Every year at Easter, my extended family packs up and heads away for the long weekend. With a big crowd of us together, we take turns cooking dinner each night, and while the meals always change, there are two traditions that never do.
1: The kids always have an epic Easter egg hunt, running around excitedly with their baskets, searching for chocolate treasures.
2: There are always hot cross buns for breakfast—freshly baked, warm, and slathered with butter.
For as long as I can remember, these spiced, fruit-studded buns have been an essential part of our Easter mornings. There’s something special about gathering around the table with a hot drink in hand, breaking apart soft, fluffy buns while the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg fills the air.
If you love hot cross buns as much as we do, this easy homemade recipe will become your go-to. Using instant yeast for a quicker rise, these buns are soft, full of flavour, and finished with a glossy glaze.
Ingredients for Homemade Hot Cross Buns
For the buns:
- milk
- instant yeast
- caster sugar
- bread flour or plain flour
- ground cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- salt
- unsalted butter
- egg
- currants or saltanas
- orange
- apricot jam or honey
Hot Cross Buns Variations & Tips
🔸 Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns: Swap the currants for dark or milk chocolate chips.
🔸 Citrus Lovers’ Version: Add extra orange zest or some lemon zest for a refreshing twist.
🔸 Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months
🔸 Make-Ahead Tip: Want fresh hot cross buns without the early morning prep? Here’s how:
- Option 1: Overnight Dough Rise – Prepare the dough as instructed, but after kneading, place it in a lightly greased bowl, cover tightly with cling wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, bring the dough to room temperature (about 30–45 minutes) before shaping, proofing, and baking.
- Option 2: Shaped Buns Overnight – After the first rise, shape the dough into buns and place them on the baking tray. Cover loosely with greased cling wrap and refrigerate overnight. The next morning, let them come to room temperature (about 45–60 minutes) before piping the crosses and baking as usual.
This method ensures freshly baked hot cross buns in the morning with minimal effort! 😊
Why Hot Cross Buns Are More Than Just a Recipe
For my family, hot cross buns are more than just an Easter tradition—they’re a reminder of time spent together, laughter around the breakfast table, and the excitement of a new day during our weekend away. There’s something about the process of making them from scratch that makes Easter morning feel extra special.
Whether you’re baking these for your own family tradition or just love a good spiced bun, I hope this recipe brings as much joy to your home as it does to ours.
Final Thoughts
This hot cross buns recipe is a must-try for Easter, but it’s also a delicious bake for any time of year. The combination of warm spices, soft dough, and sweet glaze makes them absolutely irresistible.
Have you tried this recipe? Let me know in the comments! 😊
📌 Don’t forget to share & save this recipe for later!
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Hot Cross Buns
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Baking tray
Ingredients
For the buns:
- 250 ml 1 cup warm milk
- 2 ¼ tsp 7 g instant yeast
- 55 g ¼ cup caster sugar
- 500 g 3 ⅓ cups bread flour or plain flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 60 g ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup currants or sultanas
- zest of 1 orange
For the crosses:
- 50 g ⅓ cup plain flour
- 50 ml about 3 tbsp water
For the glaze:
- 2 tbsp apricot jam or honey
- 1 tbsp water warm
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, spices, salt, and instant yeast. Add the warm milk, softened butter, and egg. Stir until combined, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
First Rise
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 45–60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Shape the Buns
- Punch down the dough and knead in the sultanas and orange zest. Divide into 12 equal portions, roll into balls, and arrange in a greased baking dish.
Second Rise
- Cover loosely and let rise for another 30–45 minutes, until puffy. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) fan-forced or 200°C (390°F) conventional.
Pipe the Crosses
- Mix flour and water to create a thick paste. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe a cross on each bun.
Bake
- Bake for 20–25 minutes or until golden brown. The buns should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Glaze
- While still warm, melt the apricot jam with 1 tsp of water and brush over the buns for a glossy finish.
Serve & Enjoy!
- Hot cross buns are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven, served warm with butter or toasted the next day.