Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (2024)

Hot Cross Buns Recipe,Updated

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

Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (1)

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

Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (2)

Posted in Recipes | 31 Comments

31 Responses

  1. on April 12, 2017 at 12:09 am Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (3) Kim

    They are simply breathtaking.


    • on April 12, 2017 at 4:46 pm Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (4) Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks Kim! :)


  2. on April 12, 2017 at 12:32 am Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (5) 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 Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (6) 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?


  3. on April 12, 2017 at 1:49 am Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (7) 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!!


  4. on April 12, 2017 at 6:21 am Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (9) My Kitchen Stories

    They loomy so delicious. I would so love to make some.


    • on April 12, 2017 at 4:47 pm Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (10) Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Go for it, girlfriend!


  5. on April 12, 2017 at 6:29 am Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (11) Chica Andaluza

    They look absolutely amazing, you clever lady!


    • on April 12, 2017 at 4:47 pm Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (12) Celia @ Fig Jam and Lime Cordial

      Thanks lovely! Happy Easter to you all! xxx


  6. on April 12, 2017 at 7:37 am Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (13) 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 Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (14) 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!


  7. on April 12, 2017 at 12:01 pm Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (15) 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


  8. on April 12, 2017 at 12:21 pm Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (17) 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 Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (18) 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 Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (19) Francesca

        And all my Easter love to you and your family too Celia.xx


  9. on April 12, 2017 at 3:42 pm Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (20) 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 Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (21) 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


  10. on April 13, 2017 at 2:45 am Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (22) Karen

    I always loved hot cross buns but haven’t had them in years. Yours look perfect. Happy Easter to you and your family.


  11. on April 13, 2017 at 10:06 am Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (23) Amanda (@lambsearsandhoney)

    A lovely recipe, thanks Celia. I’ve tweaked it a tiny bit & whipped some up last night.


  12. on April 13, 2017 at 11:35 am Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (24) 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!


  13. on April 14, 2017 at 2:46 am Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (25) Jean | DelightfulRepast.com

    Celia, those buns look like perfection! I love how you simplified it; I’m doing more and more of that!


  14. […] 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 […]


  15. on April 14, 2017 at 10:47 pm Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (27) 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


  16. on April 14, 2017 at 10:52 pm Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (28) Sally

    Oh and I forgot to mention….that glaze..!!! Heavenly..!! I reheated some buns tonight and the glaze held up well.


  17. on April 16, 2017 at 6:16 pm Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (29) flythesevenseas

    Tried them and loved them! I’ll add this recipe to my collection for years to come – thank you!


  18. on April 18, 2017 at 5:02 am Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (30) 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.


  19. on April 24, 2017 at 1:52 am Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (31) 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…..


  20. on April 24, 2017 at 10:15 pm Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (32) 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!~ :-)


  21. on July 16, 2017 at 2:22 am Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (33) Stacia May

    Love hot cross buns, my husband is Irish, so I started a tradition to make them at Easter!



Comments are closed.

Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Updated (2024)

FAQs

What are the new flavors of hot cross buns? ›

New for 2024 is a twist on the seasonal classic, Extra Special Orange Marmalade Hot Cross Buns (£1.40, pack of four). Created after sales insight found customers buying hot cross buns and marmalade together, the new buns are filled with orange-soaked sultanas, raisins, candied orange peel and Seville orange marmalade.

How do you spice up hot cross buns? ›

How do you eat yours? 6 new hot cross bun toppings to try
  1. Strawberry sundae. ...
  2. PBB: Peanut butter & banana. ...
  3. Cheesy melt. ...
  4. Tahini butter with pistachio. ...
  5. Cardamom cream. ...
  6. Maple butter.

Why are my hot cross buns so hard? ›

DO NOT add too much flour – results in dry dough = tough buns. Sultanas: Some recipes say to add sultanas after the dough has been kneaded or risen. If you do this, you'll find it very hard to disperse them evenly throughout the dough. By adding them before kneading, some do get squished.

Did original hot cross buns have fruit? ›

It was in the 12th century that an English monk decorated his freshly baked buns with a cross on Good Friday, also known as the Day of the Cross. The custom gained traction, and over the years, fruits and precious spices were included to represent health and prosperity.

What is the best hot cross bun for 2024? ›

Daily Bread

Taking out the BIANZ award for best hot cross buns in 2022, 2023, and 2024 Daily Bread's are certainly award-winning, and unstoppable. Made with lievito madre sourdough that is long fermented, which has some traditionalists squirming, the bakery insists it makes their buns moist and springy.

Who does the best hot cross buns? ›

Waitrose No 1 Golden Hot Cross Buns

These from Waitrose are a top choice if you like a classic hot cross bun. They had a light, fluffy, brioche like texture and generous amounts of dried fruit including chunks of orange peel.

Are hot cross buns better warm or cold? ›

Serve the buns warm from the oven, cold or lightly toasted - whichever way make sure to add a generous spread of my tangy orange and nutmeg spiced butter.

Do you toast both sides of a hot cross bun? ›

Cook them according to pack instructions, on 180c for 20-25 minutes. – Chop the Hot Cross Bun in half then lightly toast both sides until warm and golden. – Give the hot cross bun a lick of butter.

Why were hot cross buns banned? ›

Traditionally eaten on Good Friday to commemorate the Crucifixion, hot cross buns found an enemy in Elizabeth I, who, in 1592, finding too much Popery in their popularity, banned their consumption except on specific holidays.

What is the white stuff on top of hot cross buns? ›

The white topping on hot cross buns is typically a mixture of flour and water, which is piped onto the buns before baking. This creates the iconic cross shape and adds a slightly chewy texture to the top of the bun.

What do hot cross buns represent? ›

They are symbolic of this significant day in the Christian faith when Jesus was crucified. 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.

When were hot cross buns banned? ›

In 1592, during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, the London Clerk of Markets issued a decree forbidding the sale of hot cross buns and other spiced breads, except at burials, on Good Friday, or at Christmas. The punishment for transgressing the decree was forfeiture of all the forbidden product to the poor.

What religion eats hot cross buns? ›

Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten over the Easter religious Christian holiday to symbolise the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday on the cross.

Can you buy hot cross buns all year round? ›

Enjoy tasty treats all year round with our hot cross buns. These sweet and mildly spiced round buns are an absolute favourite during Good Friday and Easter. Have it just like that or toast it before adding some spreadable butter and jam for the perfect evening snack with your everyday tea.

What is the hot cross bun flavor Easter egg? ›

White and milk chocolate egg infused with orange oil, ginger, cinnamon and golden raisins decorated with white chocolate. Contains 72% Fairtrade ingredients.

What season do hot cross buns come out? ›

This Easter treat so pleased the recipients that word soon spread, and efforts were made across the country to imitate these cakes. By the 19th century, hot cross buns were commonly eaten on Good Friday to mark the end of Lent.

Are hot cross buns seasonal? ›

A traditional hot cross bun is a yeasted sweet bun that's lightly spiced and studded with raisins or currants, then marked on top with a cross that's either piped in icing or etched into the dough. While hot cross buns are now sold and enjoyed throughout the year, they were once reserved for Good Friday alone.

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