Slightly sweet hot cross buns are a traditional Good Friday treat.

Have you ever made hot cross buns?

What’s the Significance of Hot Cross Buns?

Easy Hot Cross Buns with sugar crosses on top on a board for serving

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

What Are Hot Cross Buns?

Our first attempts were surprisingly baddry, hard, and tough.

What Do Hot Cross Buns Taste Like?

Homemade Hot Cross Buns on a surface with sugar crosses piped on top

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

These buns are lightly sweet, and include ground spices, grated orange zest, and currants.

They taste warm and spicy with a touch of citrus.

The sugar crosses piped on top add another sweet note.

whisk the yeast for the hot cross buns and let sit until foamy

Elise Bauer

Make-Ahead Hot Cross Buns

These hot cross buns are best eaten fresh and out of the oven.

These buns do freeze well.

Wrap the buns in plastic and then aluminum foil, then freeze for up to a month.

The dry ingredients for hot cross buns: flour, salt, spices, and sugar

Elise Bauer

Thaw overnight on the counter.

Heat in a warm oven or microwave to take off any chill.

Let cool and pipe the crosses on top before serving.

Dry ingredients for hot cross buns in a mixing bowl after mixing

Elise Bauer

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Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.

Using a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of your mixer, mix the ingredients until well incorporated.

Add an egg to the dry ingredients for hot cross buns

Elise Bauer

The mixture should be shaggy and quite sticky.

Add in the currants and orange zest.

(If not using a mixer, use your hands to knead.)

Use a spoon to mix a the hot cross buns ingredients into a shaggy dough

Elise Bauer

Total kneading time should be about 7 minutes in a mixer or 10 minutes by hand.

Form a ball of dough in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Press down on the dough to gently compress it.

Hot cross bun dough after the currents and orange peel have been mixed in

Elise Bauer

Roll the ball of dough into a log shape and cut it into two halves.

Place one half back in the bowl while you work with the other half.

Take the dough half you are working with and cut it into 8 equal pieces.

Dough for easy hot cross buns rising in a bowl

Elise Bauer

Prepare egg wash by whisking together one egg and a tablespoon of milk.

You will want to make fairly deep cuts for the pattern to be noticeable after they’re done.

Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the dough mounds.

Risen dough for hot cross buns in a bowl

Elise Bauer

The egg wash will give them a shiny appearance when cooked.

Whisk together the milk and the powdered sugar.

Keep adding powdered sugar until you get a thick consistency.

Shaped hot cross buns rising on a baking sheet

Elise Bauer

Place in a plastic sandwich bag.

Shaped hot cross buns, risen and ready to go in the oven

Elise Bauer

Brush the top of the hot cross buns with egg glaze before baking

Elise Bauer

Shaped hot cross buns, risen and ready to go in the oven

Elise Bauer

Baked hot cross buns for Easter on a sheet pan

Elise Bauer

Piping the crosses onto the tops of the homemade hot cross buns

Elise Bauer

Two rows of Easter hot crossed buns cooling on a sheet pan

Elise Bauer