Hot Cross Buns Recipe
These sweet Easter rolls don’t just look cute, they taste amazing too. The spices really make the hot cross buns special.
Servings: 12 rolls
Ingredients
For the dough
- 450 grams all-purpose flour
- 10 grams instant dry yeast
- 50 grams light brown sugar
- 2 tsp speculaas spice mix or pumpkin pie spice as an alternative
- 8 grams salt
- 150 grams whole milk lukewarm
- 50 grams water lukewarm
- 1 egg beaten
- 50 grams unsalted butter melted
- 100 grams raisins or currants
For the cross + finishing
- A little vegetable oil
- 60 grams flour
- 40-50 grams water
- 2-3 tbsp apricot jam
Instructions
- Add all dry ingredients for the dough (except the raisins) to a bowl and stir. Add the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula, then knead with a stand mixer for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Near the end of kneading, add the raisins and knead until evenly distributed.
- Place the dough ball into a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for about 60 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Remove the dough and gently deflate. Divide into 12 equal pieces and shape into balls. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving a few centimeters between them.
- Cover and let rise again for about 60 minutes, or until doubled.
- Towards the end of the second rise, mix the flour and water into a thick paste (start with 40 grams water). Transfer to a piping bag.
- Score a cross into each roll using a sharp knife, then pipe the flour paste over the cuts to create crosses.
- Bake at 200°C/390°F (conventional oven) for 12-15 minutes.
- Near the end of baking, warm the apricot jam in a small saucepan and strain out any chunks. Brush the buns with the heated jam as soon as they come out of the oven.
- Serve warm with a pat of butter, also delicious with a little extra apricot jam!
Tips
Instead of jam, you can brush the rolls with sugar syrup or melted butter. I love the sweetness from the jam, though it does create a slightly sticky glaze.
How to store
Baked hot cross buns will keep 2-3 days in an airtight container. They also freeze well for up to three months (in an airtight container). If freezing, brush with melted butter instead of jam.