Hot Cross Buns
Hot Cross Buns are spiced, fruity Easter buns made with strong bread flour, milk, butter and mixed peel. The Thermomix TM7 gently heats the milk and butter to the ideal temperature, then kneads the enriched dough into a smooth, elastic ball. Simply shape, pipe the crosses and bake for fragrant, golden buns fresh from the oven.
About this recipe
Hot Cross Buns Thermomix TM7 style bring the aroma of a traditional bakery straight into your kitchen, with soft, spiced dough studded with chopped mixed peel and finished with the iconic piped crosses. This recipes approach removes all the guesswork: instead of juggling a saucepan, a thermometer and a wooden spoon, the all-in-one kitchen machine heats the milk and butter to exactly the right warmth for the dried instant yeast, then kneads the strong bread flour into a silky, elastic dough that rises beautifully. These buns are the perfect treat for an Easter breakfast or a weekend brunch, toasted and spread with butter. The consistent mixing ensures the ground mixed spice and sugar are distributed evenly through every bun, so each bite delivers the same fragrant flavour. Whether you are baking for family or a festive gathering, the TM7 turns this classic bake into an achievable, reliable pleasure.
Preparation tips
- Check that the milk and butter mixture is only pleasantly warm before adding the dried instant yeast, as liquid that is too hot can prevent the hot cross bun dough from rising properly.
- Let the shaped buns prove on the tray until they look puffed and jiggle slightly when the tray is gently shaken; this guarantees soft, fluffy buns rather than dense ones.
- For glossy, bakery-style hot cross buns, brush them with a little warmed apricot jam as soon as they come out of the oven and let them cool slightly before serving with butter.
- Pipe the flour crosses just before baking using a piping bag for clean, defined lines that stay crisp against the golden spiced buns.
Recipe variations
- For a dairy-free version, replace the milk with oat milk and the unsalted butter with a plant-based block butter; the dough still kneads and rises beautifully in the TM7 for equally soft hot cross buns.
- Try a chocolate variation by swapping the chopped mixed peel for dark chocolate chips and adding a spoonful of cocoa to the dough, keeping the classic crosses for a festive Easter twist kids will love.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- The TM7 heats the butter and milk to the ideal warmth for activating dried instant yeast, giving reliable rises every time. [Time Savings]
- Precise weighing of the strong bread flour directly in the mixing bowl means perfectly balanced hot cross bun dough without extra scales or mess. [Precision Control]
- Gentle mixing distributes the ground mixed spice and sugar evenly throughout the dough, so every bun tastes identically fragrant. [Multi-Function]
- Hands-free kneading works the enriched dough into a smooth, elastic ball while you soak the fruit and line the baking tray. [Hands-Free]
- Grinding whole spices fresh creates a more aromatic mixed spice blend than shop-bought, intensifying the flavour of these Easter buns. [Multi-Function]
Ingredients
- unsalted butter
- milk
- strong white bread flour
- sugar
- dried instant yeast
- ground cinnamon
- ground mixed spice
- ground nutmeg
- fine sea salt
- large egg