Prepare your hearts, minds and stomachs for Easter with these delicious, traditional Hot Cross Buns.
Hot cross buns: An annual treat
I’m not going to lie, I spend most of Lent anticipating Hot Cross Buns. To me, they are the perfect baked good; warm, soft, not too sweet, and excellent for lathering with your toppings of choice. In my case, some really good butter.
These days, when Hot Cross Buns are available commercially from the New Year, we have endless opportunities to eat them. They also come in a myriad of flavours. This year, I have seen chocolate, Baileys, apple and cinnamon, vegemite, and dare I say it… iced vo-vo flavour (to name but a few)! It can be quite disorientating, and certainly distracting from the real significance of these beautiful buns.
If you have never considered making Hot Cross Buns at home, now is the time to try! Not only are the homemade versions infinitely more delicious than the store-bought varieties, but the act of making them is a great way to prepare our hearts and minds for Easter.
Religious symbolism
Hot Cross Buns as we know them today were first made in 12th century England. According to tradition, a monk decided to decorate his loaves with a cross on Good Friday to represent the suffering and death of Christ on the cross. The rest is history! Over the years, the fruit and spices were also incorporated. The sweetness of the fruit symbolises the sweetness of the Cross, while the spices are a reminder of the spices used to embalm Jesus before He was put in the tomb.
The Great Debate
Historically, Hot Cross Buns have been a Lenten food. In more recent years, the question of when Hot Cross Buns should be eaten has been the topic of some debate. Are they sufficiently penitential for Lent? (Perhaps not if you’re getting the biscoff flavour!) I grew up in a firm “Hot Cross Buns are an Easter treat” family. I have continued that discipline as an adult. I know there are many faithful Catholics who eat them the whole way through Lent – though perhaps they can resist the butter in a way that I can’t!
When do you eat Hot Cross Buns in your house? Let us know in the comments!
Hot Cross Buns
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- small saucepan
- baking tray
- pastry brush (optional)
Ingredients
For the buns
- 2 tsp dried instant yeast
- 500 g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
- 90 g sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
- 300 ml milk
- 60 g butter
- 1 large egg
- 140 g sultanas (Note 1)
- 30 g mixed peel (optional, but highly recommended)
For the crosses
- 2 tbsp self-raising flour
- 2 tbsp cold water
For the glaze
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 150 ml boiling water
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the yeast, flour, sugar, salt and spices.
- In a small saucepan (or the microwave), gently heat the milk and butter until melted.
- In a separate bowl, beat the egg.
- Pour the milk into the large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Add the egg and continue mixing until it forms a rough dough.
- Add in the dried fruit and peel (it may be easier to use your hands at this point.)
- Lightly flour a large board or bench surface, and turn out your dough. Knead for ten minutes until smooth and no longer sticky, adding extra flour if needed. (Note 2)
- Lightly oil a large bowl. Add your dough, cover with a tea towel, and leave to prove in a warm spot for one hour or until doubled in volume. (Note 3)
- Gently ‘knock back’ your dough (punch the air out of it), and divide it into twelve roughly equal pieces.
- Shape your dough into balls, placing them close together on the baking tray. (Note 4) Cover them with the tea towel, and leave them in a warm place to rise for another hour, or until doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 220°C and line a tray with baking paper.
For the crosses
- Mix flour and water thoroughly to form a very thick paste. (Note 5)
- Pipe the mixture in straight lines both horizontally and vertically across the buns. The crosses should all be interconnected. (Note 6)
- Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked.
For the glaze
- Mix together all the ingredients until the sugar is dissolved.
- Using a pastry brush (or just a bit of paper towel), dab the glaze liberally over the buns, while still hot.
- Serve cold, warm or toasted, either plain or with lashings of salted butter and jam. (Note 7)
Notes
- The dried fruit can also be replaced with 200g of chocolate chips. I find that even if I use the “holds shape when baked” chips, the heat from my hands during the kneading process will start melting the chocolate. Be prepared! They still taste very chocolaty however, and no one has ever complained!
- I have had poor results attempting to knead the dough in a stand mixer with a bread hook - the dough is too heavy. However, a bread maker would work well for this step.
- Depending on the weather when you’re making these, a “warm spot” may be hard to come by. If your house is cool and the dough is not rising, use your oven. To do this, turn it to the lowest temperature for about 2 minutes. Then turn off the oven, open the door and add the dough.
- Place the buns on the tray in four rows of three. They should be just touching, with room to expand as they rise.
- Test the mixture before adding it to the buns. If it seems a bit thin, add in more flour.
- The easiest way to do this is to add the mix into a zip lock bag, and then snip off one of the corners. The crosses do expand a bit during the cooking process, so keep that in mind when determining the size of your hole.
- If made in advance, these buns freeze beautifully. Simply wrap in a layer of foil, followed by a layer of cling wrap. Store in the freezer for up to three months - I guarantee they won’t last that long!
Hannah is a single mother of one and part-time librarian, living in Melbourne. A self-professed type A Martha (in the best possible sense), she loves to witness to her faith through service and hospitality. In her spare time, Hannah can be found reading recipe books, eating cheese or staking out Melbourne’s best delis.
4 Responses
Can’t wait to try these!!! Thanks Hannah 💕
We love this recipe!
We can vouch for the fact that these turned out fantastically!