Our traditional homemade hot cross buns are soft, fluffy and simple to make… plus they taste even better than the store-bought version!
With Easter just around the corner, there’s no better time to whip up a batch of sweet homemade hot cross buns! From this traditional recipe to our chocolate chip version, making hot cross buns has never been easier!
A Traditional Hot Cross Bun Recipe
It couldn’t be easier to make hot cross buns at home! With just a few basic ingredients (see recipe card below) and simple steps, you’ll be eating soft and fluffy fruit buns in no time!
Plain flour, spices, sugar and salt are mixed together.
Butter is then rubbed through until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Warm milk is mixed with dried yeast and added to the mixture along with egg and sultanas.
The mixture is kneaded together and then left to prove in a warm place.
The mixture is divided into balls and placed into a baking tray. Crosses are piped on (see tips below) and the buns are allowed to prove again.
Bake until golden and glaze (see tips below) while warm.
How To Prove (Rise) Hot Cross Bun Dough
To prove the dough, place it into a lightly greased bowl and set the bowl in a warm spot and cover with a tea towel. Warm places can include:
- a sunny spot in the house
- heat an oven on low temperature and then turn off – allow the oven to cool until only just warm and place the bowl inside
- pour boiling water into the bowl and leave for 5 minutes – drain the bowl, grease lightly and place the dough inside
- place the bowl on top of a hot water bottle
- place the bowl near a warm heater
How To Make The Piped Crosses On Easter Buns
Plain flour and water is mixed together until a smooth paste forms.
This is then piped onto the hot cross buns in crosses.
Tips for piping crosses:
- make sure the piping mixture is easy to pipe but not runny. Add extra plain flour if the mixture is too runny.
- Place the mixture into a piping bag with a narrow piping tip.
- If you don’t have a piping bag, place the mixture into a plastic sealable bag (like a glad bag) and cut a tiny hole in one corner. Squeeze the plastic bag to pipe the crosses onto the buns.
Glazing Hot Cross Buns
Ever wondered how hot cross buns get that beautiful, sweet and shiny top? It’s from the glaze that’s brushed over the top while the cooked, golden buns are still warm!
To make the sweet glaze, heat water and sugar in the microwave for 30 seconds or until bubbling and then brush the syrup over the warm buns using a pastry brush (or a spoon).
The glaze will set as the buns cool.
Tips For Making Homemade Hot Cross Buns
- Make sure that your yeast is in date and still active.
- Mix the yeast with warm milk to help it dissolve and activate. You’ll know it’s ready when it becomes frothy.
- Leaving the dough in a warm place is essential for it to rise and double in size. See my tips above for proving dough.
- This traditional recipe is made using dried sultanas. Alternatively, you can omit the sultanas for a fruit-free hot cross bun recipe. You can also substitute the sultanas with any dried fruit you like.
- Glaze the cooked buns while they’re still warm.
More Easter Recipes
If you love our hot cross buns, then you are sure to fall head over heels with our other chocolate-filled Easter recipes! From Easter rocky road and chocolate ripple cake to fun Easter cake hacks, kids recipes, easy desserts, brownies and a cheeky chocolate cocktail… your Easter is sure to be extra delicious (and chocolate-filled).
Check out all of the recipes here.
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Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
- 1 tbs dried yeast
- 1 cup (250g) warm milk
- 4 cups (600g) plain flour
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup (80g) caster sugar
- 80 g butter softened
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup (85g) warm water
- 180 g sultanas see notes
For the piping:
- 1/2 cup (75g) 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 speed. 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 for a few seconds. 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
- a sunny spot in the house
- heat an oven on low temperature and then turn off – allow the oven to cool until only just warm and place the bowl inside
- pour boiling water into the bowl and leave for 5 minutes – drain the bowl, grease lightly and place the dough inside
- place the bowl on top of a hot water bottle
- place the bowl near a warm heater
- make sure the piping mixture is easy to pipe but not runny. Add extra plain flour if the mixture is too runny.
- Place the mixture into a piping bag with a narrow piping tip.
- If you don’t have a piping bag, place the mixture into a plastic sealable bag (like a glad bag) and cut a tiny hole in one corner. Squeeze the plastic bag to pipe the crosses onto the buns.
- Make sure that your yeast is in date and still active.
- Mix the yeast with warm milk to help it dissolve and activate. You’ll know it’s ready when it becomes frothy.
- Leaving the dough in a warm place is essential for it to rise and double in size. See my tips above for proving dough.
- This traditional recipe is made using dried sultanas. Alternatively, you can omit the sultanas for a fruit-free hot cross bun recipe. You can also substitute the sultanas with any dried fruit you like.
- Glaze the cooked buns while they’re still warm.
Nutrition
Easy to follow recipe & delicious. Would make again!
Fantastic!!!
These look delicious! Any tips on how to make them into choc chip hot cross buns? Would you just replace the sultanas for choc chips?
Hi Laura, yes you absolutely can! The only thing to note is that they will melt a little as the dough is rising (I would add them just before you roll into balls). xx
Absolutely delicious! I made this recipe twice without fruit and it was so yummy. Soft and fluffy with a beautiful sweet crispy top. Devoured by all!
My toddler has requested chocolate hot cross buns so will add some cocoa to the dough and give it a go next. Baking these will definitely be an annual Easter tradition for us! Thank you for the recipe!
Oh that’s fantastic Allie! And choc chips is a great idea!!
Fantastic recipe! My first attempt at hot cross buns turned out beautifully.
That’s absolutely fantastic!!!! Happy Easter!
Forgot to add my stars Lucy! I love all your recipes! Any tips for turning this into chocolate chip hot cross buns for the kiddies?
Oh thank you so much!!!! I would make them into lots of mini (about half-sized buns) and then just before you roll them into balls, add some chocolate chips! xx
Great tasting hot cross buns. I just found they became very dense 2 days after making. Any way to avoid that?
Hi Tim, this is just because they are made without any preservatives or additives! You can freeze them if you’d like them to last longer 🙂