Easter Hot Cross Buns

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Description

This is a traditional, slightly sweet, spiced treat eaten during Lent and on Good Friday. Serve at room temperature or warm.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup lukewarm milk, divided
  • 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided, or more as needed
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup softened butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¾ cup golden raisins, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • ⅓ cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons milk

Instructions

  1. Stir 1/4 cup milk
  2. yeast
  3. and 1 teaspoon sugar together in a small bowl; let stand until foamy
  4. about 5 minutes.
  5. Whisk 3 cups flour
  6. 1/4 cup white sugar
  7. salt
  8. cinnamon
  9. allspice
  10. cloves
  11. and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Stir yeast mixture
  12. 1/2 cup milk
  13. softened butter
  14. and eggs into flour mixture with a wooden spoon until well incorporated; stir in raisins and marmalade. Dough will be sticky.
  15. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup flour onto work surface; turn dough onto surface and knead
  16. incorporating additional flour as needed
  17. until tacky but not sticking to fingers
  18. about 10 minutes. Form dough into a ball.
  19. Place dough in a large
  20. lightly-oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover bowl with a clean towel and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in volume
  21. about 2 hours.
  22. Deflate dough; divide into 16 equal pieces and form into round buns. Place buns 1 1/2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheets; cover with a light cloth and let rise until doubled in volume
  23. about 40 minutes.
  24. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  25. Whisk egg white and 1 tablespoon milk together in a small bowl. Use a sharp knife to score a deep cross on top of each bun; brush buns with egg wash.
  26. Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned
  27. about 12 minutes. Remove to cool completely on a wire rack
  28. about 15 minutes.
  29. Place confectioners’ sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons milk in a plastic sandwich bag; knead the bag until combined. Snip off one corner of the bag; pipe a cross into the scored lines on each bun.

Prep Time: 40 mins

Cook Time: 12 mins

Total Time: 3 hrs 52 mins

Servings: 16

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