Hot Cross Buns
You may have heard of the song, but have you enjoyed freshly baked Hot Cross Buns? If not, follow this simple recipe to prepare these slightly sweet buns that are the perfect breakfast treat.
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Have you ever tasted warm Hot Cross Buns? If you have heard of them but never tried them, you can make them by following this easy recipe. These buns are soft, sweet, and full of flavor. They consist of several essential ingredients that give them their naturally great taste, including ground cinnamon and raisins.
If you want something different from what you usually would bake, try this recipe. Not only can you eat the buns fresh out of the oven, but you can also store them and save them for later.
Traditional Hot Cross Buns date back to the 12th century. A monk baked these buns and marked a cross at the top for Good Friday. These sweet rolls are made with yeast and filled with spices, raisins and sometimes currents. They are usually eaten on Good Friday to symbolize the end of lent, but let’s face it, they are so good and can definitely be enjoyed year-round.
The Ingredients Needed to Make Hot Cross Buns
If you want to make Hot Cross Buns that will serve up to 16 people, you will need 20 minutes prep time, 25 minutes cook time and the following ingredients:
- Active Dry Yeast. The yeast is a must-have ingredient that helps these buns rise.
- Granulated Sugar. Use sugar to give the buns a slightly sweet touch that is not overpowering.
- All-Purpose Flour. You cannot make these delicious buns without using some all-purpose flour.
- Ground Cinnamon. Add ground cinnamon for a slightly woody taste that goes great with the raisins.
- Raisins. Plump the raisins in hot water and drain them before adding them to the recipe.
You will also need warm milk, ground allspice, salt, unsalted butter, and eggs. You will need one egg and a tablespoon of milk to make the glaze, along with powdered sugar and milk to make the icing for the Hot Cross Buns.
How to Store the Hot Cross Buns
After you prepare and serve the Hot Cross Buns, you may have quite a bit leftover to eat later. It will help if you put them in an airtight container to keep them fresh. You should place them in a cool spot. When stored correctly, the buns are good to eat for up to five days.
However, if you want to hold onto them a bit longer than five days, you can freeze the buns. Keep them in the airtight container and put them in your freezer to keep the buns fresh for up to six months.
If you decide to freeze the buns, you can thaw them out by placing them in the fridge or on your countertop for several hours before biting into them.
Different Variations of the Hot Cross Buns
You can prepare different variations of the Hot Cross Buns. Some people like to add chopped walnuts or chopped glaze pecans into the batter with the raisins before baking their buns. If you want to have that extra crunch, this is a great option to consider.
You may want to add some fresh fruits to your buns. Some of the fruits that taste best with these buns include blueberries, chopped strawberries, and raspberries. If you do not want to put the fresh fruit pieces into the batter, you can use them as a garnish with the glaze on top of your buns.
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Hot Cross Buns
You may have heard of the song, but have you enjoyed freshly baked Hot Cross Buns? If not, follow this simple recipe to prepare these slightly sweet buns that are the perfect breakfast treat.
Ingredients
- Ingredients
- 1 packet (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dry yeast
- ¾ cup warm milk, 105-110 degrees F
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3-3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup raisins, plumped in hot water and drained
- Glaze
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- Icing
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 4-5 teaspoons milk
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add milk and sugar, sprinkle yeast over
- Let set until foamy, about 5 minutes
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, cinnamon, allspice and salt
- Create a well in the center and add yeast mixture, butter and eggs
- Mix using a stand mixer or wooden spoon until well combined
- Stir in raisins until well incorporated
- Turn dough onto floured surface to knead or use the dough hook on stand mixer
- Add more flour if needed a little at a time
- Form a ball and place back into mixing bowl
- Cover with plastic wrap and place in warm area to rise until doubled, about 1 hour
- Punch down dough and turn onto floured surface
- Coat 13x9 baking dish with butter
- Divide dough evenly and shape into balls
- Place balls on baking sheet, cover with towel and let rise until doubled, about 30-45 minutes
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
- Optional: score the top of the rolls using a knife with a cross pattern
- In a small bowl, whisk together glaze ingredients
Brush over buns - Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly, transfer to wire rack to cool completely
- In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients for icing, it should be thin enough to pipe onto buns easily but not too thin.
- Transfer to plastic bag
- Frost a cross onto each bun
- Allow to set to firm up
- Store in airtight container
