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The BEST Homemade Hot Cross Buns

The BEST Homemade Hot Cross Buns

Sophia Mitchell
Bake the ultimate homemade Hot Cross Buns! This recipe guarantees perfectly soft, fluffy, and flavourful buns packed with fruit and spice, finished with a beautiful shiny glaze. Includes step-by-step instructions and fun flavour twists.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American, French
Servings 12 Buns

Equipment

  • 1 Stand Mixer with dough hook (optional, but easier!)
  • Large mixing bowls
  • Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
  • Piping bag or Ziploc bag for the crosses
  • Pastry brush

Ingredients
  

For the Buns

  • ¾ Cup (180ml) Whole Milk, lukewarm About 105-115°F or 40-46°C
  • 2 tsp Active Dry Yeast Or instant yeast
  • ¼ Cup (50g) Granulated Sugar, plus a pinch for the yeast
  • 3 ½ Cups (approx. 440g) Strong Bread Flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp Ground Allspice Or Mixed Spice
  • Zest of 1 Orange Optional, but highly recommended!
  • ¼ Cup (55g) Unsalted Butter Softened to room temperature
  • 1 Large Egg Lightly beaten
  • 1 Cup (approx. 150g) Dried Fruit A mix of raisins, sultanas, currants, and chopped mixed peel works great!

For the Crosses

  • ½ Cup (60g) All-Purpose Flour
  • 4-5 tbsp Water

For the Glaze

  • 2 tbsp Apricot Jam
  • 1 tbsp Water

Instructions
 

  • Activate the Yeast: Gently warm the milk until it's lukewarm (test on your wrist – it should feel barely warm, not hot). Pour it into a small bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), sprinkle over the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Give it a gentle stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it looks foamy or creamy. If it doesn't foam, your yeast might be inactive, or the milk was too hot/cold – best to start again!
  • Mix the Dough: In a large bowl (or the stand mixer bowl with the yeast mixture), combine the bread flour, the remaining ¼ cup sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and orange zest (if using). Whisk it together. Add the foamy yeast mixture, the softened butter, and the beaten egg.
  • Knead that Dough:
    Using a Stand Mixer: Attach the dough hook and mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead for 6-8 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic, and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should still be slightly tacky.
    By Hand: Tip the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 10-15 minutes. It will be sticky at first, but resist adding too much extra flour (use a dough scraper if needed). Knead until it becomes smooth, elastic, and bounces back slowly when poked.
  • First Proof: Lightly grease a large, clean bowl with oil or butter. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl, turning it once to coat lightly. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Place it in a warm, draft-free spot for about 1 - 1.5 hours, or until doubled in size. (The time depends on your room temperature).
  • Add the Fruit: Once doubled, gently punch down the dough to release the air. Tip it onto a lightly floured surface. Scatter the dried fruit over the dough. Knead gently for a minute or two, just until the fruit is evenly distributed. Don't over-knead here.
  • Shape the Buns: Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (using a kitchen scale ensures uniformity – aim for around 75-80g each). Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Place the buns fairly close together (but not touching yet) on your parchment-lined baking sheet.
  • Second Proof: Loosely cover the baking sheet with lightly greased plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let the buns rise again in a warm place for 30-45 minutes, until they look puffy and have almost doubled again. They should be nestled cozily next to each other now. While they proof, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Make the Cross Paste: In a small bowl, whisk together the ½ cup flour and 4-5 tablespoons of water until you have a smooth, thick, pipeable paste. Add the water gradually until you reach the right consistency. Transfer it to a piping bag with a small round tip, or a Ziploc bag with a tiny corner snipped off.
  • Pipe the Crosses: Carefully pipe lines across the tops of the risen buns to form crosses. Go one direction across all buns, then the other direction.
  • Bake! Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the buns are a beautiful golden brown and sound hollow when tapped gently on the bottom.
  • Glaze While Warm: While the buns are baking, prepare the glaze. Gently heat the apricot jam and 1 tablespoon of water in a small saucepan or microwave until loosened and runny. Strain out any large fruit pieces if desired. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush the warm glaze generously over the tops.
  • Cool (Slightly!) and Enjoy: Transfer the buns to a wire rack to cool slightly. These are absolutely divine served warm with a generous spread of butter!