My chocolate hot cross buns recipe is a twist on the traditional yeasted hot cross buns. This basic recipe can be easily adapted to suit your taste buds and it’s fairly easy to make. This is a yeasted bread recipe, so do set some extra time aside.
Why make this recipe?
- Great basic recipe for hot cross buns, that can be made with different fillings/toppings every time.
What should I know before I start making this recipe?
- You will need extra time to make this recipe, but it can be split overnight or during day
What exactly are hot cross buns?
Hot cross buns are normally baked during Easter time. They are soft, sweet buns made from yeasted enriched bread dough and usually baked with currants or orange peel. The cross on the top is made with flour and water.
Over the years, shops would start to bake them through the year and you’d see many different versions and flavours. I’ve even seen a savoury one this year, but I have to say, I’m not that fond of these!
Any specialist equipment needed?
- Piping bag or a sturdy plastic bag
- Baking tray with risen sides (better at keeping all the buns together) or just a normal baking tray
Ingredients & Possible Substitutions
- strong white bread flour
- plain white flour
- milk
- yeast
- salt
- sugar
- cocoa powder
- egg
- butter
- dried fruit or chocolate chips (optional)
The method – Instructions
- First of all mix together all the dry ingredients – flour, yeast, salt, sugar and cocoa powder.
- Add milk, egg and butter and carry on mixing – the dough will be quite sticky.
- Turn on a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 10-15 minutes.
- Use plastic dough scraper to help you to knead your dough as it will be quite sticky.
- Make the dough into a round, place in a bowl and cover with plastic bag.
- Leave the bowl in warm place (no more than 32 C) to rise for about 1 hr or until doubled in size. (In colder kitchen this will take longer).
- Knock the air out of your dough, divide into 8-12 pieces and shape into small rounds (do this by rolling the dough under your hand until smooth and quite firm).
- Place on baking sheet – with space between each bun. Cover loosely with plastic bag (lightly oil it, so it doesn’t stick) and leave to prove for the second time until double in size.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/ Gas Mark 6.
- Mix together the flour and water for the crosses and make a smooth paste.
- Fill a piping bag with the mixture and pipe cross on top of each bun.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until deep brown.
- Brush the buns with a bit of milk or egg white (if you have any) when they are still hot straight from the oven.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy with extra butter or just on its own!
Serving size & can I scale up or down this recipe?
This recipe gives you 10-12 hot cross buns. In my opinion, it’s not worth scaling down this recipe, as it takes time to make and it cost to heat up the oven the same as if you are baking the full batch.
But, if you have a large family or you want to freeze some hot cross buns for later, it’s definitely possible to double or triple up this recipe. Just make sure that you have enough space to leave your dough to rise and enough trays to bake.
The best thing about double it up this recipe, is that it takes exactly the same time to knead it, rise it and bake it as if it was a single batch. You’ll save time and money.
How to serve hot cross buns
Perfect as they are, or can be toasted and served with butter and jam.
My top tips on making this recipe successfully the first time round
- Take your time and let the dough to rise until it’s double in size. This can take longer or shorter time than my recipe, because it depends on your room temperature. Colder environment slows down the proving time.
- If you don’t have the time to finish the recipe in one go, leave the dough to prove overnight in the fridge (or during the day if you start in the morning).
Can this recipe be made in advance?
Yes, you can bake this chocolate hot cross buns recipe ahead and the buns will either keep for 1-2 days or you can freeze them on the day you’ve baked them and keep them in the freezer until you need them.
How to store hot cross buns
Best kept in a paper bag inside a bread bin or in a loose plastic bag.
Why not stay in touch…
I hope you enjoy making this recipe and if you do, I’d love to know what you think! Let me know in the comments below or find me on Instagram or Facebook and add the hashtag #cocoaandheart so that I can see your post.
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Magdalena
Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
- 250 grams strong white bread flour
- 250 grams plain white flour
- 250 warm milk any kind
- 1 sachet of fast action dried yeast 7g
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or less if you prefer
- 60 grams caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 large egg
- 50 grams unsalted butter
- For the crosses
- 50 grams plain white flour
- 100 ml water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients – flour, yeast, salt, sugar and cocoa powder.
- Add milk, egg and butter and carry on mixing – the dough will be quite sticky.
- Turn on a lightly floured work surface and knead for about 10-15 minutes.
- Use plastic dough scraper to help you to knead your dough as it will be quite sticky.
- Make the dough into a round, place in a bowl and cover with plastic bag.
- Leave the bowl in warm place (no more than 32 C) to rise for about 1 hr or until doubled in size.
- Knock the air out of your dough, divide into 8-12 pieces and shape into small rounds (do this by rolling the dough under your hand until smooth and quite firm).
- Place on baking sheet – with space between each bun. Cover loosely with plastic bag (lightly oil it, so it doesn’t stick) and leave to prove for the second time until double in size.
- Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/ Gas Mark 6.
- Mix together the flour and water for the crosses and make a smooth paste.
- Fill a piping bag with the mixture and pipe cross on top of each bun.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until dark brown.
- Brush the buns with milk or egg white (if you have any) when they are still hot straight from the oven.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy with extra butter or just on its own!
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