Hot Cross Buns Citrus Glaze (Printable Version)

Soft spiced buns studded with fruit and glazed with citrus, perfect for spring celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups bread flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk, lukewarm
09 - 1/2 cup water, lukewarm
10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
11 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
12 - 3/4 cup mixed dried fruit (currants, raisins, candied orange peel)
13 - Zest of 1 orange
14 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Cross Paste

15 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
16 - 3 to 4 tablespoons water

→ Citrus Glaze

17 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
18 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
19 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together bread flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground nutmeg, and salt.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together lukewarm whole milk, lukewarm water, melted unsalted butter, and room temperature eggs until well combined.
03 - Pour wet ingredients into dry mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.
04 - Add mixed dried fruit, orange zest, and lemon zest to the dough. Knead by hand or with a stand mixer for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
05 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and allow to rise in a warm location until doubled in volume, approximately 1 hour.
06 - Turn risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 12 equal portions and shape each into a smooth ball. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet with slight spacing between buns.
07 - Cover buns loosely and let rise for 30 minutes until puffy. Preheat oven to 375°F during the final 10 minutes of rising.
08 - Combine all-purpose flour and water to create a thick, pipeable paste. Transfer to a piping bag and carefully pipe a cross pattern onto each bun.
09 - Bake at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped on the base.
10 - While buns bake, whisk together powdered sugar, freshly squeezed orange juice, and lemon juice until smooth.
11 - Brush warm buns generously with citrus glaze immediately after removal from oven. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving enough that even your third attempt will taste better than you expected.
  • That moment when you brush the glaze on warm buns and watch it soak in feels like small kitchen magic.
  • Your house will smell so good that neighbors will ask what you're baking, and you'll get to say, casually, "Just some hot cross buns."
02 -
  • If your dough hasn't doubled by the 1-hour mark, give it another 15 to 20 minutes instead of rushing it; yeast works on its own schedule, and patience pays off in flavor and texture.
  • The cross paste needs to be thick enough to hold its shape when piped, not thin like glaze—this is what makes them actually look like hot cross buns and not just decorated rolls.
03 -
  • If you don't have a warm place for rising, turn on your oven for 30 seconds, turn it off, and use that gentle warmth—it works every time and costs nothing but a moment of forethought.
  • Fresh-squeezed citrus juice in the glaze is the difference between something that tastes homemade and something that tastes like you remembered a recipe from a box.
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