Hot Cross Buns
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Soft, fluffy, and just sweet enough, these homemade hot cross buns are perfect for Easter or any cozy morning. Bonus: they keep nicely, so you can make them ahead.
Hot cross buns are soft, lightly sweet, spiced yeast rolls studded with raisins and finished with the signature cross piped on top. The name always makes me think of the nursery rhyme—and my kids learning to play it on the recorder at school (when my daughter struggled, my son suggested she just pretend to play along with the class so the teacher wouldn’t know). They have just enough sweetness to feel like a treat, and while they’re traditionally associated with Easter, they’re just as welcome at breakfast or with an afternoon cup of coffee.
The dough in this recipe includes a simple tangzhong paste—a quick mixture of flour and water cooked on the stovetop before being added. It takes just a couple of minutes but makes a noticeable difference, giving the buns a soft, fluffy texture. It also helps them stay fresh longer, so you can make them a day or two ahead without losing that just-baked quality—a definite plus for holiday baking.
What You’ll Need To Make Hot Cross Buns
To make homemade hot cross buns, you’ll need all-purpose flour, yeast, raisins, rum (for soaking the raisins), granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, allspice, salt, unsalted butter (melted), eggs, confectioners’ sugar, and milk.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the tangzhong. Start by measuring out your flour and adding it to the bowl of your stand mixer. Scoop out 3 tablespoons of that flour and add it to a small saucepan along with ½ cup of the warm water. Whisk until smooth, then cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens into a smooth paste—think pudding or thin mashed potatoes. Scrape it into a mixing bowl and let it cool until just warm.
Step 2: Plump the raisins. Combine the raisins with the rum in a small bowl, cover, and microwave until steaming, about 1 minute. Let them sit for about 15 minutes to soften, then drain and blot dry with a paper towel.
Step 3: Combine the dry ingredients. Add the sugar, yeast, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt to your measured flour. Give everything a quick mix on low speed—about 30 seconds—just to combine.
Step 4: Combine the wet ingredients. Add the remaining ½ cup warm water and melted butter to the tangzhong. Whisk to combine, then whisk in 2 of the eggs plus the egg yolk until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
Step 5: Knead the dough. Mix on medium-low speed until you have a soft, elastic dough that clings to the bottom of the bowl, 8 to 9 minutes. The dough will be sticky—don’t worry, that’s exactly what you want for soft, tender buns.
Step 6: Add the raisins. Reduce the speed to low, add the raisins, and mix until they’re evenly distributed, about 2 minutes. The dough will still be quite sticky, but you should be able to handle it. If it feels too wet, sprinkle in a little extra flour.
Step 7: Let rise. Lightly flour your hands and gather the dough into a smooth ball. Transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm, draft-free spot until it’s noticeably puffy and lighter in texture—2 to 3 hours. It may not fully double, and that’s okay.
Step 8: Shape and rise again. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball, tucking the raisins under the surface as best you can, and arrange them in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover and let rise again until puffy and just starting to press against each other, 1 to 1½ hours. Once they’ve risen, they’re ready for the oven—just brush the tops with a beaten egg before baking.
Step 9: Bake. Bake for 24 to 26 minutes, until they’re golden brown and the centers register about 190°F. Let the buns cool in the pan on a wire rack for about an hour, until just warm.
Step 10: Make the icing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and salt until smooth, adding a little more milk if needed. You’re aiming for a thick, pipeable consistency—more like a soft paste than a glaze.
Step 11: Ice and serve. Transfer the icing to a small zip-top bag, snip a tiny corner, and pipe crosses over the buns. If they’re still in the pan, pipe right over the top; if you’ve separated them, pipe each one individually. Serve and enjoy.
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Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
For the Buns
- 4½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off, plus more as needed
- 1 cup warm water, divided
- 1 cup raisins
- 3 tablespoons rum (or water)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast (this is more than one packet)
- 1¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 3 large eggs, divided (1 for brushing the buns)
- 1 large egg yolk
For the Icing
- 1 cup (4 oz) confectioners' sugar
- 3 to 4 teaspoons milk
- Pinch salt
Instructions
For the Buns
- Measure out the flour and place it in the bowl of your stand mixer.
- Make the tangzhong: Take 3 tablespoons of the measured flour out of the mixing bowl and combine it in a small saucepan with ½ cup (120 ml) of the warm water (from the 1 cup); whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to a smooth paste resembling pudding or thin mashed potatoes, about 2 minutes. Scrape into a medium bowl and let cool until just warm.
- Plump the raisins: Combine the raisins and rum in a small bowl. Cover and microwave until steaming, about 1 minute. Let sit until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain the raisins, discard the liquid, and blot dry with a paper towel.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the sugar, yeast, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt to the flour in the mixing bowl. Mix on low speed for about 30 seconds to combine.
- To the bowl with the tangzhong paste, add the remaining ½ cup (120 ml) warm water and melted butter and whisk to combine. Add 2 of the eggs and the egg yolk and whisk until smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and knead on medium-low speed until you have a soft, elastic dough that clings to the bottom of the bowl, 8 to 9 minutes. The dough will be sticky, which is normal—this is what gives the buns their light, tender texture. Reduce the speed to low, add the raisins, and mix until incorporated, about 2 minutes. If the raisins aren’t fully incorporated, finish mixing the dough by hand to distribute them evenly. At this point, the dough will still be quite sticky, but you should be able to handle it and shape it into a ball. If needed, sprinkle in additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing briefly just until incorporated (you may need up to ¼ cup (33 g) more flour; add only as much as needed to make the dough easy to handle). Lightly flour your hands and gather the dough into a smooth ball. Transfer to a lightly oiled large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until noticeably puffy and lighter in texture (it may not fully double), 2 to 3 hours.
- Grease a 9 x 13-in (23 x 33-cm) baking pan with nonstick spray. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter and divide into 12 equal pieces (about 100 g each). To shape, pull the edges of each piece into the center to form a little pouch and pinch to seal. Flip seam-side down, then gently roll under your hand to create a smooth ball. Tuck any exposed raisins underneath as best you can; if some peek through, that’s perfectly fine. Arrange the balls in the prepared pan, smooth side up, in 3 rows of 4. Cover loosely and let rise until puffy and pressing against one another, 1 to 1½ hours.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a small bowl, beat the remaining egg and brush the buns with it. Bake until golden brown (and the centers register 190°F/88°C with an instant-read thermometer), 24 to 26 minutes.
- Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool until just warm, about 1 hour. Run a thin knife around the edges to loosen. You can either lift the buns out of the pan and separate them, or leave them in the pan for a more rustic presentation.
For the Icing
- Combine confectioners’ sugar, 3 teaspoons milk, and salt in a small bowl and whisk until smooth, adding more milk as needed. The icing should be very thick, like a soft paste.
- Transfer the icing to a zipper-lock sandwich bag. Snip a small (about ⅛-inch) opening in one of the bottom corners and pipe lines across the buns to form crosses. If the buns are still in the pan, pipe directly over the top; if removed, pipe over the individual buns. Serve.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made these for my family, and they loved them! I always thought hot cross buns were daunting and for experienced bakers, but your step by step instructions are clear and easy to follow. I was intrigued by the Tangzhong paste, and the rum soaked raisins…two steps that should not be missed. We will be enjoying these for years to come! I enjoy your blog and look up recipes from you often!
It’s Good Friday and I was inspired to try these despite my fear of yeast baking and only having a hand held small mixer (with teeny dough hooks). I found the recipe so easy to follow and although they take a while with all the proofing time, they look AMAZING! (No rum, so used Cointreau instead and a dried fruit mix with citrus peel )
Just out of the oven and we look forward to eating tomorrow when friends pop in for coffee.
Thank you, Jen – I can’t tell you how much I love your recipes and how you have improved my cooking and entertaining skills!
Happy Easter to all!
Hi Jenn, I was wondering if the dough in this recipe could be made the day ahead. I plan to bake for Easter . I love your recipes and can always count on them being delicious
Hi Cynthia, so glad you like the recipes! Yes, I think you could make the dough and shape it into buns a day ahead and refrigerate it overnight. I’d bring it to room temperature before baking. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you make them!
Jen; you did it again! Over the years I basically gave up on hot cross buns because they always turned out poorly tasting bland, dry, hockey pucks. Yet hope springs eternal and I saw your recipe. I’m also a fan and have such respect and confidence in your brilliance that yesterday I baked your hot cross bun recipe. I didn’t have rum on hand so I used cherry brandy. That’s the only thing I altered. Amazing! These rolls are so delicious!!
Tender, lightly sweet and spiced they could not be better! Thank you so much!! Leave it to a sweet Jewish girl to perfect a traditional Easter bread. You are absolutely the best!!
💕
Hi Jenn –
First of all, wanted to let you know that I am your fan….BIG Fan especially your dessert recipes. Honestly, I just started baking roughly 2 months ago and your Key Lime Pie recipe was where I originally found you and since then I have been baking 2 – 3 times per week via 10 recipes or more and still have 30+ saved in my favorites to try next. I received a notification earlier this week about the new recipe to try, Hot Cross Buns. I did it this morning. I followed your instruction to the tee, everything was great, taste, smell, look, honestly everything except the texture. They are very dense and heavy buns. I thought the texture would be light and fluffy somewhat similar to dinner rolls, that kind of lightness and fluffiness. But they are totally opposite. The textures are more like New York Style Bagels, Heavy and Chewy which is good and delicious if that what I should expect and how it is supposed to be. However, if the texture is supposed to be light and fluffy instead, I would like to understand how I did wrong in the process of making it. I am brand new in baking so any guidance that you could provide is greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipes. Did I tell you that I bought and own both of your cookbooks. Have them on my nightstand and totally love them. Sincerely, Apple
Hi Apple, Thank you so much for your kind note. I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipes! Hot cross buns are richer than typical dinner rolls, so they won’t be quite as light and airy. That comes from the butter, sugar, and eggs in the dough. That said, they definitely shouldn’t be dense or chewy like bagels. The texture for this recipe should be somewhere in between—think soft and fluffy, but still a bit substantial.
If they turned out dense, it’s usually a sign that the dough didn’t rise quite enough or that a bit too much flour was added. This dough is meant to be a little sticky, and that’s what helps give the buns their soft texture.
Since you mentioned you’re new to baking, one thing to watch is how the flour is measured. Be sure to use the spoon-and-level method: fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the container can pack in too much flour and lead to denser buns. If you have a kitchen scale, weighing the flour is even more accurate—you can click the “metric” button in the recipe card to see the weights.
Hope all this helps! 🙂
Hi Jenn –
Thank you so much for providing the explanation especially the “spoon-and-level” tip. I am planning for a 2nd try making another batch of Hot Cross Buns this weekend to celebrate the Easter. I will definitely keep you posted. Hope you and your family have a fantastic Easter! Sincerely, Apple
Sounds great, Apple – please report back!
Hi Jenn –
OMG!!!! I did it 2nd time in that morning of Easter Sunday and it came out perfectly and exactly just the way you described and how it is supposed to be. Unlike the 1st time where the dough looked and felt like Pretzel Dough (Not sticky at all), but in the process of making it 2nd time particularly when the dough was kneading, I noticed it right away that the dough was sticky and stuck the to bottom of the mixture bowl. Even with that, I did not add any more flour at all since I was scared of being too much flour like the 1st time. They came out perfectly 2nd time. These buns are delicious and irresistible. Really appreciate your guidance and tip on this Jenn. Thank you very much!!!!!
So glad to hear that with some small tweaks, you got a great result – thanks for taking the time to report back!
They were excellent! Perfect for Good Friday’s fish cakes but I will need to make another batch before.
Great recipe! Easy to follow and end product better than any high end bakery!
Perfect for Easter brunch
This looks good, particularly with the use of Tangzhong. The metric equivalents are missing, though, for flour, sugar, butter, and liquid. Likely a glitch in the algorithm used to do the conversions.
Thanks so much for catching that, William – the issue is resolved. 🙂