Soft and Fluffy – best Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Is there anything better than ovenfresh fluffy soft rolls, like the best Hot Cross Buns you can make out of a bread mix? Our fluffy buns are created based on our EINBACK mix and make your bake as easy as it can be.

Do you know the roots of Hot Cross Buns? Well, there are many variations out there about when they came to light. Most stories are attributed to a monk in England between the 12th and 14th century who served those soft rolls on Good Friday. Today these fluffy buns are usually served towards Easter and around Christmas as symbol of Christianity. It’s even told, that in the 16th century it was forbidden by the Queen of England to sell Hot Cross Buns at any time other than Good Friday, Christmas and burials. Anyone caught had to donate them to the poor.


Best Hot Cross Buns – soft & fluffy made with EINBACK bread mix

Nowadays you can find them on the tables all year long and when you don’t want the spiced and crossed version, just let the spices, the crossing and/or raisins out and go plain. Make them smaller and spread the mini buns on two pans for soft dinner rolls or slider buns. Although they can be frozen after they’ve cooled completely, nothing beats ovenfresh.

How you make the fluffiest and best Hot Cross Buns

Following instructions makes you 12 fluffy buns baked in a 9×13 inch baking pan. NOTE: Use a digital scale to measure the water in gramm (oz NOT fl.oz)!

Add-ons:
3/4 – 1 Cup Raisins (to your liking)


Dough:
1/2 Bread Mix EINBACK

45 g / 3 TBS Cane Sugar

1/2 TSP Cinammon

1/8 – 1/4 TSP ea. Nutmeg, Allspice

—
150 g / 5.3 oz Milk (whole or 2%) just lukewarm
90 g / 3.18 oz Oil, neutral
3 eggs whisked

Glaze & Crossing:

2-3 TBS Apricot Jam

1 TBS (heaped) Flour


Birdview - Pre-measured ingreadients for Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
sticky dough in bowl of stand mixer with dough hook up
Step 1 – sticky soft dough
Birdview - two hands shaping dough ball into round with red dough scraper in right hand
Step 2
Birdview - raw dough ball in glass bowl with half-half picture for before-afer proofing
Proofing After – Before
Birdview - 12x raw and proofen dough balls in baking pan partially covered with foil
Shaped & Proofen
Close-up - proofen dough balls with flour-water mix cross - Hot Cross Buns
Flour-Mix Crossing

Instructions for making Hot Cross Buns

STEP 1 – Whisk lightly milk, oil and eggs, set aside.

Combine all dry dough ingredients in your mixing bowl, then add the liquid mix. Use a stand mixer with dough hook and knead on low to combine everything. Increase speed by 1 for 3 min, then increase again by 1 and knead another 1-2 min. The dough is very soft and sticks to the bottom of the bowl. Knead until the dough gets off the wall. (~10 min in total)

Scrape down the wall if necessary (with the machine turned off). Turn the speed back on low and add spoon-wise the raisins until incorporated.

STEP 2 – Bring the dough on a floured surface. Fold the dough from all sides into the middle like a package. Flour your fingers if it gets too sticky. Turn around the dough and shape it with the edge of your palm and a dough scraper into a ball. Place it in a clean bowl, cover with wrapping foil and let rest until 2-3x the size. (~90min depending on room temperature)

STEP 3 – Bring the dough back on a lightly floured surface. Flip the bowl over and let the dough slowly drop out, evtl help with the dough scraper. Now divide the dough into 12 equal pieces, 90 g / ~3.18 oz each (use a digital scale!), try in less cuts as possible.

TIP: When the dough dropped out like a disc, lightly press on top cut lines like cake pieces.

STEP 4 – Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or put baking paper onto the bottom.

Roll each dough piece into a ball and place all in the pan. Cover with foil and let rest for 35-40min until puffy. Then pre-heat the oven.

TIP to shape the rolls:

Tap the bottom of each piece lightly in flour. Bring the edges into the middle, turn it upside down so the smooth side is up. Now shape it into a ball while rolling it with a hollow palm; your hand forms like a claw and moves with the edge of your palm over the (flour-free!) surface.


STEP 5 – Now mix 1 TBS flour with just enough water to a lump-free paste. It should be on the thinner side but not too liquid as it would run away. Carefully draw a cross on each bun, use a small spoon to apply the paste.

STEP 6 – Bake the Hot Cross Buns for ~20-25 min until nicely browned, rotate the pan towards the end. Meanwhile, mix the jam with a little bit of water until smooth. Brush the buns with the jam while still hot.


How to serve fresh Hot Cross Buns

Finally, all the work is done and you can enjoy the softest and best Hot Cross Buns you can make at home. Let them at least cool down a bit so that the flavor has a chance to develop its full spectrum. Serve the fluffy buns with just a good butter (like Kerrygold or President) or add some jam to your liking. Pair with your favorite coffee, tea or grab a hot cocoa. Be warned, it’s very hard to stop eating these awesome soft buns!


primary view - Two halves of hot cross buns, one with butter is hold by right hand

Our version of the spiced Hot Cross Buns is made with the clean artisan bread mix EINBACK. 1 bag makes 2 batches of these soft rolls (24pc).