Description
Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are everything you love about the classic Easter bake with an irresistible cocoa twist. This recipe makes a batch of twelve generously sized buns that your family will request every Easter season.
Ingredients
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour (bread flour preferred for softer crumb)
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons 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
- 1 cup warm whole milk (105–110°F)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips (70% cacao)
- For crosses: ¼ cup flour + 3 tablespoons water (or ¼ cup melted chocolate chips)
- For glaze: 3 tablespoons raspberry or apricot jam, warmed and strained
Instructions
1. Combine warm milk with yeast and a pinch of sugar. Stir and let sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy. (Skip activation if using instant yeast – add directly to dry ingredients.)
2. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, sugar, mixed spice, and salt in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture, beaten egg, and softened butter. Mix to a rough dough then knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and just barely tacky.
3. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm spot 1 hour until doubled in size.
4. Turn risen dough onto a floured surface. Flatten, scatter chocolate chips evenly, fold and knead briefly to distribute. Divide into 12 equal pieces and roll each into a smooth tight ball.
5. Arrange balls snugly in a parchment-lined 9×13-inch pan. Cover and let rise 30 to 45 minutes until puffed. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
6. Mix cross paste ingredients until smooth and pipe a cross over each bun. Bake 18 to 22 minutes until set and fragrant.
7. Immediately brush warm strained jam generously over hot buns. Serve warm with butter.
Notes
Milk must be between 105–110°F – too hot kills the yeast, too cool prevents activation.
Brush the glaze while buns are still hot so it absorbs slightly into the surface for a beautiful shine.
Use bread flour instead of all-purpose for an even softer, more pillowy texture.
Weigh dough portions for perfectly uniform buns that bake evenly.
Day-old buns make extraordinary French toast or the best bread and butter pudding you have ever tasted.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Australian