Hot Cross Buns Recipe (Easy!)
This recipe for Hot Cross Buns is a super simple way to make a delicious Easter treat.
Servings: 12 rolls
Calories: 375kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/4 teaspoon yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch cardamom
- pinch ground nutmeg
- pinch allspice
- 1/2 cup raisins
Glaze
- 1 egg white
- 1/8 cup whole milk
Icing:
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoons whole milk
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, combine milk, canola oil, and sugar. Stir to mix. Heat to almost boiling then turn off the heat. Do not let his boil. Let the mixture cool until it’s warm, but not cold.
- Sprinkle yeast over mixture and stir. Let sit for one to two minutes.
- Add 4 cups flour and stir until it’s combined. It will be sticky.
- Cover and let rise in pot for one hour.
- Add remaining ½ cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir to combine.
- In small mixing bowl combine sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and allspice.
- Roll dough out onto flour-covered surface. Roll dough until it’s a long rectangle. Sprinkle the top of the dough with the seasonings and add ¼ of the raisins.
- Fold the dough onto itself, from left to right, meeting in the middle. Then roll the dough back into another rectangle. Add more of the spice mixture and raisins.
- Fold the dough onto itself again. Do this until the spices and raisins are all used and incorporated into the dough, but don’t fold the dough more than you need to.
- Next, pinch off a piece of the dough and roll it into a ball with your hands.
- Squeeze the ball in between your thumb and fingers so the top of the roll becomes smooth.
- Place the dough, bottom down, on a lined baking sheet.
- Cover the buns with a dish towel and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes. If they don’t rise enough, let them continue to rise for up to 30 more minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Make the glaze: mix the egg white and milk and brush on the risen rolls.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- While buns are cooling, make the icing.
- Using an electric mixer, combine milk, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Mix until smooth and creamy. Place icing in pastry bag fitted with a circle tip. (you can also cut a hole in the bottom of a pastry bag.)
- Pipe two lines, one horizontally, one vertically, crossing in the middle of the bun.
Notes
If the icing is too thin, let it sit a minute to thicken, and add more powdered sugar until it’s thick enough to pipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1roll | Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 363mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 71IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg