Sourdough Hot Cross Buns are delicious and fluffy spiced buns – topped with raisins and a decorative cross, then smothered with an apricot glaze for added sweetness. They are the perfect combination of flavors to grace your Easter table.

Even though the woodburning stove is still crackling with a warm fire and our land is blanketed with snow, the beginning of spring feels right at our fingertips.

The weather will start to warm any day now, and the ground will begin to soften, preparing for the busy seasons of spring and summer. I love winter in its own ways, yet I dream of the day I no longer have to bundle up in layers upon layers to milk the cow and do the outdoor chores.

With the hints of spring comes the joyful anticipation of Easter celebrations, and the feast to celebrate Jesus rising from the grave. 

Today, I wanted to show you a traditional Easter recipe, but made with sourdough no less. They are deliciously light and fluffy sourdough hot cross buns, formed with a traditional cross and topped with a sweet apricot glaze. 

They are so delicious and perfect to serve alongside some of your favorite Easter dishes like ham, deviled eggs, sourdough galette with sage, leek, and goat cheese, scalloped potatoes, roasted asparagus, Lemon Sourdough Pound Cake, and so much more. 

Serve this sourdough hot cross bun recipe with a serving of homemade butter, and you are in for a treat.

Tips

• Substitute apricot jam with peach preserves, lemon or orange marmalade.
• There are multiple ways to make this recipe depending on how much time you’re working with. I’ve included three different timelines below for you to follow. 
• You will need active sourdough. This is sourdough starter that has been fed and is nice and bubbly. Usually this takes about 4-12 hours from feeding until ready to bake in the oven.
• Technically, adding the cross detail is totally optional, but it adds such a lovely design and an extra hint of sweetness.

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Tools you may need :

Large and small bowl

Measuring cups and spoons

Baking dish

Ziplock bag or piping bag

What are hot cross buns?

Hot cross buns are sweetened and spiced buns that are traditionally eaten at the end of Lent.

Sourdough Hot Cross Buns Baker’s Schedule – Two ways

To bake them in the morning: Start the day before.

8 AM: Feed sourdough starter and leave at room temperature until nice and bubbly.

4 PM: Start the dough. Stretch and fold. Cover and allow to double in size in a warm place. 

8 PM: Shape the dough in even balls and place in a greased baking dish. Cover and place in the fridge overnight to bulk ferment.

8 AM the next day: Preheat oven to 350°. Take the dough out of the fridge. 

Bake until golden brown, then brush with apricot glaze.

Allow to cool and then pipe on the cross design.

To prepare and bake in one day:

The night before, feed your sourdough starter.

8 AM: Create the dough according to the directions. Cover and place in a warm space until doubled in size.

12 PM: Shape dough and place in a greased baking dish. Allow to rise until doubled again, about 3-4 hours.

4 PM: Add egg wash and bake until golden in color.

Brush with apricot glaze.

Allow to cool and then pipe on the cross design.

What is the big deal with sourdough bread?

Sourdough has so many benefits – from adding a delicious, tangy flavor to the bread (which honestly makes other breads seem to lack flavor and seem to be missing something) to many health benefits, including being more digestible, and the nutrients being more bioavailable. 

There are so many reasons to love sourdough. This is why I’m constantly creating new sourdough recipes. 

Ingredients:

Hot Cross Bun Dough

Flour: You will need unbleached, all-purpose, bread flour.

Sugar

Spices: cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg

Salt: I prefer sea salt or Himalayan salt.

Active starter: This is starter that has been fed between 4-12 hours before creating the dough, which should now be nice and bubbly. 

Milk: I always prefer whole milk when cooking and baking because it has higher milk fat.

Egg

Butter: Unsalted, so you can control how much salt to add.

Vanilla extract

Raisins

Egg wash: This is made from an egg and cream blend that is spread on top of the buns before baking, giving a delightful, golden color to the crust.

Cross

This is made from a mixture of milk and powdered sugar to add extra detail and a little bit more sweetness to the buns.

Apricot glaze

Apricot jam: This can also be substituted for peach preserves or lemon or orange marmalade.

Water

How To Make Sourdough Hot Cross Buns

Day before

Optional: Soak raisins in a bit of water or orange juice to soften. Drain before adding to the recipe. 

In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients together. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine. 

Fold in raisins.

Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes. 

Once rested, stretch and fold the dough by grabbing the dough and pulling it up about 6-12 inches and then pushing the dough towards the center. Turn the bowl about 1/4 of the way and repeat the same process 2-3 more times.

Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and rise overnight or until doubled.

This also could be done the day of baking, allowing the dough to rise at room temperature for 3 or 4 hours in a warm place instead.

The Next Day

Divide the dough into twelve equal-sized portions and shape. 

Move each dough ball in a circular motion to create some surface tension. 

Grease a 9×13 dish and add the bun dough to the dish. Allow to rise until doubled. This usually takes about 3-4 hours at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brush the buns with the egg wash. 

Bake for 35 minutes until the buns are golden brown.

Brush with apricot glaze while hot. 

Allow to cool.

In a small bowl, mix together the milk and powdered sugar until a thick paste comes together. It should be thick enough to pipe without losing it’s shape.

Place in a sealed bag, snipping one corner or a piping bag with a tip. Pipe on the cross design.

Enjoy.

How To Store:

Store in an air-tight container. I like to just use a Pyrex dish with a lid. Since they have an apricot glaze, they are a little sticky, which is why I prefer to store them this way so they aren’t on top of each other.

Find More Delicious Sourdough Recipes:

• Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
• Easy Sourdough Flatbread
• Sourdough Dutch Baby Pancake
• Mascarpone Stuffed Sourdough French Toast Casserole
• Sourdough Scones

If you make this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone with your delicious creation.