Hot Cross Buns Recipe
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Happy Easter! Easter is probably THE most important holiday that Christians celebrate. It’s not about the commercialized bunny, or the eggs, although those traditions can be fun.
It’s so important to us that our family understands Easter is about Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection through which he paid the penalty for sin so everyone who believes in Him has eternal life with Him. It’s a glorious thing and such good news! These hot cross buns help to share the story.
I admit glazing skills were not optimal since I was racing to get these done. Baking with a newborn is tricky. You never know when baby will wake up and when she does, she definitely makes her demands known. Don’t worry, your buns will be cuter :).
If you have any leftovers, you can cut them in half and make a really scrumptious French toast or just sauté the halves in butter on a skillet and enjoy with your morning coffee- so yum!
These are sweet rolls. I use the basic dough recipe from my Portuguese Easter Bread, lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg and studded with tangy craisins or raisins. Hot Cross Buns were originally a Saxon tradition which became an Easter tradition to celebrate Good Friday.
Ingredients for Hot Cross Buns:
1/2 cup raisins, currants, or craisins + 1 cup boiling hot water
3/4 cup very warm milk, divided into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup (I used whole milk, 2% is fine)
1/2 cup white sugar + 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened 15 seconds in microwave
1/2 tsp salt
1 envelope active dry yeast (about 3/4 Tbsp or 2 1/4 tsp) – I used Red Star Yeast
2 large eggs, well beaten
3 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour *measured correctly
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp (a large pinch) ground nutmeg
For the Egg Wash:
1 egg, well beaten with 1 tsp water
For the Glaze:
1/2 cup Powdered sugar mixed with 2 1/2 tsp Milk
How To Make Hot Cross Buns:
1. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup raisins/craisins with 1 cup boiling hot water. Let sit 10 min then drain well and set aside.
2. In a large measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup warm milk with 1/2 tsp sugar and sprinkle 3/4 Tbsp yeast over the top. Stir and let sit at room temp until bubbly and doubled in volume (10 min).
3. In a large mixing bowl (I use my KitchenAid mixer), combine 1/2 cup very warm milk with 1/2 cup sugar, 4 Tbsp softened butter and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir until butter is melted. Add 2 well beaten eggs and proofed yeast mixture. Stir in 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon and pinch of ground nutmeg.
4. Using the dough hook attachment mix in 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup at a time until soft dough forms. Knead 8-12 min on speed 2 or until smooth and elastic. Dough will still stick a little to the bowl but not to your fingers.
If kneading by hand, use a wooden spoon to stir, then turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead 8-12 min using just enough flour to prevent sticking to your hands.
5. Add drained raisins/craisins (pat them dry with paper towels if they still seem too wet) and transfer dough to a large buttered bowl, turning it to bring the buttered side-up. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free room 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in volume (you can also proof in a warm 100˚F oven).
6. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut in half then continue cutting dough until you have 12 equal sized pieces. Roll dough into balls and transfer to a buttered 9×13″ baking pan. Cover with a tea towel and let them sit in a warm, draft-free room 30 min until puffed
7. Now you should preheat your oven to 375˚F. Generously brush the tops with egg wash and bake for 15-17 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan.
8. Once buns are just warm (not hot), stir together the 1/2 cup powdered sugar and about 2 1/2 tsp milk. You can add more powdered sugar to thicken it up if needed. Transfer glaze to a ziploc bag, cut off the tip of the bag and pipe a cross shape over each of the buns. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raisins, currants, or craisins + 1 cup boiling hot water
- 3/4 cup very warm milk, divided into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup (I used whole milk, 2% is fine)
- 1/2 cup white sugar + 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 cup (or 4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened 15 seconds in microwave
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 envelope active dry yeast, about 3/4 Tbsp or 2 1/4 tsp - I used Red Star Yeast
- 2 large eggs, well beaten
- 3 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp a large pinch ground nutmeg
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 egg, well beaten with 1 tsp water
For the Glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar mixed
- 2 1/2 tsp milk
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup raisins/craisins with 1 cup boiling hot water. Let sit 10 min then drain well and set aside.
- In a large measuring cup, combine 1/4 cup warm milk with 1/2 tsp sugar and sprinkle 3/4 Tbsp yeast over the top. Stir and let sit at room temp until bubbly and doubled in volume (10 min).
- In a large mixing bowl (I use my KitchenAid mixer), combine 1/2 cup very warm milk with 1/2 cup sugar, 4 Tbsp softened butter and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir until butter is melted. Add 2 well beaten eggs and proofed yeast mixture. Stir in 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon and pinch of ground nutmeg.
- Using the dough hook attachment mix in 3 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup at a time until soft dough forms. Knead 8-12 min on speed 2 or until smooth and elastic. Dough will still stick a little to the bowl but not to your fingers.
- Add drained raisins/craisins (pat them dry with paper towels if they still seem too wet) and transfer dough to a large buttered bowl, turning it to bring the buttered side-up. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free room 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in volume (you can also proof in a warm 100˚F oven).
- Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut in half then continue cutting dough until you have 12 equal sized pieces. Roll dough into balls and transfer to a buttered 9x13" baking pan. Cover with a tea towel and let them sit in a warm, draft-free room 30 min until puffed.
- Now you should preheat your oven to 375˚F. Generously brush the tops with egg wash and bake for 15-17 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan.
- Once buns are just warm (not hot), stir together the 1/2 cup powdered sugar and about 2 1/2 tsp milk. You can add more powdered sugar to thicken it up if needed. Transfer glaze to a ziploc bag, cut off the tip of the bag and pipe a cross shape over each of the buns. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
♥ FAVORITE THINGS ♥
*I love my stacking measuring spoons – I just wash the ones I use.
*Also great for rectangular cakes, this Cuisinart 9×13 non-stick cake pan
*These OXO stacking bowls are multi-purpose and so handy!
*We sure enjoy our Wusthof knife block set. Great knives are essential.
*Red Stand Mixer from KitchenAid: 6 Qt. Professional 600 Series
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Natasha, I have tried your meatloaf plus one of your scone recipes and they are absolutely fabulous! Now I want to try your hot cross bun recipe. I loved your testimony about the Easter season. Not many people publicly recognize that it is a time to remember Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for our sins. Bravo! Be bold, be brave, and may you continue to have much success!
I’m so happy you love our recipes! Thank you so much for the fantastic review and your encouraging words. I am smiling big reading your comment, Mary! God Bless you!
I’m not going to rate this recipe as it could be my lack of skills ! I followed the recipe for these buns and had to toss them out hoping a would kill o squirrel lol! Can you please tell me what could have made them tough and dense. I used all fresh ingredients. I followed the recipe as shown in the video. I love all your recipes an did not any to drop your rating in just this one mishap on my part . Thank X
Hi Audrey! Make sure to let them rise in a warm environment (about 100˚F) since a cold room will make the rise very slow. Also, make sure you aren’t adding hot liquids to the yeast which can deactivate the yeast so it doesn’t rise. Also, did your yeast get bubbly in step 2? That is indicative of whether the yeast is functioning properly.
Besides that, be sure to measure your ingredients correctly, if you use too much flour they will be dry, and dense, and the dough would be tough to work with. I hope that helps troubleshoot or gives you a starting point to figuring out what possibly could have gone wrong.
I love all your recipes Natasha! I made 2 batches one without raisins and decided to double up on the spices. I also added mixed spice same ratio as cinnamon and everyone loved them. Next time I’ll definitely double up on spices again, it was lovely. Keep the recipes coming, I enjoy your videos.
Thank you for your lovely review, Neydene! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent, I just made them yesterday and the recipe works well. The only thing is that next time, I will melt the butter with the milk, it does not work the way the recipe has it in step 3.
Sounds good and I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I searched through a number of recipes for hot cross buns before settling on this one, and it did not disappoint! I made it exactly as it was written, but added some ground ginger along with the spices. I actually made them yesterday and covered them with plastic wrap and a towel and refrigerated them overnight so I could bake them this morning. After sitting out for a few hours, they were ready to bake and they were WONDERFUL! This is a great recipe.
Thanks for your lovely review, Carrie. It means a lot to us!
The buns were awesome, soft and moist, I think it needed a little more spice, but that’s a personal preference most of the time and can easily be added. I did add some candied citrus. Thanks for sharing, it really is a great recipe! <3
It’s my pleasure and I’m happy that you loved this recipe!
I just made these tonight for Easter morning breakfast, tomorrow. I doubled it to make sure there’ll be plenty. 😉 Hubby & I each had 2 while they were still warm. They are amazing! So light & tender. This recipe is a definite ’keeper” and will be the one I use from now on. Thank you! so much!
Thank you for sharing, we’re so happy that you all enjoyed this recipe!
These turned out perfectly! I did a double batch in the Bosch mixer and baked them in 2 glass 9 X 13 pans. I substituted 1 of the cups of AP flour for whole wheat and that worked fine. Thanks for a good recipe!
Thank you for sharing, Esther! That’s great.
I made these today following your recipe exactly. They are delicious.
I found your recipe very easy to follow, because of the way it was written; numbered step by step. This will definitely be a go to recipe for friends and family.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying my blog and recipes, Liz! Thank you for your wonderful compliment!
Made these for the second year and they turned out great again. Thank you for the excellent recipe! When I am letting the dough rise I set a heating pad on low and put it under the covered bowl. It saves having to keep the oven on and the dough rises beautifully 🙂
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Doris!
First time making hot cross buns and your recipe is perfect, they turn out delicious and so soft. Thank you for sharing your recipe
That’s wonderful, Gita! So glad you loved the recipe.
The cross buns recipe is perfect.First time I have ever followed each step and exact measurements in a recipe . The buns were great.Enjoyed by everyone.Lots of compliments 👍
That’s wonderful. I’m so glad they were enjoyed. Thank you for sharing.
I will definitely bake them these days, but have a question: can I pre bake for Easter Sunday? Keep them in fridge or counter? Thanks
Hi Isa! You can store them at room temperature for a couple of days and then refrigerate or freeze them after that for longer storage. I hope you lvoe the recipe. Happy Easter!
Thank you for sharing a great recipe. I have never made hot cross buns and I decided to try yours first since your recipes always work out. They were easy and tasty. I did add extra cinnamon. Happy Easter and Good Friday.
I’m so glad to hear that, Christie! Thank you for trying my recipe! Happy Easter!
AWESOME EVERY TIME!!!
I haven’t made them in a couple of years but your recipe always comes through!!!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Nancy!
This is my 5th year using this recipe, it is the best, the buns are soft and delicious. I am diabetic and I just cut back on the amount of sugar and it is still very tasty. This is the last bun recipe I will ever use. This is not my go to recipe, this is my only recipe.
Hi Camille! I’m so glad you love this recipe. Thank you for sharing that with us.
I love that the recipe is available in metric measurements at the click of a button. Someone has finally recognized that the rest of the world went Metric decades ago while the US clings to the ancient Imperial system along with just two other small countries. Well done.
It is so much easier to measure ingredients into a bowl on a scale, as well as more accurate. But best of all, it’s easy to scale(pun intended) the quantities up or down depending on how much or many you wish to make.
Been making Hot Cross Buns for years and I’m a “mature “ professional home baker
AND these are the best I’ve ever made! They were Delicious.
And not dry. I used a raisin medley (golden & Thompson)
Recipe was extremely easy to follow
Thank you Natasha for awesome hot cross buns
Hi Nina! That’s wonderful. Thank you for your feedback. 🙂
can add chocolate chips instead of the currants or raisins ?
Hi Amal, one of our readers shared this “I added chocolate chips to mine and a bit more spice. The result was lovely.” I hope that helps!
amen! I love what you said about what Easter is really all about. I make hot cross buns with my little girls every Good Friday as to remember what Jesus did for us on that day. I can’t wait to make your recipe this year! He is risen!
I hope you love this recipe! ♥️
I use currants and add some candied fruit,, that is how my mom taught me,,,
I love all of your recipes. I did add extra cinnamon and nutmeg, they turned out delicious. I would like to thank you for including the metric option. I like to weigh my ingredients.
Hi Jacki! You’re very welcome. So glad yo loved the recipe.
The recipe for Hot Cross Buns is lacking in flavor! It definitely needs more spice.
Hi Mary, we’ve never had that issue before using this recipe. Did you by any chance omit some ingredients or used any substitutions?
He is risen! And these hot cross buns were a hit at Easter Vigil, just finished.
I saw a reviewer mentioned spice, above. I drew off a recipe for Easter rolls (?) that my sister-in-law shared with me, and bumped up the spice a bit, along the lines of: instead of the nutmeg, 1/4 tsp of allspice. I bumped up the cinnamon to 1/2 tsp and added 1/4 tsp of ground cardamon, too.
I do not want this to become a review of “everything I changed,” so let me most emphatically say – I was nervous about baking these, especially to bring in to church, because I do not usually work with such a rich dough. Thank you so much for your very clear instructions! And now, I’m going to make another set, because they all got eaten, and I would like a taste! 😅
You’re welcome an no worries at all! We appreciate you sharing this with us and we’re just glad that you enjoyed it!
Can not wait to make hot cross buns from your recipe. I enjoy your recipes and tips.
Thank you for that wonderful compliment, Michael! These feel so special to make each Easter!
Hi, Natasha! How long can I let the buns stay out after they are baked? I love your recipes!
Hi Emma! You can store them at room temperature for a couple of days and then refrigerate or freeze them after that for longer storing.
I made this for Easter this year and they were perfect ! I did a dry run first and discovered that my yeast was not reacting, so replaced it with success. The second batch was baked with parchment paper lining the pans and I found they were easier to remove.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Andrea!
Winner of a recipe! We’ve tried a different hot cross bun recipe every year for 15+ years, and this is everyone’s favorite. I added 1 1/2 tsp of lemon zest, but kept the other ingredients the same, just put in the bread machine on dough cycle. I shaped and refrigerated them overnight, and in the morning, rose in a 175 degree oven for 30 minutes and proceeded as directed. The fluffiness is out of this world! Thank you so much for this recipe. We’ll use this one from now on.
Hello Annie, thanks a lot for sharing that with us. That is so helpful and we appreciate the review!
Thanks for the tip, going to do that definitely next year, I’m very lazy lol.
made these for the first time this Easter morning.. I did make one change I used a whole orange zest in the batter and orange juice instead of milk for the frosting.. They were delicious….
Hello Charlene, good to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for sharing that with us, we appreciate it!
I made the dough yesterday. After putting dough balls in the pan I covered it with plastic wrap and placed in the fridge. This morning I took them out of the fridge and placed them in oven with the light on until the buns looked puffy.(1 – 2 hours)
Then I baked them for 20 minutes. They were perfect! I did add extra cinnamon and would add a few more raisins. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe!
Hello Jacki, thank you for sharing that with us, we appreciate it!
made these today with gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill-cup for cup) and they turned out delicious! Will repeat next year.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Colleen!
I am making these for the second time. They were a huge hit the first time. I used the same amount of dried fruit but mixed craisins and raisins because that is what I had on hand. Definitely a keeper!
That is great, Judy! Thank you for the excellent review.
Wow! So good. My first attempt today and by the looks of my husbands face when he bit into one pretty much convinced me they would do lol.
Wonderful! 🙂
So, I’m finally going to try this recipe. I always check to see if you have a recipe for anything I’m going to make. I’m going to use instant yeast. I’m also making the dough today and baking them tomorrow. I’ll let you know how they turn out.
Hi Jacki, yes, let us know how it turns out for you!
I remember Hot Cross Buns when I was young and they were nothing like these. So delicious. I will be making these each Easter. THANK YOU
Wonderful! So happy to hear that.
Thank you for this delicious recipe. It was my first attempt at Hot Cross Buns and they turned out so good. My husband, daughter and son-in-law agree. I will absolutely make these again and I won’t wait for Good Friday. I used about a cup and a half of (soaked) raisins and chopped Craisins and otherwise followed the recipe.
I’m so happy you all enjoyed that, Lucy! Thank you for sharing that with us!
This is the third year making Cross buns with your recipe and once again, so fluffy and delicious. We mixed by hand and they turned out just perfect. Our favorite buns ever! Thank you Natasha for making our Good Friday a special one
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Laurie! I’m so glad you found a Favorite on my blog!
Thanks for the recipe, it was simple and easy once i started. I tweaked the recipe a little. I added molasses with the hot milk and I added allspice and cinnamon 2tsp each to give them a more richer flavour and a cup of raisins.
Every one loved them. thanks!!!
Onika
Great! So glad to hear that. Thank you for sharing your modifications. I’m happy it was enjoyed.
I’ve made these three times now and all three times using fresh yeast, flour, and eggs…. They aren’t rising!!!! What is happening? They still taste ok but pretty dense bun!
HI Carolyn, make sure to let them rise in a warm environment (about 100˚F) since a cold room will make the rise very slow. Also make sure you aren’t adding hot liquids to the yeast which can deactivate the yeast so it doesn’t rise. Also, did your yeast get bubbly in step 2? That is indicative of whether the yeast is functioning properly.
Yes, the buns were originally pagan with the cross representing the wheel of the sun. Easter (Eostre) is the ancient British goddess of dawn (Eos in Greek mythology), and her symbols were the egg and the bunny, so I gather she had something to do with Spring fertility rites as well.
Thanks for sharing that with us, Karen!
When I increased the serving size, it increased the amounts in the list of ingredients but the amounts in the instructions did not change. Confusing.
Hi R, the instructions do not update at this time, but the ingredients list does update for reference. I hope you enjoy this recipe!
Good morning,
I plan on trying the hot cross buns recipe but am a little concerned that you haven’t included temperature ranges for the liquids. For activating the yeast I know to use between 105 and 115 fahrenheit but when it says very hot milk all it tells me is hotter than the milk that I mix with the yeast. This makes sense because of melting the butter but I’m concerned about killing the yeast. I guess I’ll just let it cool a bit and hope for the best.
Hi Carol,
sorry this may get to you too late but in my experience once the yeast is rising and you are heating the milk to add to your mixing bowl. the milk has cooled down while you are blending the ingredients together in the bowl. it needs to be hot to melt the butter and dissolve the sugar before you add the yeast mixture to the bowl. I hope it worked out for you.
Onika
Is organic can sugar okay instead of the regular sugar? I want to make for Thursday:) thank you
Hi Gloria, I haven’t tried this with organize, if the sugar is too coarse it may not melt properly. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I’m a chef at a retirement home, and I have used many of your recipes, including the chicken enchilada recipe. The buns were awesome, I bake for 130 ppl, and your recipe for them is so fluffy. Thanks for posting, the residents really loved them.
Wow! That’s amazing! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Karen!
Hi Natasha,
Can I use instant yeast? Also can I use bread flour, or should I use all purpose? I have loved every recipe I’ve tried of yours.
I can’t wait to try these hot cross buns.
Hi Jacki, I have not tested either of these alternatives. Bread flour may work. Regarding the yeast, here’s what one of our readers had to say, “Okay so I used the same amount of milk but slightly less yeast since it was the instant kind. I used 1.5 tsp for this recipe. They came out great! I also added a little candied orange peel and a few sultanas. Our household is all English and Australian and these reminded us of the ones we get at home! Thank you for the recipe!” I hope that helps. Let us know your results if you try.
Oh yummy goodness. It is so fluffy and amazing. Your recipe is excellent.
Isn’t it so good! I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Sabeela!
Hi Natasha,
I have used many different recipes of yours and they have all been great! Can I use bread flour for this recipe?
Hi Jacki! I haven’t tested that with bread flour but it may work. All-Purpose flour has a protein level of 10-13. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Recipe looks great! Can you prepare the dough the night before and bake the next day? If so, can you store in fridge?
Hi Alana, Refrigerating them overnight will cause the rising process to stop. I haven’t tried refrigerating them, but I imagine you could refrigerate overnight, then let them come to room temp and rise the next day.
Hi Natasha, I am a newbie at bread making and this is the first recipe I’ve tried that turned out perfectly!! Thank you for the details in your recipe for those of us who are new at working with yeast. My family loved them!! Happy Easter!!
You’re welcome, Carolyn! I’m so glad you made this for Easter! It really makes it that much more special!
These are so good! I was worried about the yeast doing its thing, so I put it in a ramekin. Then I put the ramekin in a warm water bath and it bubbled nicely! Thank you, Natasha, for your easy-to-follow recipes and especially your fabulous videos!
You are so welcome, Shona. Glad you loved this recipe!
Love this recipe, first time I’ve made hot cross buns, I changed the cross slightly to be mortradtional and used flur and water mix to make it more of traditional English hotcross hun but super impressed with the results. I will ake these again!
Sounds wonderful. Thank you for sharing your great experience making this recipe, Amy. I appreciate it!
I’m not sure how everyone is getting this recipe to work out. I’ve tried it twice now, and my buns came out dense and dry. The first time, I followed exactly as written. The second time I tried letting the dough rise longer and the buns proof longer. It made no difference.
Hi Nicole, make sure not to use too much flour or they can turn out dense (see our post on measuring correctly). Also, proofing for too long or letting them rise too much can exhaust the yeast and cause buns to be dry. Lastly, make sure not to overbake (do not use convection oven settings as this recipe is written for conventional oven settings). I hope that helps to troubleshoot.
Hi Natasha, first time I tried this recipe and my house smells like a bakery. These are soft, fluffy and absolutely delicious. Thank you for the recipe, I love your videos 😊
The best smell! I’m so happy to enjoy this recipe! Happy Easter!
I love Hot Cross Buns, so last year I made them for the first time. But I was disappointed with the results. This year I decided to try again, using your recipe. I was hopeful, because every single time I’ve used your recipes, the results have been great! So, today, I’m happy to say I was successful and the buns were beautiful and delicious! Thank you, thank you, for your well tested recipes and excellent instructions. BTW, I used a total of 1 C. dried fruit: 1/2 C. currants, 1/4 C. citron, and 1/4 C. glazed lemon peel.
You’re welcome, Carol! I’m so happy you enjoyed that and it worked this time!!
Hi there, we plan to make these tomorrow morning. I only have rapid rise/instant yeast.
Would you be so kind as to let me know how we can make this work?
Hi Colleen, I haven’t tested this with instant yeast but one of our readers has! Here’s what he had to say “Okay so I used the same amount of milk but slightly less yeast since it was the instant kind. I used 1.5 tsp for this recipe. They came out great! I also added a little candied orange peel and a few sultanas. Our household is all English and Australian and these reminded us of the ones we get at home! Thank you for the recipe!” I hope you find this helpful!
Excellent recipe! I followed every step and the result was perfect texture, fluffy and delicious. It tastes better than the bakery! I received compliments all evening. Thank you!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Hi, my 12 year old daughter will be making these tomorrow on Easter. I’m glad I discovered your site. I just want to say how very blessed I was to read your mentioning the true meaning of the celebration of Easter – the resurrection of our wonderful Lord and Savior!
Thank you, Colleen! I hope you and your daughter enjoy this recipe. Happy Easter!
CAN THESE BE MADE IN A BREAD MACHINE?
ALSO LOVELY RECIPES BUT WHAT ABOUT DIABETICS?
Hi Lorraine, yes! According to our readers, this works great in a bread maker! Here’s what they wrote “Tried making them today, and they turned out perfect! I made the dough in the Breadmaker & used golden raisins instead of craisins. They are so fluffy & yummy! I called them my version of Paski” I hope that helps.
These buns are outstanding! I’ve tried many hot cross bun recipes and this one is the winner! They’re so soft and fluffy. Thank you for the superb recipe Natasha!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I’ve made these 5 times now, and they ALWAYS turn out beautifully! Tender, fluffy, flavorful and not too sweet. Delicious! I wish I could add a picture!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Kathy!
Hi Natasha
I tryed your Hot Cross Buns for a Good Friday treat. They turned out fabulous & taste so good still warm out of the oven. How would you store them? Thanks for this recipe. Will be making them again.
Hi Anita, I would store them at room temperature for a couple of days and then refrigerate or freeze.
I followed the recipe to the letter, but my dough didn’t rise or bake. After baking they still look like raw dough balls. My yeast is new, so I doubt that’s the problem.
Hi Sara, I haven’t had that experience – I wonder if it may be a problem with your oven or maybe you over-proofed or overheated the dough for the rising. If that happens, it deactivates the yeast and stops the rise. It could also be the opposite – if the liquid is too cold and the room too cold, it will take forever to rise.
Natasha, this is a superior recipe! There is just the right amount of spice for a good subtle taste. The sugary glaze made a nice sweet start to the enjoyment. I made the dough by hand because I love to knead. I thought it was hard to knead in the currants, but it all worked out in the rise. I used a glass baking dish, and I had to bake for about 20 minutes. That could be my oven, of course. Thanks so much! They were like the buns from my childhood. What a great Good Friday memory and treat. You rock!
I’m so happy to hear that. I hope you have a wonderful Easter!
I made these buns with honey instead of sugar and they taste so good! I woke up at 5:45 to make them for my family for breakfast and they were gone in 15 minutes :D. They are very fluffy- even better than the ones I ate at Cobbs.
Now that’s dedication! I’m so glad you all enjoyed it, Joone!
am not sure what happened I follow everything and my dough seems stiff and not rising hopefully the heat helps it to rise a bit I so want to eat this
Hi Arlene, check out the tips on working with yeast that I shared in our Brioche bread recipe.
Hello Arlene,
I am having the same problem. I am in the process of making these as we speak and I can’t seem to get the dough to raise. Tried all method and nothing is happening. I am currently still 1st proofing since 4pm. Uuurrgg! What went wwrroonngg!
can i sub honey for the white sugar?
Hello Joone, I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise. If you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
is it okay if i sub honey for the white sugar?
Hi Joone, I haven’t tried that yet to advise but if you do an experiment, please share with us how it goes.
Hi Natasha,
After searching for a nice recipe for Hot Cross buns, I came to yours. It is the simplest and easiest to do. After mistaking the amount of yeast in the first batch (read as 3/4 tsp instead of tbsp) I realized m6 mistake and made a second batch. OMG, these are so soft and fluffy and super delicious. I shared with a friend and they absolutely loved them.
I continue to watch your videos and your recipes because you make everything so simple and fun to watch.
Thank you
Wendy
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Thank you for the lovely recipe. Result was super .
Just a note of caution , if using hand to knead, its sticks so used the semi circle ” scraper”. Try not to add flour when it sticks otherwise may end up like “scones’, like my friend’s who kept on adding flour.
Sprinkled cinnamon sugar on the top for an extra kick.
Thank you so much for your comments and suggestion. We appreciate it!
Hi. I want to try these tomorrow, would like to know if we hv to use powdered sugar or granulated sugar.
Hi Sybil, for the glaze, you need to use powdered sugar. For the buns themselves, we used regular white sugar. I hope this is helpful.
Just made these and love them thanks
Glad to hear that, Tamara. Thanks for sharing!
I would like to know if you think this recipe would work using a bread machine? I am kneading challenged!! I really would like to try making Hot Cross Buns for Easter and your recipe sounds lovely.
Hi Carolyn, yes! According to our readers, this works great in a bread maker! Here’s what they wrote “Tried making them today, and they turned out perfect! I made the dough in the Breadmaker & used golden raisins instead of craisins. They are so fluffy & yummy! I called them my version of Paski” I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha,
I’d love to try this out this coming Easter. Can I let it rise / proof overnight in fridge? Thabks
Hi Danielle, Refrigerating them will cause the rising process to stop. I haven’t tried refrigerating them, but I imagine you could refrigerate overnight, then let them come to room temp and rise the next day. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Thanks so much for this recipe! I decided to make them for Good Friday breakfast, before we went to church for a wonderful service! So I decided to make them the night before, refrigerate, and then bake them in the morning. (I did set them on the heating radiator to warm up for about 1/2 hour before baking) They were great! One daughter said she never liked hot-cross buns before, but really liked these ones. Definitely a keeper!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Can you just add the dry yeast to the flour instead of adding hot milk?
Mary
Only if it is an instant or rapid rise yeast. Active dry yeast would need to be proofed in a warm (110-115˚) liquid to activate it before adding to dry ingredients.
Where in the recipe do I find serving size, so I can click on it to double recipe.?
The serving size can be found at the beginning of the print-friendly recipe card (located at the bottom of the recipe post). The nutrition label shows counts “per serving.” You can adjust the number of servings by clicking on that number and using the slider. Hope that helps!
I added chocolate chips to mine and a bit more spice. The result was lovely. Is it possible to double the recipe?
So great to hear that! Yes, that should work if you double the recipe. Another tip is, if you click on the serving size in the recipe card, you can slide it up or down to scale the recipe ingredient lists. I hope that helps!
Best Hot Crossed Bun recipe ever. Made it five times , turned out great every time, better than Martha’s recipe. Never dry always fluffy & tender.
Thank You, a keeper For sure.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Suzanne!
Hi Natasha! Going to try out this recipe! Just wanted to know that can we make these without egg. And if yes what is the substitute for egg! Thanks.
Hi Priya, I haven’t tested anything besides egg.
Oooh, this was delicious!! My family loves it! The recipe was easy to follow (the photos were an added bonus – thank you!). I initially wanted to add a slight variation with the fruits but completely forgot when the baby started crying – so glad I did! I must admit, I thought it was going to turn out horrible…because it was so easy to follow, I thought I was doing it all wrong. I was also terrified that it would have had a fresh smell because of the egg wash (which I absolutely detest) but it didn’t. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I didn’t have powdered sugar though, so I gave a quick stir to a little water and brown sugar mixture and brushed it over the buns while they were still hot.
Absolutely amazing!!
Ps,…I never ever comment! Anywhere!
Wow I am so touched and happy when I read your comments. Thank you so much for sharing some good vibes, I am so glad that you loved this recipe. I appreciate you sharing your experience here with us!
This was a GLORIOUS start to my Easter Baking! I still can’t get over how absolutely PERFECT the texture was and how delicious this bun turned out to be! It is hands down the BEST recipe I’ve ever tried and is saved as one of my faves for all time. It was easy to follow and I loved that photos were included for each step. If I could’ve included a photo of mine, I would have! They were PERFECTION! I will never in my life buy hot cross buns from any bakery ever again! Lol Thanks so much Natasha!!! <3
Aaw thank you so much for your great comments and feedback, Tishelle. I am so happy to read your comments! You may share some photos of your creation on our Facebook Page or Group!
I’ve been making hot cross buns for many years and these were excellent. The best I’ve made – but over the years I’ve realized most recipes are “spice-light“. Much too light – too plain for a supposedly spiced bread. So in this recipe, I used 1 tsp cinnamon, a 1/2 teaspoon or more of freshly grated nutmeg, a generous 1/4 tsp of cloves and 1/4 tsp cardamom. And for the glaze I used cream and added diced lemon rind and about 3/4 tsp lemon juice.
Amazing good results.
Nice to hear that, Todd. Thank you so much for sharing that with us and for giving this recipe a great review!
Agree – needs more spice! Brits use all spice as well as cinnamon and nutmeg.
This is the kind of thing that I can’t NOT leave a review of. This was my first time making hot cross buns, and I’m so happy with how they turned out!
I didn’t add any Craisins or raisins, though I’m sure they would have been even better if I had included them. I generally don’t like cinnamon, but the amount was small enough that I didn’t mind it in these.
I thought I messed it all up for sure when I tried melting the butter in the milk and didn’t wait for it to melt completely. They still turned out just fine.
I ended up adding a little more powdered sugar to the glaze because I was worried it would slide right off the buns if I didn’t. And, of course, after I took a few photos, I smothered on some extra glaze because I have a sweet tooth!
When I was feeling a little frustrated with trying to melt the butter, my husband suggested we find an easier Easter tradition. You can bet he revoked that suggestion after they were done!
Thanks, Natasha!
Hello Krista, thank you so much for sharing your experience with us in making this recipe. I hope that you and your husband love every recipe that you both will try. Thank you for your excellent review!
Natasha,
Thank you for the recipe. Definitely 5 stars!
I baked the buns this morning – my first attempt so I was a bit worried. I followed your recipe to a T and they turned out delicious. I think baking them on Easter morning will be our new family tradition. Happy Easter to you and your loved ones!
I am so happy to read your great feedback, Aly. It sounds like you found your new go-to-recipe for Easter!
Very good. I made this twice. Second batch I add 2 tablespoons of grated orange peel to the flour. Even better.
Awesome! Thank you for giving this recipe wonderful feedback.
I’m glad I discovered your recipe! These are tender, yeasty and delicious. I amended the recipe in this way: I used 1/2 c. raisins and 1/2 c. dried cranberries. For the spices, I used 1/2 t. each cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg and cardamom. The spice was evident, but not overwhelming. Also, 3-1/2 c. flour was spot on, including the amount I needed on the counter for kneading.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I’m making these right now. Just put the dough in the pan and it smells amazing. I used slightly dehydrated frozen wild blueberries as we don’t have anything else and currently we can’t just run out to the store! They’ve got purple swirls in them. I’m going to try putting them in the fridge overnight, reproof them in the morning then bake them. Fingers crossed!
Fingers crossed! I hope you love this recipe!
These are the best I’ve ever had, hard to stop eating them! Delicious!!
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your lovely review. Happy Easter!
These are the best. Will be making them again soon. Happy Easter. Just like my grandmother recipe.
I am so happy to hear that. Your comment made me smile. Happy Easter!
Hi Natasha
I love the Portuguese bun recipe for the hot cross buns. I did add more spice. Delicious!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I’ve tried this recipe today and absolutely love it. That is great Easter bakind. Thank you so much Natasha and happy Easter!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review! Happy Easter!
Best hot cross bun recipe ever read. I’ll definately try this at my home. It look so delicious and very easy to make. Also sharing with you guys a post on Hot Cross Bun recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed our recipe! Thank you for that wonderful review, Bhavesh!
These turned out perfect. I did the craisins. Thank you.
Super! Thanks for giving this recipe a great review.
Hi!
I am currently making these. Dough is not rising? Everything was right, yeast was not expired. Any suggestions? I have put on top of oven on low temp
Hi Teresa, did you make sure to proof the yeast first in warm (not Hot) milk? Getting the mixture too hot can deactivate the yeast. Also, you’ll know the yeast is good if it proofed the way you see in the photos. Make sure when proofing the dough that it doesn’t get overly warm (should never be hotter than 110˚F maximum for proofing). I hope that helps!
Good basic recipe for the bread. Not enough spice for my taste – could barely tell there was cinnamon in it. Next time I will add more, plus clove and allspice. I added half an orange worth of candied orange peel and upped the raisins and felt it still needed more raisins.
Hi Christine, those additions sound delicious. Let me know if you test that out.