Hot cross buns are a traditional part of Easter. Traditionally eaten on Good Friday these sweet spicy buns are easy to make.
This recipe uses a sourdough starter in place of yeast to make the dough rise, so although hands-on prep time is relatively short you will need to start about 24 hours before you want to bake them.
My dad was a baker and I grew up in a house attached to the bakery so Easter wouldn't be Easter to me without Hot Cross Buns. Each year I make at least one batch and usually more because I like them so much.
My traditional Hot Cross Buns are the most like the ones my dad made but each year I like to experiment a little too. Last year I made Pecan, Cinnamon and Orange Hot Cross Buns.
This time rather than play around with the flavours I thought I would have a go at using my sourdough starter instead of instant yeast. I make my no-knead sourdough bread on a regular basis as I love the flavour and texture of the bread it produces but I am only just beginning to experiment in using sourdough in other yeasted recipes.
I realise that this is going to make this recipe a little more niche than usual but if you make your own sourdough bread and I know a quite a few of my readers do, then you going to want to try these too.
Sourdough Hot Cross Buns with added Yeast
I made two batches and both worked well. For this batch, I added the sourdough for flavour and still added yeast to make the dough rise and this meant that I had the buns ready to eat in the same amount of time that it would take to make them conventionally.
They tasted delicious and the taste difference between this and the second batch below was negligible. It has to be noted though that my sourdough starter is quite mild. If your sourdough is more sour then the two methods would have a more noticeable effect on the flavour.
To make them like this simply add 1½tsp dried yeast to the recipe below and stir it into the flour before rubbing in the butter. Allow to rise the first time until doubled in size about 1 – 2 hours and again once rolled into buns for about 1 hour.
Sourdough Hot Cross Buns without added yeast
For the second batch, I decided to let the sourdough do all the work. I wasn't sure how well it would work with the enriched dough of the buns but I can happily report it worked perfectly.
Of course, the time scale changes dramatically taking a full 24 hours to make and bake. But I think with a little planning, this can work out perfectly.
The actual hands on time is much the same but you need to allow about 10-12 hours for each rising. I made my dough in the morning, then shaped them before going to bed and left them to rise until the following morning. So by starting the day before I was able to have a batch of warm hot cross buns for breakfast the next day. Perfect!
How long will the buns keep?
Hot cross buns will keep a few days if stored in an airtight container in a cool place. Personally I think they are best eaten warm and on the day they are made. However, they can be refreshed by popping them in the microwave for a few seconds to warm through or by warming them in the oven in the oven at 180℃ (170℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4 for about 5 minutes.
Hot cross buns are also also delicious toasted.
Freeze: for up to 2 month. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and warm in the oven at 180℃ (170℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4 for 5 minutes.
Sourdough hot cross buns step by step
Sourdough Hot cross buns
Ingredients
for the buns
- 500 g strong bread flour (1lb 2oz/4 cups)
- 2-3 teaspoon mixed spice (pumpkin spice)
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 60 g golden caster sugar
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- 50 g butter, cut into cubes
- 125 g sultanas
- 50 g chopped mixed peel
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 100 ml sourdough starter
- 200 ml warm water
for the crosses
- 50 g plain flour
- cold water to mix
for the glaze
- 25 g golden caster sugar
- 50 ml water
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice (pumpkin spice)
Instructions
- To make the dough, place the flour and spices into a large mixing bowl and stir in the sugar and salt. Rub in the butter with your fingertips, then stir in the sultanas and mixed peel. Make a well in the centre.
- Drop the egg into the well and add the sourdough starter. Add most of the water. Mix to a soft, slightly sticky dough, adding the remaining water if required.
- Turn out the dough and knead gently, until smooth and elastic and no longer sticky. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat the dough in the oil. Cover and leave in a warm place to rise for about 12 hours.
- Turn out, and lightly knead again. Divide the dough into 12 and roll each piece into a ball. Place on a greased baking sheet about 2cm apart. Slip the tray inside a large carrier bag or cover loosely with cling fim, and leave in a warmish place for 10-12 hours or overnight until doubled in size
- Preheat the oven to 190℃/ (170℃ fan)/375°F/gas mark 5.
- To make the crosses, place the flour into a small bowl and stir in enough water to mix to a soft paste. Spoon the mixture into a disposable piping bag and snip of the end. Pipe a cross on each bun.
- Bake for 20 -25 minutes until risen and golden. While the hot cross buns are baking, prepare the glaze. Place the sugar and water in a small pan and heat gently stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Once the buns are cooked transfer to a wire rack placed over a tray or baking sheet then brush the tops with the sugar glaze.
Video
Notes
Freeze for up to 2 month. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and warm in the oven at 180℃/170℃ fan/gas mark 4 for 5 minutes.Details on how to make a sourdough starter can be found with my recipe for No-knead sourdough loafNutrition information is approximate and is meant as a guideline only.
Julie Burton says
Living in the USA the only way to get Hot Cross Buns is to make them! I've been through some recipes over the years and this is by far the best/most delicious. Just ate one... delicious! Thank you!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Ohh I dont think I could live in the States then I do love Hot Cross Buns;) So glad you found this recipe the best you have tried and thank you for taking the time to tell me It has made my day
Shirl says
I just made these and they are outstanding! OMG… Yum… will be taking to an Easter brunch. I should have made a dbl batch. Thank you for sharing your recipe and excellent instructions.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you for taking the time to comment. Im so pleased you enjoyed them so much. You will know to make double batch next year 🙂
Amy says
I'm pretty sure these turned out as they are supposed to, they just weren't to my taste. The outside was slightly crunchy, and the inside was chewy like sourdough. Visually, I would have expected them to rise a bit more, so maybe the texture wasn't ideal? Unlike other sourdough recipes, the buns did get a decent rise in the oven. I'm also still pretty new to sourdough, so it's possible I didn't execute these as intended. I soaked my raisins and candied peel in Grand Marnier overnight before making the dough the next day. I used some apricot jam I had in the fridge and added a little water for the glaze; the flavor paired with the buns very well.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Sorry these were not quite to your taste. If they were crunchy on the outside then its likely that the oven temperture was running a bit hot ( oven do tend to vary) especially as you say they were chewy on the inside which would sugeest they were slightly undercooked in the middle. suggesting that maybe they were removed from the oven too early as they appeared fully cooked on the outside and should have been cooked at a slightly lower temperature for longer.
Patricia Thompson says
By far the best and easiest sourdough hot cross buns I have ever made - I did the no added yeast version. Thank you.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
That's fantastic to hear. Hope you had a delicious and happy Easter.
Julie says
Did these last year and there was a resounding cry of “do those again this Easter!” in our household... so grateful for a fun and delicious recipe! Done with dried cherries and a pinch of ginger too..l
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
How wonderful that you made them last year and came back for more. So pleased you like them and hope to see you hear again next year. Hope you had a delicious and happy Easter.
Alison Pemberton-Wright says
Fabulous! I've made hot cross buns with my sourdough starter before, but this method by far the best!
Thank you
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Wow what a compliment, Thank you. I hope you had a lovely and delicous Easter
Vanessa says
Hi,
The hot cross buns taste great although they spread right across the baking tray and were more like a tear and share!
I think the dough was too wet or maybe I didn't kneed it long enough?
How long (approximately) do you kneed yours for? I must have done maybe 7 mins.
Thanks
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
It does sound like maybe they were a little on the wet side. There are so many variables with sourdough maybe you start is runnier than mine. The dough should be slightly sticky when you begin kneading. I find they dont need to be kneaded for long just enough for the dough to loose it stickiness. Glad you enjoyed them anyway.
Dean Ayres says
Great recipe! Thanks a lot. I made sourdough panettoni at Christmas, for which I bought a small bottle of aroma panettone, a blend of citrus oils and bergamot. I had some left, so I added half a teaspoon to the hot cross buns. It intensified the citrus flavour and gave the buns a delicious aroma. I'll definitely add some next time I make your recipe.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Glad you liked these Dene. The bottle of aroma for Panetone sounds really interesting Ive not heard of it before but it does sound like it would be a lovely addition to hot cross buns.
Dafydd Saer says
Normally I put my sourdough bread in the fridge to prove overnight before baking, but you're saying to leave the buns in a warmish place - I'm not sure whether to put them in the fridge or not! Many thanks.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Hot cross buns are an enriched dough that usually takes longer to rise, so if your fridge is very cold (as mine is ) I find they do not rise enough overnight. so i leave them in at room temperature overnight instead. If your room temperature is high, you are leaving them more than 10 hours overnight or your starter is extremely active then you may prefer to put them in the fridge but be aware you may need to leave them out at room temperature to rise a little more before baking. Hot cross buns should be light and fluffy. Hope this helps - Jacqui
Dafydd Saer says
Thanks so much. I left them out to prove as you say, and they turned out beautifully.
Beth says
Hi Jacqueline, many thanks for this recipe! I was wondering whether the 100ml of starter is activated starter?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Yes, you do need an active sourdough starter to make these buns. If your starter is not very active you can add a small amount of commercial yeast to give it a boost.
Mary says
Jacqueline,
I had attenpted to make brioche with starter recently and the results were sour!!!! So I was a bit hesitant when I saw your recipe for hot cross buns. I tried them and what a success. It increases my confidence with working with sour dough and I will try another recipe for the brioche again.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe which will be used again and again. Keep the recipes coming!!!
I tried your recipe and the results were terrific. I was a bit unsure after the first rise, but the second one took care of that.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Mary, it's great that you were happy with the results of these hot cross buns. I'm so pleased you liked the recipe. I have used sourdough in a lot of enriched dough doughs but have not tried brioche. I'm not sure how successful they would be as brioche does have a very delicate flavour which I would imagine could easily be overwhelmed especially if you have a strongly flavoured starter to begin with. Mine has quite a mild sour flavour which I sometimes wish was more sour when making bread. I don't know about you but I love playing with sourdough. Its unpredictability is what makes it fun and when it's good it's very very good.
Claire Chippendale says
Hi Jacqueline, I made these last year and with great results. Thank you. This year I have developed a micro bakery and would like to offer them to my customers but don't relish the thought of having to rub so much butter into the flour! Do you think I could add softened butter to the rest of the mixed ingredients in a large mixer like I do for other enriched doughs? Thank you
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Hi Claire yes I am sure that would be fine. In small quantities, I just find it easier to rub the butter in to ensure it is evenly distributed. Good Luck and do let me know how they go down with your custmers.
Alicia says
I grated frozen butter into the flour mixture.
The dough formed up well. It is on the first rise right now.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thats a great alternative to rubbing in. Enjoy!
Will Moindrot says
Thanks Jacqueline . Great recipe! First time making hcb\enriched dough. Midway through making my second batch, so these will be teacakes. I'm naming them in my wood fired bread oven. The first batch I put them in at the same time as bread and they were in too long at too hot so were a bit burnt on outside but were not spoilt and tasted delicious and lasted well pulling them out the freezer. This batch trying with a little ground ginger too. Like Caroline's suggestion of tea, might try some Earl Grey next time too. Thanks!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Hi Will so glad you like the recipe I love it too. May I just say I am rather envious of your wood fired bread oven I would love one of those. Thank you for taking the time to rate and comment on the recipe. always appreciated.
Maggie Lloyd-Jones says
utterly scrumptious !! I've not had good results making sour dough bread (yet) but these were utterly brilliant !! Hubster loves them too. I was going to give them to my angels who are helping us thru these horrid times, but i THINK i'll just have to m ake another batch 🙂 Thank you so very much
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Glad you like this recipe and sorry to hear you have not had good results with the bread. Sourdough can be unpredictable and practise usually sort it out in the end but Is there anything, in particular, I can help you with there.
Graham says
Mine came out very dense.Think putting it into the fridge overnight was a mistake.Ambient temperature in the day was around 21. Not sure if allowing the gluten to develop for an hour before adding butter and dried fruit would have been better? My starter was good as I baked 2 loaves of bread and got a great result.
Not sure what to do differently now
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
That's a shame most likely it just needed to come up to room temperature or maybe rise a little at room temperture for a while before baking. I hope it doesnt put you offhaving another go. If your fridge is very cold it might just have retarded the yeast growth a bit too much.
Christina Scholzhorn says
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe. I used yeast and sourdough starter and these hot cross buns were an absolute hit. They rose beautifully and were very most, despite not using any butter in the recipe. Will definitely make many more times.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thats a great way to save time but still get the extra flavour of sourdough. So pleased you liked them.
Megan says
Hi there, Happy Easter!
I am half way through my recipe...have woken up to my dough and don't think it's risen enough?! How much should it rise? I left the dough covered with a tea towel in our kitchen which should be about 20 degrees. I'm worried though that the kitchen was too cold? Should I give the dough more time to rise or just continue and turn out the buns? Thanks in advance for your help. 🙂
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Hi megan sorry i could not be more timely with an answer and i hope you enjoyed the hot cross buns in the end. as is always the case with sourdough it is hard to give exact rising times as it will depend not only on the ambient temperature but also how active the sourdough starter us. You are looking for them to almost double in size. If mine have been a bit slow i stick them in my oven at 30C which speeds them along a bit before baking.
Caroline Dawson says
Fantastic recipe.....tucking into one as we speak, thickly slathered in salted welsh butter. Being a Welsh girl I swapped out the water for strong brew tea for more of a bara brith kind of flavour with excellent results.
Thank you!!!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Love the idea of the tea! Have you tried my Bara Brith recipe? ( or should i say my friends Julie's) you can find it under friends in the kitchen.
Paul says
That recipe is perfect. Absolutely spot on. I have been making bread and sourdough / pastries for years now and they are the best hot cross buns I’ve even made. No more needs to be said really. Thanks!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you Paul you have made my day:) Happy Easter
Kate says
Hello.
Do you think I could use all-purpose white flour (organic) as it's the only thing I have left...nothing in the supermarket due to lockdown panic-buying...
Thanks
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Apologies for the delay in replying have taken a few days off - all purpose flour does not have as high a protein content (gluten) as strong bread flour so un fortunately you will not get the same texture.
Stewart says
Was there no egg wash to be applied before placing the buns in the oven. I didn’t egg wash as I followed the recipe. We were disappointed when the buns didn’t go That dark brown before brushing with the glaze.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Sorry you were a bit disappointed with the look of your buns, I hope they tasted good. I do not egg wash as I glaze the buns after baking. If your buns were not a golden brown when they came out of the oven it may be because your oven temperature is not high enough. Every oven varies so it may be yours is a little cooler than the set temperature. Try increasing the temperature a little next time.
Eskay says
Superb! Hotcross buns have always been a favourite but previous attempts at home baking always ended in disappointment. This recipe is a keeper!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Delighted to hear this you have made my Good Friday!
Amy says
What happens if you knead too much? I haven’t heard of a recipe for bread where you don’t need to knead much?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
You do not need to sourdough as theyare given a long slow rise. The gluten developes during this rising time so kneading is not needed to hasten the development of the gluten. The sciences as to how this happens is a bit different but the end result is the same.
Linda says
Can I use unbleached white flour?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Yes you can use unbleached flour I prefer it but it needs to be a strong breadflour with a high gluten content.
Dee Rutter says
Hi Jacqueline - I've just made a batch of your Sourdough HCB's and had to tell you just how delicious they are. I can't believe it. They came out perfectly. I said to my husband they can be frozen but I'm not sure we'll have any left to freeze! Thanks again.
P.S. I'm going to try your 'no knead sourdough' loaf over the weekend.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Dee Im delighted you liked the recipe. I know what you mean though about not making it to the freezer they are rather moorish aren't they. I have another batch on the go for tomorrow. Good luck with the sourdough bread I hope you like it.
Dominique says
Hi Jacqueline
Thanks for such a great sourdough recipe. Made for the first time last Easter and just making this year's now. Throughout the year I've made these every other week (without the crosses and an egg wash instead - my Not Cross Buns!). No changes made except use various different dried fruits (dried cherries and marzipan goes down well!). I don't use commercial yeast and these prove perfectly after 24 hours. Thanks!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you for your lovely comment - You are clearly on the same wavelength as me these are too good to reserve just for Easter. I do love a fruity bun at any time of the year.
Oliver Edwards says
Hi is it 100g starter rather than ml?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I often find it easier to measure my starter by volume as I have done for this recipe so yes it 100ml. However I have just checked how much that weighs and its very similar so if you find it easier to weigh the starter then do the difference in weight is not enough to affect the recipe.
Oliver Edwards says
Thanks!
Debbie says
I assumed the recipe called for 100 gm without checking so thankfully I read the comments and came across this one. I’m not sure if I’m doing this wrong but my metric Measuring cup says 100 ml is weighing at 300 grams so I’m going to try the 100 ml anyway, fingers crossed.
Thank you for sharing a yummy looking recipe
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
You are quite correct in noticing that ml does not necessarily =weight in grams. Hope you enjoyed the end result once they were made. Hope you had a delicious and happy Easter.
sahni says
Can you still leave in the fridge to rise overnight if you're using the yeasted recipe?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Yes you can. Yeast works fastest when conditions are warm so placing the buns in the fridge slows down the action of yeast whether it is commercial yeast you have added to a recipe or the wild yeasts of the sourdough starter.
Julie says
I feel I’ve met a kindred spirit!
Lovely recipe, easy to follow instructions - Thank you for sharing.
I’ve been making sourdough breads for a few years and enjoying the many added uses of the starter as we’re all learning to value every morsel of ingredients we have these days! Much looking forward to baking these this Easter weekend. Thank you for the inspiration!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I'm really please you like the recipe and I am sure you are in for a real treat this Easter
Ian Russell says
Excellent recipe and worked a treat. I used currants not sultanas because that’s what I had and they worked fine. I’ve been making a lot of sourdough recently and love ideas which mean I don’t have to throw the spare starter away. Thank you very much
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
So pleased you liked them the sourdough really does give them an added depth of flavour doesnt it! And as you say great that to use spare started rather than it go to waste. I must admit when I make them now I tend to use whatever dried fruit I have in the cupboard too. I quite like using mixed dried fruit as a little bit of peel is a nice addition.
Sue Andrews says
Do I realy need to leave to rise for twelve hours shape into balls and leave again for twelve hours again that is a lot of rising time do t they over prove?
How do you time this over two days?
Kind regards sue.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Sourdough takes time to work and as it is an enriched dough the yeast has to work harder so yes it can take about 12 hours for each rise, although it wil vary on how warm the place you leave them to rise is and how active the sourdough starter is in the first place. Because sour dough is slower to work I have never had a problem with over prooving. But if it looks like yours are ready before it is convenient to move to the next stage, simply put them in the fridge which will slow the sourdough right down until you are ready to proceed.
Hope that helps Jacqui x
Eleanor says
I baked mine on a VERY warm spring day and it took at lot less than 12 hours to get a full first prove! I guess it depends on how warm it is (plus had a very active starter!) 🙂
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Yes it will indeed vary according to how warm it is and how active your starter is. Sourdough can be a bit unpredictable but the end results are so worth the effort. If you need to slow it down in future you can pop them in the fridge but I would call it a bonus not having to wait so long. So pleased you liked them
jenny walters says
Oh my days these look incredible!Baking with yeast is one of my fave things to do.How interesting to use your starter.I killed mine off forgetting to feed the blinkin thing!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I’m with you I love yeast cooking. You probably didn’t kill your starter apparently they can go a long time(weeks) without feeding.