Hot Cross Buns Raisins Orange (Printable)
Soft, spiced buns with juicy raisins and bright orange glaze offer a deliciously warm breakfast option.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 4 cups bread flour
02 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 tsp instant dry yeast
04 - 1 tsp ground cinnamon
05 - 1/2 tsp ground allspice
06 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 1 cup whole milk, lukewarm
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1 cup raisins
12 - Zest of 1 large orange
→ Cross Paste
13 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
14 - 1/4 cup water
→ Orange Glaze
15 - 3/4 cup powdered sugar
16 - 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
17 - 1/2 tsp orange zest
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, sugar, yeast, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt until well blended.
02 - Add the softened butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
03 - Whisk the lukewarm milk and eggs together in a separate bowl until combined. Pour into the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to form a soft, shaggy dough.
04 - Knead the dough by hand on a lightly floured surface or with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.
05 - Add the raisins and orange zest to the dough, continuing to knead for another 2 to 3 minutes until evenly distributed throughout.
06 - Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
07 - Punch down the risen dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth, round ball and arrange on a parchment-lined baking tray, leaving about 2 inches of space between each bun.
08 - Cover the tray loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 to 40 minutes in a warm place until the buns are puffy and have increased in size by about half.
09 - Preheat the oven to 375°F while the buns complete their second rise.
10 - Mix the all-purpose flour and water in a small bowl until a thick, pipeable paste forms. Transfer to a piping bag or plastic zip-top bag with the corner snipped off.
11 - Pipe a straight vertical line down the center of each bun, followed by a horizontal line, forming a cross shape. Work quickly to maintain the paste's consistency.
12 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until the buns are golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
13 - While the buns bake, whisk together the powdered sugar, fresh orange juice, and orange zest in a small bowl until smooth and slightly thickened.
14 - Remove the baked buns from the oven and immediately brush the hot tops with the orange glaze. Allow to cool on the baking tray for 10 minutes before serving warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The spice combination creates that cozy, everything-is-right feeling that only homemade baking can deliver
- That orange glaze transforms an already wonderful bun into something youll find yourself daydreaming about at 3pm
- They freeze beautifully so you can wake up to freshly baked buns on busy weekday mornings
02 -
- The temperature of your milk matters—too hot and it will kill the yeast, too cold and the dough will take forever to rise
- Over-kneading makes tough buns, but under-kneading means dense bread—aim for that smooth, springy sweet spot
- The cross paste should be thick like toothpaste, not runny, or it will spread and lose its shape in the oven
03 -
- The windowpane test—stretching a small piece of dough until it's thin enough to see light through without tearing—tells you when kneading is complete
- Room temperature ingredients incorporate more evenly and help your dough rise more reliably