Easy hot cross buns Recipe

These easy hot cross buns are simpler than you think to make and beat shop bought buns any day of the week! These delectable Easter easy hot cross buns are best served warm straight from the oven with oodles of glorious melted butter.

Where did hot cross buns come from?

There are multiple theories to indicate where Hot Cross Buns originate, one sites St Albans as their birthplace, but one thing is for sure, easy hot cross buns are synonymous with Easter time in the UK.

When to eat hot cross buns?

Traditionally hot cross buns are eaten on Good Friday. But we wont tell if you tuck into these Easy hot cross buns any time of year.

What is a hot cross bun?

A hot cross bun is a spiced sweet bun denoted by it’s cross.

Ingredients

• 250ml full-fat milk, warm to the touch, not hot
• 1 egg
• 7g sachet Yeast
• 500g strong white bread flour, pus extra for dusting
• 50g caster sugar
• 1/2tsp salt
• 2tbsp mixed spice
• 100g Italian mixed peel
• 200g sultanas
• 1 lemon zest
• 1 orange zest
• 100g unsalted butter, softened

For the cross

• 60g plain flour
• 1tsp vegetable oil

For the glaze

• 2tbsp apricot jam
• 1/2tsp mixed spice

You will also need

• piping bag
• floured oven tray

Method

1. Whisk together the milk, egg and yeast. Tip the flour, sugar, salt, mixed spice with the mixed peel and sultanas into the bowl of a mixer, mix with a using a dough hook while adding the liquid, once combined add the butter a little at a time and continue to knead with a dough hook until the dough has an elastic consistency.
2. Tip the dough out onto a floured surface and cut the dough into 10 pieces, mould each into a ball using the palm of your hand in a circular motion, push down firmly and the dough will spring back. Arrange the balls in the oven tray leaving a 2cm gap between each one. Leave in a warm place covered with a clean damp tea towel to proof for 1 hr 30 mins - 2 hrs, until they have almost doubled in size. Heat oven 250C, Gas 9.
3. To makes the crosses: mix the flour, oil with 5tbsp water, put into a piping bag and pipe crosses over the buns.
4. Put the buns in the oven and bake for 20 mins until golden on top.
5. For the glaze: Heat the cinnamon and jam with 1tsp of water in a small pan, mix to combine and brush over the warm buns.