Bread Machine Hot Cross Buns: A Classic Good Friday Treat

Soft, spiced, and slightly sweet, these Bread Machine Hot Cross Buns are a traditional Good Friday favorite. Made with warm spices, raisins, and a tender dough, they are easy to prepare using a bread machine, stand mixer, or by hand.

12 rolls

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 10

Mix and Rise Time 2 15

Total Time 2 55

Ingredients

Dough

½ cup (72 g) raisins or currants
⅞ cup (198 g) milk (7 oz) - (any kind, but whole milk is best)
1 large (50 g) egg
1 large (17 g) egg yolk - (save the egg white for the glaze)
3 tablespoons (36 g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon allspice
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cloves
¼ cup (57 g) unsalted butter, finely chopped
2 teaspoons grated rind of one lemon - (or grated rind of a small orange)
3 cups (360 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2¼ teaspoons bread machine yeast

Glaze:

1 tablespoon milk
1 (33 g) egg white from a large egg

Frosting

1 cup (114 g) powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 + tablespoon (1 + tablespoon) milk to make a thick icing

Instructions

Soak Raisins: Pour hot water over a ½ cup raisins or currants and let while preparing the dough.
Prepare Dough: Add ⅞ cup milk (7 oz), 1 large egg , 1 large egg yolk , 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon cloves, ¼ cup unsalted butter, finely chopped, 2 teaspoons grated rind of one lemon, 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, and 2¼ teaspoons bread machine yeast, to the bread machine pan.
Select the DOUGH cycle and start.
First check: After a couple of minutes, check the dough to make sure it is coming together into a raggedy ball. If not, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time. If you see pancake batter instead of dough, you forgot some flour—just add it slowly until everything pulls together.
Second check: Check the dough again after about 15 minutes. The dough should stick to the sides of the pan, then pull away cleanly. If too wet, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time. If too dry and the dough doesn't stick at all, add more liquid. See more details--Surprising Secret for Making Better Bread with a Bread Machine.
Note: Getting the dough consistency right makes all the difference in how light and tender these rolls turn out.
Add Raisins: Drain and squeeze out excess water. Add when the machine beeps for mix-ins or knead in by hand before shaping.
End of DOUGH cycle: The dough should be doubled. If not, give it more rise time until it is. Restart the DOUGH cycle and knead for 5 seconds to deflate the dough. Stop the machine and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, shape into a smooth ball, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
Shape Rolls: Divide into 12 portions, shape into balls, and place in a greased 9x13-inch pan. Lightly cover the rolls with a tea towel and allow the rolls to rise until almost double.
Slash & Glaze: Score a cross on each roll, brush with glaze.
Preheat oven to 350˚F or 180˚C.
Bake: Bake at 350˚F (180˚C) for 20 minutes or until rolls reach 190˚F (88˚C). Let cool.
Decorate: Pipe icing crosses using a small zippered bag or drizzle with a spoon.
Glaze: Whisk together1 tablespoon milk and 1 egg white from a large egg. Brush the rolls after slashing them immediately before putting them in the oven.
Icing: Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 + tablespoon milk to make a thick icing, stirring until smooth. Pour over cooled rolls

Notes

Heads-up: Avoid doubling this recipe. Anything above 4.5-5 cups of flour won’t knead properly in most machines and can cause overheating. More details here.

Alternative Mixing Methods:

Using a Stand Mixer:

Add ingredients to the bowl in order.
Mix on low speed until moistened, then use a dough hook on speed 2-3.
Knead until smooth and elastic (5-10 minutes).
Cover, let rise until doubled, then shape as directed.

Making by Hand:

Mix ingredients in a large bowl until a shaggy dough forms.
Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic (10-20 minutes).
Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled.
Deflate, shape, and proceed with recipe instructions.

Yeast Substitution: Use active dry yeast instead of instant by dissolving it first and adding ¼-½ tsp extra for proper rise.

Making Dough Ahead of Time: Make the dough the day before and chill overnight. The next day, shape the dough into rolls, allow to warm and rise before baking as instructed above.

Nutritional Information