Mrs. Rabbit’s Hot Cross Buns Recipe

This hot cross buns recipe is a foolproof, easy, step by step recipe with phenomenal results.  If you love soft, fluffy, hot cross buns, laced with a hint of mixed spice, and dotted with currants, this classic British recipe is for you!

Originally published on March 27, 2015.

This hot cross buns recipe is not a normal recipe post for me.

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First of all, I took some of the photos below long before I even began Christina’s Cucina. I didn’t make the hot cross buns in those pictures, and the recipe belongs to a storybook rabbit!

So, here’s the reason for the strange post~

When my children were young, I used to entertain them with all things ‘Beatrix Potter’, and one of the coloring books I bought for them was called, “Peter Rabbit’s Easter.” It contained lots of activities for the Easter holiday, and one of them was a recipe for children to make hot cross buns.

Here’s another great recipe to make with or for children at Easter: Italian Easter bread rings.

Well, I pulled out that particular page and kept the recipe because it sounded really good, but it wasn’t until my daughter was 13 years old, that she actually made them. (Yikes, time flies!)

The photo of the page below is from that little coloring book. It contains the recipe she followed and we continue to follow. Please note, I am quite sure the 1 tablespoon of yeast is a typo, as this is a very large amount of dried yeast for this recipe; please follow my printable recipe instead.

You may also like my homemade cinnamon roll recipe, too.

We make hot cross buns in our bread machine (this is the one I have, but there are many less expensive models), and if you’d like to do the same, just follow the directions below.

You can see from the very last photo below, we either added our own little touch of icing the first time my daughter made them (as the recipe didn’t include it). However, for true and authentic British hot cross buns, you’ll skip the icing and make the proper crosses. Here are a few more English recipes.

Flour and water is made into a loose paste which is piped onto the buns before baking. I can assure you, these hot cross buns taste even better than they look! Delicious, anyway you eat them, and they are so good toasted the next day (cut them in half first), then slather with butter, jam or marmalade!

*To save yourself ordering the British spice blend, you can make your own with this recipe for the British mixed spice.

When the cycle has ended, make sure the dough has doubled in size, then shape into 12 equal pieces and place in a buttered 9″ x 13″ pan.

As I stated above, just mix water and flour until it forms a thick, glue-like consistency.

Put the mixture into a sandwich bag, piping bag, (or condiment bottle) and trim a tiny piece from one corner, if using the bag.

Pipe across the rows in each direction. NOTE: DO NOT MAKE Xs ON EACH BUN. Follow these instructions and you will have proper looking hot cross buns.

Allow the buns to rise until almost doubled in size. I place mine in the oven with a jug of boiling water (so they won’t form a crust). Then remove from the oven, and set it to 400°F (200°) and allow to come to temperature before placing the buns to bake in the center of the oven for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

Meanwhile, make the glaze by melting the sugar in the water in a small pot over low heat. Allow to simmer for about two minutes, then brush the buns with the glaze as soon as they come out of the oven.

Allow to cool slightly before serving, preferably with a hot cup of tea. It always seems nicer with a real china cup and saucer, too.

The picture below is of my daughter’s first time making hot cross buns from Mrs. Rabbit’s recipe. Excuse the poor quality of photo as it was never meant to end up on my page, especially since she didn’t want her photo on here–well, I sort of cut her out. ;) 

As you can see, I’ve managed to fix up the recipe a bit–I think Mrs. Rabbit would be proud, too!

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Mrs. Rabbit's Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Yield: 12 buns

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 18 minutes

Proofing Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 3 minutes

Beautiful British Hot Cross buns recipe from Mrs. Rabbit (Peter's mother) :)

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Ingredients

• 10 oz (295 ml) milk
• 1/4 cup (55 g) butter melted, if using a bread machine
• 1/4 cup (55 g) sugar
• 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups (454 g) all purpose or bread flour
• 1 to 2 tsp. mixed spice (depending on your preference) recipe is added below this recipe card if you do not have any on hand
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp. dried yeast
• 3/4 cup (110 g) currants (currants are traditional, but use mixed dried fruit, raisins, or even some candied fruit, if you like)

Cross Mixture

• 2 Tbsp water (more or less as needed to get the gluey consistency)
• 2 Tbsp flour

Glaze

• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp water

Instructions

1. Add the milk and melted butter to the bread machine bowl. Place the flour, sugar, salt and mixed spice on top of the liquid and make a well in the center, to which the yeast can be added. Set the bread machine to the dough setting and press start. Add the dried fruit when the machine beeps to “add ingredients”.
2. When the cycle has ended, make sure the dough has doubled in size, then shape into 12 equal pieces and place in a buttered 9″x13″ pan.
3. Allow the buns to rise until almost doubled in size. I place mine in the oven with a jug of boiling water (so they won’t form a crust).
4. While the buns are rising, mix the water and flour until it forms a thick, glue-like consistency.
5. Put the mixture into a sandwich bag, piping bag, (or condiment bottle) and trim a tiny piece from one corner, if using the bag.
6. Remove the buns from the oven, and set it to 400°F (200°). Pipe the flour and water mixture across the rows in each direction. See the photo above (do not pipe an X on each bun)
7. Place the buns in the center of the preheated oven for about 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown.
8. Meanwhile, make the glaze by melting the sugar in the water in a small pot over low heat. Allow to simmer for about two minutes, then brush the buns with the glaze as soon as they come out of the oven.
9. Allow to cool slightly before serving, preferably with a hot cup of tea.
10. The next day, slice them in half and toast them to serve with butter, and of course another cup of tea!

Notes

See recipe card for mixed spice below.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 bun
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 234Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 239mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 5g

Nutrition information is only estimated.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a review by clicking on the 5 stars above, in the purple header (a form will appear) or tag me on Instagram! 😍

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Mixed Spice (British Recipe for the US/Canada and Recipes to Use it)

Yield: 1 small jar

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

A basic British mixed spice recipe.

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Ingredients

• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp nutmeg
• 2 tsp coriander (dried spice)
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp mace
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves

Instructions

1. Mix all the spices together and place in a glass jar or container.
2. Keep sealed in a sealed container in a dry place.

Notes

Contrary to other sites claiming that pumpkin spice can be a substitute, I would not recommend using it in place of mixed spice. The flavor profile is significantly different.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a review by clicking on the 5 stars above, in the purple header (a form will appear) or tag me on Instagram! 😍

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