These soft and fluffy Hot Cross Buns are filled with plump juicy raisins, brushed with an orange-scented glaze, and topped with a royal icing cross. A tradition on the Easter buffet, these rolls will look right at home next to the ham and glazed carrots.
Homemade Hot Cross Buns Recipe
I consider these Hot Cross Buns one of those must-make Easter recipes, which look beautiful on the table and are so delicious too. A soft, fluffy bun with raisins, warm spices, and an orange glaze…what’s not to love?
There are two popular ways to make hot cross buns. One is to pipe a flour mixture across them before baking, and the other is an icing cross after they’ve cooled. We prefer the icing and that’s how this particular recipe is made.
If you’ve never made yeast rolls before, don’t worry. This is a great beginner recipe and the dough rises quickly, so you won’t need to spend all day in the kitchen.
What Are Hot Cross Buns?
Hot cross buns are sweet, fluffy yeasted rolls that are traditionally served for Easter. Dating back to the 12th century, the buns are marked with a cross to represent the crucifix. They’re laced with raisins and warm spices and then topped with an orange-infused glaze and an iced cross.
Hot cross buns are often eaten on Good Friday, though we often add ours to the Easter Sunday buffet.
Ingredients Needed
This traditional Easter recipe is made with yeast, warm spices, orange zest, and a handful of pantry staples.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Milk – Milk should feel warm, but not hot. It can be heated in the microwave in a heat-proof measuring cup for about 30 seconds.
- Sugar – Adding sugar lends a bit of sweetness to the dough, but it also helps feed the yeast, encouraging it to wake up and bloom.
- Active dry yeast – Yeast does expire so double-check the date.
- All-purpose flour – Spooned and leveled to avoid excess flour.
- Salt – For flavor.
- Nutmeg & cinnamon – Homey warm spices. A 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom gives a nice floral note, and can also be added to the spice mixture.
- Vanilla extract – A splash of vanilla for a bit of added flavor.
- Eggs – Provides structure to the dough.
- Butter – It should be very soft when added to the recipe.
- Orange zest – For a lovely citrus note in the dough and the glaze.
- Raisins – I use tri-colored raisins but regular raisins work too.
- Powdered sugar – The base of the icing.
- Corn syrup – Lends sheen to the icing and also helps it harden.
Variations & Substitutions
Here are a few different variations you can make to these homemade hot cross buns.
- Add flavor to the raisins. To add extra flavor to the raisins, you can add a splash of vanilla or almond extract to the soaking liquid, or they can be soaked in rum for an adult version.
- Swap out the raisins. You can substitute currants or dried cranberries for the raisins.
- Skip the egg wash. I wanted the buns super SHINY, so I did a glaze and egg wash, but honestly, you could make these without either and they’d still be good.
How to Make Hot Cross Buns
Here’s a summary how to make tall and fluffy Easter buns at home.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Prepare the yeast and raisins. Combine the warmed milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes. Soak the raisins in VERY hot water.
- Make the dough. Whisk together the flour, salt, and spices. Stir the vanilla, eggs, and butter into the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour mixture and mix well. Switch to the dough hook and add in the remaining flour.
- Knead the dough. Pat the raisins dry then add to the dough with the orange zest. Knead on medium-low until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
- Let the dough rise. Drizzle a bowl with olive oil then place the dough in the bowl. Flip to coat in the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Set in a warm place to rise.
- Form the rolls. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Space evenly in the baking dish. Cover again and let rise for 30 minutes, until the rolls double in size.
- Bake. Brush with the egg wash then bake at 375F for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden broth.
- Prepare the glaze. Bring the water, sugar, and orange zest to a boil for 2-3 minutes, until it thickens slightly. Strain the zest out.
- Glaze the rolls. Brush the Easter rolls with the glaze as soon as they come out of the oven. Let cool completely.
- Add the icing. Combine the powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, and flavoring. Add more milk or powdered sugar until you get the desired consistency. Transfer to a piping bag. Pipe crosses on the buns. Let sit for 15 minutes to harden before serving.
Tips for Success
Keep these tips in mind when preparing your hot cross buns for the first time.
- Make sure the yeast is still good. If the yeast doesn’t foam up during the first step, dump the mixture and start again with fresh yeast.
- Measure the flour properly. This recipe was developed using the “spoon and level” method of measuring flour. Use a large spoon to scoop the flour into your measuring cup until it’s over full, then gently level it off with the flat side of the spoon handle or the back of a knife. This helps avoid excess flour and a dry, crumbly baked good.
- Divide the dough evenly. If you don’t feel confident “eyeballing it”, you can use a kitchen scale to ensure each dough ball is the same size. Each one should be about 3.2 ounces.
- Cool completely before icing. It’s important to let the buns cool completely before icing. Otherwise, the icing will just melt as you pipe it.
Serving Suggestions
Hot cross buns are an Easter staple. They’re traditionally eaten on Good Friday, though some people serve them with their Easter dinner next to the honey glazed spiral ham and roasted carrots as well.
These buns are best enjoyed at room temperature and since they have the icing and glaze, there’s no need to add anything to them. They’re perfectly sweet on their own.
Proper Storage
- Storing leftovers. Hot cross buns are best served the same day but can be stored at room temperature tightly wrapped or in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- To reheat. Reheat individual rolls in the microwave for about 8 seconds to soften them again the next day. Just be sure to not heat them too much or the icing will melt.
- Freeze. Homemade hot cross buns will last in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Wrap hot cross buns individually in parchment paper first, so you can take out and thaw the portions that you need.
More Easter Recipes:
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Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
FOR THE BUNS
- 3/4 cups milk , 100-110F
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 package active dry yeast (2 & 1/4 teaspoons)
- 3 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs , room temperature
- 4 tablespoons butter , very soft
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 cup raisins (I used tri colored raisins)
EGG WASH (OPTIONAL)
- 1 egg white
- splash of milk
FOR THE GLAZE
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
FOR THE ICING
- 1 cup powdered sugar , sifted
- 3 teaspoons milk
- 2 teaspoons corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
Instructions
- In the bowl of your stand mixer add the warmed milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes, until it becomes foamy.
- While the yeast blooms, soak the raisins in VERY hot water in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and spices. Set aside.
- With the paddle attachment, add the vanilla, eggs, and butter to the yeast mixture and mix to combine – the butter will break up into little pieces. Add in half of the flour mixture and mix until well combined. Switch to the dough hook and add the remaining flour, mix until mostly combined.
- Drain raisins and pat dry, add the orange zest and raisins to the dough. Knead on medium low speed with the dough hook until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, add a drizzle of vegetable oil, place the dough ball in the bowl, flipping it around to cover it in a light layer of oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 & 1/2 hours.
- Spray a 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, or line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a small ball and roll it on the counter between your hands to create a tight ball of dough (each ball should weigh about 3.2 ounces if you have a kitchen scale.) Place rolls evenly spaced in the baking dish. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise again in a warm area for 30 minutes or until rolls are double in size.
- Preheat oven to 375F. Brush with egg wash, if using (for browner rolls). Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
- While rolls are baking, create the syrup by bringing the water, sugar and orange zest to a boil in a small saucepan, boiling for 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture thickens slightly. Strain zest out if desired.
- Brush buns with the glaze mixture as soon as they come out of the oven. Then let the rolls cool completely before icing.
- To make the icing combine the powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup and flavoring, continue adding more milk or powdered sugar until you get a good consistency for piping. Place the icing in a piping bag or ziploc with the corner cut off, and pipe crosses on the buns. Let sit for 15 minutes to harden.Serve and enjoy!
