This recipe uses the Tangzhong method (similar to my recipe for Soft & Fluffy Dinner Rolls), a simple technique that makes bread extra tender and moist, while giving it that classic pull-apart texture. The method involves cooking a small portion of the flour with liquid (in this case, milk) into a thick paste before adding it to the rest of the dough. This step gelatinizes the starches in the flour, helping the dough retain more moisture during baking. The result is buns that are super soft, moist, and stay fresh much longer!
FAQ
Why is my hot cross bun dough so sticky?
Hot cross bun dough should be slightly tacky, but it shouldn’t stick heavily to your mixer or fingers. If your dough is very sticky, it is often under-kneaded. At the start, the dough will feel quite sticky, but after about 10 to 12 minutes of kneading, it should become smooth and elastic, begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl, and no longer stick to your fingers when lightly pinched. If this doesn’t happen, you can sprinkle in 1 to 2 tablespoons of additional flour. Be careful not to add too much, as excess flour can lead to dense, dry buns!
Why are my hot cross buns dense instead of soft and fluffy?
Dense hot cross buns are usually caused by adding too much flour or not allowing the dough to proof properly. To help prevent, measure your flour carefully, knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, and only add extra flour if absolutely necessary.
For the second rise, allow the buns to proof until nearly doubled in size and puffy. Taking the time to let them rise properly is what gives you soft, light, and fluffy buns instead of dense ones.
What is the traditional cross made of on hot cross buns?
Traditionally, the crosses on hot cross buns are made from a simple paste of flour and water. However, I find that adding a small amount of sugar and fat (such as vegetable oil) creates a softer, more tender cross and helps prevent it from becoming chewy or hard after baking.
Why are my hot cross bun crosses hard or chewy?
Chewy crosses are usually caused by over-mixing the paste, which develops gluten, or by using a paste that is too thick. Too much flour or not enough liquid can result in a stiff mixture that bakes up firm. To prevent this, mix the paste gently and add just enough liquid to create a thick but pipeable consistency. It should hold its shape but spread very slightly, which helps the crosses bake up soft and tender.
Can I make hot cross buns ahead of time and freeze them?
Absolutely! Prepare the buns as usual and allow them to cool completely. Store them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, then freeze. To serve, simply reheat in the microwave for about 30 to 60 seconds, until warmed through.
Preparing the Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together 3 ¼ cups of flour, ⅓ cup of sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and kosher salt. Set aside.
In a small bowl, add in your raisins and ⅓ cup of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 40 seconds. Set aside and allow the raisins to sit covered to rehydrate.
In a second small bowl, gently whisk one egg. Set aside.
In a third small bowl, add your butter and melt it in the microwave. Let it sit in the microwave while continuing through the recipe.
Preparing the Flour Paste (Tangzhong)
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add in ¼ cup of flour and slowly whisk in the milk to avoid lumps.
Heat the flour and milk mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly for about 5 minutes (depending on your heat), until it forms a thick gelatinous paste. Note: It will go slow at first, but keep at it until it thickens!
Once thickened, scrape out the flour paste into the bowl of your stand mixer using a rubber spatula and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Preparing the Dough
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add in ¼ cup warm water, ½ Tbsp granulated sugar, and the yeast. Whisk together with a fork and allow to sit for 5 minutes. It should begin to foam, which means the yeast is alive!
Next, drain any excess liquid from the raisins and add them in.
In the bowl of your stand mixer (with the flour paste) fitted with the dough hook attachment, add in the melted butter, flour mixture, beaten egg, yeast mixture, vanilla, and orange zest (optional). Mix until it forms a shaggy dough.
Mix on medium speed until the dough forms a mass and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
Important note: The dough will start off very sticky and will stick to the sides of the bowl and your fingers when touched. It can take 10 to 12 minutes (or more) for the dough to begin to come away from the sides so be patient. If it absolutely isn’t coming together, you can add in an additional 1 to 2 Tablespoons of flour, but use caution as too much flour can make your rolls dry. The dough should form one mass and stretch without braking and not stick to your fingers when pulled.
Empty the dough onto a very lightly floured surface and knead it 3 to 4 times into a ball shape.
Place it into a clean bowl greased with additional melted butter or vegetable oil. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for about 90 to 120 minutes, until doubled in volume.
Forming the Buns
Grease a 9″ by 13″ baking pan with melted butter or vegetable oil. Set aside.
After the dough has doubled in size, cut the dough into 12 equal portions and form each into a smooth ball, pinching any seams closed with your fingers.
Arrange each ball of dough, seam side down, into the greased baking pan. Cover with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for a second time for about 60 to 75 minutes, until they become puffy.
Baking the Buns
Preheat your oven to 350℉.
In a small bowl, whisk together 1 egg and 1 Tbsp of water. Gently brush the rolls with the egg wash with a pastry brush. Set aside.
In a second small bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and kosher salt with a fork until well combined. Next, add in the vegetable oil and continue to whisk until the mixture becomes the consistency of wet sand. Then, add water (1 Tbsp at a time) until the mixture forms a thick but slightly runny paste that can be piped from a piping bag, or a resealable plastic bag with the corner cut.
Pro tip: It is better for the mixture to be slightly on the runny side as opposed to extra thick. An overly thick paste can turn out chewy after baking.
Gently brush each roll with the egg wash.
Finally, pipe the flour paste mixture over top of each roll in a cross shape.
Place the rolls in the centre of your preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are nice and golden brown.
In the meantime, add the apricot jam and water to a small bowl and microwave it for 30 seconds or just until warm. Whisk the mixture with a fork.
Remove the rolls from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Invert the rolls onto a cooling rack (they will still be fairly hot) and brush on the glaze. Allow to cool to just above room temperature before serving.
Hot Cross Buns (Extra Moist & Fluffy)
Ingredients
For the Flour Paste (Tangzhong, for extra fluffy rolls)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
For the Dough
- Flour paste (from above)
- 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- ⅓ cup + ½ Tbsp granulated sugar, divided
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
- ¾ cup raisins
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted (plus more for greasing)
- ¼ cup warm water (100℉ to 110℉)
- 2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp orange zest (optional)
For the Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tbsp water
For the Flour "Cross"
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- ⅛ tsp kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
- 6–7 Tbsp water
For the Glaze
- 2 Tbsp good-quality apricot jam
- 1 Tbsp water
Instructions
Preparing the Ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ⅓ cup of sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon½ tsp ground allspice¼ tsp ground nutmeg1 tsp kosher salt
- In a small bowl, combine the raisins and ⅓ cup of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 40 seconds. Set aside and allow the raisins to sit, covered, to rehydrate.¾ cup raisins
- In a second small bowl, gently whisk one egg. Set aside.1 large egg, at room temperature
- In a third small bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Leave it in the microwave to stay warm while continuing through the recipe.6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Preparing the Flour Paste (Tangzhong)
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add in ¼ cup of flour. To prevent lumps, slowly whisk in the milk until smooth.¼ cup all-purpose flour1 ¼ cups whole milk
- Heat the flour and milk mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it forms a thick, gelatinous paste (about 5 minutes, depending on the heat).Note: It will seem slow at first, but keep whisking until the mixture thickens!
- Once thickened, using a rubber spatula, scrape out the flour paste into the bowl of a stand mixer (fitted with the dough hook attachment), and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
Preparing the Dough
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add in the warm water, ½ Tbsp of sugar, and the yeast. With a fork, whisk the mixture, then allow to sit for 5 minutes. (It should begin to foam; this means the yeast is alive!)¼ cup warm water2 ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- In the bowl of the stand mixer (containing the flour paste and fitted with the dough hook attachment), add in the melted butter, flour mixture, beaten egg, yeast mixture, vanilla, and orange zest (optional). Mix until it forms a shaggy dough.1 large egg, at room temperature6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted½ tsp pure vanilla extract2 tsp orange zest
- Drain any excess liquid from the raisins, then add them to the dough.¾ cup raisins
- Mix on medium speed until the dough forms a mass and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.Important: The dough will start off very sticky and will stick to the sides of the bowl (and your fingers when touched). It can take 10 to 12 minutes (or longer) for the dough to begin to come away from the sides, so be patient. If the dough isn’t coming together at all, add in an additional 1 to 2 Tbsp of flour, but use caution, as too much flour can make the rolls dry. The dough is ready when it forms a single mass, stretches without breaking, and doesn't stick to your fingers when pulled.
- Empty the dough onto a very lightly floured surface and knead 3 to 4 times into a ball. Place into a clean bowl greased with additional melted butter or vegetable oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise until doubled in volume (about 90 to 120 minutes).
Forming the Buns
- Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan with melted butter or vegetable oil. Set aside.
- After the dough has doubled in size, cut into 12 equal portions and form each into a smooth ball, pinching any seams closed with your fingers.
- Arrange each ball of dough, seam side down, into the greased baking pan. Cover the pan with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for a second time until puffy (about 60 to 75 minutes).
Baking the Buns
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- In a small bowl, prepare the egg wash by whisking together 1 egg and 1 Tbsp of water. Set aside.1 large egg1 Tbsp water
- In a second small bowl, prepare the flour "cross". Using a fork, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt until well combined. Add in the vegetable oil and continue whisking until the mixture becomes the consistency of wet sand. Add in water, 1 Tbsp at a time, until the mixture forms a thick but slightly runny paste that can be piped from a piping bag (or a resealable plastic bag with the corner cut).Pro tip: It's better for the mixture to be slightly on the runny side rather than too thick. An overly thick paste can turn out chewy after baking.½ cup all-purpose flour1 Tbsp granulated sugar⅛ tsp kosher salt1 Tbsp vegetable oil6–7 Tbsp water
- With a pastry brush, gently brush each roll with the prepared egg wash.
- Pipe the flour mixture over the top of each roll in a cross shape.
- Place the rolls in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the tops are nice and golden brown (about 20 to 25 minutes).
- In the meantime, in a small bowl, prepare the glaze by combining the apricot jam and water. Microwave for 30 seconds, or just until warm, then whisk with a fork until smooth.2 Tbsp good-quality apricot jam1 Tbsp water
- Remove the rolls from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Invert onto a cooling rack (they will still be fairly hot) and brush on the glaze. Allow to cool to just above room temperature before serving.
