Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One ha’ penny, two ha’ penny,
Hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters,
Give them to your sons
One ha’ penny,
Two ha’ penny,
Hot Cross Buns!
Hot Cross Buns are a delicious spiced bun traditionally made on Good Friday in countries all over the world. Each bun is marked with a cross on the top to symbolize and remind us of the crucifixion of Christ. They are also packed with spices to signify the spices that were used on Jesus during the burial ritual. Another intriguing addition to the recipe is the use of orange zest. The addition of this citrus fruit is meant to remind us of the bitterness that comes with the cross.
These delicious and theologically rich Hot Cross Buns are a Good Friday tradition for us. On this day we typically seek to maintain one hour of silence as we mourn the death of Jesus, and during that hour I make these. They also provide simple sustenance for a day of fasting and abstaining. I usually make soup to go along with them too.
If you'd like to learn about the meaning behind Good Friday and receive more ways to live liturgically, you can read that here. And you know that I couldn't do this without making a full guide to Holy Week for you which you can find here.
hot cross buns recipe, catholic good friday, lent
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Bake Time: 22 minutes
Rise Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yields: 12 buns
2 packages of active dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup warm milk (between 105-110 degrees)
4 1/2 cups flour
2 tsps cinnamon
2 tsps allspice
1 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup currants (or raisins)
2 eggs
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp apricot jam
2 tsps water
Activate the yeast. In a medium size bowl, combine 2 packages of active dry yeast, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 1/4 cup milk warmed to a temperature between 105-110 degrees. Whisk these three ingredients together then cover the bowl with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 5 minutes. Note: After about five minutes the yeast should look foamy.
In your stand mixer with the dough hook attached, thoroughly whisk together 4 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsps cinnamon, 2 tsps allspice, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp nutmeg. You could also sift these ingredients together.
Then take 1/4 cup butter and crumble it into the flour mixture with your hands.
Into the flour mixture add in 2 eggs, 1 1/4 cup currants (or raisins), and the yeast mixture. Yummy looking isn't it?
Combine with the dough hook on medium speed for 3-4 minutes or until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl. Note: If the dough is not pulling away, I sprinkle in more flour one tablespoon at a time.
Then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter surface and knead for another 3-4 minutes or until the dough is smooth and springy. Poke it with your finger to test it out!
Take a large bowl and with cooking spray of your choice, give it a good grease. I use avocado oil. Then place the dough into the bowl rotating it around until it is completely coated.
Cover it with a tea towel, set it in a warm place, and let it rise for 45 minutes to an hour.
When the hour is finished, the dough should be doubled in size. Punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured counter.
Roll the dough into a large smooth ball, and with a pastry cutter, butter knife, or bench scraper cut the dough into 12 even pieces. This is the bench scraper that I use, highly recommend for its quality.
To form smooth top buns I lightly press one finger down in the center while stretching the dough up with the other hand. Then I pinch it together and lay that side down.
Be sure to prepare your pan by first coating it with oil, don't forget this step. ☺️ The pan I recommend using is a 9x13" that has deep sides. You can see all these directions with pictures below.
Cover the buns with a tea towel and put it back in the same warm place to rise for another 30-45 minutes. Halfway through the rise time preheat your oven to 350 degrees and begin making the paste for the crosses.
For the crosses: In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water, whisk together to form a paste. See the image below of the ziploc bag for a visual, but think toothpaste consistency. If it's too runny, sprinkle in a little more flour until you get it right.
When the rise time is up, pipe the paste all the way across one row of buns, then go to the next row, and the next row. Turn your pan and do the same thing to make the second line of your cross. I find this is easier than making a full cross over each individual bun. Tip: Be sure to go slow and let the paste fall to each side of the bun, hugging the edges.
Put the buns in the oven at 350 degrees for 22 minutes or until the surface is golden brown.
For the glaze: Scoop 1 tbsp apricot jam and 2 tsps water into a small bowl. Heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stir it together, and brush across the top of each bun as soon as they come out of the oven. Orange is another flavor that would compliment these spices well.
Serve them up while they are warm!
Picture by Picture Directions
Before we can really get this show on the road, we first have to activate the yeast. In a medium size bowl, combine 2 packages of active dry yeast, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 1/4 cup milk warmed to a temperature between 105-110 degrees. Whisk these three ingredients together then cover the bowl with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 5 minutes.
After five minutes is up the yeast mixture should look foamy like this.
In your stand mixer with the dough hook attached, thoroughly whisk together 4 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsps cinnamon, 2 tsps allspice, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp nutmeg. You could also sift these ingredients together.
Then take 1/4 cup butter and crumble it into the flour mixture with your hands.
Into the flour mixture add in 2 eggs, 1 1/4 cup currants (or raisins), and the yeast mixture. Yummy looking isn't it?
Combine with the dough hook on medium speed for 3-4 minutes or until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl. Note: If the dough is not pulling away, I sprinkle in more flour one tablespoon at a time.
Then turn it out onto a lightly floured counter surface and knead for another 3-4 minutes or until the dough is smooth and springy. Poke it with your finger to test it out!
Take a large bowl and with cooking spray of your choice, give it a good grease. I use avocado oil. Then place the dough into the bowl rotating it around until it is completely coated.
Cover it with a tea towel, set it in a warm place, and let it rise for 45 minutes to an hour.
And with just one scroll the hour is up! The dough should be doubled in size like so. Punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured counter.
Roll the dough into a large smooth ball, and with a pastry cutter, butter knife, or bench scraper cut the dough into 12 even pieces. This is the bench scraper that I use, highly recommend for its quality.
To form smooth top buns I lightly press one finger down in the center while stretching the dough up with the other hand. Then I pinch it together and lay that side down.
Be sure to prepare your pan by first coating it with oil, don't forget this step. ☺️ The pan I recommend using is a 9x13" that has deep sides like this one.
Cover the buns with a tea towel and put it back in the same warm place to rise for another 30-45 minutes.
Halfway through the rise time preheat your oven to 350 degrees and begin making the paste for the crosses. In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water, whisk together to form a paste. See the image of the ziploc bag for a visual, but think toothpaste consistency. If it's too runny, sprinkle in a little more flour until you get it right.
Spoon the flour paste into a ziploc bag and make a tiny cut on the corner to pipe crosses on each bun.
When the rise time is up, pipe the paste all the way across one row of buns, then go to the next row, and the next row. Turn your pan and do the same thing to make the second line of your cross. I find this is easier than making a full cross over each individual bun.
Tip: Be sure to go slow and let the paste fall to each side of the bun, hugging the edges.
Put the buns in the oven at 350 degrees for 22 minutes or until the surface is golden brown.
For the glaze, scoop 1 tbsp apricot jam and 2 tsps water into a small bowl. Heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stir it together, and brush across the top of each bun as soon as they come out of the oven.
Orange is another flavor that would compliment these spices well.
Serve them up while they are warm!
Did you make this recipe? If so I would love to see it, drop a picture in the comment or send it to me on social media, Facebook @HisGirlSunday or Instagram @steffani_hisgirlsunday.