Chef John's Hot Cross Buns

Name: Chef John's Hot Cross Buns
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 whole Active Dry Yeast; 0.33 cup All-Purpose Flour; 3 cups Bread Flour; 7 tbsp Butter; 0.25 cup Dried Currant; 1 tbsp Dried Lemon Peel; 1 tbsp Dried Orange Peel; 1 whole Eggs; 0.5 tsp Ground Cardamom; 0.75 tsp Ground Cinnamon; 0.25 tsp Ground Nutmeg; 0.25 cup Rum; 0.5 tsp Salt; 5 tbsp Sugar; 0.25 cup Water; 0.75 cup Whole Milk

Breakfast 🍳Dessert 🍰Snack 🍿 British Low-Carb Low-Sodium Vegetarian 🥦Comfort-Food Pescatarian 🐟

Chef John's Hot Cross Buns are soft, gently spiced rolls dotted with rum-plumped currants and finished with a shiny sugar glaze. Citrus zest, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg give each bite warmth and fragrance, perfect for spring holidays or a cozy weekend bake. Enjoy them slightly warm when the glaze sets and the crumb is tender.

Prep45 mins
Cook15 mins
Serves16
DifficultyMedium

1

Make the dough: Warm the rum in a small saucepan until it is steaming. Put the currants in a small bowl and pour the steaming rum over them; let sit for about 2 hours to soften. Drain and save the liquid for another use.
2

Whisk the warm milk, 1/4 cup bread flour, and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let stand until small bubbles begin to rise to the surface, about 15 minutes.
3

Add the sugar, beaten egg, lemon and orange zest, cinnamon, salt, cardamom, and nutmeg. Add the melted butter, then spoon in most of the remaining bread flour (you might not need it all).
4

Mix with the dough hook until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and becomes slightly elastic, 5 or 6 minutes. Continue kneading until the dough is soft and shiny, about 10 minutes. Remove the dough from the dough hook and shape it into a ball. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
5

Flatten the dough into a large oval about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle the strained currants evenly over the surface. Fold the dough into thirds, then turn and fold into thirds again. Reshape the dough into a round ball. Transfer to a lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
6

Gently press the dough down with your fingertips. Move it to a lightly floured work surface and flatten into an even shape. Divide into 16 equal pieces using a bench scraper. Roll each piece into a round ball. Arrange them evenly on a silicone-lined baking sheet. Let rise for 15 minutes.
7

Stir 1/3 cup all-purpose flour with 1/4 cup water in a mixing bowl until thick enough to hold its shape but thin enough to pipe. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe a cross on top of each risen bun. Let rise until doubled in volume again, another 15 or 20 minutes.
8

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
9

Bake the buns in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
10

Meanwhile, make the glaze: Bring the sugar and water to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture starts to thicken, or until it reaches 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Remove from the heat.
11

Let the buns cool on a rack for 5 minutes before glazing. Lightly brush the glaze over the tops of the buns.