The Easiest Sourdough Hot Cross Buns

The easiest Sourdough Hot Cross Buns recipe that gives you soft, fluffy, lightly spiced and fruit studded buns. You need them at your table, Easter or not.

What makes these the Easiest Sourdough Hot Cross Buns?

These Sourdough Hot Cross Buns just require the ingredients to be thrown in the mixer and kneaded while the dried fruit soaks.  Then once the dough is ready the dried fruit is kneaded into the dough quickly then left to rise all day.  After the dough has risen, simply shape and let rise again. Then bake and top with the classic cross design made of a thick glaze. The hardest part of this recipe is the waiting!

The Tradition Behind Hot Cross Buns

Traditionally Hot Cross buns were eaten during Lent, especially leading up to Easter. A version of Hot Cross buns has even said to be found in Ancient Greece! There are many legends around the buns such as a Monk being the first to decorate the top with the cross in celebration of the Easter holiday and that the buns will stay good for an entire year symbolizing the lack of decay of Jesus Christ’s body. Now days the buns can be filled with all manner of things from raisins to chocolate to candied ginger and nuts.  The cross on top can be made up of a simple water/flour paste and put on the buns pre-bake or be a glaze put on post-bake. They were often eaten on Good Friday but today most places sell them for more than just Good Friday. 

Are These Traditional Hot Cross Buns?

These Sourdough Hot Cross Buns are a tasty spin on traditional Hot Cross Buns that results in a soft, lightly spiced bun filled with dried fruit.  These buns start with an enriched dough made of milk, flour, butter, starter, honey and spices.  Then we add dried fruit.  After the buns come out of the oven they are brushed with an orange simple syrup and allowed to cool.  Then the thick glaze is made and piped onto the buns in a cross pattern.  Traditional or not, they are delicious and perfect with a cup of coffee.

Looking for other easy sourdough recipes?? Check out this recipe for No Knead Sourdough Sandwich Bread!

How To Make the Easiest Sourdough Hot Cross Buns

Make the Dough

• First we will add the flour, butter, starter, honey, salt, cinnamon, orange juice, and milk to the bowl of a stand mixer.  The mixer then kneads the dough.
• While the dough is being kneaded we place the dried cranberries and golden raisins in a bowl with some hot water to start rehydrating.
• When the dough is a smooth ball that cleans the sides of the bowl we strain the dried fruit from the water and add it to the dough. The dried fruit is kneaded into the dough until thoroughly mixed in.
• The dough is set to rise.

Shape the Buns

• After the dough has doubled in size we turn it onto an flourless counter and divide it into 24 pieces.
• Once divided the bench scraper is used to turn each piece of dough into a round ball.
• Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet and cover to rise until double again.

Bake the Buns

• When the buns are double in size they are baked for 20-30 minutes or until browned.
• While the buns are baking we make an orange simple syrup to glaze the buns with after baking.
• With the buns hot from the oven they get glazed with the simple syrup.
• Once buns are cooled an easy glaze is stirred up and piped onto the buns in the cross pattern.

Equipment Needed

• Stand Mixer
• Mixing Bowl
• Pastry Brush
• Piping Bags or zip lock bag
• Baking Sheet
• Bench Scraper

The Easiest Sourdough Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients

Bun Dough

• 370g milk
• 120g honey
• 150g sourdough starter
• 65g butter
• 600g flour
• 8g salt
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp orange zest
• juice of 1 orange
• 75g golden raisins
• 75g dried cranberries
• 200g HOT water

Orange Simple Syrup

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup sugar

Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1-3 tbsp cream or milk

Instructions

Bun Dough

1. Place all ingredients EXCEPT the dried fruits and hot water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Knead for 5-10 minutes. Cover and let rest 15-30 minutes.
2. While the dough is resting place the dried fruits in a small mixing bowl and cover with the HOT water. Let rest until needed.
3. After the dough has rested, knead again for 10-15 minutes and let rest again. Repeat until you have reached windowpane gluten development with your dough. Resist the urge to add more flour! When the gluten has sufficiently been developed it will not be a loose mass, it will have strength to move around the mixer bowl in a smooth ball.
4. When gluten has developed properly, strain any remaining water off from the soaked dried fruit then add the fruit to the dough bowl.  Mix for another 5 minutes.
5. After the dried fruit has been mixed in adequately, cover the dough and let rise for 8-10 hours or until double in size and smooth looking.
6. When the dough is doubled in size, turn out onto an unfloured counter and divide into 24 pieces. 
7. Pull each piece into a round by dragging it across the counter with your bench scraper. Keep pulling and dragging until you have a nice smooth ball of dough. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat until all of the pieces have been shaped and placed on the baking sheet.
8. After all of the dough has been shaped and placed on a baking sheet, cover the baking sheet so the dough does not dry out. I use a clean garbage bag but any plastic bag would work. Let rise again for 6-8 hours or until doubled in size and puffy.
9. When the buns are ready for the oven, bake at 375*f for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned and set.
10. After removing the buns from the oven immediately brush with orange simple syrup while the buns are hot. This will create a nice shiny finish.

Orange Simple Syrup

1. While buns are baking place all of the orange simple syrup ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Set aside until buns come out of the oven.
2. When buns come out of the oven brush the simple syrup on them while they are hot.

Glaze

1. Place powder sugar in a small mixing bowl and add one tablespoon of cream or milk at a time, mixing as you go until you have a thick glaze that runs of a spoon in slow ribbons before melting back into itself.
2. Put glaze in a piping bag or zip lock bag. Cut the tip or corner off so there is a small hole. Pipe glaze onto cooled buns in the cross pattern. Let set and enjoy!

Print

The Easiest Sourdough Hot Cross Buns

The easiest Sourdough Hot Cross Buns recipe that gives you soft, fluffy, lightly spiced and fruit studded buns. You need them at your table, Easter or not.

Course Side Dish

Keyword hot cross buns, sourdough, sourdough hot cross buns

Servings 24 buns

Ingredients

Bun Dough

• 370 g milk
• 120 g honey
• 150 g sourdough starter
• 65 g butter
• 600 g flour
• 8 g salt
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp orange zest
• 1 juice of orange
• 75 g golden raisins
• 75 g dried cranberries
• 200 g HOT water

Orange Simple Syrup

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup sugar

Glaze

• 1 cup powder sugar
• 1-3 tbsp cream or milk

Instructions

Bun Dough

1. Place all ingredients EXCEPT the dried fruits and hot water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Knead for 5-10 minutes. Cover and let rest 15-30 minutes.

2. While the dough is resting place the dried fruits in a small mixing bowl and cover with the HOT water. Let rest until needed.

3. After the dough has rested, knead again for 10-15 minutes and let rest again. Repeat until you have reached windowpane gluten development with your dough. Resist the urge to add more flour! When the gluten has sufficiently been developed it will not be a loose mass, it will have strength to move around the mixer bowl in a smooth ball.

4. When gluten has developed properly, strain any remaining water off from the soaked dried fruit then add the fruit to the dough bowl.  Mix for another 5 minutes.

5. After the dried fruit has been mixed in adequately, cover the dough and let rise for 8-10 hours or until double in size and smooth looking.

6. When the dough is doubled in size, turnout onto an unfloured counter and divide into 24 pieces.

7. Pull each piece into a round by dragging it across the counter with your dough scraper. Keep pulling and dragging until you have a nice smooth ball of dough. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat until all of the pieces have been shaped and placed on the baking sheet.

8. After all of the dough has been shaped and placed on a baking sheet, cover the baking sheet so the dough does not dry out. I use a clean garbage bag but any plastic bag would work. Let rise again for 6-8 hours or until doubled in size and puffy.

9. When the buns are ready for the oven, bake at 375*f for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned and set.

10. After removing the buns from the oven immediately brush with orange simple syrup while the buns are hot. This will create a nice shiny finish.

Orange Simple Syrup

1. While buns are baking place all of the orange simple syrup ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat. Set aside until buns come out of the oven.

2. When buns come out of the oven brush the simple syrup on them while they are hot.

Glaze

1. Place powder sugar in a small mixing bowl and add one tablespoon of cream or milk at a time, mixing as you go until you have a thick glaze that runs of a spoon in slow ribbons before melting back into itself.

2. Put glaze in a piping bag or zip lock bag. Cut the tip or corner off so there is a small hole. Pipe glaze onto cooled buns in the cross pattern. Let set and enjoy!

Now that you’ve made the Easiest Sourdough Hot Cross Buns, what other traditions will you be doing this year for Easter? Tell me all about your holiday traditions in the comments!