Hot Cross Buns Citrus Glaze (Printable Version)

Soft spiced buns filled with dried fruit and finished with a bright citrus glaze.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups bread flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk, lukewarm
09 - 1/2 cup water, lukewarm
10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
11 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
12 - 3/4 cup mixed dried fruit including currants, raisins, and chopped candied orange peel
13 - Zest of 1 orange
14 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Cross Paste

15 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
16 - 3 to 4 tablespoons water

→ Citrus Glaze

17 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
18 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
19 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice

# How-To:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine bread flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, ground nutmeg, and salt. Whisk together until evenly distributed.
02 - In a separate bowl, whisk together lukewarm whole milk, lukewarm water, melted unsalted butter, and room temperature eggs until well combined.
03 - Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir until a soft dough begins to form.
04 - Incorporate the mixed dried fruit, orange zest, and lemon zest into the dough, distributing evenly throughout.
05 - Knead by hand or using a stand mixer for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
06 - Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and allow to rise in a warm location for approximately 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
07 - Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal portions. Shape each piece into a smooth ball and arrange on a parchment-lined baking tray with slight spacing between buns.
08 - Cover the buns loosely and allow to rise for 30 minutes until puffy. During this time, preheat the oven to 375°F.
09 - Mix all-purpose flour with 3 to 4 tablespoons water to create a thick, pipeable paste. Transfer the paste into a piping bag or small zip-top bag with a corner cut off.
10 - Pipe a cross pattern over the top of each bun using the prepared cross paste.
11 - Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the buns achieve a golden brown exterior and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
12 - While the buns bake, whisk together powdered sugar, freshly squeezed orange juice, and lemon juice until smooth.
13 - Immediately after removing the buns from the oven, brush the warm buns generously with the citrus glaze. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving and actually gets better the more you handle it, which takes the anxiety out of bread baking.
  • That citrus glaze is bright enough to make people think you've done something far more complicated than you actually have.
  • They're genuinely better warm, which means you can time your baking to impress someone exactly when they walk through your door.
02 -
  • The cross paste can look too thick or too thin—aim for something between peanut butter and pancake batter, thick enough to hold its shape but loose enough to pipe smoothly.
  • Those citrus zests are not optional; they're the secret that makes store-bought versions taste flat in comparison, so always use fresh fruit.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is cold, place the covered dough in an oven with just the light on, which creates a surprisingly consistent warm environment.
  • The moment you see a bun sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, it's done—one minute too long and they start drying out, so set a timer and stick to it.
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