Hot Cross Buns Recipe (Soft, Fluffy & Traditional Easter Bake)
Soft, fluffy and perfectly spiced, these homemade hot cross buns are a classic British Easter bake. Made completely from scratch with fruit, mixed spice and a traditional cross, they rise tall, taste incredible and make the best Easter or spring baking treat.
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Servings: 12
Ingredients
- 500 grams bread flour
- 70 grams caster sugar
- 8 grams salt
- 200 grams dried fruit I used raisins and cranberries
- 2 orange zest
- 1 Lemon zest
- 2 teaspoon mixed spice
- 250 ml Whole milk
- 2 eggs
- 45 grams butter
- 13 grams active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2tbsp apricot jam
- 80 grams plain flour
- 100 ml water
Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients - Add the bread flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, mixed spice, lemon zest and orange zest to a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- Prepare the yeast mixture - Gently warm the milk until it is lukewarm — not hot, or it will kill the yeast. Stir in the yeast until dissolved and activated.
- Add the wet ingredients - Melt the butter. Add the beaten eggs, melted butter and the warm milk‑yeast mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients. Add the dried fruit and use a fork to bring everything together into a shaggy dough.
- Knead the dough - Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead for around 10 minutes, adding flour to your hands and the surface as needed, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- First prove - Place the dough into a clean, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- Knock back & second prove - Turn the dough out onto the work surface and knead again for 2–3 minutes. Return it to the bowl, cover and leave to prove for another 1 hour, or until doubled.
- Shape the buns - Oil and flour a baking tray. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, shape each into a ball and arrange them on the tray with space between each one. Cover with cling film and leave to prove for 40 minutes
- Add the cross - Mix the plain flour with the water to make a smooth paste, using a piping bag or snipping the end off a sandwich bag, pipe the cross onto the buns.
- Bake - Preheat the oven to 200°C. Bake the buns for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden on top.
- Glaze - Warm the apricot jam (microwave works well). Brush the hot buns with the warm jam to give them a glossy finish
- Cool & serve - Allow the buns to cool in the tray before lifting them out. Serve with plenty of butter - absolutely delicious.
Notes
• Soft & fluffy hot cross buns need time to rise - don’t rush the proving.
• For proper traditional hot cross buns, mixed spice and citrus zest are non‑negotiable. They’re the secret to that classic British Easter baking flavour.
• If your dough feels sticky, keep dusting the surface with flour. Sticky dough is normal - it’s just enthusiastic.
• Want true bakery‑style hot cross buns? Make sure your milk is only lukewarm. Too hot and you’ll send your yeast to an early grave (RIP bubbles).
• These homemade hot cross buns bake up huge and pillowy. Leave space on the tray unless you want one giant communal bun - which, to be fair, the kids might love!
• Brush with warm apricot jam for that glossy finish. It’s the difference between “nice buns” and “wow, did you buy these?”