How to Eat Hot Cross Buns

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: December 4, 2022 References

Hot cross buns are yeasted sweet buns that are lightly spiced and filled with dry fruit. They are marked on top with a cross, either in icing or as part of the dough. Although these buns are available year round, they are most known for their popularity around Easter, particularly Good Friday. You can explore the versatility of these special treats by adding simple toppings, trying different fillings, and creating more elaborate dishes.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Adding Simple Toppings

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Spread butter over your hot cross buns to serve for breakfast. A quick and easy way to serve hot cross buns with a little extra flavor is to spread a thin slice of butter over the top. This works great whether you are serving the buns hot or cold.^{[1]
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- Toasted hot cross buns smeared with butter create a great breakfast for any occasion.
2
Add a sweet glaze to make the perfect after dinner buns. Create a glaze by combining ¹⁄₃ c (79 mL) of water and 2 tbsp (26 grams) of sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved and then bring it to a boil for 3-4 minutes. Brush the glaze over your hot cross buns and serve them warm.^{[2]
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- You can also serve the buns at room temperature.
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3
Top with cream cheese or chocolate frosting for a sweet dessert. Another great topping to use for hot cross buns is a sweet icing or frosting. You can either create your own icing or buy it from your local grocery store. Ice your hot cross buns while they are warm.^{[3]
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- Use a butter knife to spread the cream cheese or chocolate frosting over the top of your buns. You can add as much or as little as you’d like.
- Chocolate frosting tends to be a little lighter and less sweet than cream cheese icing.
4
Create a spicy breakfast sandwich with tomato jam and eggs. Cutting your hot cross buns in half and adding a spoonful of tomato jam, eggs, and bacon is a delicious twist on this classic. The acidity in the tomato jam brings out the spiciness of the bread. Add a few slices of bacon and scrambled eggs to create the perfect breakfast sandwich for any occasion.^{[4]
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- To apply the jam to your buns, use the back of a spoon or a butter knife to spread the jam evenly. You can add the amount of jam you prefer.
- You can substitute the tomato jam for any of your favorite flavors such as peach or apricot jam.
5
Make a melted chocolate drizzle for the perfect dessert. The great thing about melted chocolate is its versatility. You can drizzle it over the top of your buns using a spoon or a spatula to enhance this classic dessert.^{[5]
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- Drizzle the chocolate over some sliced fresh berries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a tasty dessert.
- You can also use the chocolate drizzle instead of syrup on hot cross bun French toast.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Baking Ingredients into the Bun

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Add chocolate chips or toffee pieces for a dessert your kids will love. This is a great way to sweeten up hot cross buns, especially if you are serving them to a picky child. Chocolate chips and toffee add a sweet and salty twist to this fruity classic.^{[6]
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- Add your chocolate chips or toffee into the batter when you normally would add the raisins.
2
Use dried cherries, apricots, or cranberries to add a bit of tartness. Instead of using the regular raisins or currants to fill your hot cross buns, try using other dried fruits. Adding dried cherries, apricots, cranberries, or figs is a great way to a little bit of tart to your buns.^{[7]
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- Replace the traditional raisins and currants with the same amount of dried fruit.
- You can use any of your favorite dried fruits to replace or add to the usual raisins and currants.
3
Mix in melted chocolate and sliced strawberries for an elegant twist. Add 10-15 chocolate chips and 2-4 sliced strawberries to the center of your buns before baking. The chocolate will melt while you bake the buns, coating the strawberries to create the perfect combination of sweet and fruity.
- For the best results, use semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- You can mix any type of fruit you’d like with the chocolate chips. You can also try variations such as white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips.
- If you’re not a fan of dried fruit, you can replace it with pistachios or other nuts.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Creating Elaborate Dishes

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Make hot cross bun French toast for a breakfast treat. Serve the French toast along with fresh berries, sliced bananas, or oranges. Top it with maple syrup, crème fraiche, or greek yogurt to create a fun Easter breakfast. Serve this dish warm.^{[8]
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- To make hot cross bun French toast, beat together ¹⁄₂ c (120 mL) milk, ¼ c (50 grams) of sugar, 3 eggs, 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of vanilla extract, and orange zest into a large mixing bowl. Allow the bun slices to sit in the mixture for around 5 minutes before cooking.^{[9]
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- Heat 2 tbsp (28.35 grams) of butter in a pan and cook the buns until they begin to turn brown and get crispy on one side. Then flip the bun and allow it to cook on the other side.
- Store any leftover egg mixture in an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
2
Prepare hot cross apple crumble for a sweet dessert. This dessert takes the sweetness of Granny Smith apples and the spice of cinnamon to create a great hot cross bun dessert. Pair it with vanilla ice cream. Serve your hot cross apple crumble warm.^{[10]
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- To prepare this dessert, mix 6 Granny Smith apples cut into small cubes, ½ c (100 grams) of sugar, 1 tsp (3 grams) of cinnamon, and 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of vanilla essence into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Chop the buns and put the pieces in the food processor. Begin by roughly chopping each bun into smaller chunks. Put all of the pieces into a food processor and use the “pulse” button until the chunks turn into crumbs.^{[11]
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- Place the hot cross crumbs in a mixing bowl. It can be the same one you used to make the filling. Mix in 14 tbsp (200 grams) of unsalted butter and ½ c (40 grams) of rolled oats along with the remaining ½ c (100 grams) of sugar and 1 tsp (3 grams) of cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture over the crumble filling.^{[12]
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- Bake the hot cross apple crumble at 350 °F (177 °C) for 45 minutes.
3
Create bun and butter pudding to use up your leftovers. Bun and butter pudding is a great way to use your leftover hot cross buns. Hot cross buns topped with a fruit custard and apricot jam makes a great dessert.^{[13]
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- Grease a 1.5 US qt (1.4 L) oven-safe pan with butter. Use any leftover butter to butter the bun slices. Once the buns are covered in butter, add apricot jam to each slice.^{[14]
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- Whisk 3 eggs, 1.25 c (300 mL) of milk, 1.25 c (300 mL) of cream, ¼ c (50 grams) of sugar, 1 tsp (4.9 mL) of vanilla extract, and a pinch of ground cinnamon together in a bowl. Whisk the ingredients until you have removed all the chunks.^{[15]
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- Place the buns in the baking pan and disperse the fruit around the pan. Arrange the buns so that there is an even amount of space between each one. Spread the apricots and sultanas around the pan evenly.^{[16]
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- Pour the custard mix over the buns and gently press it into them. Cover the pan and let the buns soak for 30 minutes. After the buns have finished soaking, sprinkle the sugar on top of them and bake them for 30-40 minutes at 360 °F (182 °C). Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.^{[17]
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Community Q&A

Question

Can I eat them cold with butter?

HumanBeing

Top Answerer

Yes! Slice open the hot cross buns along the width and butter the inside. Sandwich the bun back together and eat. You can eat one slice at a time if you prefer. Fresh hot cross buns are especially nice this way. If your hot cross buns have gone a tiny bit stale, they are nicer toasted or used in a bread pudding recipe.