Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
Sourdough Hot Cross Buns are rich, sweet and fragrant with cinnamon and cloves. Though they’re traditionally served on Good Friday to mark the end of Lent, these buns are so good they shouldn’t be reserved for just 1 day.
Table of contents
What’s so special about Sourdough Hot Cross Buns?
I baked for a British Tea Shop (here in the US) for quite a few years. I used to make and sell Hot Cross Buns (made with commercial yeast) in the weeks leading up to Easter Sunday and they sold, well, like hotcakes!
This Sourdough Hot Cross Bun recipe is adapted from the one I used at that tea shop.
As a baker of sourdough bread, you know the special flavor and texture that active sourdough starter imparts in any dough. That special sourdough flavor is perfectly accented with a mix of warm spices and sweet raisins.
Unlike most other recipes, these buns have a cross cut into them before baking. They bloom wonderfully in the oven.
The warm-from-the-oven buns are brushed 2x with a with a sweet milk-glaze. The glaze sets to a lovely sticky coating.
The final touch is to pipe an icing cross on top of the glaze.
If you don’t already have one, I can show you how to make a sourdough starter and how to feed a sourdough starter.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Sourdough Starter – This recipe was developed using active 100% hydration starter. If your starter has a different hydration you will need to adjust the amount of flour or liquid in the recipe.
- All Purpose Flour – Instead of bread flour, I like to use AP flour for making these buns. Medium protein AP flour makes buns that are tender but still have enough gluten to contain the dried fruits as the dough rises.
- Spices – You can adjust the type and amount of spice to your taste. You could add or substitute with cardamom, allspice or other warm spices.
- Raisins – Raisins are the traditional fruit in these buns. I like to use half raisins and half dried chopped dates. You can replace the raisins with dates, currants, golden raisins, candied orange peel or any other dried fruit of your choice.
Process Photos
See the recipe card for detailed measurements and instructions.
- Scald the milk and add the butter to melt. Set it aside to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large mixing bowl, combine the scalded milk/butter with the sourdough starter and egg.
- Add the dry ingredients. The dough will start out quite sticky and shaggy.
- Knead for 5 minutes. The dough should gather on the hook and clear the sides of the bowl.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel. Set the dough aside at room temperature for 3-5 hours of bulk fermentation.
- Every hour fold the dough.
- After 3 hours the dough should be aerated and risen to about double.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and sprinkle the raisins over the dough.
Did you know?
Sugar and cinnamon can slow down bulk fermentation. Be patient with the dough and keep it in a warm spot to keep the dough active.
- Knead the raisins into the dough.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal portions.
- Roll each piece of dough to a tight ball, this creates surface tension that will hold in the raisins and allow the buns to rise high in the oven.
- Line the buns in a buttered pan and brush them with melted butter. I prefer to brush the buns with butter rather than egg wash to keep the surface moist.
Pro Tip
To kick start warming the cold buns in the morning, I often use the oven. Turn the oven on and wait until the heating element barely warms the oven. Turn off the oven and leave the pan in the slightly warm oven to take off the chill.
- Cover the baking dish and refrigerate overnight (or leave at room temp to bake the same day).
- Take the pan out of the refrigerator and allow the buns to come to room temperature while then oven preheats.
- Cut a cross into the top of each bun.
- Bake until golden brown. While the buns are baking make the glaze.
- As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush them with the glaze, 2x.
- Use the extra glaze to make icing.
- Pipe an icing cross on each bun.
- Serve warm.
Baking Schedule
Make the buns in one day:
- Feed your starter the night before you want to bake.
- Make the dough early in the morning and leave it to ferment until the afternoon.
- Form the buns and leave them at room temp to rise.
- Bake when the buns almost fill the pan.
Break up the work into 2 days:
- Feed your starter early in the morning of the day you will make the dough.
- Mix the dough in the afternoon. Allow it to ferment at room temperature all day.
- Add the raisins, form the buns and refrigerate the pan in the evening before going to bed.
- Take the pan out first thing in the morning and leave it at room temperature to rise for 1 1/2- 2 hours.
Serving & Storage
Enjoy your fluffy Sourdough Hot Cross Buns when they are still warm from the oven or within a few hours of baking.
They will keep at room temperature for a day. You can rewarm them in the oven to revive the texture.
Do not refrigerate the baked buns. Freeze left over buns for up to a month. Defrost and rewarm before serving.
More Sourdough Recipes
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Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
Buns
- 4 oz whole milk (½ cup)
- 2 oz unsalted butter
- 15 oz all purpose flour (3 cups, divided, see note)
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼-½ teaspoon ground cloves (adjust to taste)
- 8 oz active sourdough starter (1 cup)
- 2 oz granulated sugar (¼ cup)
- 1 large egg (room temperature)
- 5 oz dark raisins (1 cup, see note)
- 2 oz unsalted butter (melted)
Glaze
- 2 oz granulated sugar (¼ cup)
- 2 oz milk (¼ cup)
- 2 oz water (¼ cup)
- confectioner sugar
Instructions
- In a microwave safe measuring cup or small bowl, microwave 4 oz whole milk until scalding hot. Add 2 oz unsalted butter to the milk and mix until the butter is melted. Cool the milk to slightly warmer than body temperature.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 15 oz all purpose flour with 1 teaspoon table salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ¼-½ teaspoon ground cloves. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a mixing bowl) combine 8 oz active sourdough starter with the milk/butter mixture, 2 oz granulated sugar and 1 large egg. Mix until combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add half of the flour mixture.
- If using a stand mixer, change to the dough hook and add the remaining flour with the mixer running on low speed. If working by hand add as much flour as you can by hand then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface to add the remaining flour. Knead for 5 minutes.
- The dough should be soft and elastic and will clear the sides of the bowl if mixing with the dough hook. Take the dough off the mixer and knead on a lightly floured surface to make a smooth ball. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn once to coat the surface. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 3-5 hours.
- After 1 hour uncover the bowl, lift one side of the dough and fold it into the middle of the dough. Repeat with the other three sides of the dough then flip the dough over. You're basically turning the dough inside-out to redistribute the yeast. Cover the bowl and after 1 hour repeat the procedure again. Cover the bowl and after 1 hour the dough should be ready to shape. The dough should be lively and aerated. If it still seems sluggish give it some more time to ferment. The total time will vary based on dough temp, air temp and how active your starter was.
- Brush a 13"x9" baking pan with half of the (melted) 2 oz unsalted butter. (see note)
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead in 5 oz dark raisins until it forms a smooth ball. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Using your cupped hand, roll each piece of dough to form a ball.
- Place the buns in the prepared pan. Brush the buns with the rest of the melted butter. At this point the buns can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated overnight.
- If baking the same day allow the buns to rise for about 1 – 1 ½ hours until doubled in volume. If baking the next day, remove the tray from the refrigerator and allow the buns to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume (about 1½ to 2 hours). While the buns rise preheat the oven to 375 °F and make the glaze.
- To make the glaze, combine 2 oz granulated sugar, 2 oz milk and 2 oz water in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until all the sugar melts. Allow the liquid to a simmer until it thickens a bit, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and place a lid on the pan to keep warm.
- Using a sharp knife or single edge razor, score the top of each bun with a cross shape. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the buns from the oven and immediately brush generously with the glaze. After all the buns are glazed once, go back and glaze them all a second time.
- Pour the left over glaze (it will be just a few teaspoons) into a small bowl. Add enough confectioner sugar to make a frosting thick enough to pipe. Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip or use a disposable piping bag with the tip snipped off.
- Pipe a cross shape on each bun.
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Equipment
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