This step-by-step post will teach you how to make soft & fluffy sourdough hot cross buns with active sourdough starter. They’re perfectly spiced, not too sweet and enjoyed by all. Simply the best!
I didn’t grow up eating hot cross buns at Easter. But my friend Celia did, and every year she makes the most gorgeous, perfectly plump hot cross buns for her family and friends to share. Talk about baker’s envy! (fun fact: she taught me how to bake sourdough bread too).
Inspired to start a new tradition, I created my own hot cross bun recipe with tangy sourdough starter for an updated twist. SO GOOD! Want to know my secret? Combine the butter and flour together first before adding the rest of the ingredients. This creates a soft, fluffy, tender bun with a texture that’s so signature, you’ll want to take a nap inside. You’ll see. It’s an excellent addition to your collection of sourdough bread recipes for sure!
What Are Sourdough Hot Cross Buns?
Generally speaking: hot cross buns are soft, sweet bread rolls typically leavened with commercial yeast. They’re filled with raisins and candied fruit (like orange peel) and scented with cinnamon and other spices that smell like Christmas (like pumpkin pie spice). A shiny lacquered glaze goes on top. The white cross, as I understand it, can be made from powdered sugar or a flour paste.
For my version, I use bubbly active sourdough starter to naturally leaven the dough. It adds wonderful flavor and a slight chewy texture. The rounded tops are glazed with fruity apricot jam. In lieu of making a flour and water paste for the cross, I use a quick cream cheese icing. Celia says this icing is very “American.”
Hot Cross Buns Ingredients (You Will Need):
For the dough
- Whole milk
- Bread flour
- Sugar (I use organic blonde cane sugar from Costco)
- Fine sea salt
- Unsalted butter
- Bubbly, active sourdough starter
- Large egg
- Raisins
- Pure vanilla extract
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice
For the glaze
- Apricot jam (I like Bonne Maman)
- Splash of water
For the cross
- Cream cheese
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Whole milk
Step-By-Step Instructions:
TIP: Before you begin, this is an overnight dough which takes 12+ hrs to rise in cool weather, approximately 68 F. Start the night before, in the evening, and plan to bake the following day. For additional guidance, jump to my personal baking schedule at the end of this post.
Make The Dough
- Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the softened butter, one cube at a time, while the machine is running. Add the sourdough starter, milk and egg. Mix to incorporate.
- Using your hands, form the dough into rough ball and leave it in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
While the dough is resting…
- Soak the raisins in vanilla extract. Dried fruit is typically soaked in water to plump their shape and to add moisture to the dough. I love the taste of vanilla extract instead.
- After the 30 minute rest, add the raisins, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to the bowl.
- Knead the dough, using the dough hook this time, for 8 minutes. It will be smooth and supple when finished. It should not stick to your hands.
- Shape the dough into a ball and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. The dough is now ready to rise.
Bulk Rise
- Let the dough rise overnight, about 12-18 hours at room temperature (68 F). The dough is ready when it has almost tripled in size.
- Note: rise the dough directly in my 5 qt. KitchenAid mixing bowl covered with plastic wrap. It should rise about 3/4’s of the way up when ready. You can also use a 2 quart dough tub.
Optional Step: about 1 hour into the bulk rise, stretch and fold the dough. I do two sets, spaced 1 hour apart. This will increase the overall volume of the baked buns. You can see how I do it, with video, here.
TIP: Do not be alarmed if the dough is not ready at the 12 hour mark, especially if your kitchen is colder than 68 F! Cinnamon slows down the rise of the dough. To speed things along, either place the dough in a proofing box set to 75-80 F. Or, preheat your home oven to 75-80 F and then shut it off immediately (use an oven thermometer to make sure the temperature doesn’t go above 80F!). Place the covered bowl inside until it bulks up.
Shape The Dough
- When the dough is perfectly risen, remove it onto your work surface. Shape it into a log and divide into 12 equal pieces.
- To shape into balls: working with one piece of dough at a time, fold the sides over towards the center. Flip it over, keep it on the counter, and roll it into a ball with the palm of your hand.
- Place the balls seam side down in a generously buttered 9×13-inch pan. Make sure they’re spaced evenly apart, 3 pieces across and 4 down. Now, the dough needs to rise again.
Second Rise
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and rest at room temperature for 2 1/2 – 3 hrs (yes, it really takes that long…).
- Again, to speed things up, use the proofing box or oven trick mentioned in the box above. The rise time will decrease to 1 – 1 1/2 hrs @ 75-80 F. The dough is ready when it has puffed up and doubled in size. DO NOT RUSH THIS STEP! THE BUNS WILL BE DENSE.
- I use this resting time to make the icing for the cross; it needs to firm up in the fridge before using.
Bake The Dough & Glaze
- When the dough is nice and puffed up, bake on the center rack for for 28-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze: Gently stir together the apricot jam and a splash of warm water. The texture should be syrupy, but not too thin. Brush onto the baked buns while they’re still hot.
Pipe the Icing Cross
- When the buns are COMPLETELY COOL, pipe the cream cheese icing on top going in one direction first, and then in the other. Do not make individual crosses over the tops as you go- it will drive you crazy.
To Serve
Like all fresh bread, these sourdough hot cross buns are best enjoyed on the same day they’re made. I wouldn’t bake them ahead of time. But do share with everyone you know when they’re ready. Yum!
My Baking Schedule
This is an overnight dough, so make sure to start the night before. The buns will be ready for breakfast or brunch the following day. Feel free to adjust the times below to suit your own needs.
In the evening…
- 6:00 PM: Make the dough (we eat dinner while it’s resting).
- 6:30 PM: Add the raisins and spices, and run for 8 minutes in the stand mixer (this is when I clean up the kitchen).
- 7:30 PM: 1st Stretch & Fold
- 8:30 PM: 2nd Stretch & Fold
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise overnight on the counter, for 12-18 hrs @ 68 F.
The following morning…
- 6:30 AM: Check the dough (give it more time to rise, if needed). Shape into balls.
- 6:45- 8:00 AM: Second rise (give it for more time to rise, if needed). Make icing while dough is resting.
- 8:00 AM: Bake buns
- 8:30 AM: Brush with glaze… pipe icing on top when completely cool.
Best Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 buns
- Category: Sourdough Bread
- Method: Oven-Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
We make these sourdough hot cross buns all year round. They’re delightfully fluffy, not too sweet, and enjoyed by all- especially the kids! If I’m pressed for time, I’ll do the glaze only and skip the cross.
A quick note about the flour: I use King Arthur bread flour for this recipe. It has a high protein content of about 12.7%. This is what gives the sourdough buns a lofty, high rise. If you’re using a different brand of flour, with a lesser protein content (i.e. Gold Medal) consider reducing the milk by 25 g for similar results.
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 240 g (1 cup) milk, whole or 2%
- 500 g bread flour (I use King Arthur)
- 50 g sugar (I use organic blonde cane sugar from Costco)
- 9 g fine sea salt
- 113 g (8 tbsp or 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes (I use Kerry Gold)
- 100 g (1/2 cup) bubbly, active sourdough starter
- 1 large egg (50 g)
- 80 g (about a 1/2 cup) raisins, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
For the Glaze
- 2 tbsp quality apricot jam (I like Bonne Maman)
- Splash of water
For the Cross
- 4 tbsp cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 6 tsp half-n-half or milk
Instructions
Before you begin: This is an overnight dough which takes approximately 12-18 hrs to rise @ 68 F. Start the night before, in the evening, and plan to bake the following day. See my note below on how to speed up the rise time in chilly weather. Enjoy!
- Warm the milk in a small saucepan or microwave and set aside. Note: if you use cold milk straight from the fridge, the dough will take longer to rise.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar, and salt with the paddle attachment. Add the softened butter, cube by cube, with the machine running. The goal is to evenly disperse the butter throughout the flour; rub any large pieces together with your fingertips.
- Add the warm milk, starter, and egg to the bowl. Mix for 1 minute to combine. With your hands, work the dough into a rough ball incorporating any dry bits of flour at the bottom. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and rest for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, soak the chopped raisins in the vanilla extract.
- After the dough has rested, add the raisins (and any liquid), cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice to the bowl.
- Using the dough hook, mix on medium-low speed, about 3 on a KitchenAid for 8 minutes. If the dough starts to climb up the side of the bowl, stop the machine and push it back down. The dough will be smooth and supple when finished. It should not stick to your hands. If it does, add a sprinkle of flour.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise overnight at room temperature (about 68 F) for 12-18 hours. The dough is ready when it has tripled in size. Optional Step: about 1 hour into the bulk rise, I like to do 1 set of stretch and folds. I’ll do another set about 1 hour later. This technique will speed up the bulk rise time and the overall volume of the baked buns. **See note below.
- The following day, generously coat the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch pan with butter.
- Remove the dough onto your work surface- no need to flour the surface first. Gently shape the dough into a log. Cut into 12 equal pieces, about 92 g ea.
- To shape into balls: working with one piece of dough at a time, fold the sides over towards the center. Flip it over, keep it on the counter, and roll it into a ball with the palm of your hand. Place the balls into the pan, evenly spaced, 3 across and 4 down.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel, and let rise at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size. This can take up to 2-3 hours at 68 F. Personally, I like to use the proofing box or oven trick at this point (again, see me note below). The rise will only take about 1 1/2- 2 hours @ 75-80 F. The dough should look very puffy and plump when ready. Do not rush this step; the buns will be dense.
- While the dough is resting, make the icing for the cross. In a small bowl, whisk the softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and half-n-half. Add additional liquid as needed; the texture should be thick enough to pipe. Put the icing into a ziptop bag with the tip snipped off, or in a squeeze bottle and refrigerate to firm up before using. You will not use all of the icing. Save the rest for another use.
- Preheat your oven to 400 F. Place the dough inside, center rack. Reduce the heat to 350. Bake for 28-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the apricot jam and a splash of water in a saucepan.
- Remove the buns from the oven. Brush the tops with some of the glaze while they’re still hot.
- When the buns are COMPLETELY COOL, pipe the cream cheese icing on top going in one direction first, and then the other. Do not make an individual cross on top of each as you go- it will drive you crazy.
- Serve the buns fresh at room temperature.
Notes
**Do not be alarmed if the dough is not ready at the 12 hour mark, especially if it’s colder than 68 F in your kitchen. It’s because of the cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice- it slows down the rise time. To speed things up, you can either place the dough in a proofing box set to 75-80 F. Or, preheat your home oven to 75-80 F and then shut it off immediately (use an oven thermometer to make sure it’s set to exactly 80 F and not higher!). Place the covered bowl of dough inside until it bulks up.
Comments
Felicity says
Hi,
I’d really like to try making this vegan. Do you know if this would work as well using plant milk, margarine and omitting the egg?
Appreciate any guidance!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Felicity! I haven’t tested a vegan version of this recipe, so I’m unable to advise on omitting the egg. You would need to experiment with an egg substitute. However, plant milk and plant butter will work. Please let us know if you experiment.
Lynne Walrath says
Hi Emilie- I made these last year for first time and they were absolutely perfect! Just came back to rate and thank you for all your amazing recipes. I use your sourdough book every single week. : )
Lynne says
Also, I plan to make extra to give away in little baskets and was wondering if the recipe could be scaled up easily (x3) or should I make 3 individual batches? Hope that make sense and thank you again!
Emilie Raffa says
Absolutely. For best results, I would make 3 individual batches. The dough will be much easier to handle this way. Enjoy!
Emilie Raffa says
Thanks so much, Lynn! I really appreciate your kind words and support :)
Lis says
Hi Emilie, I am going to try this recipe for the 1st time. Is it easy to make if I want to double the quantity ?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Lis! Yes: this recipe can easily be doubled. For best results, I would make two individual batches.
Grace says
Emilie, these are abs absolutely amazing! I baked them this morning and had one for lunch, so incredible taste and ease in following your awesome directions. I’m newto sourdough baking. But I have to say this was my first best success! Thankyou!
Emilie Raffa says
You are very welcome! Glad you liked them! xx
Carrie says
Gave it go! Started the dough before making t last night. Checked on it this morning and WHOA it sure did rise! So yummy 😋
Emilie Raffa says
Fantastic! Sounds like you have a beautiful, strong starter! Enjoy xx
NickG says
Just turned out my first batch. And wow. I’ll never be able to eat store-bought buns again. I bit the bullet and bought a stand mixer to make these as well. I’ve tried working sourdough (plain white) buns by hand previously but they were nowhere near as fluffy. So the mixer just paid for itself with one batch of buns. I also made sure to let the shaped rolls rise well and truly. Best hot-cross buns I’ve eaten.
Lorena Stern says
looks delicious, will try them ASAP
Merrill says
I don’t have a stand mixer and would have to mix/knead by hand. Any tips? Thanks!
Lillian says
I would like to see a response to Merrill’s question as well as I do not have a stand mixer but really want to make them!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Merrill! Mix the dry ingredients by hand, rubbing the butter into the flour with a pastry cutter or with your finger tips. The heat from your hands will melt the butter, so work in batches if necessary. Take your time. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix with a wooden spoon and/or rubber spatula. Then knead by hand on a floured surface until the dough comes together; 6- 10 minutes.
Lillian says
Hi Emma,
I followed your instructions of adding the butter to dry first and then the rest. It was not sticky at all. One recommendation when making without a mixer is to hold off from adding the raisins until the kneading by hand is done. I did this and laminated the raisins in the ~8 minutes of hand kneading.
Emilie Raffa says
Fantastic! Thanks so much for reporting back :)
Ange says
Hi,
Im in the process of making these, will cook tomorrow. Normally i make sourdough hot cross buns without eggs, butter, or milk, so i thought id try this to see if they end up better tasting and stay fresh longer. I was just wondering about the addition of the egg, and how safe it is to leave this dough out, with the potential for alot of bacteria to grow sitting out at room temp. I have a sensitive stomach, so not sure this is a good idea?
Thanks
Ange
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! This is a great question. Many bakers leave their enriched doughs to rise at a cool room temperature, per this recipe, without any issues. However, if you’re concerned, try rising the dough for a shorter period of time at a warmer temperature. If you run out of time, pop the whole bowl in the fridge and continue later on until the double doubles in size. I wouldn’t however, do the entire bulk rise in the fridge; the dough won’t budge.
Ange says
Thankyou. Ive just tried, and they taste great
Marie says
Ridiculously delicious. I can’t stop eating them! I used flax seed instead of an egg and it worked well. Mixed cranberries and raisins instead and love the colour they bring. I had apricot wine jelly someone gave me and was happy to put it to use as the glaze – wow. You rock Emilie!
Emilie Raffa says
Marie, I’m so glad you commented here re: the flax egg! I receive so many questions about egg substitutes- this is so great! Thrilled it worked. Sounds absolutely delicious.
Ang says
Hi Emilie, this is the one and only sourdough hot cross bun recipe I have tried! It worked perfectly the first and every other time. I do add a fair bit more flour in the first mix and after the rest and yet it still works wonderfully well. I can’t bring myself to try another because this is so amazing. Thank you so much!
Emilie Raffa says
Yay! Fantastic! Totally normal to adjust the recipe as needed- all flours are different. You’ve got it! xx
Jay says
Thank you so much Emilie for sharing this recipe. These buns are delicious. I’ve just made a second batch. They are amazing fresh baked and still good a couple of days later split in half, toasted and with lots of butter. I added orange zest and the second batch is half wholemeal and turned out just as light and fluffy.
Emilie Raffa says
You are very welcome, Jay! You can thank the sourdough for the freshness! The acidity levels within the starter act as a natural preservative, and when your starter is healthy and strong, fed often, with a balanced ph, your sourdough baked goods will live on. The butter and eggs help too ;) Thrilled you liked the recipe. Orange zest, which I happen to love, sounds heavenly.
Heather Andres says
Thank-you Emilie for this recipe! The buns turned out fluffy and not sour (very appreciated by my daughter), as you suggested. I made a couple of modifications, replacing the spices with cinnamon and allspice, to make it more like our family recipe. I found the vanilla didn’t mesh well with those spices, so I think I’ll omit the vanilla next time, but I’ll definitely reuse otherwise.
Hanim says
you could try soaking in rum or something instead maybe?
Mazziebee says
I make hot cross buns every Friday in Lent. I have used Delia Smith’s iconic yeast recipe for years, but since I have a gorgeous sourdough starter (aka Kamala) thought I’d try these. They puffed up wonderfully and were gorgeous to look at, but I guess my family and I are used to the moister Delia Smith version. All got enjoyed but the requests for this week were for Delia’s. I will continue using your apricot jam trick and your icing recipe is stellar!
Kerri says
Yum, absolutely delicious. It’s pretty hot here at the moment (Queensland, Australia), so I put my dough in an esky with some ice bricks overnight so it didn’t overproof…worked a charm.
Spread the dough out this morning and threw in some dried cranberries and dark chocolate chips, gently rolled it up and cut into 12 pieces. I am a purist so I did make a paste of flour and water and piped crosses before baking 😊
Fresh out of the oven and my hubby has already eaten three!
Thanks for the recipe Emilie.
Belle says
Hi there – Just wondering if you can use sourdough discard rather than active starter? Thanks
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Unfortunately, I haven’t tested this recipe with discard. I know in some cases using it might work, but typically discard is not active enough to make the dough rise properly. If you experiment, please let us know :)
Connie says
Hey Emilie, I have done the bulk rise during the day (should have looked at your schedule). Would it be ok to put it in the fridge overnight and shape them in the morning?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Connie! Yes, absolutely. The schedule is flexible. Just give the shaped rolls enough time to plump up the following day (if you bake the dough when it’s too cold, the rolls will be dense. Enjoy!
Connie says
Thank you so much! That worked BEAUTIFULLY and goodness me, they were delicious! By far the best hot cross bun recipe I have tried. Thank you so much for all your work. Your recipes NEVER fail!
Emilie Raffa says
Connie, I’m so glad to hear this! Yay! Thank you so much :) xx
Anna says
Hi,
I love your blog!
I live in a warm climate and the temperature here inside does not go below 25 C (77 F) at night atm. Not sure what to do about the bulk rise (I’m a sourdough novice). I’m afraid if I leave it for that long overnight my dough will be over proofed. Are there any work arounds?
Thanks 🙏
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Anna! Great question. When the weather is warm, the dough might over proof with an overnight rise. The work around is to bulk rise the dough during the day instead. You can bake later that day/evening, depending on when you started the dough or shape and chill the buns overnight.
Sofie says
Hi Emilie,
I have gone ahead with making this recipe in half. While the drough is now on its way to triple in size, I realize I should have asked what pan size and oven temp and baking duration it should be for half recipe.
Look forward to your response. Thanks,
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sofie! If you make 6 rolls (instead of 12) still at 92 g each (per the original recipe), the bake time and temperature would still be the same. I would suggest an 8 or 9 inch round pan, or perhaps an 8×8-inch square pan.
Sofie says
Hi Emilie, your response is again very timely! I woke up with your answer and I headed straight to kitchen to shape the dough.. unlikely the cinnamon roll, this time I didn’t use yeast and let the bread rise using sourdough starter.
It is so good again, like all your other recipes!!
Question – if I would like to cut down on butter, will that be ok? Would I need to increase other ingredients?
Thanks as always!
Katherine Fligg says
Hello, I’ve recently discovered your food blog and have tried a few of your recipes which have all turned out amazing. I do have a question about the flour. Because we are a nourishing traditions family we only use ancient grains like spelt and einkorn. We also almost always use these flours sprouted. I saw your note about lower protein content requires less milk. What about sprouted flours? Less milk or more milk? We want to make these for santa lucia day and our winter solstice dinner. Thanks so much!!!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Katherine! This is a great question. First, I love nourishing traditions! Second, to answer your question more specifically: it really depends on the type of flour. There’s no one size fits all answer. For example, spelt vs. einkorn in this recipe would be totally different. I’d try it with spelt first, adding the liquid gradually to see how the dough comes together in the mixer- you might use the full amount, need more, or not even use the whole thing. Go slow and focus on the texture which should be soft and supple, not sticky. Also, the rise time will be different. Recipes with ancient grains tend to rise faster when it’s warm. So, just keep these things in mind when you experiment! I hope I’ve answered your question :)
Ellen says
This recipe produced lovely, fluffy buns, with nice flavor. I didn’t chop the raisins (so they could be removed more easily by a family member who doesn’t like them), so I soaked the whole raisins in some hot water with the vanilla, then drained them before adding to the dough. I could easily see using dried cranberries or cherries, as well as other fruits. I also had to bifurcate the bulk ferment, due to schedule, and the dough spent about 10 hours in the fridge overnight, as well as 8 hours at room temperature prior to that–I took it out in the morning, and it probably added an hour to the rise in the pan, but they came out very well anyway. I see that you noted that refrigerating the dough overnight during the ferment might add to the “sour” note, but didn’t find it to be too much.
I’ve really appreciated your Sourdough cookbook –it was one of the first books I got when I was starting out with sourdough baking a couple of years ago, and I found the common-sense, clear instructions and photos so helpful. I’ve often recommended it to friends who want to try baking with sourdough.
Emilie Raffa says
This is such a wonderful comment Ellen, thank you. Appreciate your kind words! xx
Katarina says
Simple yet great recipe! I used runny orange marmelade for glazing as didn’t have any apricot jam. Goes with it quite well :)
Debbie says
Hi Emilie,
I adore this recipe! The first time, I swear I did everything wrong but they still came out fluffy and delicious. This time I made them with a new starter from a friend, and they are still excellent but more sour than I’d like. I understand that one way I can adjust that is to use more starter so that it rises faster. Do you have a suggestion for the ratio of flour and milk I would cut back on if I use more starter?
I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!
Thanks 😊
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! You can absolutely do this. However, I have not tested the ratios myself so I’m unable to advise on the specifics. If you experiment, please let us know! Glad you liked them :)
Danielle says
I am super keen to make these, but I am wondering if it is possible to make the dough by hand as I do not have a stand mixer. Thoughts? Thanks!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! Yes: you can make it by hand. Knead the dough for at least 8-10 minutes, and tack on additional time for the bulk rise.
Emilia says
Hi Emilie! Getting started on these hot cross buns this evening! When using the mixer, do you use a dough hook or a regular beater? Thanks – Emilia
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Emilia! To start, you’ll use the paddle attachment. Then, you’ll switch to the dough hook to knead the dough. It’s listed in the recipe instructions just in case you don’t see this comment :)
Amelia says
Wow! These turned out so fluffy and amazing. Thank you for this recipe and all your tips!
Emilie Raffa says
Thank you! So glad you liked them! xx
Caeli says
This recipe is so amazing, thank you for it. The buns were soft and perfectly spiced. I made my cross prior to baking with a flour & water paste so we could eat them hot from the oven. The second time I made them, I made a batch with choc chips, and one with chopped dried apple instead of sultanas. They also freeze beautifully. This will be the recipe I use year. Happy Easter!
Emilie Raffa says
Caeli, I love your additions! I can only imagine how tasty the sweet, dried apples are in these buns with the warm cinnamon spice. Thrilled you liked the recipe. Thanks for your feedback!xx
Katharina says
Hi Emilie,
first of all a huge thank you for the amazing work you do! I‘ve been interested in sourdough baking for years but found the different informations and methods so confusing that I never gave it a try… This was until I found your site: I got intrigued and followed your instructions and voilà 7 days later my beautiful starter (Paul) became active. I already made your beginners bread: absolutely amazing, my family devoured it within minutes after trying the first bite. The second loaf is rising as I type ;-)
Today I made the hot cross buns: the texture is wonderful and fluffy but I was surprised by the very distinct sour taste. These are my first hot cross buns (never seen them in Germany) so I’m not familiar with them but is this normal? Or did I make a mistake?
Thank you so much for your help and stay healthy!
Best wishes from Germany
Katharina
Emilie Raffa says
Hello Katharina! And welcome to the world, Paul! Thank you very much for the kind feedback :)
Hot cross buns should not taste sourdough. The “sour” flavor in sourdough bread typically comes from a few things: environmental temperature, temperature of the dough, type of starter used, flour type etc. In my experience, when the dough bulk rise starts out warm (perhaps 75 F +) and then cools down on the overnight, this fluctuation can impart a stronger taste to the finished bread (but not always). So, have a look at your environmental temperature and see if that could be the issue. Additionally, make sure your starter doesn’t smell vinegary before using- feed it several times prior to baking to refresh the acidity levels. xx
Christine Dennett says
Hi, the longer the dough is left to ferment the stronger 5he sour taste will be. That’s usually why the dough is put in the fridge overnight for a long slow process to get that good sour flavour. Also the older your starter is the more the flavour will be noticeable.
Adel says
Love the recipe! Great advice and very clear instructions. My starter (Alex) was ready earlier the
Week and I made a regular loaf first. My hot Cross Buns just left the oven and only half is left. My kids devoured it!
Emilie Raffa says
Amazing! Thanks so much for your feedback, Adel! xx
bel says
What an outstanding recipe! Works perfectly every time, I am guilty of doing an all in method and my bread machine takes care of the mixing. I didn’t have apricot jam so used 2 tbs melted honey + 1 tsp lemon juice for the glaze. I get awesome reviews from family/friends when I make them, and this recipe made me go out and purchase your book. I am keen to try this dough to create a finger bun (an Aussie fruit bread topped with icing) so I can enjoy it all year round!
Excited to see more sweet recipes :)
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Bel! I’m thrilled you tried the recipe! Your glaze sounds absolutely divine- I love lemon in everything. Stay tuned for more :)
Jill Haines says
Want to make your hot cross buns. Have a gluten free sour dough starter, brown rice flour. Can I use this to make the recipe if I leave everything else the same thanks
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Jill! For a GF version, you can use your particular GF starter but not the brown rice flour for the dough.
*Edit: I recommend using your favorite GF flour mix suitable for bread baking.
Ethan King says
Uh oh, I refrigerated the dough overnight rather than at room temperature haha. I’m not sure what to do now but I just took it out and I’ll let it rise until noon. Hope it works out…
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Ethan! Not to worry… follow the oven trick mentioned in the post (and recipe section below) to warm it up. It will definitely help!
Imogen says
Absolutely phenomenal! Enjoyed warm from the oven this morning. Soft, buttery and slightly sweet: the best hot cross buns I’ve ever had.
Emilie Raffa says
Imogen, thanks so much for your feedback. Glad you liked them! Aren’t they delightfully fluffy? xx
Dana D says
Mine practically looked like the picture! They were so soft when I took them out of the oven, that I was worried I had underbaked them. The buns taste great too. Additionally, the recipe is easy to follow, and the timeline was pretty accurate. I started in the morning and proofed the dough in my oven with the light on, and I had them baked by 10 PM. Thanks for another great recipe, Emilie. :)
Emilie Raffa says
That’s fantastic! Glad you liked them! And thanks so much for the feedback and star rating. Happy Easter! xx
Sandy Reilly says
Hi Emilie. A friend recommended your book and I’ve since passed it on to many more. Perfect for getting started with sourdough! I’m about to try these hot cross buns, going to sub choc chips for the fruit. Thanks for all your great recipes!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sandy! Thanks so much for your support! I really appreciate it :) Do let us know how the choc chip version comes out… I know a few other readers here have mentioned adding chocolate as well.
Sandy Reilly says
The buns turned out beautifully, so soft and delicious! I added 80g choc chips as per the timing for the fruit however they completely melted while in the stand mixer, ooops! They gave the dough a lovely light brown colour and slight chocolaty flavour though so it all worked out in the end! I’d recommend adding choc chips towards the end of the 8min mixing phase if you prefer them intact, or maybe during the shaping phase would work too ?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Sandy! Oooo… was it from the heat of the mixer? That chocolatey flavor does sound lovely though ;)
And yes, perhaps adding them in towards the end of mixing would work better, and/or if you choose the stretch and fold the dough, you could add them during the first set.
Thanks for your feedback! xx
Brittany Wilson says
Hi! I am loving all of your recipes. So excited to have found this one right before Easter.
Do you think there it would work to sub out the raisins and in the center of the bun fold in a few chunks of chocolate?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Brittany! Absolutely! Love this idea. I would add the chocolate chunk right when you shape the dough into balls. Make sure it’s tucked in completely so it doesn’t melt out the sides of the buns when baked (although, I could think of worse things in life, lol). xx
Katherine Dalton says
Just made these, and they are so good and soft! Since it is Good Friday I wanted them to be a little less sweet, so I used a a mix of 1/4 flour and ~3 T water to make the crosses with about 5 minutes left of baking, I also used cranberries and raisins.
Emilie Raffa says
Amazing! I love this feedback, thank you. I’m going to try these buns with cranberries next time, as another reader has suggested this too :)
tamara says
My Suzie is active early afternoons (after a morning feed) which works well to make the loaves. How do I have her active the evening to make the Buns? I’m rather new at all this and my loaves are gorgeous but it is getting into a routine that has me a bit frazzled!?!?
TAMARA
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Tamara! I would feed her later in the afternoon so she’s ready to use by evening time. Finding a schedule that works is the hardest part! All starters are different, and their rise times will vary. Hopefully, this will work for you. x
Janet says
Good morning! I have your book and used your recipe to create a starter! and she’s doing great! I really want to make these hot cross buns this week but unfortunately, I do not have any bread flour. How can I convert this recipe using AP flour? Thank you!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Janet! Thank you! This recipe can be made with ap flour, however you’ll have to reduce the total liquid amount for best results. Try reducing the milk by 15 g to start… if the dough is too sticky, add more flour. It should feel soft and supple after it has been kneaded in the stand mixer; it should not stick to your hands. Additionally, because you’re not using bread flour the overall rise won’t be as high (not the end of the world, just an FYI).
PS: I haven’t tested this yet myself, but it’s where I’d begin to experiment. Please be open to adjustments as you go :)
Reannon says
Hi!
Firstly I want to say that your book has changed my sourdough life! Every single recipe that I’ve made from your book, & I’ve made quite a few, has worked perfectly. All the recipes are so easy to follow & make me feel so relaxed about baking. Every time someone asks me about baking sourdough I send them here & tell them they just HAVE TO buy your book. After years & years of buying bread books yours is now the only one I ever pull from my shelf. so thank you so very, very much.
Now, I am planning to make these for Good Friday morning tea & I am very excited. Every year I try a new hot cross bun recipe but they never live up to expectation. I have faith that these will be THE ONE! I would like to make some chocolate choc chip ones because they are my kids favourite type. Do you think I could adapt this recipe? Maybe omit some flour & sub in some cocoa? I’d love your thoughts on whether or not it would work.
Reannon
Emilie Raffa says
Hello! Thank you SO MUCH for this incredible feedback and support. I’m thrilled you love the book!
For a chocolate version, I know it can be done. But since I haven’t tested it myself, I’m hesitant to recommend specific substitutions as I know cocoa powder can slow down the rise… and suck up some of the liquid in the dough. I don’t want it to be a flop! Come to think of it, I believe Jamie Oliver has a chocolate hot cross bun recipe if you want to compare. However for this recipe, I do know you can swap out the raisins (or some of them) for the same amount of chocolate chips by weight.
Hope this helps!
Mary says
Hi!
I changed the recipe and left out the raisin, cinnamon and pumpkin spice because we are not fans. Those buns came out soooo perfectly. I just followed step by step and it was a success. Thanks for all the details and that great recipe!
Emilie Raffa says
Awesome! Love to hear this. Thanks so much for your feedback and star rating! xx
Ellen P says
I made this recipe and it came out perfect! The fluffiness is better than I thought it would be!
A winner!
Emilie Raffa says
Awesome! Thanks so much for reporting back with your feedback :)
Melanie C. says
Emilie, so great to see you back here! This recipe looks wonderful and I can’t wait to make them.
My goodness, I’ve lost track of time. I imagine you’ve been very busy with your littlest one.
Emilie Raffa says
Melanie! Oh my goodness, you’re still here ;) Thank you! And yes: we’ve lost track of time too. Life is full and busy! Hope all is well with you and your family. xx
Lisa Keys says
I made these and absolutely loved them. I used dried apricots in place of the raisins since that was only dried fruit I had. Shared them and got rave reviews. I did not need all the frosting. I probably used only a quarter of it to decorate the tops. You are my sourdough hero!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Lisa! So glad to hear you like the buns. I love the idea of using dried apricots. Perfect with the glaze! And yes: there’s definitely extra frosting… I think I hate half while writing the recipe and got carried away when doing the final edits, lol. x
Mary says
Will these hot cross buns freeze. There is only two of us. I do freeze sourdough nread but these are enriched dough.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Mary! You can definitely freeze baked, enriched dough. Just make sure to freeze these particular buns unglazed and without the icing. x
Mary says
Thank you. Just waiting for second prove. Will post pi when finished.
Diane says
Recipe looks great, but is there a way to print without getting the advertisements on the pages?
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Diane! Absolutely! The issue is fixed now. The printed recipes should be ad free. xx
Vickie says
I’m glad you are back. I missed you! Love your book and make the basic sourdough bread all the time. I will have to try these.
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Vickie! Thank you! Feels good to be back :) xx
Eric says
I LOVE hot cross buns!!
I don’t have a starter going right now, but I am going to craft one just so I can make these!!
I can’t wait to see how these come out.
Thank you so much ?
PS: If they turn out pretty, I think I’ll post a pic. Thanks again
Regards
EJ
Emilie Raffa says
Go for it! Make a starter! Sourdough baking is so much fun :)
Claudia Tessari? says
Please, what is pumpkim pie spyce?
I am from Brasil and have never heard of it.
Thanks
Emilie Raffa says
Hi there! It’s a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and sometimes cardamom. You can use your own blend if you cannot find pumpkin spice. Mixed spice will work as well.
Brenda says
I started my new sourdough starter (aka: Pearl) on March 2nd. I was concerned after about 16 days that nothing much had happened. I am happy to report that after 24 days my Pearl is beautiful. I have not yet made bread as I will give it just a bit more time but I want to say THANK YOU for your recipe and I am sooo excited!!
Emilie Raffa says
Hi Brenda! You are quite welcome! And hello sweet Pearl! xx