Eggless Hot Cross Buns

It’s almost time for Good Friday and that means it’s time for a traditional episode. Hot cross buns have since forever been made on this day and so here they are. They are so easy to make and so yummy to have. Try them out! Hot Cross Buns are made with currants or raisins, marked with a cross on the top, and traditionally eaten on Good Friday. So try it out and share your comments!

Hot cross buns can be served plain or buttered. The ‘cross’ marked on the top of the buns symbolically represents the Cross of Christ and the Crucifixion. Furthermore, I would like to give some suggestions for making perfect hot cross buns. Firstly, add dry yeast and sugar to the lukewarm milk (about 100 degrees F or 38 degrees C) and let it sit for 5 to 10 mins to activate. Lukewarm milk is very important to this recipe to activate the yeast. If you use hot milk, then it will kill the yeast. so try to use lukewarm milk.

Secondly, try to add all the spices given in the recipe because it will give a special nice aroma to these hot cross buns. While I have used light brown sugar in the dough for the sweetness you can just replace it with white sugar. If it is difficult to find candid fruits then add currants or even a combination of dried cranberries and cherries.

Even though making hot cross buns is not difficult, it will take 2 to 3 hours because the dough needs to rise twice. Finally, the buns are baked in a hot oven until browned. Once they have cooled, pipe a cross on the buns using the glaze made from powdered sugar and milk.

Finally, you may also like my other Christmas cake recipes like Hot Cross Buns, Eggless Strawberry Sauce Cake, Eggless Chocolate Cupcakes, Eggless Apple Cake, Eggless Strawberry Cake, Eggless Carrot Cake, Eggless Orange Cake, Eggless Christmas Plum Cake, Christmas Plum Cake, Strawberry Streusel cake, Chocolate Marble Cake, Orange Chiffon Cake, Yogurt Lemon Cake, Coffee Cake, Pineapple Cake, Eggless Sponge Cake, Chocolate Chiffon Cake, Vanilla Cupcakes Chocolate Cake with Ganache Pound Cake, Orange Cake, Red Velvet Cupcakes and Red Velvet Cake.

Eggless Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 03:00
Cook Time: 00:20
Total Time: 03:20

For Dough

• 3/4 cup warm milk (180 ml)
• 1 tsp (3 grams) active dry yeast
• 1 tsp white sugar
• 2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour
• 25 grams light brown sugar
• 1/8 tsp cloves powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/8 tsp dry ginger powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 30 grams unsalted butter (2 tbsp), softened
• 3 tbsp candied fruit (tutti frutti)
• 2 tbsp black raisins
• 1 tsp of oil for greasing
• 2 tbsp of milk for brushing

For Glazing

• 60 g powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp milk

1. In a wide bowl, add lukewarm milk (about 100 degree F/ 40 degree C), yeast, and sugar. Mix well and keep it aside for about 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. In a separate wide bowl, combine flour, spices, brown sugar, and salt. Mix well.
3. Once yeast is frothy, add the flour mixture, candied fruit, and raisins. Knead until a soft dough forms.
4. Add the softened butter and knead until dough is silky smooth and elastic. Add more flour if needed.
5. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Apply 1 tsp of oil and cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm place for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
6. Gently punch down the dough and divide into 6 equal parts. Shape into small round balls and place on a parchment-lined baking tray. Leave enough space between each bun as they will double in size while baking.
7. Brush buns with milk and cover with lightly greased plastic wrap. Set aside for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
8. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Brush the buns with milk again and cut a cross on the top with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors.
9. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
10. Cool buns on a wire rack before glazing.
11. Combine powdered sugar and milk. Mix until smooth. Place glaze in a small plastic bag and pipe a cross on top of each bun.

By Santhi Therese from [The Indian Claypot]

In a wide bowl, add lukewarm milk (about 100 degree F/ 40 degree C),
instant dry yeast

and sugar,

mix well and keep it aside for about 10 mins or until frothy.

Meanwhile, in a wide bowl, combine flour, all spices, brown sugar, and salt, mix well.

Once the yeast is foamy, mix well and then add the flour mixture, candied fruit, and raisins,

knead until you get a soft dough.

Then add softened butter, knead the dough continuously until the dough is silky smooth and elastic. Add more flour if needed.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and apply 1 tsp of oil over the dough and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place for about 2 hours or until it has doubled in size.

After 2 hours, gently punch it down to release the air and divide it into 6 equal parts. Then shape it like a small round ball and place them on a parchment-lined baking tray. Place 2 buns in a row with enough space as they will double in size while baking.

Apply milk over the buns by using a brush. Cover the tray with lightly greased plastic paper and set it aside for about 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.

Again brush the top of the buns with the milk, and cut a cross on the top of the buns by using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 200 degrees C. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake it for about 15 to 20mins until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack (apply some butter on top) to cool completely before glazing.

Combine the powdered sugar and milk and mix until smooth. Then place the glaze in a small plastic bag  and cut the edge of the bag and pipe a cross on the top of each bun.