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Perfectly Fluffy Hot Cross Buns Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 378 reviews

These perfectly fluffy hot cross buns are a classic spiced sweet bread studded with juicy sultanas and flavored with warm cinnamon and allspice. Soft and tender, they are traditionally marked with a flour paste cross and glazed with apricot jam for a beautifully shiny finish. Ideal for Easter or any cozy brunch, these buns are made with a tender dough that rises twice and bakes to golden perfection in the oven.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough Ingredients

  • 3 teaspoons instant or rapid rise yeast (9 grams)
  • 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
  • 1 1/2 cups (375ml) warm milk (full fat or low fat)
  • 4 1/4 cups (640g) bread flour (or plain / all purpose flour)
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
  • 2 teaspoons all spice OR mixed spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups (210g) sultanas
  • Zest of 1 to 2 oranges
  • 50g (3.5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 egg, at room temperature

Cross Paste

  • 1/4 cup (35g) extra bread flour
  • 1/2 cup (75g) flour (any white flour)
  • 5 tablespoons water

Glaze

  • 1 tablespoon apricot jam
  • 2 teaspoons water

Instructions

  1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, caster sugar, all spice, cinnamon powder, and salt using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook to combine the dry ingredients briefly.
  2. Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the melted butter, warm milk, egg, sultanas, and orange zest into the dry mixture.
  3. Mix Dough: Mix on speed 2 to combine ingredients, then increase to speed 4 and mix for 5 minutes until a smooth, elastic dough forms. Add the extra 1/4 cup bread flour gradually if the dough is too sticky, just enough for it to pull away from the bowl sides but remain slightly sticky.
  4. Knead Dough by Hand (Optional): If not using a mixer, dust a surface with flour and knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  5. Check Dough Texture: The dough should be smooth and stretch without breaking to ensure proper gluten development.
  6. First Rise: Cover the bowl with cling wrap and place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours depending on temperature.
  7. Prepare Baking Tray: Line a 31.5 x 23.5 cm (9 x 13 inch) tray with baking paper, leaving an overhang for easy bun removal.
  8. Deflate and Divide Dough: Punch down the dough to remove air, dust a surface with flour, roll into a log shape, and cut into 12 equal pieces.
  9. Shape Buns: Flatten each piece, gather edges to form smooth balls, and arrange smooth side up in a 3 by 4 layout on the prepared tray.
  10. Second Rise: Lightly spray cling wrap with oil, loosely cover buns, and place in a warm spot to rise for 30–45 minutes until the dough has increased by about 75%.
  11. Preheat Oven: During the second rise, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  12. Prepare Cross Paste: Mix the flours and water until a thick but runny paste forms, then transfer to a piping bag or small ziplock bag with the corner snipped.
  13. Pipe Crosses: Remove cling wrap from buns and carefully pipe crosses on top of each bun, following their curves.
  14. Bake: Bake buns for 22 minutes or until deep golden brown on top, signaling they are done.
  15. Prepare Glaze: While baking, combine apricot jam and water in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, stirring to combine.
  16. Glaze Buns: Once baked, lift buns using the paper overhang onto a cooling rack and brush the warm buns generously with the apricot glaze.
  17. Cool and Serve: Let buns cool until warm before serving for the best texture and flavor.

Notes

  • Use warm milk, not hot, to activate yeast without killing it.
  • If dough is too sticky during mixing, add extra flour gradually to achieve the right consistency.
  • Allowing the dough to fully rise at both stages is crucial for fluffy buns.
  • Orange zest adds a fresh citrus aroma that complements the spices perfectly.
  • Brush apricot glaze while buns are warm for a beautiful shiny finish.
  • Store leftover buns in an airtight container and reheat gently before serving.

Keywords: hot cross buns, spiced buns, Easter buns, sweet bread, cinnamon buns, sultana bread, homemade hot cross buns

Find it online: https://mjrecipe.com/perfectly-fluffy-hot-cross-buns-recipe/