Chelsea Buns (British Buns Similar to Cinnamon Rolls)
Chelsea buns are soft, spiced rolls with butter, raisins and currants rolled into the middle, then brushed with a sweet and sticky glaze. They’re incredibly delicious, especially with a cup of tea!
If you’re into British baking, you’re going to absolutely love this Chelsea buns recipe.
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It’s especially easy to make if you use a bread machine, or a stand mixer, but making it by hand doesn’t require a ton of work, either.
If you’re familiar with my world “famous” (they’ve honestly been made all around the world) perfect yeast doughnut recipe, then you’ll be happy to learn that this Chelsea bun recipe is from the same cookbook, The Bread and Bread Machine Bible.
Is a Chelsea bun the same as a cinnamon roll?
- Chelsea buns have dried fruit (like golden raisins and currants) in the middle, cinnamon rolls do not.
- Cinnamon rolls are made with just cinnamon, whereas Chelsea buns use mixed spice. (Click the link to read about mixed spice.)
- Chelsea buns are glazed, and cinnamon rolls are iced, or covered in frosting.
- Cinnamon rolls are much sweeter than Chelsea buns, both in the dough and the frosting.
Here is my soft and fluffy cinnamon roll recipe if you’d like to make these instead.
This is another solid recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, and I’m sure you’ll be as pleased with the results as I am each time I make these yeast buns.
Like my cinnamon rolls, and cinnamon roll King cake, they are also soft, fluffy and entirely delicious; just perfect with a cup of tea or coffee (I would suggest tea).
Love cinnamon? Try this cinnamon French toast with orange sauce!
If you want to learn about the history of Chelsea buns which originated in London (at the Chelsea Bun House) at the end of the 17th century, you can read about it at The Londonist.
Find more English recipes here.
Note: you can roll the dough more thinly and end up with more “rings” which will not be as light and fluffy as these, but I believe the ones in England tend to be made in this fashion, if you’re going for a more authentic look.
Chelsea Buns Recipe
slightly adapted from The Bread and Bread Machine Bible makes buns
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Make the Dough
Please choose the directions below depending on if you want to use a bread machine, stand mixer, or make the dough by hand.
-In a Bread Machine
Put the milk and egg into the bread machine container, then add the flour, salt, sugar and butter. Make a well on top and place the yeast in it. Set the machine for the “dough” cycle. When finished allow to rise to be double the size of the dough when it finished the cycle. Skip to the Make the Filling step below.
-In a Stand Mixer
Add the yeast to the milk, and let stand for a few minutes. Stir in the egg.
Put the flour, salt, sugar and butter in the mixing bowl, then add the liquid. Using a dough hook, turn on the mixer until a smooth dough is formed.
Cover and allow to double in size (at room temperature, or in a barely warm oven). Skip to the Make the Filling step below.
-By Hand
Follow the directions for the Stand Mixer above, but mix all the ingredients together using a Danish dough whisk or spatula, until it forms a sticky dough. Place onto floured board or counter, and knead until a smooth dough is formed. Put into a floured bowl, cover and allow to rise at room temperature or in a slightly warm oven until doubled in size.
Make the Filling
While the dough is rising, put all of the ingredients for the filling, except for the butter, into a medium sized bowl and stir to combine.
Roll Out the Dough and Fill the Chelsea Buns
Knead gently, then roll out into a 12″ by 18″ rectangle.
Brush with melted butter.
Sprinkle the filling evenly over the buttered dough.
Start rolling up the dough from the longest end.
When the entire dough is rolled, put the seam side down and cut into 9 equal slices with a sharp knife.
They should look like this.
Place each slice into an 9″ (23 cm) greased, square baking pan. Cover and allow to rise until they fill the pan.
Proof and Bake the Buns
Before proofing the buns.
After allowing to rise.
Don’t let the buns overproof or they won’t turn out well; this is perfect.
In the pan, they will look like this when they are ready to bake.
Gently place into the middle of a preheated 400 F degree (200 C) oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and well risen.
Make the Glaze
After you remove the pan from the oven, make the glaze.
Glaze the Chelsea Buns and Serve
While the buns are still hot, glaze generously with a pastry brush while still in the pan. Allow to cool.
Turn out onto a board, then serve.
The smell that will fill your home is divine!
You definitely will enjoy them more with a cup of tea, or coffee.
Let me know if you can stop at just one, because I can’t!
They might be just a wee bit addictive! Good luck!
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Chelsea Buns
Ingredients
Dough:
- 8 oz milk (buttermilk can be used)
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or bread flour)
- ½ tsp salt
- 5 Tbsp sugar
- 2 oz butter (softened, good quality)
- 1 tsp dry yeast (rapid-rise or normal)
Filling:
- 1 oz butter (melted)
- ½ cup golden raisins (Sultanas)
- ½ cup raisins
- ¼ cup Zante currants
- 2 Tbsp light brown sugar (soft)
- 1 tsp mixed spice
Glaze:
- ¼ cup sugar
Instructions
- Oven temperature 400ºF (200ºC)
- Make the Dough: Please choose the directions below depending on if you want to use a bread machine, stand mixer, or make the dough by hand.
In a Bread Machine:
- Put the milk and egg into the bread machine container, then add the flour, salt, sugar and butter.
- Make a well on top and place the yeast in it. Set the machine for the "dough" cycle.
- When finished allow to rise to be double the size of the dough when it finished the cycle. Skip to the Make the Filling step below.
In a Stand Mixer:
- Add the yeast to the milk, and let stand for a few minutes. Stir in the egg.
- Put the flour, salt, sugar and butter in the mixing bowl, then add the liquid. Using a dough hook, turn on the mixer until a smooth dough is formed.
- Cover and allow to double in size (at room temperature, or in a barely warm oven). Skip to the Make the Filling step below.
By Hand:
- Follow the directions for the Stand Mixer above, but mix all the ingredients together using a Danish dough whisk or spatula, until it forms a sticky dough.
- Place onto floured board or counter, and knead until a smooth dough is formed.
- Put into a floured bowl, cover and allow to rise at room temperature or in a slightly warm oven until doubled in size.
Make the Filling:
- While the dough is rising, put all of the ingredients for the filling, except for the butter, into a medium sized bowl.
- Stir to combine.
Roll Out the Dough and Fill the Chelsea Buns:
- Knead the dough gently, then roll out into a 12" by 18" rectangle. Brush with the melted butter.
- Sprinkle the filling evenly over the buttered dough.
- Start rolling up the dough from the longest end.
- When the entire dough is rolled, put the seam side down and cut into 9 equal slices with a sharp knife.
- Place each slice into an 9" (23 cm) greased, square baking pan.
Proof and Bake the Buns:
- Don't let the buns overproof or they won't turn out well. In the pan, they will look like this when they are ready to bake.
- Gently place into the middle of a preheated oven and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and well risen.
Make the Glaze:
- After you remove the pan from the oven, make the glaze.
- Simmer the sugar with 4 tablespoonfuls of water for about 2 minutes. If you simmer it longer, it will be too sticky.
Glaze the Chelsea Buns and Serve:
- While the buns are still hot, glaze generously with a pastry brush while still in the pan. Allow to cool until just warm.
- Turn out onto a board, and serve.
Notes
- Don't overproof the dough either time or the buns won't taste or look as they should. Keep an eye on that dough :)
Nutrition
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I made this recipe and it was a big hit with family and friends. I’m a retired baker and like to try new baked goods from different cultures. I being of Italian decent generally bake Italian baked goods really enjoyed the change. Of course I tweaked the recipe a bit. I used regular raisins, sultana’s, dried cranberries, diced apricots and dates. I soaked them overnight in a rum water solution and the following day I drained them put them on a towel under my ceiling fan to dry not to have excess moisture in the buns. I used an additional icing with almond extract to drizzle on top. I will definitely make this recipe again.
Lovely, Joseph!! Thank you!
Hi Christina I’m uk London and you cannot buy these anymore. cinnamon seems to have taken over. I had a go at making these but the dough is a little pastry like. they look and taste OK but not the bun consistency I love in a Chelsea bun. did I not knead enough?
That’s sad (that you can no longer buy them), but these should definitely be light and not like pastry. Is your yeast fresh? Did you let it rise long enough, or alternatively maybe it over proofed?
These would go great with espresso made in a beautiful Bialetti moka coffee pot!
Hello, I made this recipe the other day and they came out delicious. However, I’d like to bake them fresh in the morning for the breakfast. Do you think that I can leave them in the fridge overnight for the second proof to just put them straight in the oven in the morning? Thanks
Glad to hear it, Irena. I haven’t tried that, but I think it would work, however, I wouldn’t put them straight into the oven. Let them come to room temperature before baking. If you try, let me know how they turn out. Good luck!
They came out absolutely fantastic! I put them in the fridge at night and they did not grow at all so I had to leave them for an hour outside to proof and then bake them. Delicious!
Fantastic! Happy to hear it, Irena! Thanks for reporting back. :) If you can leave a review (stars on the recipe card) I’d really appreciate it!
After watching Britain’s Best Bakery on IMDBtv, I wanted to make something! I’m not super great in the kitchen but I do okay. I tend towards pound cakes and pies. I had another recipe that I tried last weekend and they turned out terrible-like hockey pucks! I made your recipe today and they look great! I can’t wait to try them!!!
(I made the Mixed Spice too although I didn’t have any Mace.)
Oh, don’t worry about skipping the mace, Leslie, it’ll still be great! Sorry to hear of the failed recipe, but many times the recipe isn’t a good one (unfortunately, too many like that out there). SO glad you tried these Chelsea buns, I hope you love them as much as I do! Enjoy!