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Hot Cross Buns Recipe from Mrs. Rabbit (Peter’s Mother)

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!

hot cross buns and teaOriginally 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!

hot cross buns in a tray

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.

Italian Easter Bread with Eggs

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!)

hot cross buns

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.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

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.

Hot cross buns
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!

mrs. rabbit's Hot cross buns recipe

Mrs. Rabbit’s Hot Cross Buns

adapted from a coloring book recipe              makes 12 medium sized buns

FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW (see recipe card for stand mixer directions)

Add the milk and melted butter to the bread machine bowl. Place the flour, sugar, salt and mixed spice* (see below) 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”.

mixed spice on a board

*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.

shaping hot cross buns

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

paste for hot cross buns

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

paste for hot cross buns

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.

making hot cross buns

making 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.

brushing hot cross buns with glaze
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.

hot cross buns and tea

hot cross buns and tea

inside of a bunThe 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!

daughter with her bake

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hot cross buns and tea

Mrs. Rabbit's Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Servings: 12 buns
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook 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) :)
4.9 from 83 votes

Ingredients

  • 10 oz milk
  • ¼ cup butter softened or melted, if using a bread machine
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 3 ½ to 3 ¾ cups all purpose flour or bread flour
  • 1 to 2 tsp. mixed spice depending on your preference recipe is below this recipe card
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp. yeast dried
  • ¾ cup currants

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

  • 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”.
  • 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.
  • 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).
  • While the buns are rising, mix the 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.
  • 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)
  • Place the buns in the center of the preheated 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.
  • The next day, slice them in half and toast them to serve with butter, and of course another cup of tea!

Notes

Directions for stand mixer:
  1. Activate the yeast in the warm milk with a pinch of sugar.
  2. Meanwhile, mix the softened butter and sugar until well combined, then add a little of the milk mixture.
  3. Remove the paddle and insert the dough hook then add some flour. Add the rest of the milk, flour, salt and mixed spice and let the machine knead the mixture into a dough. (If using cups, begin with the lesser amount of flour, and only add more to acheive a workable dough.)
  4. Continue run the machine for about 5 minutes; after a soft and smooth dough has formed add the currants. Mix through then stop the machine. Cover and let the dough double in size, then proceed with STEP 2 in the main recipe to shape the dough, etc.
Currants are traditional, but use mixed dried fruit, raisins, or even some candied fruit, if you like.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg
mixed spice in a jar

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

Servings: 1 small jar
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
A basic British mixed spice recipe.
4.9 from 41 votes

Special Equipment

  • 1 glass jar

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tsp coriander dried spice
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • ½ tsp mace
  • ½ tsp ground cloves

Instructions

  • Mix all the spices together and place in a glass jar or container.
  • 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 57kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 126mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 36IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 2mg

Christina’s Cucina is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

4.85 from 83 votes (81 ratings without comment)

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114 Comments

  1. Do you think adding chocolate chips would work okay?
    I also use a standing mixer with hook attachment and would love if you added some directions on what ingredients to add when. I did it based on some of the knowledge I have on baking but it isn’t much.

  2. Hi Christina, I don’t have a bread machine, I’m using my kitchen aid with the hook attachment, I added everything together and kneaded till it reached a dough like consistency.
    I put in a bowl, covering it with blankets but not sure for how long, you say until it doubles in size and then divide into 12 individual pieces.
    Question is how long does it take to double in size because it hasn’t risen that much

    Thank you

    1. I can’t give a time exactly because it depends on so many factors. I can say that after 3 hours if it hasn’t doubled, your yeast is probably not fresh. Let me know how it goes! CC

      1. Hi Christina,
        They turned out perfect!
        Only thing I noticed after baking was the bottom of the bun, didn’t seem cooked like the top.
        Overall, delicious!
        And the mixed spice was perfect, i followed your recipe!
        I will definitely make them again
        Thank you so much!

    2. I want to add, you need to make sure the dough doesn’t dry out or it will make a hard skin and won’t be able to rise properly. you may want to have the covers be a little damp.

  3. Third year in a row making hot cross buns (I moved to Sweden, and they don’t sell them! 😭) and we’ve made a different recipe each year, with yours this year and we might have found our go-to! Best of the three so far, so soft and delicious! 😊 It’s missing a bit of spice, but that’s probably my fault. Only used one teaspoon instead of two, and an equal mix of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg since I was out of the mixed spice. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Thank you for letting me know, Kylie! I do love this recipe for those reasons. Yes, the spice is definitely fixable! Please click on the 5 stars if you can (helps with google)! Happy Easter!

  4. Hello
    I have just found your site,its fabulous!! i am in the middle of making hot cross buns,well,it is Good Friday,after all!! Do I make my crosses before the second rise or after it? i am a bit confused with the pictures,which looks you do the crosses before putting them in the oven to rise,and the written instructions.please help.

    1. I’m so sorry, Susan! I just updated the recipe the other day. No, the crosses are put on right before baking (after proofing in the tin). Sorry for the delay, but I’m in CA (PST). Thanks for your kind words and let me know how they turned out!

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