If you don't have two days to make slow-fermented Sourdough Hot Cross Buns, but you still want that signature sourdough tang in your Easter buns, try our Sourdough Discard Hot Cross Buns. Full of fruit and warming spices, irresistibly soft and fluffy, these buns can be baked on the same day that they are made or cold-proofed overnight to be freshly baked in the morning!
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But First, What Are Hot Cross Buns?
Hot Cross Buns are sweet buns typically made with an enriched dough containing dried fruit and marked with a cross on top, symbolizing Good Friday for Christians. Traditionally eaten during the Easter season, particularly on Good Friday, they hold deep-rooted significance as an Easter tradition.
Their origins trace back to ancient times, possibly originating from the Saxons who marked cakes with a cross in honour of the goddess Eostre. Over time, the association shifted towards Christianity, with the cross symbolizing the crucifixion.
Bored of traditional spiced Easter buns? Try our Lemon and Poppy Seed Hot Cross Buns instead! You can also find more ideas in our article on Easter Sourdough Recipes.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- dried fruit: like raisins, sultanas, currants or a mixture of fried fruit.
- mixed peel: or orange peel.
- orange: both orange zest & juice.
- strong bread flour: you may replace up to ¼ of white flour with whole wheat flour.
- fast-action yeast: also known as instant yeast. If you are using inactive dry yeast, make sure to activate it in warm milk first!
- light brown sugar: may be replaced with dark brown sugar.
- spices: we used a mixture of ground cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger and nutmeg. You may replace all these spices with mixed spice or pumpkin pie spice.
- salt.
- milk: use luke warm milk to speed up the proofing process or if your kitchen is on the colder side.
- egg: medium in the UK, large in the US.
- sourdough discard: 100% hydration.
- unsalted butter: softened.
- caster sugar: for the sugar syrup used for glazing the sweet buns.
A Note on Sourdough Starter
Unfed sourodugh starter is used in this recipe, however, we would not advise using old discard that has been sitting in the fridge for days. Ideally, you want sourdough starter discard that's been fed no earlier than in the last 2-3 days. Old discard will have high acidity levels that will overpower other flavours instead of complementing them.
Not in a rush? Try our sourdough hot cross bun recipe that uses active sourdough starter!
More Sourdough Discard Recipes
If you bake a lot of sourdough bread using active starter, you will probably be on a constant lookout for great sourdough recipes using discard! You must make our favourite Sourdough Discard Carrot Cake next! So let's make your sourdough journey even more exciting with some amazing ideas below:
Equipment Used
- Stand Mixer with a Dough Hook Attachment
- Baking Tray with High Rims (Large Roasting Tray)
- Pastry Brush
Step-By-Step Method
Soak The Fruit
Place the fried fruit, mixed peel, orange zest and orange juice in a small bowl. Mix, cover and leave to soak at room temperature.
Make The Hot Cross Bun Dough
In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, spices, sugar, salt and yeast. Add the milk, sourdough discard and an egg, and run the mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment on low speed until shaggy dough forms.
Increase the speed to medium, and little by little, start adding the softened butter until everything is fully incorporated and you have a soft and elastic dough.
If you don't have a stand mixer, you can combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, and then knead the butter in on a kitchen surface, but be prepared for a sticky dough!
First Rise
Form a ball of dough and place it in a lightly greased large mixing bowl. Cover it with a damp tea towel or cling film and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in size.
Shape
Line a large baking tray with high rims with a sheet of parchment paper (high rims will allow you to cover the buns for their second rise without the cover touching the surface).
Drain the fruit and squeeze any excess moisture out.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and stretch it out into a rough rectangle. Scatter the fruit on top and roll the dough and fold it over a couple of times to distribute the fruit well.
Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece of dough into a tight ball, tucking in the bottom to create a smooth top.
Second Rise
Place all the buns in a prepared baking tray, cover with cling film and leave in a warm spot for their second rise for 1-11/4 hours until doubled in size.
Piping Crosses
Whilst the buns are rising, make a thick paste, by mixing the flour and water in a small bowl. Scoop the flour paste into a small piping bag with a small nozzle (or a ziplock bag with a corner cut off).
Preheat the oven to 190°C Fan.
Once the buns have finished proofing, pipe crosses on top of the dough.
Bake
Place the buns in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown.
Glaze
Whilst your Sourodugh Discard Hot Cross Buns are baking, make a simple syrup, by warming sugar and water until sugar dissolves.
Once baked, using a pastry brush, slather the syrup all over the surface of the buns to create a shiny glaze. After about 10 minutes, transfer the buns onto a wire rack to cool down.
ALTERNATIVE GLAZE: Warm up a couple of tablespoons of apricot jam in a small saucepan, and use a pastry brush to create a sticky shiny apricot glaze for your Sourdough Discard Hot Cross Buns!
Tips For Best Results
- If you run out of strong flour, you may use all-purpose flour (plain flour) but make sure to give the dough a little extra kneading to help the existing gluten develop its full potential.
- If you're struggling to find a warm space for your buns to proof, place a bowl of hot water in the turned-off oven, then place the covered tray with the buns in the oven. The hot water will keep the space warm for a while.
- If you want freshly baked hot cross buns in the morning, you may shape the buns, cover them well and store them in the fridge overnight (about 8-10 hours). Finish proofing them the following morning for 30-45 minutes at room temperature before piping crosses and baking. Note though that your buns will have a more prominent sourodugh tang if you cold proof them overnight!
- If you don't intend to glaze the buns with sugar syrup, we highly recommend brushing them with an egg wash before piping the crosses. It will give your Easter buns that shiny golden brown sheen.
- Experiment with different fruits and spices, or make these buns with chocolate chips next time! Alternatively, try our Sourdough Chocolate Hot Cross Buns!
- These buns are best enjoyed on the day that they are baked, but don't attempt to eat them as soon as they come out of the oven. Leave them for at least 30 minutes to cool down.
How To Serve Hot Cross Buns?
Traditional hot cross buns are served sliced in half and lightly toasted, then spread with butter with a cup of tea or coffee.
An innovative idea is to create a savoury version by filling a sliced spicy bun with cream cheese and smoked ham or some blue cheese for a delightful brunch treat.
Leftover Sourdough Discard Hot Cross Buns can be made into French Toast or Bread and Butter Pudding.
Storage
Sourdough Discard Hot Cross Buns actually stay fresher for longer thanks to the good bacteria and acidity in the dough.
Once baked, cool them down to room temperature and store them in an airtight container in a cool dark cupboard for up to 4 days.
Whilst these Easter buns are best on the day that they are baked, you can enjoy them toasted and slathered in butter the next day!
Christmas Sourdough ebook
Celebrate the holiday season with a unique twist this year with our 24 Christmas Sourdough recipes! Discover the magic of using active sourdough starter, sourdough discard, and leftover baked sourdough bread to create a memorable and flavoursome Christmas feast.
For longer storage, you can wrap each bun individually in plastic wrap (cling film) and place them in a freezer-friendly zip-lock bag to protect them from freezer burn. These buns can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw fully, toast and enjoy as and when needed!
More Easter Baking Recipes
Put your sourdough discard to good use, and make some delicious Sourdough Cherry Scones with White Chocolate Chips or Sourdough Easter Cookies With Mini Eggs next!
Sourdough Discard Hot Cross Buns
Equipment
- Piping Bag With Small Nozzle for piping crosses
- Pastry Brush for glazing
Ingredients
For Soaked Fruit:
- 100 g (¾ cups) raisins sultanas, currants or a mixture
- 60 g (½ cups) mixed peel
- 1 orange zest & juice
For The Dough:
- 450 g (3¾ cups) strong bread flour
- 7 g (1½ teaspoon) fast-action yeast instant yeast
- 55 g (¼ cups) light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 220 ml (1 cup) milk
- 1 egg medium
- 150 g (⅔ cups) sourdough starter discard 100% hydration
- 60 g (2.12 oz) butter softened
For The Crosses:
- 45 g (⅔ cups + 1 tbsp) plain flour
- 35 ml (2 tablespoon) water
For The Sugar Glaze:
- 50 g (⅖ cups) caster sugar
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Place the fried fruit, mixed peel, orange zest and orange juice in a small bowl. Mix, cover and leave to soak at room temperature.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, combine all the dry ingredients: flour, spices, sugar, salt and yeast. Add the milk, sourdough discard and an egg, and run the mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment on low speed until shaggy dough forms.
- Increase the speed to medium, and little by little, start adding the softened butter until everything is fully incorporated and you have a soft and elastic dough.
- If you don't have a stand mixer, you can combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, and then knead the butter in on a kitchen surface, but be prepared for a sticky dough!
- Form a ball of dough and place it in a lightly greased large mixing bowl. Cover it with a damp tea towel or cling film and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- Line a large baking tray with high rims with a sheet of parchment paper (high rims will allow you to cover the buns for their second rise without the cover touching the surface).
- Drain the fruit and squeeze any excess moisture out.
- Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and stretch it out into a rough rectangle. Scatter the fruit on top and stretch and fold the dough a couple of times to distribute the fruit well.
- Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece of dough into a tight ball, tucking in the bottom to create a smooth top.
- Place all the buns in a prepared baking tray, cover with cling film and leave in a warm spot for their second rise for 1-11/4 hours until doubled in size.
- Whilst the buns are rising, make a thick paste, by mixing the flour and water in a small bowl. Scoop the flour paste into a small piping bag with a small nozzle (or a ziplock bag with a corner cut off).
- Preheat the oven to 190°C Fan.
- Once the buns have finished proofing, pipe crosses on top of the dough.
- Place the buns in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown.
- Whilst your Sourodugh Discard Hot Cross Buns are baking, make a simple syrup, by warming sugar and water until sugar dissolves.
- Once baked, using a pastry brush, slather the syrup all over the surface of the buns to create a shiny glaze. After about 10 minutes, transfer the buns onto a wire rack to cool down.
Nutrition
Liz says
What a wonderful Hot Cross Bun recipe!! I was looking for something to make with my discard and now I have these in the freezer ready for Easter!!!
Ieva Greber says
Great idea to get ahead and freeze them for Easter! They taste just as good after thawing and toasting! 🙂
Sadie says
I try a new recipe for hot cross buns every Easter, and these are some of the best buns I've made over the years. They're soft and moist with just a bit of a chew. They're delicious toasted or plain. I used my own recipe for the crosses and syrup, added more salt, and subbed candied ginger for the mixed peel, but those modifications wouldn't have altered the dough. I divided the dough into 2 portions and used one for the hot cross buns and the other to make cinnamon rolls, which were excellent as well. Great recipe...thanks for posting!
Ieva Greber says
Thank you so much for your lovely comment! I'm thrilled to hear you enjoyed the recipe and made it your own — your twists sound absolutely delicious! 🙂