Hot Cross Buns
Chef Jack Ovens
Qualified Chef · 1.63M Subscribers
Updated August 2026
Proper homemade hot cross buns, soft and spiced with cinnamon, allspice, and orange zest, studded with sultanas throughout.
There’s a bit of waiting involved with two rounds of proofing, but the active time is genuinely minimal. Most of the work is just letting the dough do its thing.
Piped crosses and a sticky sugar glaze straight out of the oven give them that proper bakery finish, and they’re best eaten warm on the day.
Hot Cross Buns
BREAD · EASTER · MEDIUM
Why You'll Love These Hot Cross Buns
Soft, Spiced, and Genuinely From Scratch
Kneading the dough properly until it's smooth and slightly tacky is what gives these buns their soft, pillowy texture rather than something dense or dry.
Two rounds of proofing might sound like a lot, but it's mostly hands-off time. The dough does the work while you get on with your day.
Brushing them with a hot sugar glaze the moment they come out of the oven gives that glossy, sticky finish you want from a proper hot cross bun.
Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
Buns
- 375 ml Full Fat Milk
- 9 g Dry Yeast
- 110 g Caster Sugar
- 640 g Bread Flour Plus Extra For Dusting
- 200 g Sultanas
- 8 g Ground Cinnamon
- 8 g Ground Allspice
- 1 Orange Zested
- 1 Free Range Egg Beaten
- 50 g Unsalted Butter Melted & Cooled
- 4 g Sea Salt Flakes
- 5 ml Vegetable Oil
Crosses
- 70 g Bread Flour
- 95 ml Cold Water
Sugar Syrup Glaze
- 110 g Caster Sugar
- 150 ml Boiling Water
Method
- Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until just warm, around 40°C (104°F) — don't let it simmer or boil. (Or heat in the microwave in bursts.)
- Whisk the yeast and 2 tsp of the separated caster sugar into the warm milk in a large bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes, until foamy on top (if it doesn't foam, the yeast has died — usually from being old or the milk too hot).
- Add the bread flour, remaining sugar, sultanas, cinnamon, allspice, orange zest, egg, melted butter, and sea salt flakes to the yeast mixture.
- Mix by hand (or with a stand mixer and dough hook) until it forms a ball. Turn out onto a floured bench and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and soft, dusting with extra flour if it sticks (see video for tips).
- Oil a large bowl, add the dough, cover with a warm damp tea towel, and proof for 1 hour in a warm spot.
- Knock back the dough and knead for 30 seconds. Roll into a 60cm (23-inch) log, halve it, then roll each half out to 40cm (15 inches). Cut each log into 6 pieces (12 total — weigh them for evenness) and roll into smooth balls.
- Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment and arrange the balls 3 across, 4 down. Cover with oiled cling wrap and proof for 40 minutes, or until risen by 70%.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Whisk the bread flour and cold water into a smooth paste for the crosses. Transfer to a piping bag with a 3mm round nozzle (or a zip lock bag with the corner snipped off).
- Pipe crosses over the buns, starting from the edge (see video). Bake for 20-22 minutes, rotating halfway, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Meanwhile, stir the caster sugar and boiling water together until dissolved for the glaze.
- Brush the hot buns generously with the glaze and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Dig in.
Chef's Tips
Make sure your milk isn't too hot when you add the yeast — anything much above 40°C can kill it before it even gets started, which is the most common reason homemade bread doesn't rise.Knead until the dough is genuinely smooth and slightly tacky, not dry — under-kneaded dough won't develop enough gluten to give the buns a good, soft structure once baked.Weigh the dough balls if you want them perfectly even — it makes a real difference to how uniformly they bake and rise next to each other in the tray.
Storage & Reheating
These are best eaten fresh on the day they're baked, but will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. They also freeze well for up to 2 months — wrap individually before freezing. To reheat, warm in the oven at 160°C (320°F) for 5-8 minutes, or split and toast, to bring back that fresh-baked softness.
Serving 1BunCalories 343.3kcalCarbohydrates 63.9gProtein 8.8gFat 6.4gSaturated Fat 3.3gPolyunsaturated Fat 0.66gMonounsaturated Fat 1.74gTrans Fat 0.2gCholesterol 27.2mgSodium 158.8mgPotassium 247mgFiber 2.7gSugar 21.7gVitamin A 148.3IUVitamin C 0.9mgCalcium 71.1mgIron 0.9mg
Common Questions
MORE FROM JACKALL RECIPES →
Absolutely delicious and the hint of orange zest is amazing
Superb and straightforward recipe that has earned me many compliments from friends. Makes wonderfully large hot cross buns like you’d buy from a bakery! I keep meaning to experiment with the spices, but I just haven’t had any need to stray from the straightforward combo of cinnamon and allspice. As previous commentor noted, the orange zest really comes through as a lovely undertone.
Hey Caleb. This is great to hear. Im so glad youve been enjoying this recipe. Theres plenty of variations but most of the time, the orignal is always the best.