Hot cross bun recipes
Our best hot cross buns recipes include a classic recipe packed with tips as well as chocolate orange, peanut butter and cheesy versions. Let’s bake!
- Traditional buns: Master HCBs with this recipe from bakery Gail’s, including step-by-step photos and heaps of tips to help deliver perfectly soft, fluffy and spiced buns.
- Twists on the classic: Discover our favourite flavoured hot cross buns, including cheese and chilli, chocolate orange and peanut butter.
- Hot cross bun-themed treats: These recipes for brownies, cookies, banana bread and trifle borrow the spiced flavours and iconic look of HBCs. Clever!
- Savoury inspiration: Try the buns as a sandwich with mackerel or as a bacon and cheese toastie. We’ve even got a salad with hot cross bun croutons.
Need more sweet stuff? See our special Easter desserts collection.
Showing 1-16 of 19 recipes
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Hot cross buns
Orange hot cross bun treacle tart
Treacle tart gets an Easter makeover in this impressive pud recipe. The tart filling is enriched with hot cross bun crumbs, spice and citrus.
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Medium
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Easter
Pear and walnut salad with hot cross bun croutons
Try our pear and walnut salad with hot cross bun croutons and give classic panzanella (Italian bread salad) an Easter makeover.
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Easy
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15-minute meals
Hot cross bun mackerel sandwiches
Switch things up at Easter with hot cross bun mackerel sandwiches. This unexpectedly delicious duo is inspired by Turkish fish sandwiches.
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Easy
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Baking recipes
Hot cross banana bread
Banana bread meets hot cross buns in this delicious Easter loaf. The brioche bun dough is filled with a spiced almond and banana paste.
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Medium
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Hot cross buns
Cheese and chilli hot cross buns
Cheese and chilli hot cross buns open up a whole new world of savoury snacking at Easter. Try them served warm with lashings of salted butter
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Easy
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Hot cross buns
Chocolate and peanut butter hot cross buns
In this recipe, traditional hot cross buns get an updated twist with chocolate and peanut butter - ideal if you're not a fan of dried fruit.
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Easy
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Hot cross buns
Gail’s hot cross buns
The recipe for these hot cross buns comes from high-end bakery chain Gail's – each step is accompanied by a photo to make it easy to follow.
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Medium
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Hot cross buns
Orange hot cross bun loaf
A twist on the Easter tradition of hot cross buns, this orange and anise hot cross bun loaf is best served sliced with butter and marmalade.
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Easy
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Hot cross buns
Hot cross buns with marmalade vodka whipped butter
Here's an alternative to traditional hot cross buns - boozy marmalade whipped butter and tear-and-share serving style.
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Easy
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Hot cross buns
Peter Sidwell’s prune and orange hot cross buns
TV chef Peter Sidwell's healthy hot cross buns recipe uses prunes for sweetness in place of sugar, and candied orange for extra zing.
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Easy
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Easter
Hot cross cheese and bacon toasties
Start Easter in decadent fashion with these moreish hot cross bun toasties with cheese and bacon. They'll be gone in just a few bites.
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Easy
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Hot cross buns
Hot cross bun loaf
Debbie Major's hot cross bun loaf is flavoured with aromatic saffron. Serve with clotted cream for a delicious Easter weekend treat.
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Easy
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Hot cross buns
Golden saffron hot cross buns
These saffron hot cross buns by Dan Lepard are scented with vanilla and orange. Dan's pro tips make it an easy Easter recipe to follow.
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Challenge
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Hot cross buns
Chocolate and orange hot cross buns
Try this chocolate and orange variation on the traditional hot cross bun – serve hot from the oven with lashings of butter.
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Easy
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Easter
Caramelised pears with hot cross buns
If you've got leftover hot cross buns this Easter (or eat hot cross buns all year round), try them with caramelised pears in this quick pud.
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Easy
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Easter baking
Hot cross scones
This hot cross scones recipe combines the moist, crumbly texture of homemade scones with the fruity, spicy flavours of hot cross buns.
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Easy
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