• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Lynn's Way of Life
  • CCPA Notice
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Fall Recipes
  • Meet Lynn
  • Privacy Policy
  • Recipe Index
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal Recipes for the Whole Family
  • Spring Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Summer Recipes
  • Supplemental Privacy Policy for Nevada Residents
  • Web Stories
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Fall Recipes
  • Meet Lynn
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Fall Recipes
  • Meet Lynn
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Recipes » Recipes » Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

Published: Apr 1, 2021 · Modified: Apr 5, 2023 by Lynn Polito · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Sharing is caring!

114 shares
  • Facebook23
  • Twitter
Jump to Recipe

Full of vanilla soaked cranberries and raisins, these Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns are a perfect addition to any brunch table. Serve them warm for the most delicious flavor and texture.

Buns are best served with tea or coffee and served immediately

Hot cross buns are a perfect treat to serve on any Spring day. They would be perfect on a buffet table with this Strawberry Crunch Cake, Blueberry Bisquick Coffee Cake, and this Instant Pot Carrot Cake!

What's in these Buns?

Hot Cross Buns are traditionally served around Good Friday and originated in England. They are full of spices and dried fruit, in this case raisins. According to this website, the hot cross bun goes back as far as the 12th century and cross symbolizes Jesus, and that is why they are traditionally served on Good Friday. Now, people eat them throughout the Lenten season and beyond.

Ingredients For Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

Dried Fruit- For this recipe, we are using raisins and dried cranberries. You could use currants as well if that is what you prefer. It's important to just make sure you have some sort of dried fruit. To plump of these dried fruit, we are adding vanilla to them to add even more flavor.

Instant Yeast- To be honest, I tried making this with sourdough starter and it just did not work. Instant yeast is reliable and as long as the milk is not too hot when you are activating it, works perfectly. Another important tip, make sure that the yeast and the salt are not touching when you combine it together. If you put the salt directly on top of the yeast, the salt will kill it. So mix the yeast with the milk first, and then sprinkle the salt over the mixture.

Cinnamon- The spices are really what make these buns so special. Pumpkin pie spice works perfectly here because it already has lot of amazing spices in it, like cinnamon and nutmeg. To up the cinnamon flavor, I added even more cinnamon to the buns. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with cinnamon!

Apricot Jam- The apricot jams makes these fluffy buns have a sweet and delicious crust on top. Make sure to add the apricot jam glaze as soon as they come out of the oven so the jam melts nicely and gets in all the cracks and crevices.

The light and airy texture of the hot cross buns

How To Make Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

First, we need to plump up the dried fruit. In a small bowl, add the raisins and dried cranberries and top with one tablespoon of vanilla. Add enough warm water to just cover the fruit. Let that sit for a few minutes while we make the rest of the dough.

You will need a stand mixer for this recipe. If you don't have one, you could do this by hand, but it will be quite a workout. The stand mixer does all the hard work for you.

Add the warmed milk (just warmed to room temperature), yeast, and one tablespoon of sugar to the bowl of the stand mixer. Let that sit for about five minutes until it gets frothy. The sugar is feeding the yeast and waking it up.

Once the yeast is frothy, add the rest of the sugar, eggs, and melted butter. Mix that to combine the ingredients. Add the flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Turn the mixer onto low and gently combine that.

Strain the raisins and dried cranberries and discard the liquid. Add them to the mixing bowl and knead the dough for five minutes. You'll want to do this by turning the mixer on medium. The dough will be sticky but it should come together as a large dough ball when it s done. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours, until it has at least doubled in size.

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and get ready to cut the dough into twelve equal pieces

Shaping the Buns

Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down so you deflate the dough a bit. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and press it so it becomes a rectangle on your counter. Cut the dough into twelve equal pieces. Shape dough into twelve dough balls and place them in a greased 9x13 inch pan.

This is the one I have and I absolutely adore it. The dough balls should barely touch. Once all the balls are in the pan, cover it with plastic wrap again and let it sit at room temperature for one hour. At this point, once the dough has risen the balls will be touching and that is what you are looking for.

The hot cross buns should barely be touching when they are in the pan and ready to rise again

Making the Paste for the Crosses

To make the paste for the crosses, combine one cup of all purpose flour with two tablespoons of sugar, four tablespoons of milk, and four tablespoons of water. Mix to combine and get as many lumps out as you can. Add the paste to a piping bag fitted with a medium tip.

If you want to make these more fancy, you can add a ridged piping tip. If you don't have a piping bag, simply add the paste to a gallon Ziploc Bag. Cut off one corner of the bag and push the paste to that side so it will come out the side you have cut. Set the paste aside while we shape the buns.

Pipe a cross by piping one line down, and then one line across all the buns

Baking the buns

Now that the buns have risen in the pan, it's time to pipe the crosses. With your piping bag or Ziploc bag, pipe one long row across the four buns. Do that for all three rows. Then pipe a shorter line across the three buns. Do that four times. You will now have the traditional cross for the top of the buns.

Crack one egg and discard the yolk. Add one tablespoon of water and mix that around. With a pastry brush, paint the egg white mixture over the buns, being careful not to disturb the crosses you just piped.

Place in a 375 degree preheated oven for 35-45 minutes. You will know the buns are done when they are golden brown or when the inside of them measures 185 degrees with in internal thermometer.

Glazing the Buns

Mix two tablespoons of apricot jam with two tablespoons of water. It should form a glaze that is easily brushed on the buns. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush the glaze over the buns. These buns are best served immediately and piping hot. Enjoy!

After the cinnamon hot cross buns are out of the oven, brush with the apricot glaze

Questions about Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

Can I make these ahead of time?

If you wanted to make these ahead of time, I would suggest making them as the recipe stated up until you pipe the crosses. Once you pipe the crosses, put them in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap. In the morning, bake them off and then glaze them. They really do not freeze well and they are best immediately out of the oven.

Can I use other types of fruit?

Sure! Currants are traditional, but you could used pieces of dried apricots or just raisins if you did not have any dried cranberries on hand.

Can I make these without a stand mixer?

Definitely! Like I mentioned above, you'll definitely get your workout in! You'll need to knead the dough for about 10 minutes to get the same kneading as the stand mixer. It's definitely possible, but the stand mixer just makes it much easier.

Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

Other Recipes to Try

Did you love these Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns? I’d love to hear from you! Give me a shout on Instagram or Facebook and let me know (@Lynnswayoflife) !

  • Baked Peanut Butter Donuts
  • Nutella Swirl Cheesecake Bars
  • Irish Soda Bread
  • Brown Butter Blondies

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn small commission from qualifying purchases, however this is at no cost to you.

📖 Recipe

Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns are best served with tea or coffee

Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

Full of vanilla soaked cranberries and raisins, these Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns are a perfect addition to any brunch table. Serve them warm for the most delicious flavor and texture.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 Buns
Calories: 355kcal
Author: Lynn Polito

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Whole Milk Warmed to room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon Instant Yeast
  • ½ Cup Sugar
  • ½ Cup Raisins
  • ½ Cup Dried Cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon Vanilla
  • 5 tablespoon Butter Melted
  • 2 Eggs
  • 4 ¼ Cups All Purpose Flour
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1 Egg White For Brushing

To Make the Paste for the Crosses

  • 1 cup All Purpose Flour
  • 2 tablespoon Sugar
  • 4 tablespoon Milk
  • 4 tablespoon Water

To Make the Apricot Glaze

  • 2 tablespoon Apricot Jam
  • 2 tablespoon Warm Water

Instructions

To Make the Buns

  • In a small bowl, add the raisins and dried cranberries. Add 1 tablespoon of vanilla and cover the raisins and cranberries with warm water. Let that sit while you make the buns.
  • Combine the milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Let that sit for five minutes.
  • After the five minutes is up, add the rest of the sugar, eggs, and melted butter to the stand mixer. Mix to combine.
  • Add the flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Turn the mixer on low and slowly combine.
  • Drain the raisins and cranberries with a strainer and discard the liquid. Add the now plumped cranberries and raisins to the dough.
  • Turn the stand mixer on medium and knead the dough for five minutes.
  • After the dough has been kneaded, cover with plastic wrap and let that rise at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours. The dough will be doubled in size when it is done.
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to let some air out and lightly flour your counter. Empty the dough onto the counter and spread it into a square. Cut the dough into 12 pieces.
  • Grease a 9x13 inch pan with butter all over so the buns do not stick.
  • Shape the 12 pieces of dough into 12 individual dough balls. You can do this by folding the balls over and into themselves. Place the dough balls in the 9x13 inch pan. They should barely be touching. Do not overcrowd them.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for another hour. The balls will rise and start touching each other and that is what you are looking for.
  • In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375°.

To Make the Paste for the Crosses

  • Combine the paste ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix until most of the lumps are gone. Add the paste to a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice.
  • After the hour is up and the dough balls have risen enough that they are touching, pipe crosses onto the top of them. You will want to do one long piping across the four buns, and then another shorter pipe across the three buns to make crosses on each.
  • Mix an egg white with one tablespoon of warm water and brush the tops of the buns.
  • Place the buns in the over for 35-45 minutes depending on your oven. The buns should be browned and the temperature of the inside of the buns should be 185° when they are done.

To Make the Glaze

  • Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush them with the apricot glaze all over.
  • Serve the buns warm. Enjoy immediately!

Nutrition

Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 169mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 234IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @LynnsWayofLife or tag #lynnswayoflife!
« Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars
Spring Pea Risotto »

Sharing is caring!

114 shares
  • Facebook23
  • Twitter

Subscribe

for your weekly recipe fix.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hey there! I'm Lynn and I'm based just outside of Boston. I'm a wife and mom of two with a passion for cooking and creating homemade food for my family.

Whether it's creating new recipes, or exploring tried and true classics, I am constantly trying to show that homemade doesn't have to be hard

More about me →

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Pinterest

People are Loving!

  • A piece of the stack of pancakes with self-rising flour is on a fork.
    Fluffy Pancakes (With Self-Rising Flour!)
  • The banana bread with self rising flour is cut into slices and is on a cutting board.
    Banana Bread Recipe with Self-Rising Flour
  • An overhead shot of the Instant Pot Shrimp Scamp in a bowl
    Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi Recipe
  • A fork and knife are cutting into the waffle.
    Waffles With Self Rising Flour
  • The sourdough pretzel bites are on a tray with mustard
    Sourdough Pretzel Bites
  • An overhead shot of the muffins in a muffin tin.
    Easy Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Fall Favs!

  • An overhead shot of a wooden spoon showing the texture of the Instant Pot Apple Butter
    Instant Pot Apple Butter (No Peel!)
  • A spoonful of apple sauce is taken out of the bowl
    The Easiest Homemade Chunky Applesauce
  • A close up of a slice of cake and a piece on the fork.
    Applesauce Coffee Cake With Streusel Topping
  • A straight on shot of the Instant Pot Pear Butter in a jar.
    The Easiest Instant Pot Pear Butter
  • Two 3 ingredient apple spice muffins are on a square plate with apples in the back.
    3 Ingredient Apple Muffins (with Cake Mix!)
  • The sourdough pumpkin cookies are piled on a ceramic cutting board
    Soft Sourdough Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • What is Lynn's Way of Life

Let's Connect!

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook

Contact

  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy
  • Cookie Policy

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 Lynn's Way of Life