I don’t remember when Nana Ruth started making hot cross buns for Easter, or if she always had. What I remember is the smell — cinnamon and warm bread filling up the whole house on Good Friday morning, before anyone had even gotten dressed. She’d have them cooling on the counter by the time I wandered into her kitchen, still in my nightgown, and she’d split one open and butter it without saying a word. That was breakfast. That was the start of Easter weekend.
The kids helped shape these last Easter — Wyatt’s were the size of baseballs and Clara’s were perfectly round. Mason just ate the raisins out of the dough. Jake said our kitchen looked like a flour bomb went off, and he wasn’t wrong.
The spices are what make these special. Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice — the same combination Nana Ruth used in her apple pie — with just a whisper of orange zest that lifts everything up. The currants get plump and jammy in the oven, and the honey glaze on top gives them this beautiful shine.
The crosses on top aren’t just decoration. In our family, they meant something. Nana Ruth used to say they were a reminder of what Good Friday was about — and that baking them was its own kind of prayer.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Hot Cross Buns
Make the dough. Warm milk to about 110°F and stir in the yeast with a pinch of sugar. Let it bloom for 5 minutes until foamy. Mix flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and orange zest. Add the yeast mixture, eggs, and softened butter. Knead until smooth and elastic — about 8-10 minutes by hand.
First rise. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour until doubled. Fold in the currants or raisins after the first rise — this keeps them from getting crushed during kneading.
Shape the buns. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each into a smooth ball and place in a greased 9×13 baking dish, spacing them evenly. Cover and let rise again for 30-40 minutes until puffy.
Pipe the crosses. Mix flour, sugar, and enough water to make a thick paste. Pipe crosses on top of each bun using a piping bag or zip-lock bag with the corner snipped.
Bake and glaze. Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. While still warm, brush with a honey glaze — just warm honey thinned with a little water. This gives them that beautiful shine Nana Ruth’s always had.
If you enjoy baking bread, my Pull-Apart Garlic Bread is another recipe that fills the whole house with that incredible smell. For Easter brunch, pair these with my Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole or my Nana Ruth’s Carrot Cake for dessert. And my Honey Butter Dinner Rolls are the everyday version I make all year round.
Old-Fashioned Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk, warmed to 110 degrees F
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 1 packet
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for kneading
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2/3 cup dried currants or raisins
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar for the crosses
- 2 tablespoons milk for the crosses
- 2 tablespoons honey for the glaze
Instructions
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Combine warm milk, yeast, and a pinch of sugar in a bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
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Add the remaining sugar, softened butter, and egg to the yeast mixture. Stir to combine.
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In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Add the wet ingredients and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
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Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Knead in the orange zest and currants during the last minute.
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Place in a greased bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise for about 1 hour until doubled in size.
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Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces. Shape each into a smooth ball and arrange in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Cover and let rise for 30 to 40 minutes until puffy.
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
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Brush the hot buns with honey immediately out of the oven.
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Mix powdered sugar and milk to make a thick icing. Pipe crosses on top of each bun once they have cooled slightly.
Common Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Nana Ruth’s Scalloped Potatoes
- Nana Ruth’s Carrot Cake (The Only Easter Dessert You Really Need)
- Resurrection Rolls (The Easter Morning Tradition Our Family Won’t Skip)
- Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast Casserole (Easter Brunch Made the Night Before)
What I Use for This Recipe
A couple things from my kitchen that make this one easier.
Casseroles, brownies, brunch bakes. I own three and somehow always need a fourth.
Every frosting, every batter, every whipped cream. Light enough that my wrist survives a double batch.
No handles, more feel. Nana Ruth used one just like this. You can feel the dough better.
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