Bread machine hot cross buns start in your bread maker and finish in the oven to form soft and delicious buns for Good Friday or Easter dinner. Decorated with a classic cross made of icing, hot cross buns are simple to prepare and delicious to eat!
Bread machine hot cross buns are a yeasted sweet bread filled with spices and dried fruits, such as currants, raisins or candied citrus. They are rich with history dating all the way back to the 12th century and are generally eaten on Good Friday during Easter celebrations. Hot cross buns are decorated with a cross, either made from a flour paste or icing, that's meant to represent Jesus's crucifixion. They are said to be flavored with the spices that Jesus was embalmed with.
This hot cross buns recipe starts in your bread maker using the dough cycle, so there is no manual hand kneading. Once the dough cycle runs its course, the dough is torn into small pieces, shaped into balls, and baked in the oven. Vanilla and orange icing is drizzled over each bun to form the classic cross.
They are easy to prepare and turn out soft, delicious, and eye-catching. I use my Cuisinart CBK-200 bread maker, but this recipe works in any bread machine with a dough cycle.
Bread machine hot cross buns go with all of your favorite Good Friday and Easter dinner recipes, like leg of lamb roast, Middle Eastern grape leaves, lamb meatballs and veggies.
MORE EASTER RECIPES TO TRY
Hot cross buns are slightly sweet and a little savory due to the currants, candied fruit, and icing. They are seasoned with spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, and orange zest. They can be described as warm and "spicy" with a touch of citrus.
These bread machine hot cross buns are light, fluffy and rich in flavor from the milk and eggs. They are fluffier and softer than a classic dinner roll and are easy to chew due to their tenderness.
Ingredients and Equipment Needed
Equipment
- Bread maker
- 9x9 inch baking pan
- Cloth or towel
- Piping bag or spoon
- Whisk or hand mixer (for the icing)
Ingredients
- Milk: warmed to 115°F
- Unsalted butter
- Egg + 1 egg yolk
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- White sugar
- Cinnamon
- Bread flour
- Yeast
- Currants: raisins and dried peaches or oranges work too, or use a combination!
For the icing, you need confectioner's sugar and orange juice. The orange juice can be replaced with milk if you desire.
*Ensure your yeast and bread flour are fresh and unexpired for the best results.
Instructions
STEP 1: Add the ingredients to the breadmaker pan in the order listed, except for the currants and orange zest. Set to the dough setting and select the 1.5 pound loaf. If your machine has a mix-in signal, make sure it is turned on. If your machine has a mix-in dispenser, add the currants to it. Select start to begin the cycle.
💡For the first 10 minutes of kneading, keep an eye on the dough. Scrape down any flour from the sides with a spatula if needed. If the dough is crumbly after 10 minutes, add more warm milk or water 1 tablespoon at a time until sticky and smooth.
STEP 2: When the mix-in signal chimes, add the currants and orange zest.
STEP 3: When cycle is complete, remove the dough from the pan and place on a lightly floured surface. Punch down a few times, then shape into a ball and let rest for 10 minutes. While dough rests, grease a 9x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray or line with a piece of parchment paper.
STEP 4: Tear the dough into small pieces, roughly 2 ounces each, to form 16 individual dough pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place into the prepared baking pan in rows of 4. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 60 minutes.
STEP 5: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix the reserved egg white with 1 tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, carefully brush the egg wash onto each dough ball. Bake for 25 minutes, until the buns are a deep brown.
STEP 6: Let the buns cool completely. When cool, mix the icing ingredients using a whisk or electric hand mixer. Add more orange juice or powdered sugar if needed to create a semi-thick paste. Put the icing into a piping bag (or use a spoon). Drizzle a cross over each bun, then allow icing to cool before removing from the pan.
Carefully remove from the baking pan by releasing the springform latch or pulling the parchment paper up by its ends. If you did not use parchment paper nor a springform pan, use a flexible spatula to remove buns.
Enjoy!
Tips For Making Hot Cross Buns
- The order of adding ingredients is for a Cuisinart bread machine. Check your brand's manual for the correct order and add ingredients as yours recommends if it differs.
- I find it much easier to use a 9x9 inch springform pan than a traditional baking pan. The springform pan's sides can be removed which allows you to easily take the buns off of the pan without messing up the icing crosses.
- Hot cross buns are best served within 2 days of preparing if making ahead of time. They are best served warm, so you can microwave them for a few seconds before serving if desired.
Bread Machine Hot Cross Buns
Equipment
- 9x9 inch square springform pan or traditional baking pan
- cloth or towel
- electric hand mixer or whisk
- piping bag or spoon
Ingredients
- ¾ cup milk warmed to 115°F
- ¼ cup butter cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk whites reserved
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups bread flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoon yeast
- 1 cup currants or raisins
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Icing
- ½ cup confectioner's sugar
- 3 tablespoon orange juice
Instructions
- Add the ingredients to the breadmaker pan in the order listed, except for the currants and orange zest. Set to the dough setting and select the 1.5 pound loaf. If your machine has a mix-in signal, make sure it is turned on. If your machine has a mix-in dispenser, add the currants to it. Select start to begin the cycle.
- For the first 10 minutes of kneading, keep an eye on the dough. Scrape down any flour from the sides with a spatula if needed. If the dough is crumbly after 10 minutes, add more warm milk or water 1 tablespoon at a time until sticky and smooth.
- When the mix-in signal chimes, add the currants and orange zest.
- When cycle is complete, remove the dough from the pan and place on a lightly floured surface. Punch down a few times, then shape into a ball and let rest for 10 minutes. While dough rests, grease a 9x9 inch baking pan with cooking spray or line with a piece of parchment paper.
- Tear the dough into small pieces, roughly 2 ounces each, to form 16 individual dough pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place into the prepared baking pan in rows of 4. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mix the reserved egg white with 1 tablespoon of water. Using a pastry brush, carefully brush the egg wash onto each dough ball. Bake for 25 minutes, until the buns are a deep brown.
- Allow the buns to cool completely. When cool, mix the icing ingredients using a whisk or electric hand mixer. Add more orange juice or powdered sugar if needed to create a semi-thick paste. Put the icing into a piping bag (or use a spoon). Drizzle a cross over each bun, then allow icing to cool before removing from the pan.
- Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
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