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These soft, fluffy, generous sized Hot Cross Buns are packed with sweet spices and easier to make than you’d think! This hot cross buns recipe includes step-by-step tip to help you create bakery-worthy results right from your own kitchen.
Easter is always a special time in our home, and nothing beats the aroma of homemade hot cross buns baking in the oven. The scent of warm bread and fragrant spices fills every corner… pure heaven. Once you’ve tried these much from scratch, with all the classic hot cross buns ingredients, there’s no going back to store-brought!
What Makes These Hot Cross Buns Work
These hot cross buns are soft, fluffy, and full of cozy spice. The dough is rich with cinnamon and allspice, while plump dried fruit adds just the right touch of sweetness.
This easy hot cross buns recipe delivers better-than-bakery results using simple, classic hot cross buns ingredients. Finished with a traditional cross and shiny glaze, they’re everything the best hot cross buns should be: comforting, nostalgic, and delicious.
What Goes Into Hot Cross Buns
Made with pantry staples and a few festive additions, these Hot Cross Buns are soft, sweet, and beautifully spiced. Here are a few of the key ingredients that make this recipe shine:
- Rapid Rise Yeast: Helps the dough rise quickly and gives the buns their light, airy texture.
- Warm Milk: Activates the yeast and adds richness to the dough for a soft, tender crumb.
- All Spice and Cinnamon: These warm spices give classic hot cross buns their signature aroma and cozy flavor.
- Sultanas and Orange Zest: Provide bursts of sweetness and citrusy brightness in every bite.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Hot Cross Buns
- Activate the Yeast In a small bowl, mix the yeast with warm milk and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes, until it becomes frothy on top.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, remaining sugar, all spice, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the sultanas and orange zest to distribute evenly.
- Add Wet Ingredients Make a well in the center and pour in the frothy yeast mixture, cooled melted butter, and egg. Stir to begin forming the dough.
- Knead the Dough Use a stand mixer on low (setting 2) for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time if needed. Or knead by hand on a floured surface for 10 minutes.
- Check Dough Texture The dough should be soft, stretchy, and smooth on top. When pulled gently, it should not tear easily—a sign it’s kneaded well.
- First Rise Lightly oil the bowl, return the dough, and cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
- Shape the Buns Punch down the dough, then knead briefly to remove air. Divide into 12 equal pieces and roll into balls. Arrange in a 9×13-inch lined tray in a 3×4 pattern.
- Second Rise Cover again with plastic wrap and a towel. Let the buns rise in a warm spot for 30 minutes, or until puffed and touching each other.
- Pipe the Crosses Mix flour and warm water to form a thick paste. Spoon into a ziplock bag, snip the corner, and pipe crosses over the buns, making sure the paste hugs the dough.
- Bake and Glaze Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 22–25 minutes until golden brown. While warm, brush with a glaze of jam and boiling water. Cool slightly, then slice and serve.
Hot Cross Buns are perfect warm from the oven with a pat of butter, but they also pair beautifully with a savory brunch or dinner. Try them alongside Cream Cheese Scrambled Eggs for a soft and creamy contrast, or serve them with hearty mains like Chicken Pumpkin and Ricotta Lasagna or Lightened Up Chicken Carbonara for a satisfying balance of sweet and savory. Whether it’s Easter or any cozy gathering, these buns round out the table perfectly.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! You can use rapid rise, instant, or dried yeast. We recommend using two 7g (1/4-oz) packets, or about 1 1/2 tablespoons total. Even though some yeast types don’t need activating, we still bloom it in warm milk to make sure it’s alive and ready to rise.
If your yeast doesn’t bubble or foam after a few minutes, it’s no longer active. Discard it and start over with a fresh packet—otherwise, your dough won’t rise properly.
The milk should be warm to the touch, around 110°F (45°C), but not hot. If it’s too hot, it can kill the yeast. Microwave it in short bursts, stir, and let it cool slightly if needed before using.
Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
BUNS
- 2 packets rapid rise yeast or dry, instant
- 1 1/2 cups milk warm
- 3/4 cup superfine sugar or caster sugar, divided
- 4 1/2 cups bread flour or plain/all purpose, up to 1/4 cup extra if needed
- 2 teaspoons all spice or mixed spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sultanas
- zest of an orange or 2 tablespoons mixed peel
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1/4 cup butter melted and cooled slightly
CROSSES
- 1/2 cup all purpose plain flour
- 5 tablespoons water warm
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
GLAZE
- 1 tbsp jam orange marmalade or apricot jam — you can also use honey, maple syrup, agave or golden syrup
- 2 teaspoons boiling water
Instructions
- Place yeast, milk and 2 teaspoons of the sugar in a small bowl to activate. Set aside until frothy on top, about 3-5 minutes.
- While yeast is activating, grab a large mixing bowl and combine flour, remaining sugar, all spice, cinnamon and salt. Give those dry ingredients a light whisk to combine, then add in the sultanas and zest.
- Create a well in the centre of the dry ingredients; pour in the yeast, cooled melted butter and egg.
- FOR STANDMIXER: Mix until a smooth elastic dough forms, about 5 minutes on low speed (setting 2). Add extra flour, 1 tablespoon at a time while mixing, ONLY if needed, until the dough JUST pulls away from sides of bowl (not too sticky).
- BY HAND: If you don't have a stand mixer, lightly dust a work bench with flour. Lightly oil your hands (to prevent it from sticking to your fingers), and knead dough until soft and smooth, about 10 minutes.
- TEST DOUGH: Hold dough in your hands and pull slightly outwards. It should have a smooth top and not tear when stretched.
FIRST RISE
- LIGHTLY oil the same mixing bowl you worked with. Place dough inside bowl, cover with plastic cling wrap and place a dry tea towel over the top. Leave in a warm place to prove for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.
SHAPE INTO BUNS
- Line a deep 9 x 13-inch (31cm x 23cm) baking tray with baking paper. You want a piece long enough to create a slight over-hang for easier lifting once baked. Set aside.
- Remove cling wrap and punch down dough with fist to deflate and knock the air out. Transfer dough to a clean, lightly floured work surface.
- Knead dough for an additional minute or two to get remaining air out. Shape dough into a log and divide into 12 equal pieces (each piece should weigh about 4-oz. or 116-119 grams). Briefly roll each piece into a ball, evenly spacing them out on the tray as you go into rows of 3 x 4.
SECOND RISE
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) — all ovens.
- Cover tray with plastic wrap; place dry tea towel over the top and leave in a warm place for an additional 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
CROSSES
- Mix flour and water to a thick-ish paste (like a thick pancake batter — see photos in post).
- Grab a sandwich-sized ziplock bag. Snip corner to measure a 3mm hole (0.1-inch). Spoon paste into bag; carefully press the air out and SEAL the top. (Test hole is big enough by squeezing out some paste into a bowl first. If you can create a small straight line, you're ready to make your crosses. At this point you can add a little extra water to the paste ONLY IF needed).
- Remove cling wrap and slowly pipe crosses onto buns. You want some paste to fall into and hug each roll/crevice so while they bake and rise up, the crosses don't break).
BAKE
- Place buns into preheated oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until deep, golden brown on top.
GLAZE
- Transfer buns to a wire cooling rack.
- Mix jam (or honey) and boiling water together in a small bowl. Brush buns over with glaze, then leave to cool.
- Allow to cool to just warm to the touch before serving.
- Slice open your sticky hot cross bun, spread with butter (optional) and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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How many grams of yeast?
Just made it today. I substitutedlemon zest for orange zest and dried blueberries for sultana. Yummy! It took me more than 2 hours for the first rise and 15m extra for the second rise. Thank you for the recipe. This one to keep.
Just had these for Easter breakfast. They are so good. I have made quite a few different recapies and this is one of the best. Everything we have made from you has always worked and tasted grate. You are my go to place for dinners. When we don’t know what to cook.
Thanks.