Description
Delight in these classic Hot Cross Buns, perfectly spiced with cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, studded with dried cranberries, and topped with a sweet orange glaze and signature icing crosses. This recipe yields soft, fluffy buns with a subtle citrus zest, ideal for Easter or any cozy brunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 1 packet of rapid active dry yeast
- 3 ½ cups of bread flour
- ½ cup of sugar
- ¼ cup of brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of allspice
- ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter (room temperature)
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup warm milk (110°F)
- ¾ cups dried cranberries
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- ½ tablespoon of milk
Glaze
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon orange juice
Icing for Crosses
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons orange juice
Instructions
- Sift and combine dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the bread flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Incorporate the yeast by whisking or using a dough hook to mix evenly.
- Prepare wet ingredients and mix: Heat the milk until it reaches 110°F. Add the unsalted butter, orange zest, egg, dried cranberries, and the warmed milk to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
- Mix the dough: Using a mixer on level 2, mix the dough for 5-8 minutes until it pulls away from the bowl and is sticky but not sticking to your finger.
- Knead by hand: Lightly flour a clean surface and knead the dough using the palm of your hand, folding it repeatedly until the dough springs back when poked without leaving an indentation.
- First rise: Place the dough in a floured bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until it doubles in size.
- Shape the buns: Once doubled, punch down the dough, roll it into a log, and cut into 10 even portions weighing about 3.2 ounces each.
- Form and rest: Roll each piece into a smooth ball with the seams down, place them on a parchment-lined 9×13 baking sheet, cover, and let rise again for about 1 hour or until doubled.
- Preheat and apply egg wash: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix one egg with ½ tablespoon of milk and brush this egg wash over the buns to encourage browning.
- Bake: Bake the buns for 22-25 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Apply glaze: Mix 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of orange juice to make a sticky glaze. Brush this over the hot buns and allow them to cool for 5 minutes.
- Pipe crosses: Prepare icing by combining ½ cup powdered sugar with 2 ½ teaspoons orange juice. Place the icing in a piping bag, cut the tip, and pipe the iconic crosses onto each bun.
- Serve: Enjoy the hot cross buns warm, ideally the same day for best freshness and flavor.
Notes
- Note 1: Using rapid active dry yeast speeds up the rising time compared to traditional yeast.
- Note 2: Incorporating yeast with flour and spices first ensures even distribution for consistent proofing.
- Note 3: Temper the milk to 110°F to activate the yeast without killing it; warm enough but not hot.
- Note 4: Letting the dough rise in a warm spot encourages yeast activity for a light, fluffy texture.
