Scorching Cross Buns Recipe – Lauren’s Newest

April 17, 2025

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These Scorching Cross Buns are a gentle, frivolously spiced candy bread that’s been an Easter custom for generations. They’re good on Good Friday or any time you desire a heat, nostalgic deal with. The combo of spices, orange zest, and dried fruits provides them their signature taste, and the choice so as to add an apricot jam glaze is rarely a foul concept. Based mostly off of my Straightforward Sandwich Bread Recipe, these rolls are gentle, ethereal and unforgettable.

Scorching Cross Buns Recipe – Lauren’s Newest

Components Wanted For Scorching Cross Buns

Right here’s what you’ll want for these do-it-yourself sizzling cross buns. Measurements are within the recipe card, however right here’s the rundown:

Lively dry yeast + heat water + heat milk + honey – helps activate the energetic dry yeast. Goal for 107-110° F.
All-purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, salt
Unsalted butter
Raisins + navel orange zest
Milk
For the cross: a thick paste made out of all-purpose flour and sizzling water
Optionally available: melted apricot jam or orange marmalade for a shiny glaze

Variations

Swap and blend issues up relying on what you could have:

Use immediate yeast as a substitute of energetic dry (simply skip the proofing step)
Add lemon peel or orange peel as a substitute of zest
Substitute raisins with currants, sultanas, or mini chocolate chips
Attempt chopped candied peel for a extra conventional sizzling cross buns model
Use a bread machine or stand mixer to knead the yeast dough for those who’re brief on time
Skip the flour paste cross and do a easy powdered sugar icing as a substitute

The right way to Make Scorching Cross Buns

Whether or not you’ve been singing the nursery rhyme since childhood or it’s your first time baking them, this simple sizzling cross buns recipe will information you thru easy steps to get fluffy, golden brown buns with the traditional cross piped proper over the prime of every bun.

For this Scorching Cross Buns recipe, you’re going to want pantry staples and about 18 minutes of energetic prep time. The remainder of this journey is spent proofing and baking; I even have in a single day directions beneath if you wish to break this celebration up.

1. Make the Yeast Combination

In a liquid measuring cup, stir collectively the heat water, heat milk, yeast, and honey. Put aside to proof, 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the highest ought to look frothy and bubbly. This implies your yeast is ALIVE!

2. Measure out Flour, Sugar + Spices

Whereas yeast is proofing, measure out 3 cups of flour with cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, brown sugar, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook. Stir to mix.

3. Add in Bloomed Yeast Combination

Pour within the bloomed yeast and stir till it begins to turn out to be sticky. As it’s stirring, pour in melted butter. Proceed to ‘knead’, stirring in one other 1-2 cups of flour, little by little, till the dough pulls away from the edges and while you contact it it’s cheesy however gained’t go away residue in your fingers. (Ought to take about 6 minutes.)

4. Rise

Place right into a well-greased bowl, cowl with plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour or till doubled in measurement.

5. Add Raisins + Orange Zest, Type Rolls

Punch down dough, press into a big rectangle and fold in raisins and orange zest. Divide dough into 24 even balls (2 ounces every for those who wished to weigh) and place onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cowl gently with plastic wrap or a clear dish towel and rise one other 45 minutes to 1 hour or till doubled in measurement. Take away plastic wrap and brush every roll with milk.

6. Preheat Oven + Add Crosses on Scorching Cross Buns

You might have two choices for crossing your Scorching Cross Buns. The primary is the one I exhibit within the photographs and that’s within the recipe card, a flour paste that you simply apply BEFORE baking.

Preheat oven to 350° F. For the paste, whisk flour and water collectively till a thick, pipeable paste comes collectively. Assume barely thicker than white college glue consistency. (Chances are you’ll want so as to add in additional flour or water to get the correct consistency.) Spoon right into a piping bag or Zip prime bag, snip the tip, and pipe crosses throughout all of the rolls.

The opposite choice is an icing cross you apply AFTER the buns are baked.

Bake at 350° F for 20 minutes or till the rolls are good and brown.
Make a easy icing made out of milk, powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla extract OR use the browned butter icing I made for my Easy Scones recipe. Both are nice choices!

8. Bake

Bake at 350° F for 20 minutes or till the rolls are good and golden brown.

9. Add Glaze (Optionally available step)

To glaze rolls, soften apricot jam or orange marmalade within the microwave till its runny and brush over the tops. Serve heat or at room temperature.

In a single day Directions

What’s so good about this recipe is that it may be made forward of time by letting the dough rise in a single day! Right here’s the right way to make Scorching Cross Buns forward of time:

Observe the instructions throughout till after you could have formed the dough into 24 even balls. At this level, cowl the formed buns tightly with plastic wrap and retailer within the fridge for as much as 15 hours. The following day, a minimum of 3 hours earlier than you want them, take away the buns from the fridge. Hold them coated, and allow them to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours earlier than baking. Then brush with milk and proceed with the recipe directions.

This system means that you can break up the rising occasions and let the remainder of the baking happen the following day. That is good in order for you these rolls for breakfast and even throughout Easter lunch.

Storage + Make Forward Instructions For Scorching Cross Buns

Retailer in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 3 days. Refresh within the microwave for 10-15 seconds or heat in a 300°F oven for a couple of minutes.

Are you able to make them forward?
Completely. After the first rise and shaping into buns, cowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate in a single day. The subsequent day, allow them to come to room temp and do the second rise earlier than baking.

Are you able to freeze sizzling cross buns?
Sure! Allow them to cool fully, then retailer in an hermetic container or freezer bag for as much as 3 months. Thaw at room temp and heat earlier than serving.

What to Serve With Scorching Cross Buns

Grace your Easter Dinner desk with these recipes, together with Scorching Cross Buns!

Need extra buns, hun? Test these recipes out:

That is such a nice recipe to bookmark for this time of yr, particularly for those who’re wanting so as to add just a few extra Easter recipes to your assortment. Whether or not it’s your subsequent time making them or the very first time, this sizzling cross bun recipe has you coated. The printable recipe card is beneath, get pleasure from and blissful baking, associates! 🙂

If you happen to make this recipe, I might actually admire it for those who would give it a star score and go away your evaluation within the feedback! You probably have an image of your completed dish, put up it on Instagram utilizing the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.

Scorching Cross Buns

The proper mix of sweetness and spices, get pleasure from these traditional Scorching Cross Buns this Easter season. Topped with a cross and scrumptious glaze.

Directions

In a liquid measuring cup, stir collectively the nice and cozy water, heat milk, yeast, and honey. Put aside to proof, 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the highest ought to look frothy and bubbly.
Whereas yeast is proofing, measure out 3 cups of flour with cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, brown sugar, and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a dough hook. Stir to mix.
Pour within the bloomed yeast and stir till it begins to turn out to be sticky. As it’s stirring, pour in melted butter. Proceed to ‘knead’, stirring in one other 1-2 cups of flour, little by little, till the dough pulls away from the edges and while you contact it its cheesy however will not go away residue in your fingers. (Ought to take about 6 minutes.)
Place right into a well-greased bowl, cowl with plastic wrap and let rise 1 hour or till doubled in measurement.
Press dough into a big rectangle and fold in raisins and orange zest. Divide dough into 24 even balls (2 ounces every for those who wished to weigh) and place onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Cowl gently with plastic wrap or a clear dish towel and rise one other 45 minutes to 1 hour or till doubled in measurement. Take away plastic wrap and brush every roll with milk.
For the crosses, whisk flour and water collectively till a thick, pipeable paste comes collectively. Assume barely thicker than white college glue consistency. (Chances are you’ll want so as to add in additional flour or water to get the correct consistency.) Spoon right into a piping bag or Zip prime bag, snip the tip and pipe crosses throughout all of the rolls.
Bake at 350° F for 20 minutes or till the rolls are good and brown.
To glaze rolls (non-obligatory step), soften apricot jam or orange marmalade within the microwave till it is runny and brush over the tops. Serve heat or at room temperature.

Notes

In a single day Directions: Observe the instructions throughout till after you could have formed the dough into 24 even balls. At this level, cowl the formed buns tightly with plastic wrap and retailer within the fridge for as much as 15 hours. The following day, a minimum of 3 hours earlier than you want them, take away the buns from the fridge. Hold them coated, and allow them to rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours earlier than baking. Then brush with milk and proceed with the recipe directions.

Vitamin

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