These Chocolate Scorching Cross Buns are a scrumptious twist on a traditional Easter recipe. Wealthy chocolate taste with gentle and pillowy dough. Serve heat for a festive breakfast or at any time of the day for a decadent chocolate deal with!

What are Scorching Cross Buns?
Scorching cross buns are candy, spiced buns historically made with currants or raisins and marked with a cross on prime. Chocolate Scorching Cross Buns are a preferred variation of this Easter traditional made with chocolate dough and stuffed with chocolate chunks (or chips)! These buns are hottest in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Eire, particularly round Easter. Whereas they’re much less widespread within the U.S., you may nonetheless discover them, significantly in areas with a robust British or Irish affect. Historically, sizzling cross buns are eaten throughout Lent and on Good Friday, with the cross symbolizing the crucifixion of Christ.
I really like how these buns are tied to Easter traditions, with some cultures believing they carry good luck or guarantee lasting friendships when shared. I made a decision to change issues up this yr for Easter and provides these scrumptious chocolate sizzling cross buns a strive (together with my brand-new carrot cake cheesecake and fruit pizza)! I hope you do, too and love them as a lot as I did! I additionally extremely suggest that you just strive my lemon thumbprint cookies and raspberry lemon cake for Easter this yr!


Learn how to Make Chocolate Scorching Cross Buns
The Substances: This recipe is a bit detailed, so I’ve included loads of step-by-step pictures to assist information you thru! The complete recipe, with ingredient quantities and directions, is within the card beneath – the recipe beneath is simply an summary with useful step-by-step pictures. The photograph beneath exhibits each single components you’ll want—seize a screenshot on your purchasing listing!

Put together the dough: In a medium saucepan, warmth milk till steaming (however not boiling), then add butter and blend till melted. Put aside to chill barely. Within the bowl of a stand mixer, mix flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and yeast. Combine with a whisk. Test the temperature of the milk combination, then add it together with a frivolously crushed egg to the flour combination.


Combine the dough: Combine by hand till a tough dough varieties. Activate the mixer on the lowest velocity and blend for five minutes till the dough is clean and elastic. For hand kneading, knead on a floured floor for about 10 minutes.

Add chocolate chunks and blend for two minutes on low velocity, then work in any remaining chunks by hand.

First rise: Evenly oil a glass bowl and switch the dough into it. Cowl with cling wrap or a humid towel and let rise in a heat place for 1 to 1 ½ hours, till doubled in dimension.

Divide the dough into 12 equal parts: Put together a 13” x 9” baking pan with parchment paper. As soon as the dough has risen, flip it out onto a frivolously floured floor and divide it into 12 equal parts.
Second rise: Roll every portion right into a ball and place them within the ready baking pan with some house between every. Cowl the pan with cling wrap or a humid towel and let rise in a heat place for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The buns ought to puff up and contact one another.
Make the crosses: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. In a small bowl, combine flour and water to a toothpaste-like consistency. Switch to a piping bag and pipe crosses onto every bun.
Bake: Place the pan within the preheated oven on the center rack and bake for 20 minutes, or till the buns are darkish brown and springy to the contact. Take away from the oven. Warmth honey within the microwave for 10-15 seconds, then brush the nice and cozy buns with the honey.

Greatest Flour for Do-it-yourself Buns
I usually use bread flour for baking yeasted breads because it has the next quantity of protein and gluten which suggests your baked items can have a greater general texture. I’ve examined and made this recipe with all-purpose flour this time and it really works tremendous, too!
Learn how to inform when the Chocolate Scorching Cross Buns are performed?
As soon as baked the buns will likely be darkish brown and springy while you contact them. I like to recommend utilizing a thermometer: the inner temperature of the dough must be 190ºF.
Serving Strategies
These Chocolate Scorching Cross Buns are greatest served heat. Slice any leftover buns in half and broile for a minute or two on either side. I used honey for brushing, it’s also possible to use maple syrup. I like serving them simply as they’re however you may actually add butter or jam.
Storage Directions
Retailer in an hermetic container at room temperature 2-3 days. Chocolate Scorching Cross Buns may be frozen for as much as 3 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge then reheat within the oven or beneath a broiler.
Extra Easter Brunch & Dessert Recipes
- Lemon Blueberry Cake with Lemon Glaze
- Fruit Pizza
- Carrot Cake Cheesecake
- Puff Pastry Breakfast Egg Tarts
- Strawberry Blueberry Cake
- Ham & Broccoli Frittata
- Garlic Butter Dinner Rolls

Chocolate Scorching Cross Buns
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Substances
For the Buns
- 1 ¼ cups complete milk
- 3 ½ tablespoons butter
- 3 ¼ cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
- â…“ cup dutch processed cocoa powder
- â…“ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoons Immediate yeast or quick motion yeast
- 1 egg frivolously crushed
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
- ½ cup milk chocolate chunks or chips
For the Crosses
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons water
For Glazing
- 2 tablespoons honey
Directions
Put together the Dough
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In a medium sized saucepan warmth the milk till steaming, however not boiling then add the butter. The milk will likely be sizzling sufficient that the butter melts into it. Combine collectively then put aside.
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Within the massive bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment fitted, add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and yeast. Hand combine with a whisk to mix.
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Test the temperature of the recent milk combination (assuming it’s not too sizzling – see notes), pour the milk and frivolously crushed egg into the blending bowl then combine by hand to a tough shaggy dough.
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Flip the mixer on at its lowest velocity and blend for five minutes. It’s best to have a clean and elastic dough. If kneading by hand achieve this on a frivolously floured floor – this can take round 10 minutes.
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Tip within the chocolate chunks and blend once more on the bottom velocity for two minutes. The chocolate chunks can have largely included into the dough. If there are any free ones or tons poking by means of the dough, work them into the dough by hand.
The First Rise
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Evenly oil a glass bowl and switch the dough out into it. Cowl with cling wrap or a humid kitchen towel and depart someplace heat to rise till doubled in dimension. This can take 1 to 1 ½ hours relying on the temperature.
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Put together a 13” x 9” baking pan with parchment paper.
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When the dough has risen, flip it out onto a frivolously floured floor and divide it into 12 equal sections.
The Second Rise
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Roll the sections of dough into ball shapes then place them within the baking pan with some house in-between. Cowl the pan with cling wrap or a humid kitchen towel and depart to rise someplace heat as earlier than. This second rise will take 45 minutes to 1 hour relying on the temperature. After the second rise the buns can have hyped up and joined collectively.
Make the Crosses
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Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
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Add the flour and water to a small bowl and blend collectively till utterly mixed. The combination must be the consistency of toothpaste. If it’s not, add slightly extra flour or water till you attain the specified consistency. Add to a piping bag with the tip snipped off and punctiliously pipe crosses on prime of every bun.
Bake
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Place the baking pan within the preheated oven on the center rack. Bake for 20 minutes or till the buns are a darkish brown and really feel springy to the contact.
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Take away from the oven.
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Warmth the honey within the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
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Utilizing a pastry brush, coat the tops and sides of the buns with the honey whereas the buns are nonetheless heat.
Notes
- The milk temperature is vital: The milk must be heated to round 110ºF. When you no thermometer is offered, I love to do the finger dip take a look at by placing my finger into the milk. If it feels sizzling however not so sizzling I can’t depart your finger in there it’s tremendous to make use of. If it’s too sizzling it should kill the yeast so should you’re undecided at all times err on the aspect of warning and look ahead to it to chill down earlier than utilizing.
- The tools you’ll want to combine and kneed the dough: For the preliminary mixture of the dough to a “shaggy” dough use a danish whisk or your fingers. When you flip in your mixer to work the dough with the hook this can take 5 minutes however can be performed by hand and it’ll take round 10 minutes to attain a clean and elastic dough.
- First rise (proofing your dough): When it’s time to proof the dough (first rise) I like to recommend taking a photograph of it within the bowl, that manner you’ll be capable of decide whether or not or not it’s doubled in dimension. You are able to do this rise in a proofing drawer which is the optimum temperature or should you don’t have one you may flip your oven on to 120ºF let it warmth up then flip it off and put the dough in with the door closed.
- Dividing the dough into balls: You’ll be able to eyeball this or when you have some scales you may weigh them. Go for round 70g (2.5 ounces) every.
- Learn how to form the buns: To roll the dough into clean balls, take a piece and cup your hand excessive of it then utilizing a medium agency strain roll the dough on a piece floor till it’s clean and ball formed.
- Suggestions for making and piping the crosses: The consistency for the combination of the crosses is described within the recipe above. It must be thick sufficient that it doesn’t run when piped. Use a piping bag or squeeze bottle to pipe the crosses with as regular a hand as you may handle.
- Step-by-step pictures: I present tremendous useful step-by-step pictures ABOVE this recipe card. When you want a visible reference, scroll up!
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