Hot Cross Buns
Have you ever made hot cross buns? These are so easy to make and perfect for your Easter weekend meal. They are typically served on Good Friday, but we make them on Easter Sunday. I love having traditions; this is one of my favorite dinner roll recipes.
When my girls were growing up, Easter Sunday was special for Easter dresses, cute hats, and little white gloves. So, when I was blessed with granddaughters, I did the same thing for them. We would talk about the meaning of Easter and enjoy a special homemade dinner to celebrate as a family.
I don’t usually discuss anything religious or political on my website, but I want to share this special recipe today. Hot Cross Buns are dinner rolls made with the same ingredients as regular rolls, but you add cinnamon, vanilla extract, and Zante Currants. Then, they are glazed with apricot jam and topped with frosting crosses.
Kitchen Items You May Need:
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Rolling Pin
- Sharp knife
- Bread Mixer
- Bread Maker, I highly recommend this one: Zojirushi Bread Mixer
Hot Cross Buns
Step One
Gather your ingredients so you’re ready to make the hot cross buns.
Step Two
Mix and knead the dough for about ten minutes using a mixer. I’m using my Zojirushi bread mixer today. I added water, cinnamon, and sugar to the mixing bowl.”
Then I added the yeast, dry milk, vanilla, and salt.
After that, I added the flour, shut the lid, and followed the instructions below. It kneaded the dough and let it rise. Although I could have, I didn’t bake in it.
Step Three
Add the dried currants to the dough. Let the dough rise, covered with buttered plastic wrap.
Step Four
This happens when you forget to add the Zante Currants to the dough before letting it rise. No worries; I mixed it in. Roll the dough out, then roll it up again to slice it into 12 sections.
Step Five
Roll or mold the rolls so the rough edges are folded under and the tops are smooth.
Let them rise with buttered plastic wrap on top until double in size.
Step Six
Preheat your oven to 350°F (176°C). Remove the plastic wrap when the rolls have doubled in size. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown and cooked through.
Step Seven
Mix the apricot jam and powdered sugar while the hot cross buns bake. While they are warm, glaze them with a pastry brush.
Finished Product
When they cool, use a tube of white frosting gel to make the “crosses” on top of the buns. I wish you could smell my house; it smells so good! Enjoy.
Hot Cross Buns Recipe
- 1-1/2 cups water
- 4 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons dry instant milk
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 tablespoon Saf Instant Yeast
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup currants or dried raisins
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/4 cup apricot jam
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1-2 tubes white frosting gel
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1. Combine everything in a bread maker (we will not bake in it) or use a stand mixer to combine all of the ingredients.
2. I place everything in the mixing bowl in the order listed.
3. Mix all together and knead the dough for about ten minutes.
4. Let the dough rise covered with buttered plastic wrap until double in size.
5. Roll the dough out and roll up and slice into 12 sections.
6. Roll the rolls or mold them so the rough edges are folded under and the top of the rolls are smooth.
7. Preheat your oven to (350°F) = (176°C).
8. Remove the plastic wrap when the rolls have doubled in size.
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly brown and cooked through.
While the hot cross buns bake, mix the apricot jam and the powdered sugar.
1. You will glaze the hot cross buns while they are warm with a pastry brush.
2. When they cool down, use a tube of white frosting gel to make the "crosses" on top of the buns. Enjoy.
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Add the ingredients listed to the Baking Pan in the order listed.
1. Set the Baking Pan into the Main Body and close the lid.
2. Insert the Power Plug into an electrical outlet.
3. Press the "COURSE" UP button until it reaches Course #11 (for DOUGH ONLY), this is what I did today.
4. Push the Start button.
5. You'll also see the word "Rest" next to #11 telling you that it is in the "rest" phase as the unit warms up the ingredients.
6. This "rest" phase should last about 20-25 minutes.
7. You'll hear the unit move into the "knead" phase as the kneading blades start spinning to knead the dough.
8. The screen will change from "rest" to "knead" during this period.
9. After a few minutes, the unit will make a buzzing sound and you'll notice the word "add" flashing on the screen. This is the appropriate time to add things you want to your dough, like nuts, raisins, etc. You can open the lid, add the desired additional ingredients, and then close the lid without changing any of the settings.
10. Once the knead phase is complete you'll see the word "rise" on the screen next to #11. This is the phase where the yeast kicks in and does its thing.
11. When there are approximately 30 minutes remaining in the dough-making process, you'll see the time setting change from the estimated completion time to 30 minutes, which means there is that much time remaining. This clock setting will change in 1-minute increments until the dough-making phase is finished. When I could see the dough was ready through the glass opening in the lid, I skipped the machine's following steps. I turned off the machine and unplugged it.
12. After it stops, you remove the dough from the Dough Bread Pan.
13. Roll the dough out and roll up and slice into 12 sections. Roll the rolls or mold them so the rough edges are folded under and the top of the rolls are smooth.
14. Place the Hot Cross Buns into your greased baking pan, cover with plastic wrap and let double in size.
15. Remove the plastic wrap.
16. Preheat your oven to (350°F) = (176°C). Remove the plastic wrap when the rolls have doubled in size. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly brown and cooked through.
While the hot cross buns bake, mix the apricot jam and the powdered sugar.
1. You will glaze the hot cross buns while they are warm using a pastry brush.
2. When they cool down, use a tube of white frosting gel to make the "crosses" on top of the buns. Enjoy.
PLEASE CHECK YOUR BREAD MIXER BRAND'S INSTRUCTIONS. Step-By-Step Instructions (Additional Help)
How do I store leftover Hot Cross Buns?
We store them in a Tupperware-type container or in a baggie on the countertop.
Can I freeze these after baking them?
Yes, they can be frozen after baking and then thawed on the countertop the night before. I would glaze them at this time and make the “cross” on top, if desired.
Why were Hot Cross Buns banned many years ago?
I quote Wikipedia: “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 bread, except at burials, on Good Friday, or at Christmas. The punishment for transgressing the decree was forfeiture of all the forbidden product to the some people.”
What are Hot Cross Buns called in America?
They are called Easter Buns. Bakeries will start selling Easter Buns or Hot Cross Buns a few weeks before Easter.
Why are these eaten during the Easter holiday?
I quote Wikipedia: “The bun marks the end of the Christian season of Lent, and different parts of the hot cross bun have a certain meaning, including the cross representing the crucifixion of Jesus, and the spices inside signifying the spices used to embalm him at his burial. It may also include orange peel to reflect the bitterness of his time on the Cross.”
What is a hot cross bun made of?
They are typically a yeasted bread recipe filled with spices and fruits such as raisins, currants, or other candied fruits. They usually have a glaze drizzled on them, and a white cross representing the crucifix is decorated on top. Some people use bread dough to make the cross or a tube of frosting, like I used today.
What are dried currants?
Dried currants are called Zante Currants, or in other words, very tiny dried grapes. They are seedless grapes that take up to three weeks to dry properly. They taste just like raisins because they are raisins, but they are about half the size.
Final Word
I hope you try making my hot cross bun recipe, whether you put the cross on them or not. It’s another recipe to teach our kids and grandkids how to cook from scratch. May God bless this world, Linda
Great idea for Easter! I haven’t made these in years and had forgotten about the recipe. I am not in the mood for regular rolls this Easter so I appreciate the recipe. Thanks for sharing a great tradition with your readers!
Hi Kay, thank you so much for your kind words. I got the giggles making them, I haven’t made them in years, and I said to my daughter, they taste so good even though they look like a third-grader made them. Using the tube for the “cross” made my hands shake so much! It’s so funny, Kay, the recipe reminds me of my mom’s brown bread. She made it with molasses, oats, wheat flour, and whatever. It had raisins in it, boy I miss her bread. Have fun making these, they are so yummy! Linda
This was my first time having these! They are yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Heidi, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! We love them! Linda
Hi Linda:
Thanks for the recipe. I had always heard of them but have never made them. On Easter we would go to my Bubbies and Zeides for a meal but Bubbie would make Challa because it is the Jewish Bread. Most of the time Easter or Resurrection Sunday came right after Passover. We celebrated both. I miss my Grandparents deeply even after 64 years. They made the holidays come to life. They were a special couple. My Zeide met my Bubbie on one day and married her the next,. They were married 49 years when Bubbie died and Zeide died on the exact date in the same month a year later. He could not live without his Maggie. Zeide was a Jew and Bubbie was Irish Catholic.
Hi Jackie, thank you for the 5 stars, my sweet friend! I have never made Challah! Did you give me the recipe? I need to find that. I love hearing this sweet love story of your Bubbies and Zeides. I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing stories like this! Thank you for sharing, Linda