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4.75 from 4 votes

Traditional Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Traditional Hot Cross Buns Recipe, sweet, lightly spiced, and so fluffy, the very best Easter treat. They are so soft, baked to perfection, and so much better than the store-bought buns. Great on their own, or toasted and served with butter and jam, these hot cross buns are absolutely delicious. Serve them with a nice cup of hot drink, and you have the best breakfast or brunch at Easter.
Prep Time3 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time3 hours 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: English
Servings: 8 buns
Calories: 323kcal

Ingredients

  • 500 g strong white flour
  • 80 g sugar
  • 2 teaspoon fast-action dried yeast
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 275 ml full-fat milk
  • 50 g butter
  • 1 egg
  • zest of one lemon
  • ½ cup currants
  • 35 g plain flour
  • 50 ml water
  • 2 tablespoon apricot jam

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the strong white flour, lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon, currants and yeast.
  • Melt the butter and warm up the milk.
  • Lightly beat the egg with a pinch of salt, and add it to the milk and butter.
  • Add the mixture to the flour bowl and knead well for at least 5 minutes until you get an elastic dough that does not stick to the hands.
  • Oil the bowl and place the dough in it. Cover with clingfilm and leave to rise for about 2 hours until double in size.
  • Divide the dough into 8 balls and arrange them on a baking tray pretty close together and flattening them slightly, then leave to prove for one hour so that they can double their size.
  • In a bowl, combine the plain flour with water to get a smooth thick paste.
  • Using a piping bag, pipe a cross on each bun, then bake in the preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit) for about 15 minutes until golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and brush each the buns with apricot jam for a nice shine.

Video

Notes

  • Every oven can be different, so do keep an eye on the buns as they might need longer time to bake. If they brown too quickly on top, move the baking tray to the middle rack.
  • Click on the US Customary link to see the measurements displayed in cups and ounces.
  • The servings can be adjusted by clicking the number next to Servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 207IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3mg