Nothing screams Easter quite like hot cross buns, and they’re surprisingly quite simple to make.
Woman’s Day have curated a collection of recipes for various hot cross bun flavours that are perfect for the upcoming Easter season!
CLASSIC BUNS
Makes 16, Prep: 40 mins + proving, Cook: 25 mins
- 2 x 7g sachets dry yeast
- 300ml milk, warmed
- 4 cups plain flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 90g butter, chopped
- 1½ cups mixed dried fruit
- ¼ cup caster sugar
- 1 egg
CROSSES - ½ cup plain flour
- 4-5 tbsp water
GLAZE - ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- Lightly grease an oven tray. In a jug, sprinkle yeast over milk. Set aside 5 mins until frothy. Sift flour and cinnamon together into a large bowl. Rub in butter using fingertips until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Stir in fruit and sugar. Whisk egg into milk mixture. Pour over flour mixture. Mix to a soft dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface 10 mins until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a tea towel. Set aside in a warm place, about 45 mins until doubled in size (known as proving).
- Preheat oven to 220°C. Punch dough down with fist to release gas. Knead a few mins. Divide into 16 equal pieces and knead each until smooth. Shape into rounds. Arrange close together on tray. Cover with a tea towel. Prove until doubled in size (about 30 mins).
- CROSSES In a bowl, combine flour with water until smooth. Pipe crosses onto buns. Bake 10 mins. Reduce oven to 200°C. Bake a further 10-12 mins until buns sound hollow when tapped.
- GLAZE In a small saucepan, bring all ingredients to boil on high, stirring. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, without stirring, 3-4 mins. Brush over hot buns. Turn onto a wire rack to cool. Serve warm with butter.
FIG, MAPLE & WALNUT
Replace dried fruit with ½ cup chopped dried figs and ¼ cup chopped walnuts. Glaze with 2 tbsp maple syrup combined with ½ tsp mixed spice.
CRANBERRY, WHITE CHOCOLATE & VANILLA
Replace dried fruit with ¼ cup chopped dried cranberries and ¼ cup white choc chips, and add ½ tsp vanilla bean paste with the milk.
MILK CHOC CHIP & APPLE
Replace dried fruit with ½ cup chopped dried apple and ¼ cup milk choc chips.
TRIPLE-CHOC CARAMEL
Replace ¼ cup flour with baking cocoa. Swap dried fruit with ½ cup chopped jersey caramels and ½ cup each milk and dark choc chips. Use cocoa in glaze in place of mixed spice. Pipe crosses onto cooled buns with 50g melted white chocolate after baking.
DARK CHOCOLATE & ORANGE
Swap dried fruit with 1/3 cup chopped raisins, ¼ cup dark choc chips, 2 tbsp chopped candied peel and grated zest ½ orange. Swap water in glaze with orange juice.
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