Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
, Updated Feb 14, 2022
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Delicious Sourdough Hot Cross Buns, using my easy, no knead method. Bake a batch of these traditional sweetly spiced buns this Easter!
Like most sourdough recipes, these hot cross buns need several hours to rise. Start this recipe the night before allowing for the dough to prove overnight. Bake them in the morning for the perfect breakfast treat!
You will also love my Tsoureki – Greek Easter Bread
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I adore Hot Cross Buns!! If it were up to me I would eat them year-round and not just during Easter. And I guess nothing is stopping me, or you!, from doing just that.
This spring I wanted to give sourdough hot cross buns recipe a try… I am always looking for new ways to put my starter to good use. I am thrilled to report these are delicious!
These have the tang from the sourdough starter, a subtle sweetness and are amazing toasted and spread with butter.
Since these hot cross buns are made with sourdough starter instead of yeast they are not as fluffy as your average HTB… but they have a charm all of their own!
SOURDOUGH HOT CROSS BUN INGREDIENTS
- Active sourdough starter (you can buy sourdough starter online if you haven’t cultivated your own)
- Bread flour – bread flour is higher in protein and will give your buns a better structure. You can use all purpose (plain flour) in this recipe if you haven’t any bread flour.
- Salt, sugar, cinnamon and mixed spice
- Whole milk
- Unsalted butter
- Large egg
- Raisins and mixed citrus peel (candied peel)
- Water and flour to make the cross
- Apricot jam or honey, to glaze
USEFUL EQUIPMENT
- Digital scales are very useful when baking sourdough
- Dough whisk for mixing bread dough
SOURDOUGH HOT CROSS BUNS STEP BY STEP
Remember to feed your starter before starting this recipe! Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
STEP 1 Put the milk and butter in a measuring jug and microwave for 40 seconds or until the butter starts to melt. Stir in the sugar, salt and spices and then the egg (make sure the milk is tepid or the egg will scramble!).
STEP 2 Measure your starter into a large mixing bowl and add the milk mixture. Stir well so that the flour is well hydrated, then add the raisins and peel. Use your hands to work the dough into a shaggy ball, making sure no dry pockets of flour remain.
STEP 3 Transfer the dough into glass pyrex dish misted with a little water, cover and leave to rise at room temperature overnight / for 12-18 hours (this is called bulk fermentation). I like using a glass rectangular container as you can clearly see how much the dough has risen.
STEP 4 Tip the dough onto your worktop, form it into a sausage shape and cut into 12 pieces (use a scale to weigh them if you want them all to be equal size).
STEP 5 Flatten each piece and then fold the edges in towards the centre. Use your hands to shape them into little balls and place on a lined baking sheet, spaced slightly apart. Loosely cover with a plastic bag and allow them to rise again, for two hours or until puffed up.
STEP 6 Preheat the oven to 200C (400F) for a good half hour before baking the buns. Mix the flour with enough water to make a paste. Put in a ziplock or pastry bag, snip one end and pipe crosses over the buns.
STEP 7 Put the buns in the oven (centre rack) and reduce heat to 180C (350F). Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating the baking tray halfway through.
STEP 8 Brush the warm hot cross buns with apricot jam or honey to glaze and allow them to cool down before serving.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
Hot Cross Cinnamon Buns
Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread
Overnight Sourdough Bread
HAVE YOU MADE MY SOURDOUGH HOT CROSS BUNS? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!
Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
For the overnight sourdough
- 240 ml (1 cup) whole milk
- 55 g (½ stick) unsalted butter
- 75 g (⅓ cup) sugar I used golden caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 200 g (1 cup) active starter
- 500 g (4 cups) white bread flour preferably organic
- 75 g (½ cup) raisins
- 50 g (⅓ cup) mixed peel
- zest of a lemon or orange
For the cross
- 60 g (½ cup) flour
- water as needed
To glaze
- 5 tbsp smooth apricot jam or marmalade
Instructions
Prepare the dough
- Put the milk and butter in a measuring jug and microwave for 40 seconds or until the butter starts to melt. Stir in the sugar, vanilla, salt and spices and then the egg (make sure the milk is tepid or the egg will scramble!).
- Measure your starter into a large mixing bowl and add the milk mixture. Stir well so that the flour is well hydrated, then add the raisins, peel and zest. Use your hands to work the dough into a shaggy ball, making sure no dry pockets of flour remain.
- OPTIONAL: Do one set of stretching and folding an hour after mixing the dough.
Bulk Fermentation
- Transfer the dough into a glass pyrex dish misted with a little water, cover and leave to rise at room temperature overnight / for 12-18 hours. I like using a glass rectangular container as you can clearly see how much the dough has risen.
Shape and rise
- Tip the dough onto your worktop (do not add flour), form it into a sausage shape and cut into 12 pieces (use a scale to weigh them if you want them all to be equal size).
- Flatten each piece and then fold the edges in towards the centre. Use your hands to shape them into little balls and place on a lined baking sheet, spaced slightly apart. Loosely cover with a plastic bag and allow them to rise again, for two hours or until puffed up.
Bake the buns
- Preheat the oven to 200C (400F) for a good half hour before baking the buns. Mix the flour with enough water to make a paste. Put in a ziplock or pastry bag, snip one end and pipe crosses over the buns.
- Put the buns in the oven (centre rack) and reduce heat to 180C (350F). Bake for 30-35 minutes, rotating the baking tray halfway through.
Glaze the buns
- Stir the jam to loosen (or warm it very slightly). Brush the warm hot cross buns with apricot jam or honey to glaze and allow them to cool down before serving.
Notes
- Digital scales are very useful when baking sourdough
- to bake your loaf in
- Large jar for mixing your starter
- Spatula for mixing your starter
- Dough whisk for mixing bread dough
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
What is mixed spice? We do not have that in the United States. Sounds like a great recipe!
Hi Rebecca you can use pumpkin spice instead or a mix of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg