the cross on our homemade hot cross buns is made with a flour paste, some recipes use a thicker glaze or icing to make the cross.
There are so many different ways to make these buns, so know that the hot cross buns recipe you see here is our family’s preferred recipe. It stems from my beginner yeast rolls recipe, so you know it’s truly easy!
Why you’ll love this Recipe for Hot Cross Buns
Not only is this hot cross bun dough so easy to work with, it can be made ahead of time so there is one less thing to do on your holiday planning list.
Be sure to check out the notes section in the recipe card for details about making these hot cross buns in advance. During their second rise, they can sit in the refrigerator up to 18 hours before baking. Talk about a time saver!
Aside from the ease of the recipe, these buns are delightfully soft and pillowy, perfectly spiced, and just sweet enough to go well with butter, jam, or nothing at all.
Personally, I recommend a cup of coffee or tea, but you do you, friend. I trust you know your bun preference.
Ingredients for Hot Crossed Buns
There are three simple components to these hot cross buns: the bun dough, the flour cross, and the vanilla glaze. Let’s break down what you need for each component.
HOT CROSS BUNS DOUGH
For the hot cross bun bread dough, you will need:
• warm milk
• granulated sugar
• active dry yeast (not instant yeast or rapid rise yeast)
• boiling water
• currants, raisins, or other dried fruit
• butter
• eggs
• salt
• all-purpose flour
• ground cinnamon
• ground nutmeg
FLOUR PASTE CROSS
Lucky you… You’ve already used the ingredients you need for the cross in the bun dough!
For the flour paste mixture, you will need:
• all-purpose flour
• water
SIMPLE VANILLA GLAZE
This vanilla glaze is really simple. I’ve seen folks use orange juice, orange zest, and other extracts to flavor the glaze. Change it up however you see fit! I think orange would complement these buns so nicely, but for this recipe’s purpose, let’s keep it simple.
For the vanilla glaze, you will need:
• powdered sugar
• milk
• vanilla extract
HOW TO MAKE HOT CROSS BUNS
If you’ve made an enriched yeast roll recipe before, this will all be familiar to you. We have a yeast roll dough, a bulk rise time, shaping, and a shaped dough rise. From ingredients to the pastry brush of glaze, we’re talking under 3 hours.
MAKE THE BUN DOUGH
STEP #1
Start by pouring the warm milk into a large bowl, then add the sugar and the yeast mixture. Stir everything together, set it aside, and allow it to sit for 5 minutes to proof. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment if you don’t want to mix the dough by hand.
STEP #2
Next, add the currants (or raisins or whatever fruit you’re using) to the boiling water. Set them aside and allow them to soak until you need them. This will bulk them up a bit and help them retain moisture in the oven.
STEP #3
Once the yeast is proofed, add the melted butter, eggs, and salt to the milk/sugar/yeast mixture and whisk or stir to combine.
STEP #4
Next, add the flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and stir until a cohesive dough forms. If you’re using the bowl of a stand mixer, you can mix this all with the dough hook. Your bread dough may be shaggy at this point, but that’s ok.
STEP #5
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead the dough by hand for 8-10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. I know, this seems like a long time, but we need to develop that gluten so we have nice soft dough. You’ll know it’s done when the surface resembles the surface texture of PlayDoh. It should not be a sticky dough.
STEP #6
When the dough is fully kneaded, pat it into a disc about 8″ in diameter (this does not need to be measured or perfect) to prepare it for the currants.
STEP #7
Strain or drain the currants then pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel, blotting out as much moisture as you can. Pour the dry currants onto the disc, then continue to knead for another minute or two to disperse the currants. A lot of them will fall out, and that’s ok. Just collect them as you knead and they will work themselves into the dough.
STEP #8
When the currants are evenly dispersed, place the dough in a greased bowl, turning it over to coat, then cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
STEP #9
After the dough has risen, punch it down to deflate it, then turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat the dough into a 12″ long rectangle or log, then cut into 12 equal pieces. Alternatively, you can use a kitchen scale to portion the dough into 12 pieces equal in weight.
STEP #10
Shape each piece of dough into a ball by patting the dough into a small square, then pulling each corner into the center to create a pouch. Pinch the corners together to make a seal.
STEP #11
Place formed bun into a prepared 9″ x 13″ baking dish or baking pan, then cover the buns with a kitchen towel and allow them to rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
ADD THE FLOUR CROSS TO THE EASTER BUNS
STEP #12
Before you bake the buns, you’ll add the flour cross to the top of the buns.
It only takes a few seconds to mix up the flour paste, so no need to make it far ahead of piping it. You’re looking for a thick consistency that can be piped easily. You can add more flour or more water to adjust this texture, but as written, the consistency should work well.
Spoon the flour paste into a piping bag (no piping tip necessary) or zip-top bag, then snip off a small piece at the corner of the bag.
STEP #13
Start by piping a line down the center of each row of buns, then repeat with a line in the other direction. This will make a cross shape on each bun.
STEP #15
Lastly, bake the buns for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top, then remove from the oven and allow to cool. While they cool, make the vanilla glaze.
GLAZE THE HOT FRUIT BUNS
STEP #15
Again, mixing the glaze ingredients will only take a few seconds. The glaze will be thin, but that’s what you want!
It will melt slightly when you brush it onto the top of each bun and sink into every crevice. It seems like a lot of glaze, but use it all. We want these hot cross buns drippy and sticky.
As the name suggests, you will serve these sweet rolls hot and toasty. The glaze will stay nice and gooey, but if you eat one from leftovers, you can pop it in the microwave to get the full effect.
CAN I MAKE THIS RECIPE FOR HOT CROSS BUNS AHEAD OF TIME?
You can absolutely make these buns ahead of time! Do not add the flour cross and simply lay plastic wrap directly on top of the shaped rolls and refrigerate for up to 18 hours.
Remove from the refrigerator 2 hours before you want to serve them, then let them rise at room temperature for 1 and ½ hours before baking them. Before baking, mix up the flour paste and add the cross to the tops of the buns.
Tips for making this Hot Crossed Buns Recipe
• Be sure you’re soaking the currants or raisins before adding them to your dough. It insures they stay plump and moist and don’t shrivel during baking.
• Do not exceed 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon if you want to add more than listed in this recipe. Cinnamon can inhibit yeast dough from rising.
• Brush the glaze onto the rolls while they are still very warm. This will help the glaze melt into each crevice and keep the rolls gooey and sticky as intended.• Brush the glaze onto the rolls while they are still very warm. This will help the glaze melt into each crevice and keep the rolls gooey and sticky as intended.
We love these easy hot cross buns and they are a staple at our Easter celebrations. The soft dough is the perfect pillowy texture and the spices + sweetness of the glaze are deliciously complementary.
Easy Hot Cross Buns FAQs
Looking for more recipes for your Easter brunch or other meal? Check out some of our family’s favorite Easter recipes: buttercream Easter eggs, Peeps blondies, Italian anise bread, overnight French toast casserole, and make ahead breakfast casserole.
Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Ingredients
BUNS
- 1 cup (240mL) warm milk I prefer whole but any will be fine
- 3 Tablespoons (38g) granulated sugar
- 2 and ¼ teaspoons (7g) dry active yeast (or one package) not instant or rapid rise
- 1 cup (240mL) boiling water
- ¾ cup (120g) currants or raisins1
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 and ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 cups (600g) all-purpose flour be sure to measure properly
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon2
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg2
FLOUR CROSS
- ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (60mL) water
GLAZE
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (30mL) milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
BUNS
- Pour the warm milk into a large bowl, then add the sugar and the yeast mixture. Stir everything together, set aside, and allow to sit for 5 minutes to proof. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer if you don't want to mix the dough by hand.
- Add the currants or raisins to the boiling water. Set them aside and allow them to soak until you need them.
- Once the yeast is proofed, add the melted butter, eggs, and salt to the milk/sugar/yeast mixture and whisk or stir to combine.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and stir (or mix with the dough hook on a stand mixer) until a cohesive dough forms. It may be shaggy at this point, but that's ok.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead the dough by hand for 8-10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. The surface should not be sticky and it should resemble the surface texture of PlayDoh. If you are using a stand mixer, you can continue to use the dough hook for 8-10 minutes. When the dough is fully kneaded, pat it into a disc about 8" in diameter (this does not need to be measured or perfect).
- Strain or drain the currants or raisins then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel, blotting out as much moisture as you can. Pour the dry currants onto the disc, then continue to knead for another minute or two to disperse the currants. A lot of them will fall out, and that's ok. Just collect them as you knead and they will work themselves into the dough.
- When your currants are evenly dispersed, place the dough in an oiled bowl, turning it over to coat, then cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- After dough has risen, punch down the dough to deflate, then turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Pat the dough into a 12" long rectangle or log, then cut into 12 equal pieces. Alternatively, you can use a kitchen scale to portion the dough into 12 pieces equal in weight.
- Spray a 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Shape each piece of dough into a ball by patting the dough into a small square, then pulling each corner into the center to create a pouch. Pinch the corners together to make a seal. Place formed buns into the prepared pan, spacing them out evenly (4 rows of 3).
- Cover the buns with a kitchen towel and allow to rise at room temperature for 1 hour.
FLOUR CROSS
- Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven, then preheat the oven to 375ºF (190ºC).
- While the oven heats, make the flour mixture for the flour cross: add the flour and water to a small bowl, then whisk or stir together until smooth. It should be a thick consistency but piped easily. You can add more flour or more water to adjust this texture, but as written, the consistency should work well.
- Spoon the flour paste into a piping bag (no piping tip necessary) or zip-top bag. Snip off a small piece at the corner of the bag, then pipe a line down the center of each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction (you should be making a cross shape on each bun).
- Bake the hot cross buns for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top, then remove from the oven and allow to cool while you make the glaze.
GLAZE
- In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk or stir until smooth.
- Brush the glaze over the hot buns with a pastry brush, then serve immediately. Buns will stay fresh at room temperature up to 3 days. Buns freeze well, up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Currants or raisins: these are what are typically in hot cross buns, but you can use either. You could also consider golden raisins, dried cranberries, or any other dried fruit you like. You can also try a combination! Just stick to the ¾ cup measurement.
- Spices: you can actually use any spices you wish in this recipe for hot cross buns. Keep in mind that cinnamon can inhibit yeast dough from rising, so do not exceed 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon if you want to add more than listed in this recipe. Consider allspice, cloves, and ginger in addition to the cinnamon and nutmeg listed.
- To make ahead: lay plastic wrap directly on the shaped rolls and refrigerate up to 18 hours (do not add the flour cross). Remove from the refrigerator 2 hours before you want to serve them. Let them rise at room temperature for 1 and ½ hours before baking them, then proceed with making the flour paste.
- Halve this recipe: this recipe halves beautifully. Roll into a 6″ log instead of 12″ and cut into 6 pieces. Rise and bake times are the same, though you may need a smaller pan (I usually use a pie plate for 6 rolls).
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
I’ve always wanted to bake my own Hot Cross Buns, but it took your recipe to encourage me to jump in. And yay! Success! My family is so impressed. Thanks.
So impressive, right? Thanks for giving it a try 🙂
These turned out perfectly, made them for a church brunch this past weekend! Love your recipes, Lynn!
Thanks, Kathleen 🙂
What a special recipe. I’ve always been intimidated to make Hot Cross Buns, but your directions and photos made the process so simple. I love the idea of serving these sweet, delicious rolls on Good Friday.
Thank you, Liza!
So good! Thank you!