Name: Homemade Hot Cross Buns
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 35 min
Ingredients: ½ cup raisins; ½ cup mixed candied fruit; ¾ cup warm milk; ⅓ cup white sugar; 4 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted); ½ teaspoon salt; 2 ¼ teaspoon quick rise yeast; 2 large eggs; 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg; ½ cup all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons powdered sugar; ¼ cup water (plus 1 tablespoon); ¼ cup powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon milk

By: Jill Mills Posted: Apr 13, 2020

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Save

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Hot Cross Buns are an Easter tradition. Don’t spend money on premade buns at the store. Make these homemade buns and have the best Easter buns ever.

Homemade Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns are a combination of traditional rolls mixed together will the sweetness of a light dessert. These Easter Buns are filled with candied fruit and raisins and then topped with a sweet, but not too sweet, icing.

Ingredients

(Scroll down to get the complete printable recipe)

Raisins- While many of the fruits in Hot Cross Buns can vary depending on what kind of fruit you buy, raisins are almost always included.
Mixed candied fruit- You can find candied fruit in your local grocery store. While I like to grab a mixed fruit, if there is a certain flavor you prefer or do not want certain ones in the buns, you can choose something else.
Warm Milk – You want to use the warm milk because it will help activate the yeast. However, if the milk is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
White sugar
Unsalted butter – You always want to use unsalted butter because when you use salted butter you can not control the salt in the recipe, even though you will be adding salt to the recipe.
Salt
Quick Rise Yeast – Using quick rise yeast as opposed to regular yeast will cut the amount of rise time.
Eggs
All-purpose flour
Ground cinnamon
Ground nutmeg
Powdered sugar
Water
Powdered sugar – This is used as part of the icing
Milk- The milk, when it is added the powdered sugar thins the icing out.

How to Make Homemade Hot Cross Buns

Whisk together 1 cup of flour with sugar, yeast, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, beat the milk, butter, and eggs together.

Combine the flour and yeast mixture together with the milk mixture and beat for 3 minutes.

Add in the candied fruit and raisins.

Slowly stir in the remaining flour to make a soft dough.

Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on a floured surface. Knead the dough for 7 minutes until the dough becomes smooth.

Create a ball with the dough, cover and then let it rest for 15 minutes.

Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Set aside.

Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface and divide the dough into 12 equal sized pieces.

Roll each dough ball into a ball and then place it in the baking pan.

Cover the rolls with a clean tea towel and let it rise in a warm draft free area until it as doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Mix together the cross ingredients, water, flour and powdered sugar. Place the mixture in a plastic bag, cut the corner off the bag and pipe the crosses on each bun.

Bake the buns for 30 – 35 minutes.

When the buns are done baking and still hot, make the icing and then brush it over the buns.

What Do Hot Cross Buns Represent?

Hot Cross Buns were started in the 12th century. The story says that an Angelican Monk baked these buns and add the cross to the top in honor of Good Friday. Over the years, the buns have gained popularity and have since become a symbol of Easter Weekend.

What Fruits Go in Hot Cross Buns?

When you are making Hot Cross Buns, you want to use candied fruit. While you can use a specific fruit if you want, most people use a bag of candied fruit. This is usually a mixture of fruits.

Homemade Hot Cross Buns