Sourdough hot cross buns
Sourdough hot cross buns are soft, fluffy, spiced buns with raisins and an active sourdough starter. These little buns are glazed with apricot jam and are perfect for your Easter table.
Why you will love this recipe
- These cute little fruit buns are super easy to make!
- Making sourdough hot cross buns is a great Easter tradition a lot of us look forward to every year.
- They are incredibly soft and fluffy.
- These soft, spicy buns are amazing with butter or jam!
What are sourdough hot cross buns?
Sourdough hot cross buns are sweet, spiced buns eaten worldwide on Good Friday. They are filled with dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, and apricots, and have a white cross on top.
Ingredient notes
Sourdough starter: To create a soft and fluffy texture, you need an active sourdough starter, so always feed your starter a few hours before you begin. You do this because the yeast needs air and fresh flour to grow.
Flour: I recommend using bread flour when you make sourdough hot cross buns. Bread flour has a higher protein level than all-purpose flour, which will help to make them extra soft.
Apricot jam: Traditionally, hot cross buns are glazed with jam or honey to give them a nice sheen and a touch of sweetness. I prefer using apricot jam, but you can use any type of jam you like, as long as it doesn’t contain any seeds.
Raisins: You can use any dried fruit you want for the filling, but I often stick with raisins and currants to keep things simple. When you use dried fruit, it is always a good idea to soak them in warm water or orange juice before adding them to the dough. This will make it softer and prevent it from extracting too much moisture from your dough.
How to make sourdough hot cross buns
Because we use an active sourdough starter, you begin the night before you want to serve them. The bulk rise time depends on your room temperature, so adjust the baker’s schedule accordingly.
Day one: Making the dough and autolyze
To make the dough, add the flour, salt, spices, milk, egg, softened butter, raisins, and sugar to a bowl and mix until completely combined. I always do this step with my Kitchen aid. Cover your bowl and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
Now, we are ready to stretch and fold the dough and the bulk rise.
Day two:
After bulk fermenting the dough, it is time to shape and fold your buns. This will take a little more time because we are making little buns instead of one big loaf.
But don’t worry! All you have to do is divide the dough into 12 small balls and shape them like you always do.
Place your buns in a baking dish for the second rise. I like to use a dish big enough for all the buns.
Don’t forget to decorate your buns before placing them in the oven. And glaze them with warm apricot jam while they are still hot!
My tips for the best sourdough hot cross buns
- Make sure your butter, milk, and eggs are at room temperature. This will make incorporating your ingredients much easier.
- Use a kitchen scale. Most sourdough recipes give measurements in grams, and that’s for a good reason. Weighing your ingredients by weight instead of cups gives you a much better result and ensures that your hot cross buns turn out perfectly every time.
- Add your favorite dried fruit! I listed raisins, but finely chopped apricots or dates are also delicious.
Storage
Sourdough hot cross buns are best stored at room temperature. They will remain fresh on the counter for two to three days. If you prepare them ahead of Easter, you can also freeze them. You can keep them in the freezer for up to six months.
To thaw the buns, remove them from the freezer and allow them to come to room temperature on the counter. To reheat them, place them in a preheated oven until heated through.
More easy sourdough bread recipes
Sourdough hot cross buns
Ingredients
For the dough
- 4 cups bread flour 500 grams
- 1 teaspoon salt 7 grams
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest optional
- 1/2 cup raisins 100 grams
- 1 cup milk 250 ml
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter 113 grams, softened
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter 100 grams, active and bubbly
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the glaze
- 2 tablespoons apricot jam
- 2 tablespoons water
For the cross
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Instructions
Day one:
- Prepare your raisins by letting them soak in hot water until they become soft. Drain and set them aside while you prepare your dough.
- Add your flour, salt, sugar, and spices to a bowl and mix until combined.
- Once combined, add your milk, softened butter, sourdough starter and egg. Mix until you have a smooth dough. I like to do this step with a stand mixer and peddle attachment, but you can make the dough by hand.
- Add in your raisins before you stretch and fold the dough. You do this by pull one side of the dough into the center until you’ve pulled in all four sides, and repeat this step 4 times.
- Cover the dough and let it bulk ferment overnight.
Day two:
- Divide the dough into 12 small balls.
- To shape your buns, you need to fold over all the sides into the center and pull the bun towards you.
- Place them seam down into a greased baking dish and cover them with plastic wrap or a clean towel.
- Let them rise for three hours.
How to make the crosses
- Mix together the flour, water, and powdered sugar in a small bowls and add it to a piping bag.
- Pipe your crosses on top of the buns.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C)
- Place your buns in the center of the oven and bake them for 30 minutes.
- Warm up the jam and brush it on top of the hot cross buns while they are still hot.
- Let your sourdough hot cross buns cool completely before serving.
Notes
- You can replace the apricot jam with any clear jam or jelly, like marmalade or ginger jam, you like!
- The length of the bulk ferment depended on the temperature of your environment, so keep an eye on your dough.
