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Mary Berry Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Calories: 335.47|Fat: 6.06|Carbohydrates: 64.89|Protein: 7.4 | 2 20

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These Mary Berry Hot Cross Buns are lightly spiced with cinnamon and mixed spice, studded with sultanas, and marked with a cross on top— a British Easter brunch treat. Eat warm or toasted with butter.

Soft, spicy, and fragrant: hot cross buns are sweet sandwiches of British origin, traditionally prepared during the Easter holidays, even if they are now available all year round.

Why You’ll Like It

A British staple bread for Easter! I look forward to baking hot cross buns every year.
The texture of soft, aromatic bread engraved with a cross on the surface filled with glaze
Fruit & Spicy: The bread is lightly spiced with cinnamon and mixed spice, with hints of lemon zest, raisins, and candied fruits.
The cross on the surface is engraved and filled with glaze. Every bite promises a blend of unique glaze made with flour, and golden syrup.
Homemade bread: Once you’ve tried the homemade hot cross buns, it’s hard to go back!

Tips

Prepare the dough the night before to bake fresh the next day.
Don’t skimp on the 1 hour 30 minutes waiting time to let the bread rise in a warm place. If your radiators are still on during Easter, place the dough next to one. Otherwise, place a bowl of boiling water in the oven with the dough to create a warm and humid environment. You can also switch on the oven light to create warmth.
Warm the milk for 30 seconds in the microwave or else you could kill the yeast. Always check it with your fingers before you pour it into the dough.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Yeast – 2 tsp dry yeast = 6 grams. I use the 7g sachets from Lidl, but you can find small sachets of dry instant yeast almost anywhere. Avoid buying a large packet, as it will lose effectiveness over time once opened. If your yeast doesn’t froth, your effort will be in vain and your buns will remain unleavened.
Flour – Use bread flour or subs with plain or white all-purpose flour.
Caster sugar – Try to stick with caster sugar. You can subs with normal sugar using a 1:1 ratio.
Milk – Subs the milk with almond milk or oats milk. Always make sure it’s warm and not hot!
Flavourings
- Spices – Subs the mixed spice with allspice or nutmeg. However, I would never bake my hot cross buns without the cinnamon.
- Sultanas – Subs with raisins
- Lemon zest – Subs with orange zest or 1/4 cup candied citrus peel.
- Candied peel – Subs with 1/2 cup raisins.
- Chocolate chips – Subs the sultanas with 1 cup of chocolate chips
Glaze – Use 1 tbsp apricot jam and 2 tsp water to glaze the Hot Cross Buns

Storing Hot Cross Buns

Store at Room Temperature: In my experience, whenever I bake these buns they never make it past a day, a maximum of two. Unfortunately, like all other bread, they quickly loose their soft texture and moisture. In fact, heating them in the microwave for 15 seconds will bring them their freshness – leave them 30s and they will become soggy. If you don’t want to eat 12 buns in one go, freeze some of them.

Freezing: Like usual allow to cool and then store in an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. You can defrost the buns and bake them at 150C for 5-8 minutes. As a quick hack, (as I don’t love waiting), just put them in the toaster directly from the freezer and then spread with butter – so yummy!

Healthy Info

Calories: 335.47
Sugar: 24.7
Sodium: 256.58
Fat: 6.06
Carbohydrates: 64.89
Fiber: 1.34
Protein: 7.4

More Bread Recipes:

More Easter Recipes:

Hot Cross Buns with Candied Fruit Recipe

Servings 12 buns

Calories 335.47

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 20

for rising 1 30

Total Time 2 20

Fat: 6.06|Carbohydrates: 64.89|Protein: 7.4

Pin Recipe

Description

Ingredients

500 g (1lb 2oz) white flour plus extra for dusting
75 g (2¾ oz) caster sugar
2 tsp mixed spice powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 lemon finely grated zest only
10 g (¼ oz) salt
10 g (¼ oz) fast-action dried yeast
40 g (1½ oz) butter
300 ml (10fl oz) milk
1 free range egg beaten
200 g (7 oz) sultanas
50 g (1¾ oz) mixed candied peel finely chopped
oil for greasing

For the Glaze

75 g (2¾ oz) plain flour
2 tbsp golden syrup for glazing

Instructions

Place the flour, sugar, spices, and lemon zest into a large bowl and mix well. Add the salt and yeast, keeping them on opposite sides of the bowl.
Melt the butter in a small pan and gently warm the milk in a separate one. Pour the melted butter and half the tepid milk into the dry ingredients. Add the egg and use your hands to combine everything, drawing in the flour from the edges of the bowl. Gradually add the remaining milk until a soft, pliable dough forms — you may not need all the milk.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand, gradually working in the sultanas and mixed peel. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes until the dough becomes silky, elastic, and forms a smooth ball. (You can also knead the dough in a food mixer fitted with a dough hook.) Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough inside, cover with cling film, and leave it to rest in a warm spot for about 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
Once risen, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knock back the dough by gently kneading for another 5 minutes. Return it to the bowl, cover with cling film, and leave in a warm place for another hour, or until doubled in size again.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces, shaping each into a smooth ball. Line 1–2 baking trays with parchment paper and arrange the balls on the trays, placing them fairly close together and flattening them slightly.
Place each baking tray inside a large, clean polythene bag, ensuring the bag doesn’t touch the buns. Leave them to prove for 40–60 minutes until they’ve doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
For the topping, mix the flour with 100ml/3½fl oz water in a bowl to create a smooth paste. Transfer the paste into a piping bag.
When the buns have risen, carefully remove the polythene bags and pipe a cross on each bun.
Bake for 15–20 minutes until the buns are pale golden-brown, rotating the baking trays halfway through if needed.
Melt the golden syrup in a small pan and, while the buns are still warm, brush them with the syrup to create a lovely shine. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

Recipe Notes:

Yeast: 2 tsp dry yeast = 6 grams. Use 7g sachets of dry instant yeast. Avoid large packets as they lose effectiveness once opened. Ensure yeast froths to avoid unleavened buns.
Flour: Use bread flour or substitute with plain or all-purpose flour.
Caster Sugar: Substitute with normal sugar using a 1:1 ratio.
Milk: Substitute with almond milk or oat milk. Ensure it’s warm, not hot. Warm the milk for 30 seconds in the microwave and check the temperature with your fingers before adding to the dough to avoid killing the yeast.
Flavourings
- Spices: Substitute mixed spice with allspice or nutmeg. Cinnamon is essential.
- Sultanas: Substitute with raisins or 1 cup of chocolate chips.
- Lemon Zest: Substitute with orange zest or 1/4 cup candied citrus peel.
- Candied Peel: Substitute with 1/2 cup raisins.
Glaze – Use 1 tbsp apricot jam and 2 tsp water to glaze the Hot Cross Buns.
Dough
- Make ahead for tomorrow – Prepare the dough the night before to bake fresh the next day.
- Leafening – Allow the dough to rise for 1 hour 30 minutes in a warm place. Use a radiator or place a bowl of boiling water in the oven with the dough to create a warm, humid environment. Alternatively, switch on the oven light.
Storing Hot Cross Buns
- Room Temperature – Store at room temperature for up to 1-2 days. Reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds to restore freshness.
- Freezing: Allow buns to cool, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Defrost and bake at 150°C for 5-8 minutes, or toast directly from the freezer and spread with butter.