Some recipes find you when you least expect it.
This one came to us while on holiday one Easter—no mixer, no fancy tools, just a craving for something warm and spiced. After a bit of browsing and a coin toss between two promising options, this recipe won out simply because it could be made by hand. A lucky choice indeed! Elaine Lewis of Baking with Butter created this approachable version of the classic hot cross bun, and it has become a firm favourite at our household ever since. The buns are soft and lightly spiced, with plump raisins and citrus zest that bring the flavour of early autumn right into your kitchen.
Adapted from a recipe by Elaine Lewis of Baking with Butter
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 240g lukewarm milk
- 2 tsp instant or active dry yeast
- 75g brown sugar
- 440g all-purpose flour
- 2½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp allspice
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 large egg
- 60g unsalted butter, softened
For the Fruit
- 140g raisins
- Juice and zest of 1 orange
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
For the Crosses
- 50g all-purpose flour
- 50g water
For the Glaze
- 50g granulated sugar
- 2–3 Tbsp boiling water
Method
- Test the yeast (optional but recommended): Stir the yeast and 1 Tbsp of the sugar into the warm milk and let it sit for 5–10 minutes. If it foams, you’re good to go.
- Plump the raisins: Heat the orange juice in a small saucepan until just simmering. Remove from the heat, add the raisins, and let them soak while you prepare the dough.
- Make the dough: In a large bowl (or a stand mixer with dough hook), combine the milk/yeast mixture, remaining sugar, flour, salt, spices, and egg. Mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Add in the softened butter and knead (by hand or machine) until the dough becomes smooth and elastic—this can take 10–15 minutes. Look for the “windowpane effect” when you stretch a small piece of dough.
- Add the fruit: Drain the raisins, then knead them into the dough along with the citrus zest. It may feel wetter again—just keep gently working until well combined.
- First rise: Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a clean bowl. Cover with a damp cloth or plate and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1½ to 2 hours. (Alternatively, cover and refrigerate overnight.)
- Shape the buns: Turn the dough out and divide into 12 equal pieces (roughly 80g each). Roll each into a smooth ball and arrange them in a lined 30cm x 20cm baking dish. Cover and let rise again until puffy and doubled in size.
- Pipe the crosses: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Mix the flour and water into a paste, spoon into a piping bag, and pipe a cross over each bun.
- Bake and glaze: Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden brown. While they bake, mix the sugar and boiling water to make a glaze. As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush them generously. Let them cool for about 20 minutes before serving—if you can wait that long.
These are best enjoyed fresh with a slather of good butter and a hot cup of tea or coffee. If any survive the first day, they toast beautifully the next morning too.