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Hot Cross Buns in just 1 hour

Quick 1 hour Hot Cross Buns on a wire rack

These are “easy to make” Hot Cross Buns in just one hour. It works for Thermomix, Stand mixer, and even by hand (just in case you like to get your hands dirty) 🙂 This recipe was developed at one of our Bake Club meetings. We generally can’t make yeast-based goods in bake club, due to the time it takes for the yeast to work. However, I developed this recipe so we could make it from start to finish in the time we have for our 2 hour meetings. In fact, we’ve more than triple-tested this recipe and the fastest time was just 40 minutes. We love a good competition.😁

Want Chef Tips? Of course you do 🙂

The ingredient list is reasonably straightforward, so with luck, you’ll have everything you need in your pantry. I do hope you enjoy them. They taste as good as any of the supermarket brands and will be most welcome for Easter (or anytime).

Special tips for making hot cross buns

  • Keep working on the dough while it’s still warm
  • Keep them in a warm spot while proving.
  • Don’t put them in the oven until they’ve correctly proofed. If you’re not sure how to tell when your dough has proved, check out my patisserie recipe and my tips.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do they take to Bake?

It really does depend on the size you’ve made them and your oven. Look at the colour of mine; that’s what you’re looking for. However, as a rough guide, mine takes 20 minutes in my home oven.

Can I make these gluten-free?

This recipe hasn’t been tested with gluten-free flour, but you could try a good quality 1:1 gluten-free bread flour blend.

How do I know when they’re appropriately proved?

The buns should double in size before baking. Don’t rush this step—it’s essential for fluffy buns! Here are more tips.

Can I use different spices?

Of course! While the traditional mix of cinnamon, mixed spice and nutmeg gives that classic hot cross bun flavour, feel free to adjust to your taste.

Can I freeze these hot cross buns?

Yes! They freeze beautifully for up to three months. Defrost at room temperature and warm in the oven or air fryer before serving.

Hot Cross Buns on a wire rack

Hot Cross buns in just 1 hour

4.73 from 29 votes

5 stars tells us you love the recipe

becs-table.com.au
Hot Cross buns in just 1 hour. This recipe (with Thermomix, Stand mixer and by Hand methods) is not intended to take the place of proper fully developed Hot Cross Buns, but they are great if you're short on time. They are so good, you can eat them all year round.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Difficulty Easy
Course Afternoon Tea, Morning Tea, Snack
Cuisine British
Servings 9 – 12 depending on size
Method Thermomix and Conventional

Equipment

  • 1 Thermomix (optional)
  • 1 Stand mixer (optional)

Ingredients
  

For the buns

  • 15 g active dry yeast 1 tablespoon
  • 260 g warm milk between 40°c and 45°c TM: Straight from the fridge is fine.
  • 70 g melted butter but cooled to at least between 40°c and 45°c
  • 45 g sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tsp flaked salt We use Pink Murray Valley
  • 500 g Plain flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp Mixed spice
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 180 g fruit combination of sultanas currants, cranberries, whatever you like (Wash fruit and soak in boiling water to plump up first)

For the Cross Mixture

  • 30 g Cornflour
  • 1 tsp Castor sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Plain Flour
  • 1 ½ Tbsp Water Add a tsp at a time to get the consistency right, as this is only an approximate measure

For the Glaze Syrup

  • ½ cup Castor Sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Water
  • 2 Tbsp sieved apricot jam

Instructions
 

Want this as a Thermomix® guided recipe?

By Hand Method

  • Melt butter and set aside to cool.
  • Warm milk to between 40 and 45c add yeast and stir to dissolve
  • Whisk in the melted (but cooled) butter and sugar, cover with cling film and let stand for 5 minutes. The mixture should be all foamy at the end of this stage.
  • Add the remainder of the ingredients except for the fruit, combine until a soft dough is formed.
  • Knead for around 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Roll out the dough spread on the fruit, roll up and knead till combined.
  • No need to prove here, go on to the next step while the mix is still warm.
  • Divide the dough into 80 g balls, roll and shape as shown in bake club
  • In the meantime, make your cross mixture. Mix all ingredients and pour into a piping bag with the appropriate piping tube.
  • Place onto a lined baking sheet, so they are just touching. Cover with a clean tea-towel or Clingfilm, and leave to rest for 10 – 20 min. (if you have worked quickly the mix should still be warm leave them to double in size)
  • Set the oven to 220° c (200°c Fan)
  • Once the buns have doubled in size, draw the cross, then bake until golden brown. Depending on your oven you may want to rotate the tray ½ way through.
  • Remove from the tray onto a wire rack to cool

Stand Mixer Method

  • Melt butter and set aside to cool.
  • Warm milk to between 40°c and 45°c and place it into your stand mixer along with the yeast, stir until the yeast dissolves.
  • Add the cooled melted butter and sugar using a fork or whisk attachment till combined, cover the bowl with cling film, then leave to stand for 5 mins while you gather and weigh the remainder of your ingredients.
  • After 5 minutes remove the cling film, your mix should be light and foamy at this stage,
  • With the dough hook in place add the remainder of the ingredients except for the fruit, and mix for 5-6 minutes until the dough smooth and elastic. Add the fruit in the last minute, so it is fully kneaded through.
  • No need to prove here, go straight on to the next step while the mix is still warm.
  • Turn onto a lightly floured surface; Divide into 80 g pieces; roll and shape as shown in bake club.
  • Place onto a lined baking sheet, so they are just touching. Cover with a clean tea-towel or Clingfilm (not too tight), and leave to rest for 10 – 20 min. (if you have worked quickly the mix should still be warm which will help them rise fast so just leave them to double in size however long it takes)
  • In the meantime, make your cross mixture. Mix all ingredients well and pour into a piping bag with the appropriate piping tube.
  • Set the oven to 220° c (200°c Fan)
  • Once the buns have doubled in size, draw the cross, then bake till golden brown. Depending on your oven you may want to rotate the tray ½ way through.
  • Remove from the tray onto a wire rack to cool.

Thermomix Method

  • Add the butter to the TM bowl and melt at 50°c for 2 mins then remove from the bowl or melt another way and set aside to cool.
  • Without washing the TM bowl if you melted the butter in it weigh in the cold milk to the TM bowl and set it to 50°c for 1.5 min's/sp2. When the time is up the 50°c light should not be on, if it is wait for it to go off remove the lid for a few seconds till the light goes off. then pop the lid back on, set to stir on speed 2/ 2 seconds, then proceed to add the yeast (making sure to miss the blades) and set to speed 2 for 5 seconds.
  • Add the butter and sugar and mix on speed 2.5 for 5 sec or so just to combine. Stand for 5 minutes with the lid on and MC in place.
  • In the meantime, gather and weigh the remainder of your ingredients.
  • Add the remainder of the ingredients except for the fruit and set to mix on speed 5/5 seconds or so till everything is combined.
  • Set to knead for 3 minutes.
  • Add the fruit and set on reverse speed + 5 for 6 seconds to fold in. (Go on, do it, the fruit will be fine)
  • Turn onto a lightly floured surface; Divide into 80 g pieces then roll and shape as shown in bake club. Set onto a lined baking sheet so that they are just touching. Cover with Clingfilm but not too tight so they can’t grow and leave to rest till doubled in size, depending on the temperature it will take between 15 – 20 mins.
  • In the meantime, make your cross mixture. Mix all ingredients and pour into a piping bag with the appropriate piping tube. This mix needs to be pipeable but not runny at all.
  • Set the oven to 220° c (200°c Fan)
  • Once the buns have doubled in size, draw the cross, then bake until golden brown. Depending on your oven you may want to rotate the tray ½ way through.
  • Remove from the tray onto a wire rack to cool
  • Cross Mixture Method
  • Mix together to form a paste. When mixing the texture should be loose enough to gently move like lava but not runny.
  • Pipe on top of buns just before going into the oven.
  • Glaze Syrup Method
  • Place in a saucepan on the stove and stir until rolling boil and cook till the sugar has melted. Set aside till the buns come out of the oven then paint on the buns while still hot straight from the oven.

Notes

Bec’s Tips
Choose the method you want to use, then read the instructions before you start. The faster you can make these (up to the proving stage) the faster they will prove. We’re relying on the dough still being warm. And don’t forget to cover them loosely with Clingfilm while they’re proving it will help them rise quickly.
Don’t put them in the oven until they’ve doubled in size and they’ll be perfect.

How to do piping on your hot cross buns

This is what the texture should be like for your cross mix. The recipe should provide just the right of mix for all your buns.

Youtube video

Want to know more?

For another hot cross bun recipe you might want to check out this post for Hot Cross Buns – Patisserie Recipe, which has an alternative (Thermomix only) recipe.  It won’t take much more of your time, and will provide even better results.

Or, maybe you’d like to know more about Bake Club Online.Bake Club Online

39 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Just knocked out 12 dozen of these babies! This recipe is AHHHMAZING! Best Easter Thursday bulk bake recipe ever- I did some spice only, some with fruit and spice, some choc and choc chip, some white choc and raspberrry (use free-dried berries blitzed and folded during the shaping stage) soooo absolutely amazing! Will likely do a couple dozen fresh ones for Sunday! Thank you for such a brilliant recipe!

4.73 from 29 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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