Last Updated on January 11, 2025 by Kiersten
Traditional hot cross buns for Holy Week are so much more than just bread; they’re a symbol of faith, charity, and the hope of Easter morning.
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When you think of Easter, bunnies, lilies, egg hunts, and pastel colors may come to mind. One of the oldest and most meaningful Christian traditions is baking and sharing hot cross buns, especially on Good Friday.
Before baking, a cross is scored on the top of each bun. This is to remind us of the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus, which we commemorate on Good Friday. The raisins folded inside the dough symbolize the spices used to anoint and embalm Jesus’s body in preparation for burial.
Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday and are taken as one of the two smaller food allowances that do not add up to a meal during fasting.
Hot Cross Buns Without Icing
This version of hot cross buns for Holy Week is an old world recipe and does not include icing piped inside the cross.
The beauty of traditional hot cross buns lies within their simplicity. Overly sweetened confectioner’s icing can also prove costly to blood sugar balancing during Good Friday fasting – as hot cross buns were originally intended.
The Sacred History of Hot Cross Buns
Hot Cross Buns have been around for centuries and have always been tied to the Easter season.
The origin story that I’m most familiar with tells that Br. Thomas Rocliff, a monk from the 14th century at St. Alban’s Abbey in England, first etched crosses into buns that were then baked and distributed to the poor on Good Friday.
Later on, Queen Elizabeth I passed a law in 1592 restricting the sale of spiced buns and breads to religious holidays like Good Friday, Christmas, and funerals. Any transgression of the law resulted in forfeiture of all forbidden product to the poor.
let us not forget the nursery rhyme!
Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns! One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns! If you have no daughters, give them to your sons. If you have no pennies, give them to the poor.
This little chant for children reflects the old world tradition of giving hot cross buns to those in need, a practice that ties directly to the themes of charity and sacrifice that run throughout Lent and Holy Week.
Traditional Recipe from the Vatican
This recipe comes from “The Lenten Cookbook,” a favorite reference of mine for fasting and recipe ideas for Lent.
The recipes within the book were thoughtfully developed and curated for the penitential season of Lent by former Vatican Swiss Guard David Geisser.
The original recipe calls for Zopfmehl which is braid flour typically only found in Switzerland. Here in the United States, it’s impossible to find in markets and extraordinarily expensive to import.
Use the ratios listed in the recipe for all purpose flour + vital wheat gluten or use 3 cups of conventional bread flour. Both are adequate substitutes.
Hot Cross Buns for Holy Week
Ingredients:
- 3 cups all purpose flour, unbleached
- 2 teaspoons vital wheat gluten
- 1 1/2 cups warm milk
- 2 1/2 teaspoons active yeast (or 1 packet instant yeast)
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened and cubed
- 1 cup raisins
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Mix the flour, salt, and instant yeast in a large bowl.
Make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter, warm milk, and sugar. If you are using active yeast, proof then add to the flour mixture after you add the milk.
Mix with a wooden spoon, large fork or your hands until combined.
Flour a work surface and knead the dough until it is soft and smooth.
Knead the raisins into the dough by sprinkling them across the surface, folding the dough over, and repeating until all of the fruit is evenly blended.
Place the dough into a clean bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for about 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12 pieces similar in size, about 3oz each.
Shape each piece into a ball and place them 2″ apart on the baking sheet.
Cover the buns with a warm, damp dish towel and allow to rise a second time for 30-45 minutes.
When ready to bake, mix an egg with one tablespoon of milk and brush the tops of each bun. Score a cross into the center of each bun.
Bake for about 25 minutes on the middle rack until buns are a beautiful golden brown.
To store, wrap each bun in plastic wrap individually. Place in a gallon sized storage bag for up to 5 days. Warm gently before eating, if desired.
More Recipes for Easter
Spinach Dip in a Pumpernickel Bread Bowl
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Hot Cross Buns for Holy Week
Traditional hot cross buns for Holy Week are so much more than just bread; they’re a symbol of faith, charity, and the hope of Easter morning.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour, unbleached
- 2 teaspoons vital wheat gluten ** (see note)
- 1 1/2 cups warm milk
- 2 1/2 teaspoons active yeast (or 1 packet instant yeast)
- 1/4 cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened and cubed
- 1 cup raisins
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Mix the flour, salt, and instant yeast in a large bowl.
- Make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter, warm milk, and sugar. If you are using active yeast, proof then add to the flour mixture after you add the milk.
- Mix with a wooden spoon, large fork or your hands until combined.
- Flour a work surface and knead the dough until it is soft and smooth.
- Knead the raisins into the dough by sprinkling them across the surface, folding the dough over, and repeating until all of the fruit is evenly blended.
- Place the dough into a clean bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for about 90 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 12 pieces similar in size, about 3oz each.
- Shape each piece into a ball and place them 2" apart on the baking sheet.
- Cover the buns with a warm damp dish towel and allow to rise a second time for 30-45 minutes.
- When ready to bake, mix an egg with one tablespoon of milk and brush the tops of each bun.
- Score a cross into the center of each bun.
- Bake for about 25 minutes on the middle rack until buns are a beautiful golden brown.
Notes
If you do not have access to vital wheat gluten, replace the 3 cups of flour with 3 cups of standard bread flour.
