Name: Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 525 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon sourdough starter; 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour; 3 1/2 tablespoons water; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 cup milk; 1/4 cup sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup active sourdough starter; 3 cups + 2 tablespoons bread flour; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or candied citrus peel); 1 egg; 1 tablespoon water; 1/4 cup flour; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 tablespoons water (more to thin out if too thick); 1/4 cup fruit preserves (orange or apricot)

Sourdough hot cross buns are fluffy sweetened rolls that are flavored with dried fruit and warm spices. Perfect for Good Friday and Easter celebrations.

Sourdough hot cross buns in a baking dish.

What are hot cross buns?

This recipe for sourdough hot cross buns is just like our soft sourdough dinner rolls with the addition of dried fruit, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom and ground nutmeg.

The tops are brushed with an egg wash before baking as well as a "cross" that is made out of a paste of flour, oil and water.

After the buns are removed, they are brushed again with a glaze made from fruit preserves.

Sample baking schedule

The following baking schedule for sourdough hot cross buns has been tested in a kitchen with an ambient temperature of 68°F (20°C).

8:00 PM: Feed sourdough starter.
7:30 AM: Melt butter, milk, salt and sugar and allow it to cool down to room temperature.
8:00 AM: Mix dough and lest rest 1 hour.
9:00 AM: Stretch and fold dough, cover and let rest 30 minutes.
9:30 AM: Stretch and fold dough, cover and let rest 30 minutes.
10:00 AM: Stretch and fold dough, cover and let rest 2 hours.
12:00 AM: Add dried fruit, divide dough and shape rolls. Place in baking dish, cover and let rise 3-4 hours or until puffy.
4:00 PM: Egg wash, add cross and bake. Add glaze

(Warmer kitchens need less time to rise, colder kitchens will need more time to rise.)

Step by step instructions

This recipe for sourdough hot cross buns couldn't be easier to make, so let's dive straight into the details!

A pan on the stovetop with melted butter and milk.

Melt the butter, milk, sugar and salt together over low heat. Allow to cool down to room temperature.

Flour and spices in a bowl on the counter.

To a large mixing bowl, add the flour and ground spices and whisk to combine.

A person adding butter to a bowl of dry ingredients.

Add the active sourdough starter and the cooled butter mixture to the bowl and stir with a spatula until the ingredients are combined and there are no dry bits left in the bowl.

Sourdough hot cross bun dough after initial mix.

Cover the bowl and allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

Perform 3 sets of stretches and folds spaced 30 minutes apart, keeping the bowl covered between sets. After the final set, cover and allow the dough to rise for 2 hours or until it has risen by 50% in size.

Dough pressed into a rectangle on the work surface.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and press it out into a rectangular shape.

Spread the dried fruit evenly over the surface.

Roll the dough into a log shape.

Divide into 12 pieces and shape each piece into a ball.

Arrange them in a lightly greased glass baking dish. Cover the dish with a tea towel and let rise for 3-4 hours.

Sourdough hot cross buns ready for the oven.

Preheat your oven to 375°F (204°C). Beat the egg in a small bowl with the water and brush the egg wash onto the rolls. Mix the paste ingredients together until smooth and pour into a piping bag. Snip the tip off of the bag and pipe lines across the rolls to create a cross on each one.

Sourdough hot cross buns out of the oven.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until they are golden brown on top. Brush the top of the rolls with jelly and serve.

How to store

Store the baked rolls in a closed container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
The baked rolls can be frozen for up to 3 months, stored in a freezer-safe bag.

Tips for success

dried fruit: Hot cross buns are typically made with chopped mixed peel. This is a mixture of the peels of citrus, such as orange, lemon or grapefruit that have been candied. However, some choose to use dried fruit instead. I didn't have access to mixed peel at the time I made this recipe so I chose to use raisins. You could also use dried cranberries, dried blueberries, dried figs or a combination.
glaze: The glaze is made from store-bought fruit preserves. We used orange marmalade to impart the missing citrus flavor of the mixed peel. Apricot or lemon preserves would work as well.
kitchen temperature: It's very important to take the ambient temperature of your kitchen into account when working with sourdough. Our recipes are tested in a kitchen that is 68°F (20°C). If your kitchen is warmer, you will need to reduce your rising time in the first and second rise to avoid over-proving the dough.
make ahead: If you'd like to prepare the dough and bake the rolls at a later time, shape the rolls, cover the dish with plastic and store in the fridge for up to 36 hours. When ready to bake, allow them to have the second rise at room temperature until puffy and proceed with baking.
flour: Bread flour is ideal for this recipe but all-purpose flour can be used with great results.
baking dish: Baking the rolls in a glass baking dish gave us the softest rolls. They can be baked in a 9" x 13" metal tin but you will need to bake them at 400°F (204°C) for less time. Check on the rolls around 22-25 minutes to make sure they don't over-bake.

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