Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are everything you love about the Easter classic. Soft, pillowy, warmly spiced with a rich cocoa twist and pockets of melted chocolate throughout. These are made with real cocoa powder worked right into the dough, packed with chocolate chips, and finished with a glossy jam glaze. Your family will expect these every single Easter from here on out, and honestly, you won’t mind one bit.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Soft, rich, chocolatey, and warmly spiced — the most indulgent hot cross bun you’ve ever tasted.
• Triple chocolate hit: cocoa powder in the dough, chocolate chips inside, and a chocolate cross on top.
• No preservatives, no mystery ingredients — everything homemade from scratch.
• Your house will smell like a bakery, and that alone is worth it.
• A beloved annual Easter tradition that the whole family will look forward to every year.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Dough

• 3½ cups all-purpose flour (bread flour gives an even softer crumb)
• 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (or instant yeast)
• 3 tablespoons good quality Dutch-process cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup superfine or granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice (or ½ tsp cinnamon + ¼ tsp ginger + ¼ tsp cloves)
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (sub salted, reduce added salt)
• 1 cup warm whole milk (sub oat milk for dairy-free)
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ¾ cup dark chocolate chips (70% cacao — sub milk chocolate chips)

For the Crosses and Glaze

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour + 3 tablespoons water (for flour crosses)
• OR ¼ cup chocolate chips, melted (for chocolate crosses)
• 3 tablespoons raspberry or apricot jam, warmed and strained (for glaze)

Why These Ingredients Work

Dutch-process cocoa powder is key here — it has a smoother, more mellow flavor than regular cocoa and gives the buns a beautiful deep color without any harsh bitterness. It infuses every single bite with a rich, round chocolate flavor that works in perfect harmony with the warm spices.

Butter enriches the dough in the same way it does in a classic brioche, giving the buns their signature tenderness and a slight richness that you can taste even through all the chocolate. Don’t rush softening it — properly softened butter incorporates much more easily and evenly into the dough.

Dark chocolate chips at 70% cacao are not too sweet and hold their shape in the oven without turning greasy. They melt slightly into warm pockets throughout the bun that are genuinely one of the best surprises in each bite. Milk chocolate chips work too if your family prefers a sweeter bun.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Stand mixer with dough hook, or strong arms for kneading
• 9×13-inch baking pan or dish
• Parchment paper
• Piping bag or zip-lock bag with corner snipped for crosses
• Pastry brush for glaze
• Kitchen scale (optional but helpful for evenly sized buns)
• Clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap for proofing

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Activate the Yeast

If using active dry yeast, combine it with the warm milk (around 105–110°F — warm but not hot) and a pinch of sugar. Stir gently and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it looks foamy and bubbly. If using instant yeast, you can skip this step and add it directly to the dry ingredients.

Step 2: Make the Dough

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, mixed spice, and salt in a large bowl. Add the yeast mixture (or milk if using instant yeast), beaten egg, and softened butter. Mix until a rough dough forms, then knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and just barely tacky — it should spring back when you poke it.

Step 3: First Rise

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and leave in a warm spot for about 1 hour until it has doubled in size. A turned-off oven with just the light on is a great proofing environment on a cold day.

Step 4: Add Chocolate Chips and Shape

Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and flatten it out. Scatter the chocolate chips evenly over the surface and fold and knead briefly to distribute them throughout. Divide into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a smooth, tight ball.

Step 5: Second Rise

Arrange the balls snugly in a parchment-lined baking pan — they should be touching or nearly touching so they rise upward rather than spreading out. Cover and let rise for another 30 to 45 minutes until noticeably puffed. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) during this time.

Step 6: Pipe Crosses and Bake

Mix the flour and water into a thick paste and pipe a cross over each bun. Or melt chocolate chips and pipe those instead for a fully chocolate cross. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the buns are set and the kitchen smells incredible. A hollow sound when you tap the base means they are done.

Step 7: Glaze and Serve

Warm the jam in a small saucepan or microwave, strain out any solids, and brush generously over the buns immediately out of the oven. This gives them that gorgeous sticky, glossy finish. Serve warm with plenty of butter — these are at their very best the day they are made.

You Must Know

Your milk must be warm, not hot — around 105 to 110°F. Too hot and it will kill the yeast; too cool and the yeast will struggle to activate. If you don’t have a thermometer, it should feel like a comfortably warm bath on your wrist. Also, be patient with the second rise — buns that haven’t proofed enough will be dense and heavy inside.

Personal Secret: Brush the glaze on while the buns are still piping hot from the oven — the heat helps the jam absorb slightly into the surface of the bun rather than just sitting on top, giving you that gorgeous shine that makes them look like they came from a professional bakery.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Use bread flour instead of all-purpose for the softest, most pillowy texture.
• Weigh your dough portions for perfectly uniform buns that bake evenly.
• Let the dough rest 5 minutes after kneading before shaping — it relaxes and becomes much easier to work with.
• Day-old buns make extraordinary bread and butter pudding or French toast.
• Add a pinch of ground cardamom to the spice blend for something extra special.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Swap the chocolate chips for white chocolate chips and dried cherries for a visually stunning and deliciously different variation. The sweetness of white chocolate against the cocoa dough is absolutely wonderful. Or use orange-flavored dark chocolate chips and add orange zest to the dough for a mocha-citrus bun.

For a true chocolate lover’s dream, stir a tablespoon of espresso powder into the cocoa powder before mixing the dough. It deepens and intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the buns taste like coffee — it’s a classic baker’s trick that works beautifully.

Make-Ahead Options

You can make the dough through the first rise, then refrigerate it overnight tightly covered. The next morning, take it out, let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes, shape, and do the second rise as normal.

Fully baked buns freeze very well — cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and warm in a low oven before serving. They taste fresh-baked.

What to Serve With Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Warm chocolate hot cross buns with salted butter are frankly one of the great pleasures of the Easter season — that’s all you need. A good cup of coffee or a pot of English breakfast tea alongside is perfection.

For an Easter brunch spread, serve them alongside fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, and orange juice. They can also be turned into the most extraordinary French toast or bread pudding the following day if any happen to survive that long.

Allergy Information

• Gluten: Contains flour. Not suitable for gluten-free diets as written.
• Dairy: Contains butter and milk. Substitute with plant-based butter and oat milk.
• Eggs: Contains 1 egg. A flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water) can be used as a substitute.

Storage & Reheating

• Room temperature: Best eaten the day of baking. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
• Freezer: Wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature.
• Reheat: Warm in a 325°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or slice and toast. Microwave works for a quick 20-second warm.

FAQs

Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of Dutch-process?

You can, but the flavor will be slightly more bitter and the color slightly lighter. Dutch-process gives a smoother, deeper result that’s worth seeking out for this recipe.

Why didn’t my buns rise?

The most likely culprit is milk that was too hot and killed the yeast, or yeast that was old and inactive. Always check that your yeast is still within its expiration date, and use a thermometer to ensure your milk is between 105–110°F.

Can I make the dough the night before?

Yes — refrigerate after the first rise. The slow, cold proof actually develops even more flavor. Just bring it back to room temperature before shaping the next morning.

Do I have to use a piping bag for the crosses?

No — a small zip-lock bag with one corner snipped works just as well. A spoon works in a pinch too, though the lines won’t be quite as neat.

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