Our Flawless Hot Cross Bun recipe is the simple way to guarantee the best fruity bread buns all year round in the UK!
The best sweet bread dough made from scratch, with sultanas and apricots added for a delicious fruity flavour and don't forget the traditional cross on top.
A must-have healthy treat for the kids at Easter. Serve these British tea cakes toasted with a generous spread of butter.
How to make Flawless Hot Cross Buns?
As with all our recipes, we will break down how to make these sticky hot cross buns in simple steps. Follow the video below and continue to read for all the tips.
Check out the printable recipe card for all the ingredients you will need and measurements in both UK grams and US cups.
Jump to RecipeTo make your sweet bread dough to mix the yeast into warm milk, set it aside to activate the yeast whilst you are weighing out your dry ingredients.
Mix the flour, caster sugar, mixed spice, cinnamon, and salt together. Create a well in the middle ready for your wet ingredients
Add a beaten egg, melted butter, and the yeast and milk mixture into the well.
Mix together, you can use a spoon or a mixer..... Conversely, we find it best to just get stuck right in with your hands!!
The hot cross bun dough will be super sticky! Which is completely normal at this point!
Sprinkle some flour down on the surface whilst you are kneading the dough for 10 minutes.
Do not feel tempted to add more flour to the mixture it will get less sticky as you are kneading it from the flour it picks up from the surface and the action of kneading.
How to knead?
Start off with the wet hot cross bun dough, shape into a round ball, push the dough with the heel of your hand/s away from you, stretching it flat.
Lift the dough furthest away and fold back over itself into a ball shape again, twist ball slightly, and push flat again.
Keep repeating and twisting for 10 minutes, set a timer and don't cheat!! 10 minutes of kneading later, you will have a smooth, not so sticky dough!
Flatten it down add a handful of sultanas and dried apricots, fold and knead them in and repeat until all the dried fruit has been added!
Place the hot cross bun fruit dough into a greased bowl and cover with a clean damp towel leave to proof until doubled in size.
How to proof?
The proofing time for hot cross buns, will vary on the temperature of your room? Remember that they will need to proof twice.
1st proof as a whole, 2nd proof when shaped into the fruit buns
If you have no time restrictions, it is best to leave the dough to double in size on the countertop!
This will give you the best soft bouncy hot cross buns.
Alternatively, if you are wanting quicker results, place somewhere warm to help proof, we place it in our airing cupboard! About 27°C/80°F is perfect for a quick rise.
It will take anywhere between 1 ½ hr- 3 hr, depending on room temperature for both the proofs to complete.
Shaping buns?
After the first proof has doubled in size, it is time to shape your buns. Knock the air out and stretch the dough into a long baguette shape.
Chop in half then mark out 6 equal pieces in each half. Last but not least, smooth each of the 12 sections into a rounded bun shape.
Place in a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Leave a little gap between each bun to allow them to rise and spread.
Now proof for at least 1hr (until they have doubled in size.)
How to make cross?
Wondering how to make a cross on a hot cross bun? It is a simple mix of plain flour and water.
We also added a couple of drops of Nielson Massey lemon extract to ours to give it some sweetness, however, this is optional.
It should be a very thick gloopy paste, to stop it spreading out when piping on.
Use a piping bag and nozzle to pipe your crosses on top of your hot cross buns. We used scissors to cut the paste at the ends without having to drag.
Why do they have a cross?
The traditional cross on the hot cross bun symbolises the crucifixion of Jesus.
Hot Cross Buns are often made for Good Friday, as it the end of Lent. People who have given up dairy during lent find these a nice treat.
They are also very popular healthy treat for children during easter.
How long to cook?
Bake your prepared hot cross buns, in a preheated oven at 180°C fan / 200°C conventional / 400°F for 15-20 minutes.
Don't worry if your crosses magically disappear during cooking, they will reappear again once the buns start to brown!
What to glaze bun with?
Finally, time to glaze the hot cross buns, we use 1 tablespoon maple syrup mixed with 2 teaspoon water. Use a brush to coat the glaze over the cooked hot cross buns.
Pull the sticky spicy fruity buns apart, they are at their best eaten whilst they are still warm with some salted butter, yum!
How to store?
Hot cross buns, can be stored in either a food bag or lidded plastic container for up to 4 days at room temperture. Or freeze for up to a month. Allow to defrost at room temperture.
How to reheat hot cross buns?
In order to warm up, slice bun in half toast in the toaster for 1-2 minute. Or toast under the grill until browned instead.
Its up to you how you eat your hot cross bun, keep it simple with a spread of butter. Or add jam for an extra fruity taste.
Flawless Hot Cross Buns are perfect for Easter, but we love them all year round!
Not only do they make a sweet bread breakfast treat, but also great for packed lunches or after school snacks too!
Why not get really creative and create a bread and butter pudding with them!
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Flawless Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
Fruit Bun ingredients
- 7 grams (1 ½tsp) Dried Yeast
- 290 ml (1 ¼ cup) Milk
- 500 grams (4 cups) Strong White Flour you will need some extra for dusting worktop
- 75 grams (⅓ cup) Golden Caster Sugar or white caster sugar
- 2 teaspoon Mixed Spice Powder
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- 40 grams (¼ cup) butter Melted
- 1 Egg Whisked
- 150 grams (1 cup) Sultanas
- 50 grams (⅓ cup) Dried Apricot
- 1 teaspoon Butter for greasing the bowl
Cross ingredients
- 80 grams (⅔ cup) Plain flour
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) Water
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Extract
Glaze
- 1 tablespoon Maple Syrup mixed with 2 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Warm-up milk slightly (shouldn't be hot) in pan or microwave and add dried yeast sachet. Leave aside for the yeast to activate.
- In a separate large mixing bowl add flour, sugar, mixed spice, cinnamon, and salt. Stir together and create a well to add your wet ingredients.
- Add melted butter, whisked egg, yeast and milk into the middle.
- Mix together with a spoon or your hands until combined. It will be very wet and sticky!! This is normal do not add more flour......
- Flour a clean work surface and set the timer for 10 minutes. Knead (see notes) the dough for the whole time.
- It will pick up some flour from the surface but ultimately, the kneading action will remove the stickiness.
- Flatten down and add a handful of dried fruits fold, knead and repeat until fruit is well mixed in.
- 1st ProofGrease a bowl and place kneaded dough in, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to double in size. (see notes for timing) Will take anywhere between 1 - 3 hr, depending on room temperature.
- Knock the air out of dough and shape into a baguette shape, divide into 12 even pieces.
- Smooth each piece into a bun shape.
- 2nd ProofLine a baking sheet with greaseproof paper and place buns leaving a small gap between each. Cover with damp towel and proof until doubled in size. It should take about 1 hr.
- Towards the end of the 2nd proof, preheat oven to 180°C Fan / 200°C / 400°F
- For the cross - Mix together plain flour with water and lemon extract. It should be a very thick paste. Put into a piping bag and use a nozzle or just snip off the end.
- Pipe crosses on each bun, we used scissors to keep them from dragging.
- Bake in the oven at 180°C Fan / 200°C / 400°F for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove hot cross buns from the oven. Makeup a simple glaze using maple syrup and water and spread on whilst still warm.
- Best enjoyed straight away whilst still warm, cut open and spread on a generous amount of butter!
Video
Notes
How to knead
Shape into a round ball, push the dough with the heel of your hand/s away from you, stretching it flat. Lift the dough furthest away and fold back over itself into a ball shape again, twist ball slightly, and push flat again. Keep repeating and twisting for 10 minutes.How to proof?
The proofing time will vary on the temperature of your room? Remember to allow time for 2 lots of proofing, 1st as a whole dough and 2nd as shaped into individual buns. It will take anywhere between 1½ hours to 3 hours, depending on room temperature. If you have no time restrictions, it is best to leave the dough to double in size on the countertop or even overnight in the fridge! This will give you the best soft bouncy hot cross buns. Alternatively, if you are wanting quicker results, place somewhere warm to help proof, we place it in our airing cupboard! About 27°C / 80°F for a quick rise.Nutrition
This post was originally published on 11/03/2020 and had been modified on 09/03/2021. With updated step by steps, a new video and tips for creating the best hot cross buns!
More Easter Recipes
Looking for more Easter recipes ideas? Try our easy chocolate cornflake cakes decorate with mini eggs to make them look like mini nests at Easter.
Have fun with the kids decorating Easter biscuits with royal icing or making cute Easter shaped fruit for a healthy treat.
For the main meal at Easter try our delicious slow roast lamb leg or lamb shoulder roast dinner. Or for something different try our Greek lamb kleftiko.
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Please leave us some comments below!
Ces
A massive thank you.
What a great recipe which ended 45 years of indifferent results - we hit the jackpot on the first go. The only negative we found is the cross goes hard by the next day.
We changed the recipe on the 2nd go. Used cinnamon & nutmeg, 1 teaspoon each. We used mixed dried fruit, removing the cherries.
I shaped the bun by stretching the sides where the cut is turning & tucking it underneath, gives a better shape & smooth top, they also rise more evenly.
We didn’t add the X as would like to find a recipe where the X that will last longer. Any ideas please?
My sister is joining the family tomorrow, Easter Sunday, to see if we can break her 60 year bun disasters.
Beth
The texture of these is great. I got beautifully round buns with a wonderful rise. It did take a long time to proof but that’s down to the butter and milk in this kind of dough, not the recipe itself, but I persisted and all came out well!
The spice and fruit mix was very subtle for me, making this more like a fruited bun than a hot cross bun. Next time I would still follow this base recipe (because the texture and look really is impressive!) but consider double the cinnamon and adding fresh lemon and orange zest, dried mixed peel and ground clove.
Luke and Kay
Thanks for your lovely review Beth! We really appreciate you taking the time to give us your feedback. It's great to hear that the recipe resulted in beautifully round buns with an excellent rise. 🙂
Ann-marie Chatterton
Made these this morning, nice easy recipe to follow. I made a few changes to the dried fruits and used cranberries and some Italian mixed peel. The house smells amazing!!!
Luke and Kay
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience, Ann-Marie! We are so pleased to hear that our hot cross buns recipe was easy to follow and that the house smells amazing. Your creativity with dried fruits makes this classic treat a beautiful twist on an old favourite. 🙂
dots
i made these at friend's request, he longed for homemade hot cross buns. the dough is very easy to work with. i ended up making 15 buns and i would have been better off doing 20 because they do grow considerably. it is worth noting the cross should be quite thick for that very reason. great recipe.
Luke and Kay
Thank you for trying our hot cross buns recipe, Dot! We’re so glad the dough was easy to work with, and your friends loved the outcome. 🙂
Jen
These are really fantastic!! Thanks for the recipe!
Kay
Thank you so much Jen 🙂
Really pleased you liked our hot cross buns recipe 😉
Sue
The best buns for my Easter meal!
Kay
Thank you so much, Sue, hot cross buns are our favourite at easter always makes a great breakfast 🙂
Amy
I was just wondering you say you can leave in fridge over night, does that mean leave overnight in fridge once they are made up and there in balls? So all you got to do is bake?
Chris Mitchell
For the third year running, I've completely failed to make hot cross buns. I have no problem making bread and bagels - both sourdough and conventional yeast - but my hot cross buns never, ever rise. I've heard that sugar and fruit inhibits yeast, so maybe I need a special sort of yeast that we can't get in the UK? Any suggestions would be welcome.
Mine have been proving for two hours now, and not even a hint of the rise. I think I'll be feeding them to the bin yet again, and buying some supermarket ones instead 🙁
Kay
Hi Chris, Sorry I have only just read your comment, this morning. I wish I had seen it last night? You are right the richness from the milk, butter and fruit in the hot cross buns mixture, does affect the yeast.
The best advice I can offer is to leave it until it does double?
If this takes 1 hour, great! But it can take a lot longer even 5+ hours!! I am hoping you saw the note in the recipe card where it said it is ok to leave the dough in the fridge overnight?
The other thing is making sure you knead the dough long enough to spread and activate the yeast evenly, but also not to over-knead!
It is so hard working with dough sometimes, there is so much contradicting advice!
Hopefully, you give it one more shot?
Paddy
Thanks for spice mix, it's 8:00 at night and I've decided to do a slow proof in the refrigerator overnight so I can have them for breakfast tomorrow morning so I'll let you know how it goes thanks very much for responding so quickly I'll send you a picture after they're done
Judith
I always thought it was to Prove or Proving Bread rather than Proof Proofing. I have b een doing it for 50 years.
Good recipe though.
Kay
Hi Judith
Glad you liked the recipe 🙂
Thank you for your comment and I agree with you and this is a good question?
Myself and Kay have looked into this before writing the post, proofing and proving can in fact be used in the same context when proofing/proving your bread dough.
Chandice Probst
These are not only gorgeous but they are fluffy and perfectly sweet too. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Kay
Hi Chandice
Thank you so much for your comment, it means a lot to us to hear great feedback 🙂
Glad you like the hot cross buns, enjoy!!
Cathleen
These hot cross buns look perfect!! I have always been too scared to try making them myself, but you make it seem so doable. Bookmarked to make this weekend 🙂
Paddyb
Wat is the spice mix
Kay
Hi Paddyb
Thanks for the question?
The mixed spice contains cloves, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, coriander, caraway and ginger.
I've also heard pumpkin spice can be a good substitute if you are in the US.
Claudia Lamascolo
So glad to come across this recipe with Easter coming I try and make something new every year and this is it! Great recipe and directions thanks
Kay
Hi Claudia
Thanks for the comment:)
Hope you enjoy the recipe, enjoy!!
Sue
I'm planning to make hot cross buns for the first time, this spring, and your step by step instructions will come in so handy ~ these look amazing!
Kay
Hi Sue
Thanks for the comment, so glad you like our step by step instructions for making our hot cross buns 🙂
Have a great Easter and Enjoy!!
Sandhya S
These look absolutely amazing.. I can't wait to try Hot Cross Buns with your step-by-step method.
Kay
Hi Sandhya
Hope you enjoy the hot cross buns 🙂
Enjoy!!
Alice | SkinnySpatula
I made these hot cross buns today and they turned out amazing! The step-by-step pics were definitely helpful as it was my first time making hot cross buns and I wasn't sure how the texture should look like.
Kay
Hi Alice
So glad you liked the hot cross buns recipe, it's always a pleasure to hear great feedback 🙂
Natalie
I always buy hot cross buns in-store. But now I see they are quite easy to make at home. Lovely recipe, easy to follow. I will save this and give it a try
Luke
Hi Natalie
Thanks for the comment, hope you enjoy our Homemade Hot cross buns recipe, our family love them, its the perfect Easter treat 🙂
Chef Dennis
Wow! This is sooo mouthwatering!
Luke
Hi Dennis
Thank you for the comment, hope you enjoy our Hot Cross Bun Recipe 🙂
ANGELA
I love this Flawless Hot Cross Buns 🙂 Thank you for the recipe
Luke
Thank you for your kind words, they are my son's favourite easter treat!
Cara
I continue to learn so much about baking with each one of your recipes! I find the step by step photos so helpful to know what the recipe should look like. Thank you!
Luke
Hi Cara
Thanks for the comment, glad you like the step by step pictures and like the hot cross buns recipe
Can't beat homemade buns for easter:)
Megan Stevens
We love these, and I had a lot of fun with the recipe. I appreciate all the process photos. Thank you for sharing such a reliable and rewarding bread recipe!
Deborah
OMG, I haven't had these in so long, but made this recipe today and they came out amazing. Thanks for sharing. And for the helpful steps with pictures.
Leslie
The title for this recipe says it all! These are no doubt FLAWLESS HOT CROSS BUNS!!!
Addison
These are definitely flawless! That texture is perfection!
Elizabeth
Such a great recipe! Will be making these for many Easters to come!
Emily Woodward
I made these for the first time this year and my whole family loved them! We will definitely be making them every Easter!
lizzi
wow they look so fresh and amazing! Cannot wait to try
Michelle
Hi I want to try these but I'm in higher elevation. 5000 above sea level, do you know if I need to adjust anything? Thanks!!
Ngozi
These are flawless alright! They look scrumptious. Will go nicely with a cuppa!
Anindya Sundar Basu
These look yummy
Kay
Thank you Anindya 🙂
Arugba Stanley
This will look good to try. Well I will give it a try and hope I don't mess it up
Kay
Arugba, I am sure you won't mess it up! Let us know how you get on x
Eloise
this looks amazing! I'll have to try and bake these during the stay at home order MN is under to help not spread the coronavirus... perfect timing ; )
thank you!
Kay
Let us know how you get on?
Sophia
My mouth is watering just reading this post. They look and sound absolutely incredible!!
Kay
Hi Sophia, they are incredible!
Gillian Ratford
I did make these absolutely fabulous highly recommend these
Kay
Hi Gillian
Thank you for your comment and rating, it's much appreciated 🙂
Britt K
I've never made hot cross buns before, but these look incredible! I think I'm going to have to try my hand at it. Thank you for sharing such an easy to read and follow recipe.
Kay
Hi Britt K
Thank you for the comment, I hope you enjoy your Hot cross buns when you make them 🙂
We love this recipe and so do the kids lol!
Sol Razo
Looks so yummy, can't wait to try this recipe on my own. Thank you for sharing!
Kay
Hi Sol
Thanks for the comment
Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did 🙂
Enjoy!!
littlemisadvencha
i am cooking right now. and still waiting for it to be cooked. thus, im really hungry. this post is actually making me hungrier. these buns look so delicious. and easy to make!
Kay
Thank you! They look so good right, you wait until you try them! Enjoy x
Heather
I have never had got cross buns, but I'm excited to try this.
Kay
I am sure you will fall in love with them at first bite!!
CA
I am a bread-with-a-cup-of-coffee person in the mornings. These look so yummy for breakfast or brunch!
Kay
These are great for breakfast, slice in half, toast them in a toaster and add a knob of butter! Perfect!