There are some recipes that seem to carry their own little reminder of the faith, and hot cross buns are one of them. With their soft, spiced dough, citrus zest, and familiar cross, these buns are a beautiful recipe to make for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is celebrated on September 14. It is a feast centered on the Cross of Christ, reminding us that what appeared to be an instrument of suffering became, through Christ, the sign of our salvation.
So why not bring that reminder into the kitchen?
These hot cross buns are soft, lightly sweet, and warmly spiced with cinnamon and allspice. The raisins and citrus zest add sweetness and brightness, while the cross on top makes them especially fitting for this feast.
They are also a wonderful recipe to make as a family. While the dough rises, you have time to talk about the feast, read about the history of the Cross, or simply enjoy a slower afternoon together in the kitchen.
Why I Love These Hot Cross Buns
I love recipes that connect our Catholic faith with ordinary family life, and these buns do exactly that.
The dough is enriched with butter, milk, and egg, giving the buns a soft and tender texture. Cinnamon and allspice add just enough warmth without overpowering the bread, while sultanas and citrus zest give every bite a little sweetness.
But the best part is the cross.
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross gives us an opportunity to look at the Cross not only as an historical object, but as the great sign of Christ’s love and our salvation. Making a recipe where the cross is part of the food itself gives children a simple, tangible way to encounter that symbol in the home.
And, of course, they are delicious.
How To Make Hot Cross Buns
Make the Dough
Place the flour, yeast, sugar, allspice, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Briefly mix the dry ingredients together.
Warm the butter and milk together in a heat-safe bowl until the butter melts. Allow the mixture to cool to below 100°F before adding it to the dry ingredients.
Add the butter and milk mixture, egg, raisins, and zest to the bowl.
Mix on speed 1 for 10 minutes until everything is well combined.
After the first minute, check the dough. If it is extremely sticky, add a little extra flour, just enough for the dough to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Avoid adding too much flour, as this can make the finished buns heavy.
If you prefer to knead by hand, transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 15 minutes.
The dough is ready when it is smooth and elastic and stretches without breaking easily.
Let the Dough Rise
Leave the dough in the bowl and cover it with cling wrap.
Place the bowl somewhere warm and free from drafts and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, this can take 1 1/2 hours.
Shape the Buns
Line a 9×13-inch baking tray or two 6×9 with baking paper, leaving some overhang.
Remove the cling wrap and gently punch down the dough to release the air.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and shape it into a log. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces about 1 and a half inches each piece.
Gather the edges underneath to form a ball for each slice, then roll it briefly to create a smooth surface.
Place the bun in the prepared tray with the smooth side facing up. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough, arranging the buns close together.
Make the Cross
The cross is what makes these buns particularly fitting for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
Once the buns are prepared for baking, pipe the cross over the top of each one. As they bake, the crosses become part of the beautiful finished bread.
Celebrating the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is one of those feast days that gives us a beautiful opportunity to stop and consider the meaning of something we see every day.
We make the Sign of the Cross. There are crosses displayed in our churches and homes. We wear them around our necks. Yet the Cross is so much more than a familiar symbol.
Through the Cross, Christ gave Himself for us.
That is what makes this feast so beautiful. We are not celebrating suffering for its own sake. We are celebrating the Cross because of what Christ accomplished through it.
For our family, making something like these hot cross buns is a small way of bringing the feast into our home. We can talk about the Cross while we bake, make the Sign of the Cross before eating, and remember that our faith is meant to be lived not only at church, but around our own kitchen tables.
A Simple Feast Day Tradition
Make these buns together as a family on September 14 and serve them warm for breakfast or an afternoon treat.
Then enjoy the buns together.
It does not have to be complicated. Sometimes the simplest traditions are the ones children remember.
Tips for Making Hot Cross Buns
Keep the milk and butter below 100°F. Allow the mixture to cool before adding it to the dough so that the heat does not interfere with the yeast.
Do not add too much flour. The dough should be soft and slightly tacky while you knead it. Add flour only as needed.
Give the dough time to rise. The exact rising time will depend on how warm your kitchen is. Look for the dough to double in size rather than relying only on the clock.
Shape the buns carefully. Gathering the dough underneath and rolling it creates that smooth, rounded top that makes the finished buns look beautiful.
More Catholic Feast Day Recipes
One of my favorite things about cooking according to the liturgical calendar is that there is always another feast day to celebrate. A special meal or baked good does not have to be complicated. Sometimes a simple recipe, a prayer, and a little time around the table are enough to make an ordinary day feel different.
These hot cross buns are especially fitting for September 14, when we celebrate the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
By His Cross, Christ redeemed the world.
Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Before starting, in a small bowl soak raisins in boiling water for 10 minutes. After drain.
- Add flour, yeast, sugar, allspice, cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl. Briefly mix using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
- Warm the butter and milk together in a heat-safe bowl until the butter melts. Allow to cool to below 100°F before adding to the dry ingredients.
- Add butter, milk, egg, raisins, and zest.
- Mix for 10 minutes one speed 1. After 2-3 minutes, add a little extra flour if needed, just until the dough pulls away from the bowl and isn’t overly sticky.
- Alternatively, knead on a lightly floured surface for 15 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- Cover the bowl with cling wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size for about an hour and a half.
- Line a 9×13-inch tray or two 6×9 with baking paper, leaving an overhang.
- Punch down the dough, then transfer to a lightly floured surface. Shape into a log and cut into equal pieces. 1 and a half inches each piece.
- For each slices, gather the edges into a ball, then roll briefly to create a smooth surface.
- Place seam-side down in the tray, arranging the balls close together.
- Loosely fit cling wrap over the pan(s) and let rise for another hour.
- After the second rise, take the cling wrap off and brush egg wash over the rolls.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Combine half a cup of flour and 7 tbsp of water in a small bowl.
- Add to a piping bag or ziplock. Cut the tip of the bag.
- Slowly pipe the mixture onto each roll in the shape of a cross. It should be thin lines because the mixture will spread some.
- Place In the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Until golden brown.
- After baked, brush with melted butter or your favorite jam.
