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Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are so much better than store bought, especially when they are fresh from your own oven. These easy hot cross buns are soft, fluffy, and filled with pockets of melted chocolate chips that make every bite feel a little extra special.
This chocolate hot cross buns recipe is made to be simple and approachable, with no proofing yeast and no complicated steps. Just mix, bake, and enjoy warm, fragrant hot cross buns that both kids and adults will love. And since it’s finally Easter, there is no better time to bake a batch of homemade chocolate cross buns and let your kitchen smell like pure comfort.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
These Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are designed to be easy without sacrificing texture or flavour. Using a no-proof yeast method means you get soft, fluffy hot cross buns without the long waiting time, making this chocolate hot cross buns recipe far more approachable for home bakers, even if you are short on time or patience.
What really makes these chocolate cross buns shine is the balance between the lightly sweet dough and the melted chocolate chips throughout. They bake up tender and moist, with a soft crumb that stays fresh for days. Whether you are serving them warm for Easter morning or toasting leftovers later, these hot cross buns deliver bakery-style results with minimal effort.
What Goes Into Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
This Chocolate Hot Cross Buns recipe uses simple pantry staples, but each one plays an important role in creating soft, fluffy buns with just the right amount of sweetness and spice.
- Bread Flour: Gives the buns structure and chew while keeping the crumb soft and fluffy. You can use all-purpose flour if needed, but bread flour delivers a more bakery-style result.
- Instant Yeast: Speeds things up and keeps this recipe approachable. There is no long proofing stage, which means you can enjoy warm chocolate cross buns sooner.
- Warm Milk: Activates the yeast and adds richness to the dough, helping the hot cross buns bake up tender rather than dry.
- Chocolate Chips: The star of the show. They melt into the dough as the buns bake, creating pockets of chocolate that make these Chocolate Hot Cross Buns extra indulgent.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the yeast, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and all spice, then mix well until evenly combined.
- Form the Dough: Make a well in the centre, add the warm milk and melted butter, stir together, add the egg, and mix until a sticky dough forms.
- Knead Until Smooth: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and springy.
- First Rise: Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Punch down the dough, transfer to a floured surface, add three quarters of the chocolate chips, and knead gently for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Shape the Buns: Divide the dough into 12 to 15 portions, roll into smooth balls, arrange on a lined baking sheet, and press remaining chips on top.
- Second Rise and Bake: Cover and let rise again for 20 to 30 minutes, then bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes until golden.
- Finish with Crosses and Glaze: Pipe melted chocolate crosses onto warm buns, brush with apricot glaze, and allow to set before serving.
Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are rich and lightly sweet, so they shine when paired with something simple and balanced. Serve them alongside Spanish Omelette (Spanish Tortilla) for a savoury contrast that makes them feel right at home on an Easter brunch table or a relaxed weekend spread.
If you prefer something lighter or more breakfast-forward, pair these buns with Honey Lime Fruit Salad to cut through the chocolate, or enjoy them with a mug of Hot Chocolate for a cosy, indulgent moment. Each option complements the soft, chocolate-studded buns without overpowering them.
Tips For Making Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
- If your dough feels a little sticky at first, resist the urge to add too much flour. A slightly tacky dough is what gives these Chocolate Hot Cross Buns their soft, fluffy texture once baked.
- I always add the chocolate chips after the first rise. It keeps them intact and stops the dough from turning streaky or greasy while kneading.
- For a cosy rise, I like to pop the covered dough near a warm oven or inside the oven with just the light on. It creates the perfect environment without rushing the process.
- When shaping the buns, take a second to make them even in size. It sounds fussy, but evenly sized buns bake at the same rate and look so much better once the chocolate crosses go on.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, all-purpose flour works well in this recipe. Bread flour gives slightly more chew, but the buns will still be soft and fluffy with plain flour.
It’s best to add them after the first rise. Adding chocolate too early can cause it to melt during kneading and affect the dough texture.
Warm individual buns in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, or reheat a batch in a low oven wrapped loosely in foil to prevent drying out.
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Hot Cross Buns with Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups bread flour or all purpose or plain
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast or rapid rise yeast, quick-rise yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar caster or superfine sugar preferred
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon all spice
- 1 cup milk warm, temperature at 110°F (45°C)
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips mini or regular
Glaze:
- 2 tablespoons apricot jam
- 1 tablespoon hot water
Instructions
- Sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the yeast, sugar, salt and spices and mix well to combine.
- Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk and butter. Stir the liquid into each other, then add in the egg. Mix with a wooden spoon then bring the dough together with your hands, pressing into it until it forms a sticky ball. (If the dough is too dry add a little water in tablespoon increments (up to 1/2 cup if needed) until the dough is just sticky to touch.)
- Transfer dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and springy.
- Transfer dough back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap (or a clean, damp tea towel). Leave in a warm place to rise until doubled in size (about 1 hour depending on how warm the room is).
- Lightly grease a large baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Punch down dough and transfer onto lightly floured surface. Sprinkle with 3/4 of the chocolate chips and knead the dough for 2-3 minutes.
- Divide dough into 12 or 15 even portions (depending on how many buns you need). Roll each piece into round smooth balls and arrange on baking sheet, leaving space between each bun to allow them to rise. Press remaining chocolate chips on top of each bun.
- Cover with plastic wrap (or damp tea towel) and place in a warm place once again to prove for 20-30 mins, until doubled and just touching. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- When oven is hot, bake buns for 20 minutes until they are golden brown and sound hollow inside when tapped.
Crosses:
- Melt the remaining chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments until melted. Transfer chocolate to a ziplock bag and snip a small hole in a bottom corner (the larger the hole the wider the crosses will be).
- Allow buns to cool slightly and pipe crosses onto your buns. Allow them to set before glazing.
Glaze:
- Mix together the jam and warm water to combine, and brush the glaze evenly over each bun using a pastry brush.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious!! And super easy recipe, they turned out great! Easter treats for everyone 🥰
These turned out perfectly, better than any store bought hot cross buns, delicious, would definitely make these again.
Just made these and they were amazing! I’m not a good cook, but your instructions were very clear and easy to follow. I made these for our Easter/Autumn Equinox lunch and there is nothing left in the tray. I’ve now got a standing order to make these often. Thanks heaps for developing this recipe!
This is my go to Hot Cross Bun recipe every year! So good.
These look sooo good! My batch is in the oven now, I made mini ones to last longer (no treats gets past the 2 day mark in our house). Fingers crossed they turn out great! (I’m sure they will 😉
Can I substitute dried candied fruit for the chocolate, the kind like you would put in fruitcake? These look super delicious.
Yes, of course! I think that sounds great! I can’t wait to hear all about it! Thanks for following along with me!
These look amazing! Do you think I could do the last proof overnight in the fridge so I could have them in the morning for breakfast?
Yes, that is a great idea! Thanks so much for sharing and following along with me!