Hot Cross Buns

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3:0

Makes 12

Hard

Bake your own hot cross buns this year with our easy hot cross bun recipe. You’ll love our take on these spiced and fruity Easter treats.

Celebrate Easter with a batch of freshly baked homemade hot cross buns. Our hot cross bun recipe is surprisingly easy and make for a delicious treat to share with family and friends. Packed full of flavour with fragrant spices, fruit and orange peel, they’re to be enjoyed for breakfast or as a tasty treat.

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Ingredients image

What you'll need...

Buns
  • 2 tsp instant or rapid rise yeast
  • 110g caster sugar
  • 640g bread flour, plain or all purpose, with extra for rolling the dough
  • 375ml milk, warm
  • 2 tsp cinnamon, powder
  • 2 tsp All Spice
  • 210g sultanas
  • 1-2 oranges, zest only
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 50g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 egg
Crosses
  • 75g white flour
  • 5 tbsp water
Glaze
  • 1 tbsp apricot jam
  • 2 tsp water, room temperature

Method

  1. Place the dry ingredients (flour, yeast, sugar, All Spice, cinnamon, salt) in a large mixing bowl. Briefly mix with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the wet ingredients (milk, butter, egg) as well as the sultanas and orange zest. 

  2. Using the stand mixer, mix for 5 minutes or until a smooth elastic dough forms. Start on a lower speed and once the ingredients are combined, increase to a more moderate speed. Add extra flour if the dough is too sticky – the dough should come away from the side of the bowl when mixing. 

  3. Leave the dough in the bowl and cover with clingfilm. Place in a warm place for it to rise until it’s doubled in size. This could take anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour. 

  4. Line a baking tray with baking paper, leaving overhang for easy removal once baked. Remove clingfilm and push the dough to deflate. 

  5. Dust a work surface with flour to avoid sticking, place the dough and shape into a log. Cut into 12 equal pieces. Turn each piece into a ball by pressing down with your palm and gathering the edges into a ball with your fingers. Place each ball with the smooth side up on the tray. 

  6. Loosely cover the tray with clingfilm and leave in a warm, dry place for 30 – 45 minutes or until the dough has risen (less than double the size). To avoid sticking, lightly spray the clingfilm with oil before wrapping around the dough. 

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan/gas 6. 

  2. It’s time to make the crosses. Mix the flour and water to make a thick, runny paste. Spoon the paste into a piping bag. Remove the clingfilm and pipe a cross onto each bun. Pipe slowly, making sure to hug the sides. 

  3. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is a golden brown. While making, prepare the glaze by mixing the apricot jam and water into a microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, mixing to combine.  

  4. Remove the buns from the oven and lift the buns onto a cooling rack, grabbing the overhanging baking paper for extra ease. Brush the tops with the jam mixture while warm.

  5. Allow the buns to cool to warm before serving! 

Shop the tools you will need

Secondary image for Stand Mixer Main image for Stand Mixer
Stand Mixer

Gun Metal 6L

£199

Secondary image for Non-Stick Baking Tray Set Main image for Non-Stick Baking Tray Set

£30

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