By Genevieve Ko
- Total Time
- 4½ hours
- Rating
- 4(691)
- Notes
- Read community notes
With their signature crossed tops, these lightly spiced hot cross buns are a delicious symbol of the Easter season. Stories of their origin stretch back to ancient Greece and Egypt, and they’re now best known as an English bun, forbidden during the reign of Elizabeth I except on Good Friday, Christmas and at burials. In the 18th century, a passage in Poor Robin’s Almanack refers to “one or two a penny hot cross buns,” which has evolved into well-known rhymes and songs. Some buns have a sugary icing cross. This version showcases a chewier bread with a dough cross baked right in, so you can — and should — eat them hot. Studded with raisins and candied orange peel, they’re just sweet enough to be a breakfast or teatime treat. If you have orange blossom water, be sure to add it to the glossy top for its floral perfume that evokes spring. (Watch the video of Genevieve Ko making hot cross buns here.)
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Ingredients
Yield:12 buns
- 1¼cups/300 grams whole milk
- 2¼teaspoons/7 grams active dry yeast (1 envelope)
- ¼cup/50 grams granulated sugar, plus 1 teaspoon
- 3⅔cups/500 grams bread flour, plus more if needed (see Tip)
- 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1teaspoon ground ginger
- ½teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1teaspoon fine salt
- 4tablespoons/56 grams unsalted butter, plus more for the bowl and pan
- 1large egg
- ¾cup/120 grams raisins (see Tip)
- ½cup/78 grams diced candied orange peel
- 1¾teaspoons orange blossom water (optional)
- ⅓cup/50 grams bread flour (see Tip)
- 1tablespoon granulated sugar
For the Dough
For the Topping
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
291 calories; 6 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 53 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 217 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Make the dough: Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium until steaming. Remove from the heat. Transfer ¼ cup/60 grams hot milk to a small bowl and let cool to 110 to 115 degrees if needed, about 1 minute. It should feel lukewarm if you stick your finger in it. Stir in the yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. If the yeast doesn’t foam, it’s dead and won’t help the dough rise. (You’ll have to buy some more and start over if this happens.)
Step
2
Meanwhile, whisk the remaining ¼ cup sugar with the flour, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and salt in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the butter to the milk in the saucepan and stir until it melts.
Step
3
When the butter has melted and the milk mixture is lukewarm, pour it into the dry ingredients, along with the yeast mixture and egg. If using a stand mixer, beat with the dough hook on medium-low speed until a smooth elastic ball forms, scraping the bowl and hook occasionally, about 10 minutes. The dough should feel sticky but not stick to your hands. If working by hand, mix the ingredients with your hand until a shaggy dough forms, then knead in the bowl to form a shaggy ball. Transfer to a work surface and continue kneading until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. You shouldn’t need to flour your surface, but, if the dough is sticking to it, lightly flour as needed.
Step
4
Add the raisins and candied orange peel to the dough and knead them in until evenly distributed. Form the dough into a ball.
Step
5
Generously butter a clean large bowl and transfer the dough ball to it. Turn the ball to coat with the butter, then cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel. Let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1½ hours.
Step
6
Butter a 9-by-13-inch cake pan. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide into 12 even pieces (90 to 100 grams each) with a bench scraper, sharp knife or your hands. Form a piece into a ball by folding it over itself and pulling the stretchy dough over the fruit bits so they’re not sticking out. Once you have a smooth ball, pinch the seam at the bottom shut and place seam side down on the surface. Cup your hand over the ball and move your hand quickly in a circular motion to tighten the ball into a perfect round. Place in the prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and arrange the balls in a 3-by-4 grid, spacing evenly apart. At this point, you can cover the pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
Step
7
Open a large, clean unscented produce, recycling or garbage bag and slip the pan into it. Fill a tall glass with hot water, place next to the pan in the bag and tie the bag shut. (This creates a warm, steamy environment for the dough to rise.) Let the balls rise until their sides are touching, about 1½ hours (longer if the dough has been chilled).
Step
8
When the dough is almost done rising, heat the oven to 400 degrees.
Step
9
Prepare the topping: If using orange blossom water, stir 1½ teaspoons into ¼ cup/60 grams water in a small bowl. Add the flour and stir into a smooth paste. Transfer to a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag and snip a ⅓-inch hole in one corner. Pipe lines across the centers of the balls in one direction and then again in the opposite direction so that each ball has a cross.
Step
10
Bake until risen and browned, 20 to 22 minutes. The internal temperature of a center bun should register 190 degrees. While the buns are baking, heat the sugar and 1 tablespoon water in a small saucepan over medium until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ¼ teaspoon orange blossom water, if using. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush the syrup evenly over them. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
Tips
- You can substitute 4 cups/500 grams all-purpose flour for the bread flour in the dough and ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon/50 grams all-purpose flour for the bread flour in the topping. The buns may not rise as high while baking and the crosses may not stand out as much, but the buns will still be delicious.
- Use dark or golden raisins, whichever you prefer. If your raisins are dried out, you can make them plump and juicy again by covering them with very hot tap water (or just boiled water) and letting them stand while you prepare the dough, about 10 minutes. Drain well before kneading them into the dough.
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out of 5
691
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Cooking Notes
Jean21
FYI - Not all garbage bags or recycling bags are food safe even if they are unscented. https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/Can-I-cook-or-store-foods-in-a-trash-bag#:~:text=No.,be%20absorbed%20into%20the%20food.Master Class: You can DIY a proofing box by placing a loaf pan at the bottom of the oven and pouring 3 cups boiling water into the pan. Place the bread on the rack above, and keep the oven door closed. Do not turn on or heat. Food safe bags can be purchased on Amazon or other food websites
Bella
In England, we often slice them in half and butter them. Sometimes a bit of jam too.
Leitha
Better than raisins are tiny currants, which add a zing to the dough and are a more traditional ingredient, in my British-oriented book!
Snew
I followed the recipe exactly and buns were perfect, ever if I had to make my own candied orange peel before I could start! Notes say the recipe produces a chewier bun than typical. I didn’t find that to be true. Mine were quite light. Excellent texture. Also, using the exact same pan as in the photo, mine came out bigger than those in the photo. They are quite different from the ones usually served—they are not sweet at all unless one gets a bunch of raisins at once. They almost call for honey
Val
@Anna someone else suggested homemade peel. I had two oranges on the counter so it was a snap to make. Basically cook in water till soft, drain and then roll in sugar. I saved a few slices for a Manhattan, later. Oh and i used the orange syrup in the crosses and glaze.
Kathleen
I made these with 3 cups King Arthur whole wheat flour and 2/3 cup unbleached. I did not use candied orange peel, but grated orange zest. What a spectacular flavor! Otherwise followed the recipe. They were perfect. Measure in grams! It makes such a difference! A digital kitchen scale is worth purchasing, and a good quality one is not very expensive.
Juliet
The photos of these hot cross buns look much more authentic (i.e. like the ones in England) than Florence Fabricant's recipe for same. My only suggestion is about the raisins: use a mixture of currants and sultanas, if you can find them.
Val
Tip: don’t bake on Thursday morning, if you’re planning to eat them on Good Friday. The house smells intoxicating…
Petra
I see others have said this but it really needs to be added to the serving notes for the recipe: serve these split, and lightly toasted, spread with butter! It's essential!
Catherine
We always eat these in Ireland on Good Friday, too - and I eat them year round! I include a little nutmeg when making mine. As another commenter noted, they’re often eaten cut in half and spread with butter (salted butter, for me).
planetmiller
My first time making hot cross buns, which I love, and this recipe is a keeper! I had no candied orange peel so I made a quick batch, as I have made them before. They were perfect for the recipe albeit not fully dried. And then I used the leftover syrup from making them as a substitute for the orange flower water in the recipe. And at the end, used it to brush on the rolls as a glaze. They were superb!
Coo
Oh I haven’t thought of homemade hot cross buns for decades. My grandma made them every Easter (with the white icing cross). I think I may try these!
Misa
I used oat milk (Chobani) instead of regular dairy and had no problems. My buns rose nicely and I loved the sugar water glaze - it made them so shiny! I did find the paste was a little runny and next time will add a little more flour. Bread flour definitely gave the buns a wonderful texture!
d. Toronto
These were delicious and the kitchen smelled like a European bakery! After I formed the buns, I left them in the fridge overnight then left them to rise for about 90 minutes. Baked for 25 minutes, glazed them, they were perfect, used ingredients as per the recipe. This from someone who has never liked these buns!
Anna Hawkins
Candied peel is hard to find in USA so I use grated rind of a lemon.
Franny
I usually turn the drier on for 3 minutes, turn it off then use that as my proofing oven. Works a treat!
Bill
Asking those who used candied ginger: did you eliminate the ground ginger, or use both forms? Thanks!
Ims
Can someone adapt this recipe to have a tangzhong??? It would be amazing
Joe L
I followed this recipe to a "T", including the addition of the orange blossom water in the glaze - the buns turned out excellent with the prefect balance of sweetness and the right amount of spice. The texture is amazing, stretchy and fluffy. While these are surely traditional, some folks were put off by the pastry crosses and were looking for crosses made of icing like we get in the supermarket, so I am not sure what to do there, but these are amazing as they are.
Michele
Amazing! They went overnight in fridge and then sat on the counter for 2.5 hours before baking. I didn’t use the whole plastic bag business. I used fresh orange juice in place of half the water in the paste and the glaze, and also added a bit of orange zest to the glaze. Very satisfying and yummy bake!
Justin T.
Just made these for Christmas morning. As others have noted, they were wonderful and also quite a bit larger than those in the photo, which was perfectly okay. Made them through step 6 the night before and chilled them in the fridge overnight. Let them rise in oven with a steaming tray of water for 2 hours in the morning. Perfect recipe! Thank you Genevieve Ko!
Dawna
These were light and fluffy. I found the amount of peel lacking so next time I would double it the peel. I might increase the cinnamon and ginger too.
trish
I’ve baked HCBs before, all epic fails. Not this time. Following Genevieve Ko’s recipe & video produced stellar results. I’m in a happy hot cross place.
berkeley cook
Excellent recipe. I plan to use candied ginger next time. Orange blossom water is excellent. Could also do more 1tsp cardamom and 1/2 cinnamon.
Steph
Stale hot cross buns make a wonderful French toast.
Laura
I made a triple batch of these for fellowship hour on Easter Sunday. I followed Mary Berry’s suggestion to let the dough rise twice before shaping the buns. They were delicious. I’ll definitely be baking these again
Vida
The buns themselves are lovely. We aren't a big fan of citrus bread, so I skipped the candied orange peel. I also used instant yeast and just put all the ingredients together. The cross topping wasn't the greatest. I had to make 2 batches to have enough and they didn't look great after baking. I'll make these buns again, but next time I'll try a different cross topping.
Bubbles
Used zest of 2 oranges instead of candied orange peel (which I could not find & didn't feel like making)--worked fine. Substituted juice from the oranges 1:1 for the orange blossom water (also could not find). Rising time for the rolls after refrigerating overnight was 3 hours (step 7).
Claire213
Loved it. No additions to the expertly written recipe! I will say I couldn't find candied orange peel and didn't make it, but I did mix fresh orange zest with sugar directly on to the flattened dough in same step as she added the raisins/peels in the video. I added sugar, vanilla and orange extracts to the flour paste - just couldn't leave it plain and never found the orange blossom water so made something up. Finally I added both extracts to the simple syrup brushed on the end. Was excellent!
XMason
Huge hit! Like others I suggest making your own candied peel, as the resultant syrup serves as lovely fragrant glaze, and sweetener for the white crosses. Using a Meyer lemon peel also added a nice floral compliment to the spices. 1/4 tsp of nutmeg pairs well with the cardamom. If soaking raisins or currents, why not use rum? I did, and don’t regret it. These buns had a notably tender chew, perhaps due to the bread flour.
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