Hot Cross Buns
These dense, tender and beautifully spiced buns are the perfect way to usher in the springtime. With notes of cinnamon, vanilla, and tasty bites of raisins, it's bursting with exceptional flavour!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Whole milk (3.25%, Homogenized) warmed
- 3½ cup bread flour leveled
- 2½ tsp Active dry yeast
- 1½ tsp ungranulated white or cane sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs room temperature
- ½-1 cup raisins
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp allspice
Top Flour Cross
- ½ cup bread flour leveled
- 8 tsp water
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tsps lemon juice OR milk OR orange juice
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, or using a stand mixer, whisk together yeast, sugar, and milk. Allow to sit for 7-10 minutes, or until there is foam on top.
- Add in the butter, vanilla extract, raisins, and eggs. Mix well.
- Combine the rest of the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Once combined, slowly add to batter, thoroughly mixing the entire time. The dough should be a little sticky.
- Knead the dough by hand or in a mixer using the dough hook for 3-5 minutes.
- Grease a large bowl, and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow it to rise in the oven with only the light on for ~1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
- When the dough is twice its original size, remove from the oven and punch down on it to release the air. Divide dough into 14-16 even-ish pieces, and shape them into smooth balls.
- Grease a 9x13' baking pan, and arrange the rolls in the prepared pan. Cover with foil, and allow to rise for another hour, this time on a countertop.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Top Flour Cross
- Mix the cross ingredients together, starting with 5 tablespoons of water, and adding more if needed. Once the texture is a thick paste, add to piping bag or a zip-lock bag and snip the corner. Pipe a cross onto each bun.
Baking The Rolls
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is a nice golden brown. Rotate the pan halfway through to get an even colour.
- Remove rolls from the oven and allow them to cool for 10 minutes.
Icing
- Whisk the icing ingredients together and brush onto the surface of each bun to create a beautiful glaze. Allow time to set, and serve. Enjoy!