Fresh hot cross buns straight from the oven? That smell is Easter.
Soft. Fluffy. Gently spiced. Packed with juicy fruit. Nothing like the dry supermarket ones. Slice one open, slather with butter, and that's Easter done right.
If you're baking up a storm, try my Easter Brownies or Chocolate Hedgehog Easter Slice too. Both are on repeat in our house every year.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Homemade Hot Cross Buns
🕒 Ready In: 30 minutes prep + 45 minutes proving + 15 minutes baking
👪 Serves: 12 buns
🍽 Calories: 471 per bun
🥣 Main Ingredients: flour, yeast, milk, butter, egg, sugar, spices and sultanas
📖 Dietary Info: nut-free | includes both Conventional & Thermomix methods
⭐ Why You'll Love It: Light, fluffy and beautifully spiced, these homemade hot cross buns are fresher, softer and taste so much better than store-bought - with that glossy, sticky glaze on top.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
Absolutely delicious! I've made this recipe twice so far, and it is so yummy. Soft and fluffy with a beautiful, sweet, crispy top. Devoured by all!
- Allie
Making hot cross buns from scratch sounds scary… but it's honestly not. If you can stir and knead, you can do this.
These are made with simple pantry staples and come out soft, fluffy and perfectly spiced. Not heavy. Not dry. Just proper bakery-style buns.
The key? Make sure your yeast is active, let the dough double in size (don't rush it), and brush them with glaze while they're warm. That glossy top is everything.
Love a twist? Try my Chocolate Hot Cross Buns - the kids go wild for them.
And if you somehow have leftovers (unlikely), turn them into my cosy Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding. It's Easter comfort food at its best.
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- These buns are incredibly soft and fluffy - no heavy, doughy bricks here.
- They taste better than store-bought because they're fresh, full of flavour and made with real ingredients.
- You can freeze them, so they're perfect for getting ahead at Easter.
- Everything is made with simple pantry staples - nothing fancy needed.
- And you get both Conventional and Thermomix methods, so you can make them your way.
Jump to:
Bun Ingredients
Most of the ingredients are simple pantry staples, but here's what matters:
- Make sure your instant yeast is fresh and foams in warm milk. The milk should feel warm, not hot, or it will kill the yeast.
- Don't skip the cinnamon and nutmeg - that's the classic flavour.
- Use room temperature butter for a soft, rich crumb.
- And keep the flour paste thick but pipeable so the crosses hold their shape.
Variations
Want to mix it up? Easy.
- Swap the sultanas for chocolate chips for a kid-friendly version.
- Leave the fruit out completely if you prefer soft, lightly spiced buns.
- Add a tablespoon of finely grated orange zest for extra Easter flavour.
- For gluten-free buns, use a good gluten-free flour blend made for yeast baking and add xanthan gum if needed. Just note the texture will be slightly different.
How To Make Hot Cross Buns
It's easier than you think.
Mix. Knead. Let it rise. Shape. Rise again. Bake. Glaze.
That's it. A few simple steps and you'll have soft, fluffy hot cross buns that taste better than anything from the supermarket.
- Prepare Yeast and Dry Ingredients: Mix the dried yeast with warm milk and set aside until frothy (approx 10-15 minutes). Combine flour, spices, salt and sugar in a separate bowl.
- Rub In Butter: Rub in the softened butter until the dry mixture is crumbly - the texture of breadcrumbs.
- Make the Dough: Add the yeast and milk mixture, egg and warm water. Sprinkle over the sultanas. Combine ingredients until a soft dough forms.
- First Rise: On a floured surface, briefly knead the dough into a ball then place into a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in a warm spot for about 30 minutes, or until the dough rises (it should double in size).
- Divide for Tin: Divide into 12 equal portions and roll into smooth balls. Place into a greased 20cm x 30cm baking pan, 1cm apart.
- Add Crosses: Mix flour and water into a thick paste. Pipe crosses over the buns. Cover and allow to rise again for 15 minutes.
- Bake: Bake at 200°C (fan-forced) for approximately 15 minutes, or until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped. Heat sugar and water until dissolved.
- Glaze: While still warm, brush glaze over the top of each bun using a pastry brush for that glossy finish.
Expert Tips
- Check your yeast first. If it doesn't foam, don't risk it - start again.
- Make sure the milk is warm, not hot. Too hot kills the yeast. Too cold won't wake it up.
- Let the dough double in size. Don't rush the proving or the buns will be dense.
- Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic. That's how you get light, fluffy buns.
- Keep the cross paste thick so it holds its shape in the oven.
- Brush the glaze on while the buns are warm for that shiny, soft top.
- They're best eaten fresh, but you can store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
How To Prove (Rise) Hot Cross Buns
- Don't rush this part. Proving is what makes the buns soft and fluffy.
- Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and leave it somewhere warm and draft-free until it doubles in size.
- A sunny spot works well. Or warm your oven for a minute, turn it off, and pop the bowl inside while it's just warm - not hot.
- Your dough is ready when it has doubled and gently springs back when you press it.
How To Pipe White Crosses
- Mix plain flour/all-purpose flour and water into a smooth, thick paste. It should be thick enough to hold its shape, but soft enough to pipe.
- Pipe straight lines over the buns before baking to form crosses.
- No piping bag? Use a small zip-lock bag and snip a tiny corner. Easy.
Hot Cross Bun FAQs
Your yeast may have been inactive, or the milk was too hot and killed it. The dough also needs a warm spot to rise properly.
Yes. Bake them fresh for best results, but you can make the dough the day before and let it rise in the fridge overnight, then bake the next day.
This usually means the dough didn't rise long enough, too much flour was added, or it wasn't kneaded enough. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not dry.
More Easter Recipes
If you're adding more Easter recipes to your list, you'll absolutely love these favourite Easter chocolate-filled treats!
WANT EVEN MORE DELICIOUS RECIPES? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Facebook or Instagram. And if you love baking, then please come and join my Facebook cooking club group or subscribe to my YouTube channel.
Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
- 1 tbs dried yeast
- 250 g (1 cup) warm milk full fat
- 600 g (4 cups) plain flour
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 80 g (⅓ cup) caster sugar
- 80 g butter softened
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 85 g (⅓ cup) warm water
- 180 g sultanas
For the piping:
- 75 g (½ cup) plain flour
- 100 g water
For the glaze:
- 2 tbs caster sugar
- 2 tbs water
Instructions
Conventional Method
- Add the dried yeast to the warm milk and whisk together. Place the cup in a warm place for 15 minutes or until the mixture has become frothy.
- In a large bowl, sift together the plain flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and caster sugar.
- Add the butter and rub together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Pour in the milk/yeast mixture, the egg and the warm water. Sprinkle over the sultanas.
- Stir together until the mixture forms a round dough ball.
- Grease a bowl with cooking spray and place the dough ball into the bowl.
- Cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm spot to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size (see notes).
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
- On a lightly floured board, place the dough and knead for 5 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal sized portions and roll each portion into a ball.
- Place the balls (1cm apart) in a greased 20cm x 30cm baking tin. Set aside for a further 15 minutes to prove.
- Make the piping by sifting the flour into a bowl and adding enough water to make a paste.
- Pipe the crosses onto the buns using a piping bag or a glad bag with the end snipped off.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the buns sound hollow when tapped.
- To make the glaze, place the water and sugar into a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Mix until the sugar dissolves.
- Brush the tops of the buns with the glaze.
- Place the buns onto a wire rack to cool.
Thermomix Method
- Place milk and yeast into the Thermomix bowl and mix for 1 minute, Speed 1, 37 degrees.
- Add flour, salt, softened butter, sugar, egg, cinnamon, nutmeg and warm water and mix for 6 seconds, Speed 7.
- Knead for 2-3 minutes on Interval/Kneading function. Add the sultanas and combine for 10 seconds, Reverse, Speed 5.
- Work the dough into a ball on a lightly floured board. Place in a bowl and cover with a tea towel. Keep in a warm place for 30 minutes to allow the dough to prove (it should double in size). See notes.
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
- On a lightly floured board, place the dough and knead into a ball. Divide the dough into 12 equal sized portions. Roll each portion into a ball.
- Place the balls (1cm apart) in a greased 20cm x 30cm baking tin. Set aside for a further 15 minutes to prove.
- To make the piping, mix the flour and water in the Thermomix bowl for 20 seconds on Speed 4. Scrape down the sides and repeat for a further 20 seconds.
- Pipe the crosses onto the buns using a piping bag or a glad bag with the end snipped off.
- Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the buns sound hollow when tapped.
- Meanwhile, heat the sugar and water in the Thermomix bowl for 2 minutes, Speed 4, 100 degrees.
- Brush the tops of the buns with the glaze. Place the buns onto a wire rack to cool.
Notes
- Make sure your yeast is fresh and your milk is warm, not hot.
- The dough should be soft and slightly tacky - avoid adding too much flour.
- Let it fully double in size before shaping for light, fluffy buns.
- Glaze while warm for that classic shiny finish.
Katrina M says
I’ve been on a strict diet for 10 weeks. Today I decided to make these. I wasn’t going to break my diet for a dodgy supermarket HCB. They have just come out of the oven and been glazed and one is missing already.
I’ve made a lot of HCB’s. These are the best!! Very fluffy and light and the little crack of the sugar glaze on top is a beautiful texture.
Will be keeping this recipe! Thanks!
Lucy says
I'm so happy to hear that!!!
Grace says
I've used this recipe twice (once with sultanas and without) and they both turned out amazing. I followed the recipe exactly but excluded the sugar in the buns. Still tasted amazing with the sugar glaze on top with butter. Highly recommend this recipe.
Lucy says
Fantastic!
Wendy says
Thank you so much for this recipe!
I’m originally from Bulwell in Nottingham….I now live in Chapala Mexico…we are inland by Lake Chapala…so proofing is not a problem..,but the Altitude can be tricky!…..that being said…these came out perfect…haven’t eaten one yet….but they look yummy!!…I like them lightly toasted slathered in butter…can’t wait to try them!
Lucy says
Fantastic!