Indulge in the delightful taste of speculoos and currants with this Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe. With a Marmalade Glaze, these buns are perfect when toasted and generously spread with butter.
For any leftovers, transform them into a scrumptious bread and butter pudding by slicing the buns, spread with softened butter and layering them with a custard mixture. Bake the pudding in a medium oven until golden and enjoy it as a decadent dessert.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used with possible alternatives and why I may have used them. See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
- Milk - Full Fat or semi skimmed is fine. Remember to scald (heat to blood temperature) the milk to kill off the enzyme that affects how the yeast rises. I;ve added full instructions on how to do this below.
- Butter - Unsalted and the best you can buy. This gives a rich butter taste to the Hot Cross Buns.
- Strong Plain Flour - As this is a yeasted recipe, strong Bread flour is needed to help with the structure of the buns.
- Eggs - Medium, Free Range and Organic if you can.
- Salt - Sea Salt is my preferred use of salt. If the crystals are large, crush them in a Mortar and Pestle.
- Caster Sugar - White or brown caster sugar is fine.
- Currants - I prefer using currants because they are smaller than Raisins or Sultanas.
- Marmalade - For the Glaze. Apricot jam is fine. You can omit the glaze if you prefer not to have a sticky top.
- Plain Flour - This is used to make the paste for the Crosses on the top of each bun.
- Speculoos - A mix of many spices is used in this recipe, but you can use Ground Mixed Spice if you wish, Cinnamon and Nutmeg are fine too. Adjust the amount according to your taste.
- Yeast - For this recipe, I used Fast Active Dried yeast which can be mixed directly into the flour with no need to activate in liquid first.
Step By Step Instructions
This Hot Cross Bun recipe requires minimal hands-on time as the dough is left to rise for the majority of the process. This allows for a fuss-free baking experience leaving you free to do other things. This recipe for White Pullman Bread and Easy Rosemary Focaccia also requires very little hands-on time.
Step 1: Scald the milk to kill off the enzyme that affects how the yeast works - Place the milk in a pan over moderate heat.
Step 2: Take the pan off the heat when you see bubbles appear on the edge of the pan. Add the cubed butter, give a gentle stir and leave the butter to melt in the milk. Leave to cool.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and spices along with the currants or mixed dried fruit.
Step 4: Give everything a good mix.
Step 5: Make a well in the centre, add the lightly beaten eggs and enough milk & butter mixture to make a soft slightly sticky dough. Note: I used all of the mixture.
Step 6: Knead until you have a soft smooth dough. This could take 5 - 10 mins depending on whether you are kneading by hand or by machine - which I used. The mixture will be a little sticky but persevere and it will all come together. TIP: If using an electric mixer remove the dough from the bowl and knead by hand for the final few minutes to bring it together as a smooth round ball of dough.
Place in a lightly floured bowl and cover with a pan lid or cling film and leave to rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size. This could take a couple of hours depending on how warm your kitchen is.
Step 7: Grease and line two baking trays with baking parchment.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly dusted surface and knead for a few seconds by hand. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and shape them into small round buns.
Step 8: Using a sharp knife, make a cross on the top of each Hot Cross Bun. Place each bun on the prepared baking tray, cover with cling film and leave to rise and double in size in a warm place.
Step 9: While the hot cross buns are rising for the second time on the baking trays, mix the flour with enough water to make a smooth thick paste. This is used to make the crosses on the top of each bun. Place the paste in a piping bag and cut the end to a ¼ inch opening. Leave to one side until you are ready to use.
Step 10: Before you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 190 deg fan oven. Brush the tops with a little milk then pipe a cross over the top of each bun with the flour paste that you made earlier.
Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until baked with a golden colour on top. Glaze with melted or soften apricot jam or marmalade and leave to cool. TIP: If the marmalade or jam is too thick, warm it with a little water to dilute it.
Storage
Freshly made Hot Cross Buns are best eaten on the day they are made. Just like bread, they can become dry and hard after a day or so. However, there is no need to waste them, toast them for breakfast or turn them into a bread and butter pudding.
Top Tips
TIP 1 - Scald the milk (heat to blood temperature) before making the dough.
TIP 2 - For deliciously baked Hot Cross Buns, it is recommended to begin early in the day, giving the dough enough time to rise.
FAQ
It is important that hot cross bun dough is on the sticky side to begin with, as adding too much flour is likely to cause the dough to be tough and hard when baked.
Try These Other Yeasted Recipes
Make a Large White Loaf or Focaccia bread for a simple lunch time snack.
After making this recipe please let me know how you got on by leaving a comment below. Especially if you used alternative ingredients. Subscribe to my Newsletter - Let's stay connected.
Recipe
Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Equipment
- 2 Baking Trays
- Baking Parchment
Ingredients
- 200 ml Milk Plus extra for glazing
- 85 g unsalted butter chopped into cubes
- 450 g strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting
- 3 teaspoons Fast Active Dried Yeast
- 50 g caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoons speculoos or ground mixed spice or to taste.
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 150 g Currants or mixed dried fruit
For the glaze and Crosses Topping
- Marmalade or Apricot Jam
- 100 g plain flour
- Water
Instructions
- Scald the milk to kill off the enzyme that affects how the yeast works. Place the milk in a pan over a moderate heat. Take the pan off the heat when you see bubbles appear on the edge of the pan. Add the cubed butter, give a gentle stir and leave the butter to melt in the milk. Leave to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and spices along with the mixed dried fruit and give everything a good mix.
- Make a well in the centre, add the lightly beaten eggs and enough milk & butter mixture to make a soft slightly sticky dough. Note: I used all of the mixture.
- Knead until you have a soft smooth dough. This could take 5 - 10 mins depending on whether you are kneading by hand or by machine. The mixture will be a little sticky, but persevere and it will all come together. TIP: If using an electric mixer remove the dough from the bowl and knead by hand for the final few minutes to bring it together as a smooth round ball of dough.
- Place in a lightly floured bowl and cover with a pan lid or cling film and leave to rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size. This could take a couple of hours depending on how warm your kitchen is.
- Grease and line two baking trays with baking parchment.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly dusted surface and knead for a few seconds by hand. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and shape them into small round buns. Using a sharp knife, make a cross on the top of each Hot Cross Bun. Place each bun on the prepared baking tray, cover with cling film and leave to rise and double in size in a warm place.
- While the hot cross buns are rising for the second time on the baking trays, mix the flour with enough water to make a smooth thick paste. This is used to make the crosses on the top of each bun. Place the paste in a piping bag and cut the end to a ¼ inch opening. Leave to one side until you are ready to use.
- Before you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 190 deg fan oven.
- Brush the tops with a little milk then pipe a cross over the top of each bun with the flour paste that you made earlier.
- Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until baked with a golden colour on top. Glaze with melted or soften apricot jam or marmalade and leave to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
Note: Recipes are tested using Metric only. The provided nutrition information is an estimate for the entire recipe, the calorie accuracy nutritional facts, unit and portion conversion are calculated by a third party app. and are not guaranteed.
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