Easy Hot Cross Buns

Easy Hot Cross Buns - lightly spiced and studded with juicy sultanas and shreds of orange peel. Beautifully soft and fluffy Hot Cross Buns every time with easy step by step instructions. Delicious warm from the oven or toasted the next day. Simply spread with butter, they really are the best Hot Cross Buns.

5 from 42 votes

Print Pin Save Recipe

Course: Afternoon Tea, Breakfast, Sweet Treat

Cuisine: British

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 25

Proving time: 2

Total Time: 2 40

Servings:

Calories: 209kcal

Author: Sarah James

Equipment

Optional: A stand mixer – I use my KitchenAid stand mixer to knead the dough as it makes light work of kneading.
1 large baking tray / sheet
piping bag or a plastic food bag snipped at one corner
Pastry brush

Ingredients

Sweet Dough

500 grams strong white bread flour
1 tablespoon yeast
3 tbs caster sugar
½ tsp salt
2 tsp mixed spice
75 g softened butter
300 ml milk
2 tbs marmalade or mixed peel
150 g sultanas

Hot Cross Paste

90 g plain flour
5 tbs water

Glaze

2 tbs sieved apricot jam or marmalade
2 tsp hot water

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Make your dough

First, warm the milk in the microwave for one minute so the liquid temperature is tepid to warm.
Place all the dough ingredients, except the sultanas, in the bowl of an electric mixer or a large mixing bowl.
In an electric mixer, fit dough hook and mix for approximately 1 to 2 minutes on slow speed number 1.
Add the sultanas, then mix for 8 to 10 minutes on slow speed number 2.
For hand mixing, stir together until ingredients form a ball and then knead for about 4 minutes. Now add the sultanas into the dough a little at a time and knead until smooth and elastic. This generally takes about 10 minutes.
Place your dough in a large greased mixing bowl and cover. Leave to rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in size – about 1 ½ hours.

Shape your Easy Hot Cross Buns

Transfer the dough to an oiled work surface and stretch out into a log shape and divide into 12 or 16 equal pieces. Aim for approximately 100g for large hot cross buns or 75g to 80g for standard size.
Using a cupped hand, roll each piece of dough on the work surface to form a ball.
Place dough balls on a large lined baking sheet. Keep the buns fairly close together and use your fingers to flatten each one a little.
Cover with a cloth or greased cling film.
Leave to rise for approximately 45 minutes until well risen.

Make your Hot Cross Paste

Sift the flour into a bowl, add the water and mix well until you have a smooth paste.

Bake and glaze

Preheat your oven to 400°F / 350°F Fan / 200°C / 180°C Fan / Gas Mark 6
When your hot cross buns are well risen, pipe on the paste to form the crosses. Pipe the vertical lines before switching to the horizontal lines. As an alternative to piping, use a spoon to “drizzle” the crosses over your hot cross buns.
Place in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.
Whilst buns are hot from the oven, brush with a glaze of sieved apricot jam (or marmalade) and hot water. Leave your now shiny hot cross buns to cool on a wire rack.

Notes

Nutrition information is for a standard size Easy Hot Cross Bun.
Mixed Spice - Pumpkin Pie Spice is a good alternative to mixed spice.
Your Hot Cross Buns will keep for 2 to 3 days stored in an airtight container.
Refresh your buns and serve them warm by baking them for 10 minutes at 160 C Fan.
Horizontally slice and toast a hot cross bun under a medium to hot grill. Or use a toaster on a low setting for a couple of minutes. Whichever toasting method you use, take care as the sugar content in hot cross buns makes them brown more easily.
Hot Cross Buns freeze well. Open freeze on a tray before transferring to a freezer bag or sealed container. Will keep for up to three months.
Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.