Hot Cross Buns

What Makes This Hot Cross Buns Recipe Unique (and Why You Should Try It!)

• More Spices for Bigger Flavor: While many recipes use just cinnamon, this one adds cloves and nutmeg, making the buns extra fragrant and irresistible.
• Orange Zest: Traditional Hot Cross Buns don’t usually include orange zest, but this recipe does. I love how it gives them a bright flavor that balances the warm spices.
• Rum-Soaked Raisins: Instead of tossing in dry raisins or currants, this recipe soaks them in rum, making them plumper, juicier, and more flavorful. It’s a small step with a huge payoff! We also love using rum-soaked raisins in our coquito recipe because they are so tasty.
• Double Rise for Extra Softness: Some recipes skip the second rise to save time, but this one lets the dough rest twice, creating lighter, fluffier, and more pillowy-soft buns.
• Flour Paste Cross for a Traditional Look: While some modern versions use icing for the cross, this recipe sticks to the traditional flour-and-water paste, so the cross bakes right into the bun.
• Light Sugar Glaze: Many recipes brush the buns with sticky apricot jam, but this one keeps it simple with a sugar glaze, letting the flavors of the dough shine through.

So let’s make some old-fashioned hot cross buns! Super tasty, and so wholesome. I’m sure you’re going to love this recipe just as much as I do (and that’s saying something because I really love this recipe).

The Ingredients You’ll Need

Let’s talk ingredients! You’ll notice that I use rum to soak my raisins, but if you’d prefer not to use alcohol, that is totally fine. Juice, hot tea, or just plain water are all perfectly good substitutions. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need and don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card for a printable list.

For the Dough

• Rum: Soaking the raisins before baking makes them extra plump and tasty! As I mentioned, I like rum for this, but you can use whatever you like. Orange juice or apple juice would be my top picks
• Raisins: Golden raisins look beautiful and taste great, but regular raisins are also fine.
• Instant Yeast: You can substitute active dry yeast, if you prefer, but it may need a slightly longer rising time.
• Sugar: Using brown sugar and granulated sugar together gives these rolls a warm, honeyed flavor and pleasing texture.
• Milk: Warm the milk to just above body temperature – not hot, and not cold.
• Flour: All-purpose flour is best for making hot cross buns. If you use gluten-free flour, make sure it is designed to work with yeast!
• Spices: Ground cinnamon, allspice, and cloves, as well as freshly grated nutmeg, give this recipe a special holiday taste.
• Salt
• Orange Zest: Make sure not to get any of the white pith from the inner orange peel in your zest. Pith is very bitter!
• Butter: Soften the butter to room temperature.
• Eggs: Use room temperature, large, whole eggs, plus one extra egg yolk. Save the egg white for making the egg wash.

For the Egg Wash

• Egg: The leftover egg white from making the dough.
• Milk or Water: Use whichever you like.

For the Piped Crosses

• Flour: While some recipes use frosting to make the crosses, I do a traditional flour paste, but slightly sweetened with sugar and vanilla. 
• Sugar: Granulated white sugar is fine.
• Water: To thin the paste to the right consistency.
• Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor.

For the Sweet Glaze

• Sugar: Sifted confectioners’ sugar creates a smooth, creamy glaze.
• Vanilla
• Milk: Just a little, to get the right consistency.

How to Make Hot Cross Buns

I wasn’t kidding when I said that making hot cross buns is easy, especially if you’re already used to working with yeast. Even if you are new to yeast dough, no worries. With just a few simple, straightforward steps, you’ll be on your way.

• Prep the Raisins and the Yeast. Soak the raisins in rum and proof your yeast.
• Mix the Dough. Pour the yeast mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer, along with the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and orange zest.  Stir to combine. Add the butter and eggs to the mixer, mix until combined. At this point, add the raisins and the rum, and mix again.

• Knead the Dough. Switch to the dough hook attachment. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes at speed 2. The dough is ready when it is stretchy and smooth.
• First Rise. Take the dough out of the mixer, form it into a ball, and then return it to the bowl. Cover with a clean tea towel or plastic wrap. Place in a warm place, and let it rise until doubled in size. (About an hour.)

• Shape the Hot Cross Buns. Lightly grease a baking pan. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, and then divide each piece into 6 equal pieces, making 12 small pieces total. Roll them into balls, and place them on the pan.
• Second Rise. Lightly beat the egg white and milk, and brush this mixture over the tops of the buns. Cover again and let them rise until doubled.
• Make the Piped Crosses. Make the cross mixture, then pipe a small line across each roll.
• Bake and Cool. Place the pan in the preheated oven, and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the rolls are golden. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes before glazing.
• Glaze and Serve. Finally, mix together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla in a small bowl. Spoon this glaze over the warm rolls, and serve!

Why Are My Hot Cross Buns Dense?

• Under (or over) mixing. Hot cross buns are supposed to be on the dense or substantial side, but sometimes they can just turn out heavy. The main reasons for heavy or hard rolls are under- or overmixing. Undermixing doesn’t allow the yeast to fully mix into the dough, and overmixing kills it.
• Expired yeast. It may also be that your yeast already died, or expired. So be careful to mix just until you get the right smooth and elastic texture, and to use fresh, active yeast!

Chef’s Tips

• Piping: If you don’t have a piping bag, a Ziploc bag works great! Fill it with the icing and cut a small (super small) hole in the corner of it. Pipe the icing mixture through the hole.
• Flour: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup so that it doesn’t get packed. Level off the excess with the back of a butter knife.
• Nutmeg: While this recipe calls for freshly grated nutmeg, you can use ground nutmeg as well.

Storing and Reheating Hot Cross Buns

• Storing: Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.
• Want to warm them up? To reheat your hot cross buns, heat them in the oven or microwave until warmed through. (Keep in mind that the icing may run a bit after reheating.)
• Can I freeze these? Sure can! These hot cross buns are best eaten fresh, but if need be, you can freeze them. To do this, cook them down and pack them into an airtight container, or freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to one month, and thaw before serving or reheating.