These Lemon and White Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are a wonderful twist on a classic. They combine the citrusy vibes of fresh lemon zest with creamy white chocolate for a perfect bite. These are definitely best eaten warm, smothered in butter or a little lemon curd for extra zing. Make in advance of Easter to keep things traditional, but they can be enjoyed any time of year!
There is something so pleasing about a hot cross bun. Maybe it’s the nostalgia, or the idea that they’re really only found in stores a certain time of year. Maybe it’s just the sticky bread situation. Regardless of the ‘why’, the ‘how’ is far more simple than you may think!
Hot cross buns are made of a sweetened, and lightly spiced bread dough, not unlike brioche. We don’t use spice in these, opting instead for lemon zest to add some zing. By adding eggs and butter to the dough, it is called ‘enriched dough’, which is what gives it that fluffy, open texture. There is some history dating hot cross buns back to Roman times. I think it says a lot about just how delicious they are that they’ve stood the test of time all these years!
Ingredients Required
There are no specialist ingredients or equipment required for this bake. I can find everything I need at my local supermarket or grocery store. I bake the hot cross buns on a large lined baking tray. They need some room to rise, but overall will not spread too much during baking. Feel free to use any version of baking sheet/tray/pan that will fit 12 hot cross buns.
- Strong White Bread Flour
- Fast Acting Dried Yeast
- Warm Milk
- Unsalted Butter
- Large Free Range Egg
- White Chocolate
- Lemon
- Granulated Sugar
Tips for the best Lemon and White Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
- Flour: I recommend using Strong White Bread Flour for best results. If you’re in a pinch, or just not wanting to go to the store, All Purpose (Plain) Flour will work. If using plain flour, you may find yourself needing to add more flour to get the dough to come together in the same way.
- Warm Milk: The milk should be warm to the touch, but not hot. If it is too hot to hold your finger in, you must let it cool before adding it to the mixture. Milk that is too hot will cause the yeast to die and therefore your buns won’t rise!
- White Chocolate: Totally up to you whether to use chocolate chips or roughly chopped chocolate. You can also use any form of white chocolate you like, from the basic own-brand, designed for kids stuff, through to the top end. Essentially, make these buns work for you.
- Rise Time: The dough needs a to double in size during proofing. This might be an hour, but it could be more if you’re in a cold kitchen. If you have a cold kitchen, you can fill a large bowl half full with warm water and placing the bowl with the dough into it (not letting any dough get wet, just forming a sort of warm blanket around it).Â
- Shaping: Hot Cross Buns are just that: buns. Roll into small balls and place on the tray you’ll be baking on.
- Piping: This is up to personal freedom how to pipe the crosses. I go traditional in this recipe, but feel free to play around. Use a very small piping nozzle, or cut a very small hole if using a homemade/greaseproof paper style piping bag.
Lemon and White Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
- 425 g Strong White Bread Flour
- 7 g Sachet Fast Acting Dried Yeast
- 50 g Granulated Sugar
- 250 ml Warm Milk (Warm to the touch, not hot)
- 50 g Unsalted Butter
- 1 Large Free Range Egg
- 100 g White Chocolate Roughly Chopped, or Choc Chips
- 1 Lemon (Zest)
For the Crosses
- 50 g Strong White Bread Flour
- 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 6 tbsp Warm Water
For the Glaze
- 1 tbsp Boiling Water
- 3 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Lemon (Juice)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast and a pinch of salt. Combine thoroughly then create a well in the centre. Into this well, pour the wet ingredients: the milk, butter and egg. Use a wooden spoon to pull all the ingredients together. Then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and use your hands to knead for about 10 minutes.
- Knead until it looks smooth and springs back a little when you press your finger into it. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave in a warm place for at least 1 hour (until it has doubled in size).
- Once the dough has doubled in size, turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle over the chopped white chocolate and lemon zest and knead a few more times until all combined.
- Use a knife to divide dough into 12 (or more, depending on how large you want your buns). Roll these into balls and place on a lined baking tray, slightly spaced apart. Cover with a tea towel and leave another 20 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 180℃/390℉. Make the crosses by combining the flour, sugar and water in a small bowl. Then pour this mixture into a piping bag (or a sandwich bag, and cut the tip off) and pipe crosses onto the buns. By now, the buns should be puffed up and shiny, and most likely touching one another.Â
- Bake for 20 minutes, until golden and smelling wonderful!
- While the buns are baking, make the glaze by combining the ingredients in a small bowl. It should look sticky! Brush over the buns once they come out the oven, but while they are still warm. Let cool (at least a little) before serving!
For my Lemon and White Chocolate Hot Cross Buns, I use a large baking tray. If you want more fun Easter baking ideas, check out my Lindt Chocolate Egg Brownies. For videos and baking inspiration, head on over to my Instagram. If you make this recipe, don’t forget to drop it a star rating, leave a review or share a photo on your socials!
Storage
These Lemon and White Chocolate Hot Cross Buns should be stored in a cool, dry place after baking. Once cool, place in an airtight container and put them in the pantry/cupboard for when ready to eat. They will keep about 3-4 days before becoming stale. Alternatively, these also freeze really well. Place in an airtight container to freeze. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight, then place back at room temperature!
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