Hot Cross Buns are a treat associated with Lent and Easter although I make them all year long because they are so good. These buns are packed with flavor from the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg as well as currants and a bit of molasses that deepens the flavor of the already spectacular buns.
By double egg-washing the buns before they go into the oven they get high gloss finish that makes them appear as though they have been shellacked. Although the normal finish is a white cross, they are equally good without it.
There is a marvelous article regarding the history of Hot Cross Buns on wikipedia that you might enjoy. These are soft but dense and while the cross can be made of a flour and water paste which is baked onto the top of the bun, these are finished with a flavored white icing.
Baking gets better when you subscribe to receive this PDF on getting the most out of baking including information on equipment, ingredients and baking equipment.
Some other sweet breads include: Conchas - A Mexican Sweet Bread, Swedish Cardamom Yeast Rolls, My Easter Bread and Brandied Chocolate Cherry Almond Garmisch.
NOTE: This recipe is completely updated with a new recipe and new photos, new step-by-step photos ans instructions in this new format. I think you will enjoy this new version.
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What Makes These Hot Cross Buns Special
- These are so easy to make. The liquid ingredients are combined, the flour and spices are combined in a mixing bowl and the two are blended together.
- The buns have a deeper flavor than most that are made with a simple sweet dough due to the molasses that have been incorporated
- Potatoes, in the form of mashed potatoes or flaked instant mashed potatoes make a soft dough that has a longer shelf life.
- This recipe uses the instant mashed potatoes to cut out making mashed potatoes and speed things along.
- I used currants but raisins can be substituted. Whole Foods has small containers of currants.
Recipe Ingredients
Hot Cross Bun Dough
FRONT ROW: Cinnamon, nutmeg, table salt
SECOND ROW: Unsalted butter, vanilla, instant yeast, cloves
THIRD ROW: Granulated sugar, eggs,molasses, instant mashed potato flake
BACK ROW: Currants, bread flour, milk
Vanilla Icing
FRONT ROW: Milk, unsalted butter, vanilla
BACK ROW: Powdered sugar
Key Ingredients
- Bread flour is important as it allows the buns to rise higher. All-purpose can be substituted if necessary. See my posts on Flour as Used In Baking, The Frustrating Facts about Measuring Flour and Measuring for Baking.
- I love adding currants because they are smaller than raisins and more of them can dot the dough. It is important that both currants and raisins soak in really hot water to soften them before adding them to the dough.
- Molasses adds a depth of flavor to the buns that brown sugar doesn't.
- Instant mashed potato flakes are important to the texture of the dough.
- Instant yeast is recommended but active dry yeast can be used. It will take a bit longer to rise.
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients & instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1. Cover the currants in really hot water. Let them soak while the rest of the recipe is prepared. Step 2. Heat the milk and butter to melt the butter. Cool in the bowl of a mixer. Step 3. Add the molasses, sugar, potato flakes, eggs, yeast, and vanilla. Mix all together. Step 4. Add the salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to the flour. Whisk to combine.
Step 5. Add the flour mixture to the liquid in the mixing bowl. Step 6. Beat on medium until it comes together and then for 4 minutes. Step 7. Drain the currants and squeeze all of the water from them. It is important to get the water out so the dough is not too wet when completed. Mix to incorporate the currants throughout the dough, Step 8. Spray a storage container at least twice, preferably 3 times as big as the dough.
Step 9. Cover the top of the dough with film. Step 10. Place the lid on the container and mark the time on it. Let it rise until doubled. At this point I refrigerate it overnight or up to 3 days to develop more flavor. It also makes it easier to shape the rolls. It may or may not rise again. That's inconsequential. Step 11. After the dough has risen, divide it into 12 pieces, about 90 grams each. Step 12. Shape each piece into a rough round. Pull the sides up from the round and squeeze them together.
Step 13. Roll into rough between your hands. Step 14. To make perfect rounds like they do professionally, place the roll on the work surface and cup your hand around it. Step 15. Cover the roll loosely with your complete hand and, applying a bit of downward pressure on the roll, rotate it clockwise or counter clockwise 5 or 6 times until a perfect ball is shaped.
Step 17. After shaping the rolls allow them to rise for about 2 hours (3 hours if the dough has been refrigerated. Step 18. Whisk an egg until the yolk and white are completely combined. Brush the rolls with the egg wash while the oven is preheating. For deepest shine, brush it again just before going into the oven. Bake as directed. Cool completely. Step 19. Mix all the ingredients for the Vanilla Glaze gently with a spoon. Using a whisk incorporates a lot of air bubbles. There are a few in the glaze above but stirring gently will remove them. The glaze should be fairly thick so it doesn't spread too much when applied. Step 20. Using a small spoon, apply the glaze in one direction and then the other, making a cross.
Recipe FAQS
These buns, typically served during Easter, commemorate the crucification of Christ. The white cross represents the crucifixion of Jesus, the spices represent the spices used to embalm him with the sweetness and risen yeast representing the resurrection. They are often served warm.
Currants and raisins are often really dry and need to be plumped up by soaking them in hot water, liqueurs, fruit juices, etc. to release their full flavor and sweetness and add moisture to them so they don't bake up hard.
Enriched doughs using eggs and/or sugar, molasses, honey, any type of sweetener slows the yeast down which is why it is best to used instant yeast which works faster.
Storage and Freezing
While yeast products are best eaten the day they are made, these rolls are good for a couple of days stored covered at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze the baked rolls well wrapped for up to 3 months without the vanilla glaze. Thaw them at room temperature. To freshen, place the buns on a baking sheet close together. Cover the sheet with foil tightly. Make a hole in the center of the foil. Heat the buns in a 350°F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely, make the glaze and finish the buns.
Expert Tips
- Bread flour is used with yeast because its high protein content allows for greater gluten development. The higher the protein in the flour, the greater the gluten development and the higher the product rises.
- While all-purpose flour can be used, the buns will be more compact.
- I add instant yeast to the liquid used because I have had some unincorporated yeast into the dough. It also gives it a head start to working immediately.
- I found currants at Whole Foods in their bulk department.
- Instant mashed potatoes can be found in boxes or also in individual packages that are smaller. Just make sure they aren't seasoned or are flavored with garlic or anything else. Potatoes have an affinity with yeast, increasing the softness and rise.
- If you don't have a scale, roll the dough into a 12" log and cut 1" pieces to get close to the scaled measurement.
More Luscious Yeast Rolls for Your Enjoyment
Love these Hot Cross Buns? It would be hugely helpful and so appreciated it if you would take a moment to leave a rating. Thank you.
Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
Hot Cross Buns
- 1 cup currants (or raisins) 120 grams
- 1 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (60 grams)
- ¼ cup molasses
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup instant mashed potatoes
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups bread flour (420 grams)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Vanilla Glaze
- ¾ cup powdered sugar (100 grams)
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Shaping the Buns and Egg Washing
- 1 large egg
Instructions
Hot Cross Buns
- Submerge the currants under very, very hot or boiling water. Let them plump while prepping the rest of the recipe.
- Heat the milk and butter until the butter is melted. Cool. Add the molasses, sugar, potato flakes, eggs, yeast, and vanilla to a mixing bowl. Beat to combine.
- Whisk together the flour, salt and spices.
- Fit the mixer with a dough hook if available. Add the flour mixture to the liquids in the mixing bowl. Beat on the suggested speed of your mixer. Periodically, scrap the dough that is attached to the top of the dough hook into the bowl and continue mixing.
- The dough will be more of a batter and that is how it should be.
- While the dough is mixing, squeeze all the water from the currants. When the dough is done, add the currants and mix to distribute.
- Spray a container at least twice to three times as big as the dough with a non-stick baking release. Place the dough in the container, cover the dough directly with plastic wrap, mark the time on it and let rise until double in bulk. It will take about 2 hours to rise at 73°F.
- Use immediately or refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. Refrigerating the dough increases the flavor and makes it easier to shape.
Shaping the Buns and Egg Washing
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (about 80 grams or 3 ounces each). Shape into round balls by pulling all edges of dough underneath and squeezing them together. Place ball on a work table, cup your hand over and around it; shape by rolling the dough counter clockwise in your cupped hand. Place on baking sheet. See Steps 11 through 16 in the Step by Step photos.
- Cover with a tea towel and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.
- Shortly before the buns are finished rising, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- While waiting for the oven, whisk the egg for the egg wash until completely combined. Brush the rolls with the wash.
- Just before going into the oven, brush again with the egg wash. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Do not over bake. Cool completely.
- At this point the buns can be frozen without the glaze. Freeze them, wrap well in foil and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. To freshen, place the buns on a baking sheet close together. Cover the sheet with foil tightly. Make a hole in the center of the foil. Heat the buns in a 350°F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely, make the glaze and finish the buns.
Finishing with the Vanilla Glaze
- Blend all the ingredients for the glaze together with a spoon. Stir gently so air bubbles don't occur. If they do, just stir again very gently until they are gone.
- Using a small spoon, apply the glaze in one direction and then the other, making a cross.
Notes
Nutrition
Klaus Muller says
Definitely a giant upgrade. thank you
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Klaus - you're very welcome.
Laurie says
Thanks for the recipe, I hope to make some soon. They look beautiful in your photos. I like that you incorporated dried potato flakes into the recipe. Are your currants the small Zete raisins, or are they true black currants?
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Laurie - From what I've read, I think they call them currants but are the small raisins from a different strain. I like them because they are small and raisins are big.
Ann says
I have potato flour. Can I substitute that foe the instant potatoes?
Helen S Fletcher says
Hi Ann - I haven't done that but the mashed potato flakes make mashed potatoes when they hit liquid. I don't think the flour does the same thing.