Traditional, and Not So Traditional, Hot Cross Buns

With Easter a few weeks away, you may just catch a whiff of hot cross buns baking when you pass your local bakery. These yeasted sweet buns can be enjoyed throughout the year, but they were once served exclusively on Good Friday. There are no concrete explanations of how hot cross buns made their way to our Easter table, but many theories include Christian symbolism.

This year, take the homemade approach to your Easter, and try making some traditional, or not so traditional hot cross buns. Although they may seem difficult to make, these easy to follow recipes will surely impress you and your loved ones:

Traditional Hot Cross Buns

Buns:

• Lukewarm milk, 1 1/2c

• Sugar, 1/2c

• Active dry yeast, 1tbsp

• Flour, 4 1/2c

• Salt, 1/2tsp

• Nutmeg, 1/2tsp

• Eggs, 2

• Softened butter, 4tbsp

• Sultanas soaked in rum, 1c

Syrup Glaze:

• Water, 1/4c

• Sugar, 1/4c

Cream Cheese Icing:

• Icing sugar, 1/2c

• Cream cheese, 1tbsp

• Room temperature butter, 1tbsp

• Water, 1/2tbsp

Find the full recipe here.

Cranberry and Orange Hot Cross Buns

Buns:

• Zest of two oranges and juice of one

• Dried cranberries, 100g

• Unsalted butter, diced, 50g

• Egg

• Strong white bread flour, 500g

• Fast-action dried yeast, 1tbsp

• Mixed spice, 1tsp

• Caster sugar, 100g

Crosses:

• Flour, 75g

• Juice of one orange

• Apricot jam, 5tbsp

Find the full recipe here.

Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Buns:

• Caster sugar, 60g

• Cocoa powder, sieved, 40g

• Dried yeast, 10g

• Ground cinnamon, 2tsp

• Flour, 520g

• Milk, 300ml

• Butter, coarsely chopped, 70g

• Egg

• Sultanas, 80g

• Dark chocolate, finely chopped, 100g

• Candied orange, diced, 40g

• Salt, 1tsp

• Sunflower oil, 1/2tsp

• Cold water, 50ml

Cinnamon:

• Caster sugar, 60g

• Ground cinnamon, 1/2tsp

• Water, 50ml

Find the full recipe here.

If your hot cross buns don’t turn out as planned, or you’ve simply run out of time, check out myBaker’s top pick from Gail’s Bakery. We picked up a few hot cross bun samples from across London’s top bakeries and rated Gail’s as our number one sweet spot – a wonderful consistency of sultanas, cranberries and a spiced dough!