Hot Cross Buns | Eggless Recipe
Hot cross buns are very famous yeast Easter buns with raisins or currants in them. Hot cross buns are eaten on Good Friday in many countries, including England, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and some parts of America.
The cross on the bun symbolizes the crucifixion of Christ. There are many stories about the buns, and some are dated as far back as the 12th century.
The Hot cross buns were sold only during the week of Easter. As they became popular, they were being sold and made year-round. I relate to the Hot Cross Buns, also known as Easter Buns, through the popular Nursery rhyme that I learned in elementary school.
Since this bun is popular in many countries, I chose England as the country under which I am going to label it. When researching for recipes, I found many different Easter Buns with minor changes.
Some were heavily spiced, and some were just basic ones. Also, the cross was made with either a flour mixture or using icing sugar. I worked with the recipes and made something that my family would like, and yet kept it as traditional as I could.
It feels very good to be posting this recipe right around Easter time. I also chose to make it eggless and used sour cream as my egg alternative. The dough is very basic, and I used some spiced milk to make the dough.
Ingredients needed
To make the Dough
- Milk - 75 ml
- Butter - 25 g (2 tbsp)
- Clove - 2
- Cardamom - 2
- All-purpose flour - 1 ¾ - 2 cups
- Instant yeast - 1 ½ tsp
- Cinnamon powder - ½ tsp
- Nutmeg - ¼ tsp
- Ginger powder - ¼ tsp
- Salt - ½ tsp
- Sugar - 3 tbsp
- Sour cream - 1 tbsp
- Raisin - ½ cup
- Cream plus milk - 1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon (to brush on the rolls)
To make the cross
- All-purpose flour - 2 tbsp
- Confectionery sugar - 1 tbsp
- Water - 1 tbsp
Step-by-step process
Make the Dough
- In a saucepan, add the milk, butter, cloves, and cardamom and heat it until the butter melts. Let it cool down to a lukewarm temperature. Strain the milk and use it in the dough.
- I made the dough in my food processor. Add the flour, salt, sugar, instant yeast, raisins, and spices to the bowl of the food processor.
- Add the sour cream and mix it.
- Now add the lukewarm milk to the flour mixture and form a soft dough. If needed, add a little more flour or milk.
- Knead the dough until it is very soft and then place it in a greased bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel and place it in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in volume.
Shape the dough
- Once the dough has risen, punch it down gently and then divide it into 8 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough into a taut ball and place it on a parchment-lined baking dish.
- Using a butter knife, make a deep cut in the shape of a cross on each ball.
- Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it proof again until they are puffy. About 45 minutes to an hour.
- In the meantime, mix all the ingredients mentioned to make the cross. Transfer the paste to a Ziploc bag and seal it.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Once the dough balls have puffed up, use a pastry brush and liberally brush the top of the hot cross buns with the cream and milk mixture.
- Now, make a small hole in one corner of the Ziploc bag with the flour paste and draw the cross over the buns right where we made a cut.
Bake the buns
- Place the buns in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top of the buns is golden brown and shiny. Keep an eye on it starting from about 15 minutes, as the cooking times vary by oven.
- Remove the hot cross buns to a cooling rack and serve warm with butter.
Expert Tips
- Use fresh yeast as with any baking. Expired yeast might not be active and will result in the dough not rising.
- I have used sour cream as an egg replacement for this hot cross bun, and it works well. Feel free to use any other alternative that works for you.
- Making the deep cut over the buns before placing the cross is important. Otherwise, the cross-design that we draw can slide off when baking.
Frequently asked questions
Hot cross buns taste best when eaten fresh. They can remain at room temperature for a couple of days in an air-tight container. The hot cross buns freeze well and can be frozen for a couple of months.
Absolutely, just skip the sour cream and add one large egg to the dough.
Hot cross buns are traditionally made with raisins or sultanas, or currants. But we can use any other dry fruits. I like to use cranberries or a Christmas fruit mix at times.
More Similar Bun Recipes
If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter
Recipe
Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
To make the Dough -
- 75 ml Milk
- 25 grams Butter - 25 g 2 tbsp
- 2 Clove
- 2 Cardamom
- 2 cups All Purpose flour Might need 1 ¾ to 2 cups
- 1 ½ teaspoon Instant yeast
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon powder
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Ginger powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 3 Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Sour cream
- ½ cup Raisin
- 2 Tablespoon Cream plus milk - 1 tablespoon + 1 tbsp 1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon to brush on the rolls
To make the cross -
- 2 Tablespoon All purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon Confectionery sugar -
- 1 Tablespoon Water
Instructions
To Make the Dough -
- In a sauce pan, add the milk, butter, cloves and cardamom and heat it until the butter melts. Let it cool down to lukewarm temperature. Strain the milk and use it in the dough.
- I made the dough in my food processor. Add the flour, salt, sugar, instant yeast, raisins and spices to the bowl of the food processor.
- Add the sour cream and give it a mix.
- Now add the lukewarm milk to the flour mixture and form a soft dough. If needed add a little more flour or milk.
- Knead the dough until it is very soft and then place it in a greased bowl. Cover it with a plastic wrap and then a kitchen towel and place it in a warm, draft-free place until it doubles in volume.
To shape the dough -
- Once the dough is risen, punch it down gently and then divide it into 8 equal pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough into a taut ball and place it on a parchment lined baking dish.
- Using a butter knife, make a deep cut in the shape of a cross on each ball.
- Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it proof again until they are puffy. About 45 minutes to an hour.
- In the meantime, mix all the ingredients mentioned to make the cross. Transfer the paste to a Ziploc bag and seal it.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Once the dough balls have puffed up, use a pastry brush and liberally brush the top of the buns with the cream and milk mixture.
- Now make a small hole in one corner of the Ziploc bag with the flour paste and draw the cross over the buns right where we made a cut.
- Place the buns in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top of the buns are golden brown and shiny. Keep an eye starting from about 15 minutes as the cooking times vary by the oven.
- Remove the buns on a cooling rack and serve warm with butter.
Notes
- Use fresh yeast as with any baking. Expired yeast might not be active and will result in the dough not rising.
- I have used sour cream as an egg replacement for this hot cross bun and it works well. Feel free to use any other alternate that works for you.
- Making the deep cut over the buns before placing the cross is important. Otherwise, the cross design that we draw can slide off when baking.
This recipe was super easy to follow with all the process shots and the hot cross buns came out exactly as the photos show them! I'll definitely make them again soon.
My grandma used to make hot cross buns on a weekly basis, but I have never tried making them myself. Will have to give your recipe a try!
These are great looking buns, especially since you left out the eggs. I expect the sour cream may have left a bit of a sour flavour, not unlike the flavour of my sourdough hot cross buns.
Wow , how cute looking Hot Cross Buns... Wonderful recipe. Very well illustrated . Brilliant captures.
so cute looking buns ! LOve the fact that these are eggless .
Yes it is perfect to bake with kids to celebrate Easter holidays 🙂
Such lovely, golden hued freshly baked buns, wish I could taste one of them. Loved all the spices that you have used Sandhya.
Hot cross buns are favourite at home, a thick layer of butter on them and masala chai is just happiness. Love it your eggfee version.
Those golden beauties look perfectly baked and the cross on the bun has come out really good...Yummy share dear 😋
I baked Hot Cross buns this Easter and was really wondering why I hadn't baked them till now. So flavorful and a wonderful sweet bread. Next time will try your eggless version. They look so beautiful.
so beautifully done buns sandhya!! those crosses on top have come so perfect! A delicious snack indeed!
Beautiful buns and nicely explained tutorial.. love these buns and are a good snacking option for kids hunger cravings.
Beautifully made hot cross buns Sandhya. I love the idea of scoring the cross and then filling it with the flour mixture. The cross truly looks amazing.
So perfect and good looking hot cross buns have beautiful golden brown colour on top. I wish I could grab them all.
Buns are looking as amazing as I needed to scroll the screen 2 to 3 times up n down to look at them. Mind boggling .
Bookmarked..Will try sometime and let your know.
Wow Sandhya, those hot cross buns look amazing. Love how beautifully golden they got even without the eggs.
I have always wanted to bake them since ages. You gave me the perfect recipe to try on.
These buns look so nicely baked and love that shine on top. I had so many of them during Easter but never tried making them yet. I'm bookmarking your recipe to try for next Easter 🙂
I'm from New Zealand and I can totally agree with you - they're a big deal back home! I haven't seen them in stores here, so am forced to make my own. I must give your version a try next year!
I haven't had a hot cross bun in a long time. They look wonderful and I bet they smelled great when you were making them.
I can almost smell these from the screen. They look fabulous. And love you you made the cross on the inside rather than the outside.
Even I remember that hot cross bun rhyme. That takes me several years back:) This buns looks very perfect and neat.
Such pretty buns! I've always heard people talk about Hot Cross Buns, but I didn't know what they actually were. This is a recipe I can make, and probably will, soon!
My son keep singing hot cross bun rhymes I guess he will enjoy if I bake this for him. Brown outset crust came out well
These are so perfect for the Mother's Day brunch I am going to have to make:) I love a warm roll and these are so pretty with their perfect cross marks!
These look like perfect hot cross buns! I have never made them but I'm inspired to by this post!
Your buns look so nice and fluffy! Removing the egg didn't seem to do the texture any harm. We've never made hot cross buns before. Yours certainly do look delicious!
wow you are an expert baker, I have always wanted to learn how to make criss cross buns for Easter thanks for sharing the recipe and the process.
Your hot cross buns look so nice! I see them in bakeries a lot but I have never actually tried them.
I have seen hot cross buns a bunch but never made them. The design is so cool and you got the perfect browning on the rolls.
These look so good. Sandhya you make everything look so easy.. Love the progress pictures.
wow awesome.. Beautiful love the bright pictures Sandhya.. Hot cross and honey cakes are ruling the day.
How prefect and super cute this hot cross buns looks. Beautiful baked buns Sandhya, you got them prefectly.
Perfect shape and texture.. i wanted to make them soon!! Lovely share!!
The buns sound flavourful with all those spices! Perfectly crossed buns!
Sandhya, I wish I could taste these beautiful golden beauties .the buns have come out super cool , I am all fida on them , their color and texture both are fantastic !
Ooops I think I didn't make those mark cuts on the bun..heheh..yours has turned out super Sandhya..good job there!
Love the golden hue of the hot cross buns. i love the spices you have used in these buns.