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Hot Cross Buns Recipe

By:Nagi 211 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Fluffy, fragrant, homemade Hot Cross Buns recipe! With my quick video recipe and some cheeky but effective tips, you’ll see that there’s no reason to be afraid of baking with yeast!

Plus, a bonus no-knead version – the world’s easiest hot cross buns recipe!

Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe - perfectly spiced, fluffy and moist, with a no knead, no stand mixer option! www.reciptineats.com

Hot Cross Buns

I’m so excited to share this with you! It’s been on my list for years – so frustrating that Easter is only once per year!

I’ve wanted to share a Hot Cross Buns recipe since I started this website. But even last year, I wasn’t that great at doing videos yet, and I really wanted to be able to share a video for this particular recipe. I think it’s especially useful for people who aren’t familiar with baking with yeast, to show things like what the dough looks like before and after kneading.

Plus, I have a handful of useful cheeky but highly effective tips to make perfect Hot Cross Buns every single time!!

Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe - perfectly spiced, fluffy and moist, with a no knead, no stand mixer option! www.reciptineats.com

Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe - perfectly spiced, fluffy and moist, with a no knead, no stand mixer option! www.reciptineats.com

Now! Speaking of kneading! I have two versions of this Hot Cross Buns recipe. One classic version which I make using a stand mixer, though in the video I also demo (briefly) kneading. I’m going to be honest with you – I don’t like kneading by hand because I’m vertically challenged (standing a whole 5 feet / 1.52 m tall short) and that means that I don’t have the benefit of being able to put my weight down on my hands as I’m kneading.

Yes, all you tall people out there, you never thought of that, did you? When I knead dough by hand, it’s all arm muscles and it’s exhausting. You get to push down using body weight. ?

So for all those who are also not fans of kneading by hand – vertically challenged or not – I’m also sharing a no-knead Hot Cross Buns recipe. And this is how it comes out. 🙂 Beautifully fluffy, just as tasty. There are only two differences between the No Knead and classic version: the dough rising time is considerably longer, and it doesn’t rise quite as much.

But still super soft and fluffy. See?

Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe - perfectly spiced, fluffy and moist, with a no knead, no stand mixer option! www.reciptineats.com

My week has not gone to plan, so while I have a recipe video for the classic Hot Cross Buns recipe, I didn’t get a chance to do the No Knead Hot Cross Buns. However, if there’s enough requests, I’ll certainly do one before Easter. And it’s still worth watching the classic Hot Cross Buns recipe video to see how to cut up the dough, and the cheeky way I form the balls so I get a nice smooth golden dome. ❤️

So…. tell me. Is this the year you’re going to wow your family and friends with homemade Hot Cross Buns? There is no need to fear yeast!!! Honestly, watch the video, hopefully it will convince you that this is quite straight forward (also I fixed a handful of grievances I’ve had with other recipes over the years 🙂 )

Happy weekend everyone! – Nagi xx

Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe - perfectly spiced, fluffy and moist, with a no knead, no stand mixer option! www.reciptineats.com

Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe - perfectly spiced, fluffy and moist, with a no knead, no stand mixer option! www.reciptineats.com

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

Hot Cross Buns recipe video! NOTE: This is for the classic kneaded Hot Cross Buns, not the No Knead version. For the No Knead Hot Cross buns, see recipe intro for links to relevant video.

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Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe - perfectly spiced, fluffy and moist, with a no knead, no stand mixer option! www.reciptineats.com

Hot Cross Buns recipe

Author: Nagi
Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 45 mins
Dessert
4.99 from 109 votes
Servings12
Tap or hover to scale
Print
Recipe video above. Fluffy, perfectly spiced homemade Hot Cross Buns! Especially to see the dough before and after kneading, and how I roll the balls to get nice smooth golden tops. Also, see below for the NO KNEAD version of this recipe! Inactive time for this recipe: 1 - 2 hours.

Ingredients

Buns:

  • 1 tablespoon dry yeast (Note 1)
  • 110g / ½ cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
  • 1½ cups / 375ml milk, whole or low fat, lukewarm (Note 2)
  • 637.5g/ 4¼ cups bread flour (Note 3) + 1/4 cup extra
  • 2 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 2 tsp All Spice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups / 210g sultanas (Note 4)
  • 1 - 2 oranges, zest only (Note 4)
  • 50g / 3.5 tbsp  unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 egg, at room temperature

Crosses:

  • 1/2 cup flour (any white flour)
  • 5 tbsp water

Glaze:

  • 1 tbsp apricot jam
  • 2 tsp water

Instructions

  • Place the yeast and 2 teaspoons of the sugar in a large bowl, then pour in milk. Leave for 5 minutes until it froths.
  • Add remaining Buns ingredients, starting with 4 1/4 cups flour, including remaining sugar.
  • Use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook to mix until a smooth elastic dough forms. Add extra flour if required. (Note 5) See video for how the dough should look.
  • Alternatively, dust a work surface with flour and knead by hand for 10 minutes or until smooth.

Rise #1:

  • Leave dough in the bowl, cover with a wet (clean) tea towel and place in a warm place to rise until doubled in size. This will take anywhere between 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. See Note 6 for how I do this (you will laugh - but it works every time!).

Forming Balls (watch video, it's helpful):

  • Line a 31.5 x 23.5 cm / 9 x 13" tray with baking paper with overhang.
  • Remove tea towel and punch dough to deflate.
  • Dust work surface with flour, place dough on work surface, knead lightly (to deflating air) and shape into a log. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
  • Take one piece and press down with palm, then use your fingers to gather into a ball, then roll the dough briefly to form a ball. This stretches the dough on one side and that's how I get a nice smooth surface.
  • Place the ball with the smooth side up on the tray. Repeat with remaining dough. Line them up 3 x 4.

Rise # 2:

  • Spray a piece of cling wrap lightly with oil (any), then place over the tray.
  • Return tray to warm place and leaver 30 - 45 minutes, until the dough has risen by about 75% (less than double in size).
  • Partway through Rise #2, preheat oven to 180C/350F (all oven types).

Crosses:

  • Mix flour and water until a runny paste forms - see video for thickness required.
  • Spoon into a round 3 mm piping bag or small ziplock bag then snip corner.
  • Remove the cling wrap and pipe crosses onto the buns. Go slow so it hugs the curves.

Baking/Glaze:

  • Bake for 20 minutes (fan / convection) or 23 minutes (standard), or until the surface is a deep golden brown. The surface colour is the best test for this recipe.
  • Meanwhile, place jam and water in a bowl, microwave for 30 seconds. Mix to combine.
  • Remove buns from oven. Brush with jam mixture while warm.
  • Use overhang to lift buns onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool to warm before serving.

Recipe Notes:

1.  1 tbsp dry yeast = 9 grams
I use Lowan Dried Instant Yeast (red tube, sold at Woolies/Coles baking aisle) which technically doesn't need to be frothed before using but there's no harm in doing it, and I do it out of habit + also because then the same steps apply to any dried yeast. If you are using the packets, you can just use 2 x 7 g sachets, that is 4 1/2 tsp which is slightly more than 1 tablespoon but it works just fine. Doesn't taste yeasty and makes it rise a touch more. Otherwise, measure out 1 tablespoon.
If your yeast doesn't go frothy, sorry to say it's not active so your buns won't rise. 🙁
To use fresh yeast (comes in a block that crumbles, not powder like dry yeast), use 27g/ 0.9 oz. You don't actually need to dissolve it in liquid like I do with the dry, but there's no harm in doing it and so for the sake of consistency, crumble it in and let stand until it foams up, same as using dry yeast.
2. Scalding hot milk kills the yeast. I heat it for 45 seconds on high in the microwave. The test is this: stick your finger in. If it was a bath, would it be pleasant? Good. It's not too hot or too cold!
3. Breads are also fluffier and more tender if made with bread flour rather than normal flour. However, this recipe works great with normal white flour too.
4. SULTANAS: Some recipes say to add sultanas after the dough has been kneaded or risen. If you do this, you'll find it very hard to disperse them evenly throughout the dough. By adding them before kneading, some to get squished. But it's not noticeable in the end result.
Also, I personally don't like bitter pieces of citrus in my hot cross buns but you could add it if you like. Candied peel is nice but not sold at supermarkets. That's why I use orange zest instead. Use 2 oranges if you want a more prominent orange flavour.
5. Dough: Takes ~5 min, speed 2 with KitchenAide. Add the extra flour if required so the dough comes away from the bowl - the trick is to use the minimum so it's stuck on your fingers, but as soft as possible.
6. WARM PLACE for dough: This is what I do all year round - use my dryer. Laugh - but try it! Run the (empty) dryer for 1 - 2 minutes, then place the bowl inside. If you do that, the dough will rise in 40 minutes. Even if it's snowing outside!
7. STORING / MAKE AHEAD: As with all homemade bread, it is best served on the day it's made. For the day after, reheating makes all the difference to make them soft and moist again - 15 sec in the microwave! These freeze great, then just defrost. To reheat batches, I pop them on a tray and cover with foil (to avoid the surface getting too crisp), then reheat at 160C/320F for 8 minutes or so.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 80gCalories: 217kcal (11%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe - perfectly spiced, fluffy and moist, with a no knead, no stand mixer option! www.reciptineats.com

NO KNEAD Hot Cross Buns

Author: Nagi
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 40 mins
Dessert
4.99 from 109 votes
Servings12
Tap or hover to scale
Print
This no-knead version of Hot Cross Buns come out just like the classic version (see above), except the rise is a touch less than the classic version, it takes longer to rise, the dough has more ingredients (to make the end result as similar as possible) and the buns don't keep as well (Note 6). Watch the Kneaded Hot Cross Buns video below to see how to roll the dough into balls and pipe on the crosses. (Update: Watch the video in the Soft No Knead Dinner Rolls. Same base dough recipe!) 2.5 hours inactive time. 

Ingredients

Buns:

  • 1 tablespoon dry yeast (Note 1)
  • 110g / ½ cup caster sugar (superfine sugar), or sub with normal white sugar
  • 1/2cup / 125 ml warm water (Note 2)
  • 1cup / 250 ml milk, lukewarm, whole or low fat, (Note 2)
  • 600g / 4 cups bread flour + extra for dusting (Note 3)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 2 tsp All Spice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 - 2 oranges, zest only (Note 4)
  • 1 1/2 cups / 210g sultanas (Note 4)
  • 50 g/ 3.5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten with fork

Crosses:

  • 1/2 cup flour, any white flour
  • 5 tbsp water

Glaze:

  • 1 tbsp apricot jam
  • 2 tsp water

Instructions

  • Place the yeast and 2 teaspoons of the sugar in a medium bowl, then pour in water. Leave for 5 minutes until it froths.
  • Place flour, remaining sugar, salt and spices in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
  • Make a well in the centre. Add remaining Buns ingredients and pour in the yeast liquid, including all froth.
  • Mix until combined with wooden spoon - it will be like a thick muffin batter. Not pourable, but thick and sticky.

Rise #1:

  • Leave dough in the bowl, cover with a wet (clean) tea towel and place in a warm place to rise for around 1 1/2 - 2 hours. See Note 5 for how I do this (you will laugh - but it works every time!). The dough will triple in size and be bubbly on the surface.

Forming Balls (watch video, it's helpful):

  • Line a 31.5 x 23.5 cm / 9 x 13" tray with baking paper with overhang.
  • Remove tea towel and punch dough to deflate.
  • Dust work surface with flour, place dough on work surface. Dust top of dough then knead lightly (to deflating air) and shape into a log. Cut into 12 equal pieces.
  • Take one piece and press down with palm, then use your fingers to gather into a ball, then roll the dough briefly to form a ball. This stretches the dough on one side and that's how I get a nice smooth surface.
  • Place the ball with the smooth side up on the tray. Repeat with remaining dough. Line them up 3 x 4.

Rise # 2:

  • Spray a piece of cling wrap lightly with oil (any), then place over the tray.
  • Return tray to warm place and leave for 45 min - 1 hour, until the dough has risen by about 75% (less than double in size).
  • Partway through Rise #2, preheat oven to 180C/350F (all oven types).

Crosses:

  • Mix flour and water until a runny paste forms - see video for thickness required.
  • Spoon into a round 3 mm piping bag or small ziplock bag then snip corner.
  • Remove the cling wrap and pipe crosses onto the buns. Go slow so it hugs the curves.

Baking/Glaze:

  • Bake for 20 minutes (fan / convection) or 23 minutes (standard), or until the surface is a deep golden brown. The surface colour is the best test for this recipe.
  • Meanwhile, place jam and water in a bowl, microwave for 30 seconds. Mix to combine.
  • Remove buns from oven. Brush with jam mixture while warm.
  • Use overhang to lift buns onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool to warm before serving.

Recipe Notes:

1.  1 tbsp dry yeast = 9 grams
I use Lowan Dried Instant Yeast (red tube, sold at Woolies/Coles baking aisle) which technically doesn't need to be frothed before using but there's no harm in doing it, and I do it out of habit + also because then the same steps apply to any dried yeast. If you are using the packets, you can just use 2 x 7 g sachets, that is 4 1/2 tsp which is slightly more than 1 tablespoon but it works just fine. Doesn't taste yeasty and makes it rise a touch more. Otherwise, measure out 1 tablespoon.
If your yeast doesn't go frothy, sorry to say it's not active so your buns won't rise. 🙁
To use fresh yeast (comes in a block that crumbles, not powder like dry yeast), use 27g/ 0.9 oz. You don't actually need to dissolve it in liquid like I do with the dry, but there's no harm in doing it and so for the sake of consistency, crumble it in and let stand until it foams up, same as using dry yeast.
2. Scalding hot milk and hot water kills the yeast. I heat milk for 45 seconds on high in the microwave, and use warm tap water. The test is this: stick your finger in. If it was a bath, would it be pleasant? Good. It's not too hot or too cold!
3. Breads are also fluffier and more tender if made with bread flour rather than normal flour. However, this recipe works great with normal white flour too.
4. Some recipes say to add sultanas after the dough has been kneaded or risen. If you do this, you'll find it very hard to disperse them evenly throughout the dough. By adding them before kneading, some to get squished. But it's not noticeable in the end result.
5. WARM PLACE for dough: This is what I do all year round - use my dryer. Laugh - but try it! Run the (empty) dryer for 1 - 2 minutes, then place the bowl inside. If you do that, the dough will rise in 1.5 hours. Even if it's snowing outside!
6. STORING / MAKE AHEAD: As with all homemade bread, it is best served on the day it's made. The No-Knead version doesn't keep as well as the kneaded version - dries out more. For the day after, reheating makes all the difference to make them soft and moist again - 15 sec in the microwave! These freeze great, then just defrost. To reheat batches, I pop them on a tray and cover with foil (to avoid the surface getting too crisp), then reheat at 160C/320F for 8 minutes or so. Or cut in half and toast. 

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 83gCalories: 222kcal (11%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

LIFE OF DOZER

He is damn lucky he’s so cute….. I brought that plate back from Japan! I can’t just pop into Target to replace it!!

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

Read More

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211 Comments

  1. Tina says

    5 stars
    I made this on Easter Sunday and had plan to make it as per the recipe. However, I was running late and had to go out, so threw the ingredients into my bread maker and put it on dough cycle. Viola…came home to nicely proofed dough, which made amazingly nice and soft buns. My daughter said it was just like the store bought ones!! Thanks Nagi! Yours in one of the few blogs which I read every word and enjoy doing it!

    Reply

  3. Vanessa says

    5 stars
    Just wanted to say thank you so much for this recipe! I made 3 batches over this easter weekend! 2 batches i did as per your recipe and they were perfect… the third batch i made dairy free by subbing almond milk and coconut oil for the milk and butter and they are perfect too!! Absolutely incredible!! Keeping this recipe for life!

    Reply

  4. Mary Tan says

    5 stars
    I can’t believe I made these…have not been always successful making bread or buns, but your recipe was so precise and simple, whoa, I got it,,,golly, I am so glad..

    Reply

  5. Joy says

    I’m doubling this recipe and have found my yeast to be dead (milk isn’t frothing). So, quick question: to save wasting almost a litre of milk, can I just add baking powder to my flour (to make it self-raising) and carry on (foregoing the rising time, of course), or will totally ruin the whole recipe?

    Reply

  7. Anita Bruckers says

    5 stars
    Made these for Easter and they were delicious. Should have checked the recipe before I went shopping but worked well even with plain flower rather than bread flower. Didn’t have allspice either so substituted with 1 part cinnamon, 1 part cloves and a pinch of nutmeg.

    Reply

  8. Karen Gadsdon says

    5 stars
    Just made your no need hot cross bun recipe and they were so easy to make!! They are delicious and my husband said he doesn’t want shop bought anymore. Amazing recipe and really worth the effort – thank you

    Reply

  9. Bridget says

    5 stars
    Made these for Easter Sunday and they turned out great! Subbed dried cranberries and white chcolate chips for sultanas which worked nicely also.

    Reply

  10. Erro says

    5 stars
    Hi, I made these for Good Friday and they were AMAZING. I subbed olive oil for butter and made one batch with raisins and one with white choc chips. No glaze or orange peel as none of us are fans. They are delicious. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

  11. Sue I says

    5 stars
    Great recipe! Having the video really helps, as I could “see” (if not feel) the texture of the dough and the paste. Thanks for sharing Nagi! I look forward to checking out your other recipes, esp the Japanese ones! A note for others trying this recipes – it is great, but do remember to use the colour of the buns as a guide for how long to bake them for, as it took a lot longer than 23 mins in my oven (whereas I usually have to reduce the cooking time for other recipes).

    Reply

  12. Angela says

    Hi Nagi,
    Your Hot Cross Buns look amazing, and I am sure are as wonderful as all your other recipes.
    My question is about the yeast, Lowan Dried Instant Yeast comes in a large container, I have heard that it is better to keep this type of yeast in the freezer. As I am an intermittent yeast user, could you please tell me how you store your instant yeast and the best way of keeping it?
    Many thanks,
    Angela

    Reply

  13. Georgie says

    5 stars
    Worked out perfect. Easy to follow. I halved this recipe for a perfect ‘six pack’. So delicious. Thankyou.

    Reply

  14. Lucy says

    5 stars
    First time baking hot cross buns and they were a total success! I followed your recipe exactly (including rising in the drier haha) and they were perfect. I’m a baking novice and was super proud of them. Delicious!

    Reply

  15. Leisel says

    5 stars
    I have used varying hot cross buns recipes and this was my most successful. It came out looking like yours . I added dried cranberries to sultanas and a bit of currants. I chopped the sultanas and cranberries and it mixed well into the dough. There weren’t any pieces sticking out of the dough shaped bun.
    I did some crosses with the flour mixture and left some bare as my daughter likes to put icing crosses on hers.

    I used guava jam as this was all I had and the glaze was beautiful and not too sticky.

    Thanks Nagi for another superb recipe. The buns were delicious and served on Good Friday morning.

    Reply

  16. Barbara Hart says

    Those look soo yummy!
    We used to have box roll mix in the markets and it was great but can’t find it now. Nothing better than yeast rolls just out of the oven. Oops, Dozer is sorry on the plate!

    Reply

  17. Elinah says

    5 stars
    Thank you for sharing the recipe. They tasted really considering one can’t buy them anywhere in Sweden. But there was a slight heavyness to them. They were not as airy and fluffy as i am used to in South Africa. Maybe i did something wrong i don’t know. But i still love them.

    Reply

  18. Kiarah says

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi.
    I am planning on making these tomorrow for Easter Sunday but just wanted to ask a quick question.
    If I refrigerate the divided dough after the second proof for overnight, do I need to bring the dough back to room temperature before baking the buns the next morning? (If so how long should I leave them to rest) Or should I bake the buns straight away?
    Thanks!

    Reply

  19. Vera G says

    Please leave Dozer alone. Am having this tea/ coffee set cost arm and leg ( buy pieces) with real gold rim from France. After mylater hubby service so many of them came to my place. Cousin was making drinks and friend ask her for that special mug/ saucer so she thought why not use whole set for everyone. Well one of the mugs got hair line crack. Upset, upset wrong timing. Three months later in Germany with Families went to art / craft shop and THER WAS ONE YES JUST ONE MUG, SAUCER , BREAD PLACE ( not wanted) IT WAS MEANT TO BE MINE. Was shocked, speechless. Happy ending.for me and No doubt will be for you too. As for buns No not my cup of tea. Not always having for Easter. Have good long break. Ciao

    Reply

  20. Sandra says

    5 stars
    Nagi, I have just made your hot cross buns and literally as soon as I had glazed them I had to start eating one. They are amazing. I don’t think they will last long once my boys find them. Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
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