Spiced, Citrusy Easter Tradition
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
✝️ Soft, fragrant buns with symbolic crosses
🍊 Zesty orange peel and warm spices
⏱ Overnight option for easy morning baking
🔥 Best served warm with melting butter
Ingredients
(Makes 12 buns)
Dough
4 cups (500g) bread flour
⅓ cup (70g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp instant yeast
1½ tsp mixed spice (or ½ tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice)
1 tsp salt
1 cup (240ml) warm milk
1 egg + 1 yolk
¼ cup (60g) butter, melted
½ cup (80g) raisins or currants
Zest of 1 orange
Crosses
½ cup (60g) flour
5-6 tbsp water
Glaze
2 tbsp apricot jam + 1 tbsp water (heated)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Make the Dough (10 min + rise)
- Whisk dry ingredients (flour through salt).
- Add warm milk, eggs, and melted butter. Mix to form a shaggy dough.
- Knead 8-10 minutes until smooth (stand mixer with dough hook works well).
- Knead in raisins and zest.
- Cover and rise 1-1½ hours until doubled.
2. Shape & Proof (20 min)
- Divide dough into 12 balls (about 85g each).
- Arrange in greased 9×13” pan, spacing ½” apart.
- Cover and proof 45 minutes until puffy.
3. Add Crosses & Bake
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Mix cross paste: Stir flour and water to pipeable consistency.
- Pipe crosses over buns using a ziplock bag with corner snipped.
- Bake 20-22 minutes until golden.
4. Glaze & Serve
- Heat jam with water; brush over warm buns.
- Serve with butter while slightly warm.
Pro Tips
🕒 Overnight option: Refrigerate shaped buns after proofing; bake next morning
🍇 Fruit boost: Soak raisins in rum or orange juice first
🌡 Dough too sticky? Add 1 tbsp flour at a time while kneading
Serving Suggestions
☕ Perfect with tea or coffee
🔥 Reheat 10 sec in microwave for fresh-from-oven softness
🎁 Gift in a tea towel-lined basket
“A taste of Easter morning in every spiced bite!” ✝️🍊
Storage: Keeps 2 days at room temp. Freeze unglazed buns for up to 1 month.