These sourdough hot cross buns are a naturally leavened twist on a classic Easter treat. These soft, fluffy buns are full of warm spices, citrus zest, and raisins, then topped with a sweet apricot glaze. They are a must make recipe this Spring!
Give my sourdough discard cinnamon buns a try too for a delicious breakfast treat!
"Hot cross buns, hot cross buns".. is the song in your head yet? I have tried SO many times to master hot cross buns! For some reason, they have evaded me, and I think I mastered the recipe with these soft sourdough hot cross buns!
The key is, don't rush! My kitchen is different than your kitchen. In this recipe I say let the dough rise for 10-12 hours, but if you have a warmer kitchen, you might only need 8 hours, but if you have a cold kitchen, you might need 14 hours. Since this dough is made with milk, butter, and eggs, it's a heavy enriched dough. Give yourself time to make these, it's totally worth it!
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What are Hot Cross Buns?
Hot cross buns are lightly sweetened, spiced bread rolls traditionally served on Good Friday. They are marked with a cross on top, symbolizing the crucifixion, and usually have dried fruit and spices in them.
The sourdough version uses natural fermentation, instead of active yeast like cinnamon hot cross buns, which gives them a slight sourdough tang that we all love but still maintains that light, airy texture.
Ingredients to Gather
You only need a few pantry staples to make these yummy buns!
- Sourdough starter. Make sure it is active and bubbly. You can make your own sourdough starter, buy one, or get one from a friend like I did!
- Flour. You can use bread flour or all purpose flour. Both will work in this recipe. You'll need it for both the cross and the buns.
- Spices. Cinnamon, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice will be used in this recipe. You can buy pumpkin pie spice or you can make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice.
- Milk. Whole milk is 2% milk is best. You want a milk with a higher fat content so it helps make the dough soft. It should be warmed, not cold right out of the refrigerator.
- Raisins. Any dried fruit will work in this recipe. Sometimes you will see craisins or dried currants.
- Butter. Softened butter helps give the buns that delicious, soft crumb. Don't use butter that is too hard or it will not combine into the dough nicely.
Be sure to check out the printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.
Flavor Variations
- Use dried cranberries instead of raisins and add more orange zest for a bright, tangy flavor.
- Calling all chocolate lovers! Swap the dried fruit for dark chocolate chips for a sweet and indulgent twist.
- Go nuts! Add chopped walnuts or pecans for a little bit of a crunch.
- Mix in small chunks of dried apple and a bit of extra cinnamon for a cozy autumn vibe. Then serve it with my apple cinnamon sourdough bread!
- Replace the spices with lemon zest and a touch of ground ginger for a fresh, citrusy take. This would be a great option to make in the Summer.
How To Make Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
Make sure to start with a sourdough starter that is active and bubbly!
- Step 1: Combine the sourdough starter, warm milk, sugar, egg, and softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. In a separate bowl, add the raisins, orange zest, and orange juice. Let it plump up for a few minutes.
- Step 2: Add the flour, salt, spices, raisins, and orange peel. Stir until it comes together into a shaggy dough. Knead the dough for about 4-5 minutes on medium until it’s smooth and elastic. You can do this by hand or in a stand mixer with a dough hook.
- Step 3: Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise at room temperature for 8-10 hours, or until it doubles in size. Don’t rush it, this could take up to 12 hours! Overnight is best.
- Step 4: Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball and pop them into a greased baking dish, leaving a little space between them.
- Step 5: Cover and let the buns proof for 1-2 hours at room temperature. They should puff up nicely and start to touch each other.
- Step 6: Mix the flour and water into a paste, then pipe a cross onto each bun using a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the buns for 20-25 minutes until they’re golden brown and your kitchen smells amazing.
Heat the apricot jam and water together until smooth. Brush this glossy mixture over the warm buns for that perfect finish.
Lynn's Tip!
If you don't have apricot jam, use maple syrup! You can brush maple syrup directly onto the hot buns and will will give you that same stick outside that the apricot jam does.
Tips and Tricks
- Add a splash of milk if needed to bring the dough together or if you find it's a little too dry. Different flours absorb liquid differently, so feel free to add more milk especially if you are using a whole wheat flour for example.
- Don't skip the plumping of the raisins! It makes them juicy and prevents them from drawing moisture out of the dough.
- Don’t Overproof! Keep an eye on the final proof. Over proofing can make the buns deflate during baking. They should look puffy but not saggy.
- Weigh the dough before dividing to ensure all the buns bake evenly.
- When the buns touch each other after the second rise, they are ready to bake. Bake the buns close together in a dish so they touch while baking. This keeps the sides soft and fluffy.
Make Ahead Instructions
After shaping, you can refrigerate the buns overnight. Just make sure to cover them with plastic wrap. In the morning, let them come to room temperature and finish proofing for 1-2 hours before baking. This is great for freshly baked buns in the morning!
You can freeze the buns too! Bake the buns without glazing, cool completely, and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To serve, warm them in the oven for 10-15 minutes, then glaze before serving.
Refresh slightly stale buns by reheating them in a warm oven for 5-7 minutes. They’ll taste freshly baked!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but replace only up to 50% for a softer texture. Too much whole wheat flour will leave the buns dense and tight. You want a soft and fluffy bun.
Absolutely! Swap them out for chocolate chips or leave them out entirely. You'll still get a nice bun that is soft and full of cinnamon flavor.
No, the second proofing is really important for soft and fluffy buns. This is when they rise enough to touch each other.
More Breakfast Recipes
📖 Recipe
Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
For the dough
- 200 g Whole Milk
- 60 g Butter Softened
- 450 g All purpose flour
- 50 g Sugar
- 8 g Salt
- 150 g Active Sourdough Starter Bubbly
- 1 large Egg
- 100 g Raisins
- 5 g Vanilla Extract
- 2 g Cinnamon
- 2 g Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 2 Oranges Zested and Juiced
For the Cross
- 60 g Flour
- 50 g Hot Water More if necessary
For the Glaze
- 30 g Apricot Jam
- 15 g Hot Water
Instructions
- Make sure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the sourdough starter, warm milk, and sugar until dissolved. Add the flour, softened butter, egg, vanilla extract, spices, and salt. Mix until a rough dough forms.
- Meanwhile, soak the raisins in the orange zest and juice for 2–3 minutes.
- Add the raisins and juice to the bowl with the dough. Turn the mixer on medium speed and mix for 4-5 minutes until a smooth dough forms. You can also knead the dough by hand for 6-8 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
- Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise at room temperature for 10-12 hours, or until it doubles in size. Don’t rush it, good things take time! If your kitchen is cold, this might take up to 12 hours to rise. It is most important that it doubles in size. Overnight is a great option.
- After the dough has doubled in size, punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball and put them into a greased baking dish, leaving a little space between them.
- Cover and let the buns proof for 1-2 hours at room temperature. They should puff up nicely and start to touch each other.
- Mix the flour and water into a paste, then pipe a cross onto each bun using a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the buns for 35-40 minutes until they’re golden brown.
- While the buns are baking, heat the apricot jam and water together until smooth. When the buns are done baking, brush this glossy mixture over the warm buns for that perfect finish.
- Let the buns cool slightly before serving. They’re best fresh out of the oven.
Video
Notes
- This is an enriched dough, meaning there is butter, milk, and eggs in the dough. This will cause the dough to rise slowly. It can take up to 12 hours for the dough to rise completely, so make sure to give yourself at least a full day to make this dough. I promise, it's worth it!
- Once the buns have been divided and risen in the baking dish, you can place them in the refrigerator to rest until you are ready to bake them. They can hang out in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before you will need to bake them.
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