Hot Cross Buns

  • Prep Time: 1 hrs 45 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hrs
  • Serves: 30,Yield: 30Buns

    • About This Recipe

    “Easter Tradition”

    Ingredients

  • 2 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cupwater( 110 to 115 degrees)
  • 1cupwarm milk( , 110 to 115 degrees)
  • 1/2 cupsugar
  • 1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cupmargarine, softened
  • 1teaspoonvanilla extract
  • 1teaspoonsalt
  • 1/2 teaspoonground nutmeg
  • 6 1/2-7cupsall-purpose flour
  • 4eggs
  • 1/2 cupdried currant
  • 1/2 cupraisins

    • GLAZE AND ICING

  • 2tablespoonswater
  • 1egg yolk
  • 1cupconfectioners’ sugar
  • 4teaspoonsmilk
  • 1/4 teaspoonvanilla extract

    • Directions

  • In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
  • Add milk, sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, nutmeg and 3 cups of flour; beat until smooth.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each.
  • Stir in the currants, raisins and enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
  • Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes.
  • Place in a greased bowl; turn once to grease top.
  • Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • Punch dough down; shape into 30 balls.
  • Place on greased baking sheets.
  • Cut a cross on top of each roll with a sharp knife.
  • Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
  • Beat water and egg yolk; brush over rolls.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
  • Cool on wire racks.
  • For icing, combine sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth; drizzle over rolls.

    • Reviews

  • “These are just perfect! I was looking at hot cross buns in the store today and thinking how they must be easy to make. This recipe proved it. I even forgot the salt but it didn’t seem to affect the recipe. They taste so much better fresh out of the oven than the store-bought ones. I baked them for 15 minutes at 170 C in a fan oven (it would be about 190 C in a normal oven) and they turned out a beautiful dark brown.”

  • “I made these for a bake sale that a friend of mine was doing for the Cure for Cancer. I made an extra one so I could taste them–delicious!. I did add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon cloves to the dough since several other recipes called for them. I also only used raisins as I didn’t have any currants. Will be making these for my family for Easter this year. Thank you for sharing!Update: I cut the recipe in half and made these in my bread machine for my family for Easter. They were even better than the batch I made for the bake sale!”

  • “Rhonda, this is just what I was looking for.I did add some cinnamon (1 tsp), cloves (1/4 tsp) and peel (1/4 cup). The result was terrific.This recipe is in my permanent collection.”

  • “Delicious and easy to make recipe. I used a mix of raisins, dried cranberries and glaceed citrus peel. I also added 1 T cinnamon and1 t ground cloves although next year I will use even more spice. I piped the icing on but would like to find an icing that can go upside down under the grill without melting. Hot Cross Buns toasted under the grill are delicious with a little butter and jam.”

  • “Really good!”

  • “These buns did not work very well for me. I live at a normal altitude, but they did not rise at all! I was very disappointed, and I know I remembered the yeast. But apparently it worked for someof you.”

  • “I love this recipe, I’ll be using it many times I’m sure! 4 of us finished off a half batch of these witin 24 hours, no one could stop eating them. I used dried cherries and cranberries and they were delicious. Thanks for posting these!”

  • “These were wonderful, a HUGE hit at the soup and bread supper I brought them to at church on Good Friday 🙂 I was afraid to try them, I’ve never tried to use yeast here in Albuquerque (high altitude) but they were perfect. I actually used rapid rise yeast (not intentionally, but after I had pulled everything out I realized that was all I had so I tried it). They came out light, fluffy and delicious. I could have browned them a bit more (didn’t take a good enough look at your picture while they were baking)…but they were great. This is a keeper, I’ll make it a tradition in our house 🙂 Thanks!”

  • “What an easy and tasty recipe.I subbed cinnamon for the nutmeg and used only raisins.Instead of just cutting crosses into the tops I made a thicker vanilla frosting and piped crosses.These wowed them at the Easter family dinner.Thanks Rhonda for an awesome recipe.”

    •