Hot Cross Buns

These Hot Cross Buns made with warm spices, raisins, and dried apricots are smothered with an orange glaze. They are a delightful twist on the traditional recipe. As a sweet roll, they are fantastic any time of year, but they especially make a delicious addition to Good Friday, Easter Sunday, or springtime brunch.

If you love baking homemade bread, you may want to try my step-by-step Challah bread recipe!

What is a traditional hot cross bun?

A traditional hot cross bun is a type of sweet bread roll that is typically eaten on Good Friday or during the Easter season. The bun is made from a spiced dough that includes ingredients such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and dried fruit like currants or raisins. I put my own spin on them by adding dried apricots.

The dough is often enriched with milk, butter, and eggs, which gives the bun a soft, fluffy, and somewhat chewy texture.

The most distinctive feature of a hot cross bun is the cross on the top, which is typically made from a mixture of flour and water that is baked onto the bun, or a sweet frosting that is piped on after the bun has finished cooking. This cross is meant to symbolize the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

Hot cross buns are best enjoyed warm. These don’t need anything at all, but they are often served with butter, and in some parts of the world they are also served with apricot jam or honey. They are a traditional food in many countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada.

Why I love this recipe

• Best hot cross buns. They’re just so delicious. My entire family loves them.
• Easter tradition. In addition to a baked ham with pineapple mustard glaze, scalloped potatoes, roasted green beans, hard boiled eggs, and carrot cake, we always make these!

Ingredients needed

To make the buns

You will need whole milk, raisins, dried apricots, orange zest, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, granulated sugar, active dry yeast, golden brown sugar, unsalted butter, large eggs, kosher salt, and all-purpose flour.

To make the cross

A mixture of flour and water is all that is needed.

To make the glaze

You will need confectioners’ sugar, orange juice, and a bit of Grand Marnier.

How to make hot cross buns

Because there are many steps to this recipe, I’ve taken a lot of step-by-step photos to walk you through the process.

Hydrate the dried fruit and warm the milk 

Add milk, raisins, dried apricot pieces, orange zest, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and granulated sugar to a small saucepan. Over very low heat, gently warm to 110°F. To make fruit extra soft, you can let this mixture sit for 30 minutes, but it’s ready to use once it hits 110°F. Do not overheat.

Activate yeast

Remove the saucepan from heat. Sprinkle yeast onto warm milk mixture and stir to combine. Cover and allow the yeast mixture to sit for at least 5 minutes. When the mixture is foamy with tiny bubbles, it’s ready to use.

Prepare the dough

In the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the brown sugar, softened butter pieces, eggs, salt, and 1 cup of flour (the rest will be added in shortly). Add the milk/dried fruit/yeast mixture and be sure to scrape the saucepan so that you get everything. Mix on low speed to combine ingredients.

Scrape the sides and then add the remaining 2 1/2 cups flour. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium-low speed until combined. Occasionally turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides with a wooden spoon.

Knead the dough

Swap the paddle attachment with the dough hook and start kneading the dough on medium speed. If it continues to stick to the sides and the bottom, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of flour at a time while the mixer is running until it no longer sticks. Try to add the least amount of flour needed; you want soft and sticky dough. Knead dough for at least 3 minutes.

1st Rise

Lightly grease a large bowl with the oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn it so that the entire surface is lightly coated in the oil.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm place for 2 hours or until double in size. Rise times will vary. If your house is cold, you may set the bowl on a floor heater vent or preheat your oven to 200°F, turn it off, and allow the dough to rise inside with the oven door cracked.

Shape the rolls

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. You can do this by shaping it into a square and cutting them into equal-sized squares squares using a bench scraper or sharp knife.

Alternatively you can partition into equal-sized pieces and shape each piece into round balls. To do this, pull part of the dough and tuck it underneath. Then, work your way around so that the top looks smooth and the edges are all tucked on the bottom. Arrange the rolls equally spaced on the prepared baking sheet.

2nd Rise

Cover the rolls with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Allow them to rise for about 1 hour. They should be puffy and larger in size.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Add the cross

Whisk 1/2 cup of flour and 6 Tablespoons of water together in a small bowl. The mixture should be very smooth and briefly hold it’s shape when it drizzles off the whisk. Transfer the paste to a piping bag with a small plain tip.

Alternatively, you can use a plastic bag and snip a very small corner off for piping. Pipe a line down the center of each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create a cross shape.

Bake the rolls

Bake for approximately 20 minutes or so. The rolls should be golden brown on top. While the buns are cooking, make the glaze (see next step). Remove the buns from the oven.

Add the orange glaze

Whisk the powdered sugar, orange juice, and Grand Marnier (if using) together until smooth. Use a pastry brush to cover the buns with the glaze. Serve warm.

Storage and reheating

Cover leftover rolls tightly and store them at room temperature for 1-2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for longer.

They can be eaten at room temperature but taste best when warm. To reheat, set the bun on a plate in the microwave and heat for 20-30 seconds.