Soft and Fluffy Hot Cross Buns
[ see recipe VIDEO below ] Fluffy and soft, Hot Cross Buns are a treat any time of year but make Spring holidays feel extra special. Naturally sweetened with maple syrup, these buns are infused with flavor from lemon and orange zest with spice highlights from cinnamon and a touch of cardamom. Dotted with currants soaked in rum or water, these yeasted buns can be made and baked on the same day or overnight for ultimate ease. Finished with an easy-to-make lightly sweetened vanilla-orange mascarpone cross or a powdered sugar drizzle. This recipe is vegetarian and easily dairy free.
Nutrition Facts
Ingredients
Instructions
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Continue Reading at Vanillaandbean →Chef's Notes
*I use Red Star Quick Rise Yeast (aka Instant Yeast). You can use Quick Rise Yeast or Instant Yeast interchangeably.
**Currants are smaller than raisins and I prefer them in sweet buns, but they can be hard to find. Look for currants in the bulk bins or use raisins instead of currants.
TIP: Since kitchen temperatures vary, and in order to allow the buns to rise in a timely manner, you can use your oven to help control this process especially if your kitchen is on the cooler side. Simply turn on your oven light and place the covered dough into the oven. This will help the dough rise a bit quicker. This technique can be done for the first (fermentation) and second rise (proof).
For the Optional Drizzle:
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons powdered sugar (sifted), 1 1/2 tablespoons milk or orange juice, 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Method: In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, or orange juice, and cinnamon. If it’s clumpy, keep whisking until smooth. If holding for more than 10 minutes place plastic wrap right on the surface of the mixture, otherwise it will dry out and start flaking. After the buns cool for about 5-10 minutes, use the tines of a fork to drizzle the mixture over the buns.
How to Store and Reheat Hot Cross Buns:
With Icing/Drizzle: If finishing the buns with the mascarpone cross or simple sugar drizzle, they’ll need to be refrigerated or frozen within a few hours of piping the cross or drizzling since mascarpone and milk are perishable. They reheat well either way – but the cross/drizzle will melt in a hot oven.
Without Icing/Drizzle: you can store the buns covered at room temperature for up to three days. After reheating, serve the mascarpone icing or drizzle on the side for slathering/drizzling.
Reheat: these buns reheat beautifully. Simply place the buns in a parchment lined baker, cover with foil and reheat at 375 Fahrenheit (190 Celsius) for 20-30 minutes. They can go from freezer to oven!
Kitchen Tools: for the best outcome, I recommend an oven thermometer and weighing your ingredients using a digital kitchen scale (affiliate link).
This recipe was inspired by Bouchon Bakery and Bo Fryburg’s Pastry Chef (affiliate links)
The nutrition below is only for the buns. Icing or drizzle is extra!
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Reviews from the Original Source
Made these yesterday and baked them this morning for Easter breakfast. They are delicious, I may have baked them too long, as they were a little on the dry side. Excellent with a cup of coffee.
Super recipe with great instructions. I served them to friends this morning and they received rave reviews!
These were beautiful. Light, full of flavor, moist. They will be my new Easter tradition. I was so so happy with them! I didn't have an orange so I soaked the currents in grand marnier. In the excitement of taking them out of the oven, I forgot to put the icing on. However, we loved them without! Thank you Traci - yet again :)
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