Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns Cancel reply

RL

Useless for Catholics (no dairy allowed during Lent, there’s a reason icing is not part of the original recipes).

Also, the bit about Eoster was entirely made up in a book called The Golden Bough (pub.1890), and has thoroughly been debunked. The only thing known about her is that her name meant arisen/rising. Why? Cos that was the Germanic word for that action. Everywhere else called it ‘Passover’, not ‘Easter’. And Pagans didn’t use Christian symbols like crosses. The bread stems from Brother Thomas Rodcliffe’s Alban Bun, he created in the 1300’s (a hot cross bun, without a cross..). He created it to feed the poor on Good Friday. Please don’t perpetuate falsehoods.
- December 2, 2020
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Dave

Tasty, thought the picture should of product could look a little more refined as they come out great. I like a little larger making about 12

xxxxxyyyyy
- April 13, 2020
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Chastidy

My Dad wanted hot cross buns but our local grocery store didn’t get any in. I decided to use this recipe to surprise him with some. They turned out great. He kept telling me how good they were.

xxxxxyyyyy
- April 13, 2020
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Alison

I used a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. I would recommend leaving out the cloves and allspice because it tasted like candle although I only put a dash!

xxxxxyyyyy
- April 12, 2020
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Barbara

These were a fun challenge for Easter. I gave them to six of my neighbors.. Kept 4 for us Husband loves them. Had to borrow powdered sugar as i’m not going shopping. Used my Cuisinart to knead and the proofing option in my microwave. Thanks for this British tradition.

xxxxxyyyyy
- April 11, 2020
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Kristen

I just made these and they were delicious! Only had grapefruit, no oranges for zest, but still tasty. Used the grapefruit juice with powdered sugar for the frosting. Also used dried mandarin orange slices from Trader Joe’s with the currents – yum!!

xxxxxyyyyy
- April 11, 2020
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Teresa

Best hot cross buns I have ever had! An AMAZING recipe <3 thank you for sharing

xxxxxyyyyy
- April 10, 2020
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Valerie

Have tried lots of recipes, most are really heavy. These are light and absolutely delicious!! Very much like my mother’s traditional recipe (which she never wrote down). The only slight change is I used fresh crushed cardamom from whole pods, as she used to. And no other spice. Awesome! Thank you!

xxxxxyyyyy
- April 10, 2020
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Pam

I don’t have any raisins and only a lemon is that ok
- April 10, 2020
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- Sara Bir
  
  Hi Pam,
  
  I’d add only 1 teaspoon lemon zest (as opposed to 2 teaspoons of orange zest). If you have other dried fruit and you’re feeling zany, go ahead and sub that. Cranberries, chopped prunes, or apricots would work well. Good luck!
  - April 11, 2020
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Susan

Hi Elise,
Due to quarantine, I have no milk in the house. Could I replace it with HWC (perhaps watered down) or evaporated milk? I would really like to try to do something special for my neighbors on Easter. Thank you.
Susan
- April 10, 2020
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- Monica
  
  I would try the evaporated milk. Just add water so it’s back to the consistency of normal milk.
  - April 11, 2020
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- Sara Bir
  
  Hi Susan,
  
  Is HWC heavy whipping cream? If you have evaporated milk, that would be the better option. If you use the heavy cream, thin it out a bit with water. You’ll chance the fat content too much otherwise. Good luck!
  - April 11, 2020
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Ann Ramsey-Moor

My daughter, Deb, and I just made a batch of these, and they are to die for! Thanks for perfecting and offering a recipe that works up exactly as you say it should — even to the “shaggy” appearance of the dough.

For the dried fruits in our buns, we used a mix of Montmorency cherries, snipped California apricots, golden raisins, and currants. Deb also added a glug of Grand Marnier to the liquid mix — which contributed some fantastic flavor notes.

Over the crosses cut into the buns, we piped a simple lemon frosting loaded with lemon zest.
Result: a superb bun that we will likely be making every Good Friday from now on!

xxxxxyyyyy
- April 10, 2020
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Giesela

So, so nice. I used the flour and water paste for the crosses and didn’t use the egg wash, but rather brushed on an apricot glaze after baking (a bit sticky, but tasty. I’ll use the egg wash next time). The buns came out so fluffy and nicely spiced.

xxxxxyyyyy
- April 10, 2020
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- Elise Bauer
  
  Hi Giesela, I’m so glad you liked them! Love the apricot glaze idea.
  - April 10, 2020
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Laura

Can I let these rise overnight?
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- Emma Christensen
  
  Hi, Laura! I’d recommend letting the dough rise overnight in the fridge, then shaping the buns the next morning. You could also let the shaped buns rise overnight, but I don’t usually do that because it takes up a lot of fridge space. Either way, make sure to cover the dough so it doesn’t dry out!
  - February 27, 2020
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  - NMH
    
    If you let the dough rise overnight is AFTER the first rise or right after mixing? If it is after the rise, do you bake the buns immediately after forming or do you let the formed buns rise the next morning? Thanks!
    April 8, 2020
    
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    - Sara Bir
      
      Hi there! Thanks for your question.
      
      You can shape the buns and stick them in the fridge overnight before baking, OR you can mix the dough, let it rise, and then refrigerate overnight in the fridge. Either way is fine!
      
      April 9, 2020
      
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Mike

I have made these for several years to share at our block association Easter egg hunt. They are well received and each year requested. Easy recipe. just take your time.

xxxxxyyyyy
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- Elise Bauer
  
  I’m so glad you like them Mike!
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Jane

When I was a young girl, more than 50 years ago my mother made Hot Cross Buns every year the day before Good Friday. And on Friday the then elderly ladies who had grown up as girls on the next farm would come for a visit, and mom served the buns. Her recipe was huge, 5 dozen or so of buns. I never used it. This is a good recipe resulting in the number of buns I want. Every Easter I remember getting out the cups and saucers, because Mrs.B, Mrs.R, Mrs.H and Miss F, would be by for tea.
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Judi

Adjustments necessary for high altitude? I’m at 8900 feet!
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- Emma Christensen
  
  Hi, Judi! Emma here, managing editor for Simply Recipes. Until we write our own for Simply Recipes, this is the best resource I know for adjusting for altitude: King Arthur Flour High Altitude Baking Guide.
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Robert Wilkin

This is the first time I have made Hot Cross Buns! I hashtagged it on my Facebook page. I am not going to put the icing on them but I split the top. They look great!! They taste even better. I used dices dates in them because I didn’t have any dried currants on hand. And I used one cup of bread flour for one of the cups of the all-purpose flour.
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- Elise Bauer
  
  So glad you like them Robert! I bet they were great with the diced dates.
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Terri

These were amazing, in both flavor and texture! Definitely use all of the spices and orange zest, and perhaps a bit more. I have saved this recipe for the coming Easters, since it is better than any others I have used in the past! Thank you so much!

xxxxxyyyyy
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- Elise Bauer
  
  Hi Terry, I’m so glad you liked them!
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Lynne

Can’t wait to taste them. Came out great. Smell of nutmeg, orange zest fills the kitchen with an Easter smell from my childhood. Hot cocoa and one for breakfast Easter morning coming up!
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Karen Bersche

Thanks, Garrett and Elise. My mom always made these in her younger days. I have been hungry for them. So will try your recipe this weekend. Can’t locate Mom’s. Appreciate your diligent experimentation to present only the best.
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