Making Hot Cross Buns for the First Time: step by step guide through Martha Stewart’s Hot Cross Buns Recipe
I planned on starting a new Easter dessert tradition of making hot crossed buns this year. Something especially special to mark our first Easter in our farmhouse! What I hadn’t anticipated, however, was a yeast shortage in my area due to a global, historic pandemic known as: COVID-19, or coronavirus.
I originally planned on using Martha Stewart’s hot cross bun recipe because it is straightforward and calls for simple ingredients. The only thing I was missing was the yeast.
My husband, Lloyd, recently made the move home to Theodora (our toddler) and I after traveling back and forth for about a year as he finished his law degree. Amongst the boxes from our old apartment kitchen? A lone three pack of Fleishmann’s active dry yeast. I won’t mention the expiration date but I was doubtful of any rising capabilities.
We made the eggs in the background this year using natural dye from fruits and vegetables. If you are interested in making your own, you can find the step-by-step directions here!
I knew that without proper yeast the rolls weren’t going to be (Martha)picture perfect but had all of the other ingredients so decided to make them anyways.
So very glad that I did make them, they did not rise completely but were still every bit as delicious and because of my lack of proper yeast, I think I took extra precautions I might otherwise not have that resulted in such amazing flavour!
Below is Martha’s complete recipe but I filled in some notes of exactly what I did. Over the years I’ve learned that those extra little steps people often don’t write down can take a recipe from good to great.
My notes will be italicized.
Ingredients
Ingredient Checklist
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for bowl and baking sheet (I used parchment paper instead of butter for my baking sheet and it worked well)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk (I added this all to the dough mixture, the 1 tablespoon was supposed to be for the icing but I used it for the dough and needed an additional tablespoon of milk come icing sugar time. I will do this again next time, however, because the buns turned out so deliciously!)
2 packages active dry yeast (non-expired, preferably. oops)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons plus one pinch salt (a small pinch)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I used regular package nutmeg and it was fine)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
5 1/2 cups all-purpose, flour plus more for dusting
1 1/3 cups currants (these are basically super small raisins)
1 large egg white (I added this in with the eggs for the dough, will do again next time. Just need an extra egg white for the glaze on the buns before they go into the oven)
2 cups confectioners' sugar (for the icing)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (for the icing. this seems like so much when you’re making it. Once the icing is on the buns, it’s delicious with the spices. Trust the Martha!)
Directions
Instructions Checklist
Step 1
Before starting, I would measure out each ingredient and make sure you have everything you need on hand, it makes the process much more enjoyable. Generously butter a large bowl. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, heat 1 cup milk until it is warm to the touch (keep a close eye on this, you don’t want the milk too hot when you add your yeast in)
Step 2
Pour warm milk into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. With mixer on low (for me this means the first or second setting), add yeast, granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons salt, melted butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and beaten eggs.
Step 3
With mixer on low, add flour, 1 cup at a time, until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms around the dough hook, about 3 minutes. Continue kneading, scraping down hook and sides of bowl as necessary until smooth, about 4 minutes longer. (watch the video that is on Martha’s page if you feel like you need to see what this actually looks like!) Add currants, and knead (turn the mixer back on) until combined, about 30 seconds.
Step 4
Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface (don’t worry about having too much flour). Knead by hand to evenly distribute currants, about 1 minute. (take a quick look at the video again to see Martha’s mother at work if you’re not sure what kneading is supposed to look like!)
Step 5
Shape dough into a ball, and place in the buttered bowl (it doesn’t say to melt the butter but having it room temperature at least is helpful. I sometimes use the butter wrap to smooth the butter around the bowl); turn ball to coat with butter, and cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour 20 minutes. For a richer flavor, let dough rise in a refrigerator overnight. **Note: I placed ours in the fridge over night and the flavour was incredible. I will do this each time I make them!
Step 6
**Note: if you leave your dough in the fridge overnight, it will take at least an hour on the counter before you can work it again and put it into the oven. Just a note if you plan on making it for guests, etc., plan this extra time into your schedule.
Generously butter an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet (I actually just used parchment paper instead and it worked well). Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface, and knead briefly to redistribute the yeast. Divide dough into 24 equal pieces, about 2 ounces each. (To do the measurements, I first cut the dough in half. I put one of the halves aside. I then know I have about 12 buns in the dough I have left in front of me to work with. I’ll cut that in half again, and know there are now six buns to work with, I then cut that into three small buns. Once you have the three buns you can easily tell how big they all should be). Shape pieces into tight balls, and place on baking sheet, spaced 1/2 inch apart. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until touching and doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour. (mine didn’t rise because of my questionable yeast but they were still delicious)
Step 7
Heat oven to 375 degrees, with rack positioned in center. To make egg wash, whisk together egg white, 1 tablespoon water, and pinch of salt in a small bowl; brush tops of buns with egg wash. Using very sharp scissors or a buttered slicing knife, slice a cross into the top of each bun (in the video, Martha only does one of the two cuts you need to do but go a head and make a cross by cutting in one direction and then the next. Your icing will use the cross groove to stay in place!). Transfer pan to oven, and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes (at 10 mins, I opened the oven and turned my pan around. In total, I only needed to bake the buns for 20 mins. Keep a close eye on yours around the 20 mark just incase). Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. (I cooled for just a minute until they were touchable, and then cut and put butter on to enjoy. So good!)
Step 8
Make glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon milk (this was the point at which I realized I had baked the tablespoon of milk in the dough already lol I will do this again! and just use another table spoon here for the icing), confectioners sugar, and lemon juice. Pipe or spoon glaze in cross shape over buns, and serve.
If you don’t have a piping bag, place a zip lock bag into a tall glass. You can fill the bag with the icing. Just snip a very small cut into one corner of the bottom of the bag to pour out the mixture. The smaller the opening the easier it is, you can always make it bigger if you need to. If you find the icing too runny, you can add more confectioners sugar to thicken it up.
Once the buns are cooled, if you are not eating them right away, make sure to put them either in an air tight container or dish with wrap on top to keep them from getting too hard.
Also, if you’re not much of an icing fan, skip it all together. This will allow you to halve the buns and you can pop them in the toaster for a quick snack! It’s almost like raisin bread but so much better.
One very happy Theodora after trying her very first hot cross bun…with extra icing
Seeing Theodora’s eyes light up as she tried the icing for the first time cemented making hot cross buns as an annual Easter tradition in our household!
I hope these delicious and easy to make goodies add to your Easter season as they did ours.
Thank you so much for taking the time to pop by today! Hope to see you again soon, -Samantha