Easy Hot Cross Buns with Custard Fillings

Hot cross buns are soft, spiced Easter treats traditionally eaten on Good Friday. Flavored with cinnamon and raisins or dried berries, they’re topped with a signature cross and enjoyed warm from the oven.

Hot cross buns are a classic Easter bread traditionally enjoyed on Good Friday. These soft, spiced buns are flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg, filled with raisins or dried fruit, and topped with the signature cross. Once baked, they’re fragrant, tender, and slightly sweet—perfect for sharing during Easter celebrations. Whether enjoyed plain, with butter, or toasted and topped with cheese or salmon, hot cross buns are a festive tradition that never goes out of style.

If you love soft and fluffy breads like hot cross buns, you might also enjoy other enriched breads such as pumpkin bread, pandan milk bread, or Japanese milk buns. Just like these favorites, hot cross buns are pillowy, lightly sweet, and perfect for pairing with both sweet and savory toppings.

Recipe Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

Sugar – I use a mix of regular white sugar and organic palm sugar in this recipe. The palm sugar pairs beautifully with cinnamon and spekkoek (Indonesian spice mix) or nutmeg, adding a deeper caramel-like sweetness and aroma.

Cinnamon – You can use either regular ground cinnamon or Ceylon cinnamon. I prefer Ceylon for its delicate flavor and added health benefits, but both work well.

Spekkoek (or Nutmeg) – If you don’t have ground spekkoek, ground nutmeg makes a perfect substitute. And if nutmeg isn’t available, just use extra cinnamon. The buns will still turn out fragrant and delicious.

Raisins or Dried Fruit – Traditionally, hot cross buns are made with raisins or currants, but you can also use dried cranberries, blueberries, or chopped apricots for a fruity twist. Make sure to soak them briefly in warm water or milk so they stay plump and juicy in the buns.

Flour – Bread flour is best for this recipe, as its higher protein content gives the buns structure and chewiness. If you only have all-purpose flour, you can still use it—your hot cross buns will just be a little softer and less chewy.

How to Make Hot Cross Buns

STEP 1. Heat milk and butter together with low temperature until the butter melts (Image 1). Set aside and let it cool. Whisk the egg yolks together with sugar until sugar dissolves. Sift flour and cornstarch into the egg yolk mixture. Pour in milk in parts and whisk well. Strain if needed.

STEP 2. Pour the mixture back into the pan (Image 5). Heat with low temperature (Image 6). Do not leave it unattended. The mixture will thickens. Turn off the stove when it becomes curd (Image 7). Set it aside and let it cool (Image 8).

STEP 3.

Sift flour, milk powder, cinnamon powder, and spekoek spice into a mixing bowl. Add in sugar, palm sugar, and yeast.

Pour in liquid mixture (2 egg yolks, 40 gr whipping cream, and milk, the total should be 220 gr).

Start the mixer, turn on the timer for 20 minutes.

When the dry ingredients are mixed, put in the butter and salt.

Continue mixing until the timer beeps.

The dough should be not sticky at the end of mixing.

Knead with hands on the table for a while.

Put in cranberry and almond slices into the dough. Knead evenly.

Let the dough ferment for 1 hour. Cover with a cloth or cling wrap to prevent dryness.

Roll it flat, fill with the custard fillings. Seal tightly. Set in a 20×20 cm pan.

Let the dough ferment for one more time until it doubles its size.

Mix the other half of the egg with 1 tablespoon milk. Brush the top of the dough.

Pipe the topping with a cross sign.

Bake in a preheated oven 180°C for 30 minutes.

Once it is out of the oven, brush with evaporated milk while still hot. This will make the bread shiny.

• If you don’t have spekkoek powder, you can use cinnamon powder only, double the portion or use ground nutmeg.
• Any dried fruits or candied fruits can be added like raisins, dried blueberry.
• To make the bread more beautiful, brush with evaporated milk after it comes out of the oven. This will make the bread shiny.

Serving Suggestions

Hot cross buns are best consumed within the day of the making. But if you have to make it in advance, keep the buns cling-wrapped and in an airtight container to prevent drying.

The buns are fresh up to 3 days in room temperature and 5-6 days in the chiller. You may want to warm it up for 10 minutes if you like it warm.

FAQs about Hot Cross Buns

Storage

More Bread Recipes

• Roti Sisir
• Roti Sisir Pandan
• Pandan Milk Bread
• Japanese Mirukuhasu Bread
• Japanese Milk Bun
• Korean Sausage Bread