Easter Hot Cross Buns (Printable Version)

Soft, spiced buns studded with dried fruit and a signature citrus zest crossover.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups bread flour
02 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tsp instant dry yeast
04 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
05 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
06 - 1/2 tsp ground allspice
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
09 - 1 1/4 cups whole milk, lukewarm
10 - 1 large egg
11 - 1 cup mixed dried fruit (raisins, currants, chopped candied peel)
12 - Zest of 1 orange

→ Cross Paste

13 - 1/2 cup plain flour
14 - 5–6 tbsp water

→ Glaze

15 - 2 tbsp apricot jam
16 - 1 tbsp water

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, combine bread flour, sugar, yeast, spices, and salt. Mix well to distribute evenly.
02 - Add softened butter to the flour mixture and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk the lukewarm milk and egg together until fully combined.
04 - Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon or your hands until a soft, sticky dough forms.
05 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.
06 - Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
07 - Punch down the risen dough to release air. Knead in the dried fruit and orange zest until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
08 - Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and place on a parchment-lined baking tray, leaving 2 inches of space between each bun.
09 - Cover the tray loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel. Let rise for 45 minutes until puffy and noticeably expanded.
10 - Preheat oven to 390°F.
11 - Mix plain flour with 5–6 tablespoons water to create a thick, pipeable paste. Transfer to a piping bag or ziplock bag with the corner snipped off.
12 - Pipe a straight cross over each bun, using steady pressure to create clean lines.
13 - Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden brown and the buns sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
14 - While the buns bake, gently heat apricot jam with water in a small saucepan or microwave. Strain through a fine sieve if necessary to remove lumps.
15 - Brush the warm buns generously with the apricot glaze immediately after removing from the oven. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before serving.

# Expert Insights:

01 -
  • The warm spice blend makes your entire home smell like the best bakery in town
  • These freeze beautifully so you can pull them out for unexpected Easter visitors
  • That soft pillowy texture is worth every minute of rising time
02 -
  • The cross paste needs to be thick like toothpaste or it will spread too much during baking
  • Let the buns cool completely before storing or the steam will make them soggy
03 -
  • Use a kitchen scale to weigh your flour for consistent results every time
  • If your crosses are spreading too much, add another tablespoon of flour to the paste

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