Mary Berry Hot Cross Buns

Why You’ll Like It

There’s a reason why Mary Berry Hot Cross Buns are considered the gold standard. This recipe is completely foolproof, designed to take the fear out of working with yeast. It’s a wonderfully forgiving dough that yields incredibly soft, fragrant, and fruit-packed buns that are simply better than any shop-bought version.

The process is a labour of love that fills your home with the warming scents of cinnamon and mixed spice. Plus, the recipe is structured with plenty of waiting time, meaning you can do other things while the dough does its work. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or trying your hand at enriched dough for the first time, you’ll feel a surge of pride pulling that tray of golden, glossy buns out of the oven.

Tips for the Perfect Mary Berry Hot Cross Buns

1. Don’t Skip the Second Prove: As Mary notes, this is crucial. The dough contains a generous amount of butter and sugar, which can make it heavy. The second rise ensures your buns are light, airy, and soft, rather than dense.
2. Find a Warm Spot: Temperature is everything for yeast. If your kitchen is cool, use a warm airing cupboard. Alternatively, try the microwave trick: heat a mug of water until steamy, remove it, add the bowl of dough, close the door, and leave it to prove in the residual warmth. Even an oven with just the light on can provide the perfect gentle environment.
3. Watch Your Oven: Most ovens have hot spots. Follow Mary’s advice and turn the baking trays around halfway through the bake to ensure every bun is a uniform, pale golden-brown.
4. Active Time is Minimal: Don’t let the total time put you off. This is a recipe that asks for short bursts of active work, with long rests in between—perfect for fitting into a busy day.

What You Need

• Large mixing bowl
• Saucepan (for melting butter) and a separate pan for warming milk
• 1–2 baking trays
• Baking paper
• Cling film or a large clean polythene bag
• Piping bag fitted with a 3mm nozzle (or a small, sealable food bag)
• Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

For the Dough

• Strong white flour (500g/1lb 2oz) – plus extra for dusting. Variation: substitute up to 100g with wholemeal bread flour for a nuttier flavour; may require an extra splash of milk.

• Caster sugar (75g/2¾oz) – Variation: golden caster sugar adds a subtle caramel note.

• Mixed spice (2 tsp) – Variation: make your own by mixing 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, and ½ tsp ground allspice.

• Ground cinnamon (1 tsp) – Variation: for a spicier bun, increase to 1½ tsp and reduce mixed spice slightly.

• Lemon (1) – finely grated zest only. Variation: orange zest makes a sweeter, more festive alternative.

• Salt (10g/¼oz) – Variation: if using salted butter, reduce slightly to taste.

• Fast-action dried yeast (10g/¼oz) – Variation: if using active dry yeast, activate in the warm milk first before adding to the dry ingredients.

• Butter (40g/1½oz) – Variation: unsalted is ideal; salted will work but adjust the added salt accordingly.

• Milk (300ml/10fl oz) – Variation: whole milk gives the richest result, but semi-skimmed works perfectly well.

• Egg (1) – beaten. *Variation: for an egg-free version, replace with 50ml extra warm milk and 1 tbsp olive oil.*

• Sultanas (200g/7oz) – Variation: use a mix of sultanas, raisins, and currants, or soak them in warm tea or brandy for extra flavour.

• Mixed candied peel (50g/1¾oz) – finely chopped. Variation: omit and increase sultanas to 250g for a less intense flavour.

• Oil – for greasing. Variation: any neutral vegetable oil or melted butter works well.

For the Topping and Glaze

• Plain flour (75g/2¾oz) – for the cross paste. Variation: for a sweeter cross, add 1 tbsp caster sugar to the paste.

• Water (100ml/3½fl oz) – for mixing with the flour to make the cross paste. Variation: use milk instead for a slightly richer paste.

• Golden syrup (2 tbsp) – for glazing. Variation: warm honey or sieved apricot jam make excellent alternatives for a glossy finish.

Variations and Substitutions

• Chocolate Chip Buns: Replace the sultanas and mixed peel with 250g of dark or milk chocolate chips. Omit the mixed spice and cinnamon, and add 1 tsp of vanilla extract to the wet ingredients for a decadent twist.
• Citrus & Cranberry: Swap the sultanas for dried cranberries and add the zest of an orange instead of a lemon. This gives a brighter, tarter flavour that’s wonderful for spring.
• Gluten-Free: You can substitute the strong white flour with a high-quality gluten-free bread flour blend. The dough will be stickier, so use wet hands for shaping, and be aware the texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
• Egg-Free: Replace the beaten egg with an extra 50ml of warm milk and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to enrich the dough.

How to Make Hot Cross Buns Step by Step

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: Put the flour, sugar, mixed spice, ground cinnamon, and lemon zest into a large bowl and mix together. Add the salt and fast-action dried yeast, placing them on opposite sides of the bowl. (This prevents the salt from killing the yeast before they are mixed.)
2. Add Wet Ingredients: Melt the butter in a saucepan and warm the milk in a separate pan until it is tepid. Add the butter and half the tepid milk to the dry ingredients. Add the beaten egg and use your hands to bring the mixture together, incorporating the flour from the edges of the bowl as you go. Gradually add the remaining milk to form a soft, pliable dough. You may not need all of the milk.
3. Knead in the Fruit: Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead by hand, incorporating the sultanas and mixed candied peel into the dough. Lightly knead for 10 minutes until the dough is silky, elastic, and forms a smooth ball. (Note: This can also be done in a freestanding mixer fitted with a dough hook or in a bread machine using the dough setting.)
4. First Rise: Oil a clean bowl and place the dough inside. Cover with cling film and leave to rest in a warm place for about 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
5. Knock Back & Second Rise: Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knock back (punch down) and knead for a further 5 minutes. Return to the bowl, cover with cling film, and leave in a warm place to rise for a further hour, or until doubled in size again.
6. Shape the Buns: Turn the dough out again onto a floured surface. Divide into 12 equal pieces, shaping each of these into a neat ball. Line 1–2 baking trays with baking paper and place the balls on the tray, spacing them fairly close together and flattening them slightly.
7. Final Prove: Slip each baking tray into a large clean polythene bag, making sure the bag doesn’t touch the buns. (Alternatively, cover with oiled cling film or a damp tea towel.) Leave for 40–60 minutes until the buns have doubled in size.
8. Preheat: Towards the end of the proving time, preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/Gas 7.
9. Cross PasteMake the: For the topping, mix the plain flour with 100ml/3½fl oz water in a bowl to make a smooth, thick paste. Spoon the paste into a piping bag fitted with a 3mm nozzle (or a small sealable food bag).
10. Pipe the Crosses: When the buns have risen, remove the polythene bags. Pipe a cross on top of each bun using the piping bag. If using a food bag for the paste, simply snip a corner off the sealed bag.
11. Bake: Bake for 15–20 minutes until the buns are pale golden-brown. Turn the baking trays around halfway through the cook time if necessary to ensure they cook evenly.
12. Glaze and Cool: Melt the golden syrup in a pan. While the buns are still warm from the oven, brush the tops with the syrup to give them a nice shine. Transfer the buns to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storing Instructions

• At Room Temperature: The buns will keep in an airtight container for 3–4 days. To refresh them, a quick 10-second blast in the microwave or a few minutes in a toaster works wonders.
• Freezing: These buns freeze beautifully for up to 1 month. Wrap them individually in cling film and place in a freezer-safe bag. Defrost at room temperature and serve as usual.

Serving Instructions

The classic way to enjoy Mary Berry Hot Cross Buns is split in half, lightly toasted, and generously spread with salted butter. They are the perfect accompaniment to a cup of strong tea or coffee. They are also wonderful served warm with a dollop of clotted cream for a truly indulgent Easter treat.

Ready to Bake More?

• Easter Simnel Cake with Almond Paste Topping
• Apricot Bread and Butter Pudding
• Irish Soda Bread Scones
• Scottish Shortbread Cookies

Health Info