Delicious Hot Cross Buns

This yeast-leavened hot cross buns recipe with raisins is flavored with ground cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Pipe a simple icing for the crosses.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 50 mins
• Calories: 354 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons apricot jam, warmed and strained
• 0.25 cup butter
• 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 0.5 cup all-purpose flour
• 0.25 cup water
• 0.33333334326744 cup white sugar
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1.5 cups raisins
• 1.25 cups warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 4.75 cups all-purpose flour

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Step 2

Whisk warm milk, sugar, and yeast in a medium bowl until sugar dissolves. Cover and let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Sift 4 ¾ cups flour, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl.; rub in butter with your fingers until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in raisins, eggs, and yeast mixture; mix until well combined.

Step 4

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a large, lightly-oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover the bowl with a towel; set aside to rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.

Step 5

Punch down risen dough with your fist; transfer to a flat surface and knead for 1 minute. Divide into 12 pieces; roll into buns.

Step 6

Arrange buns neatly in the prepared baking dish, cover the dish with plastic wrap, and set aside to rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.

Step 7

Whisk ½ cup flour and water together in a small bowl to form a smooth paste, transfer to a piping bag, and carefully pipe a cross onto bun tops.

Step 8

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking until buns risen and golden in color, about 15 minutes more. Immediately brush buns with warmed apricot jam.