Our favourite part of Easter? All the hot cross buns. Add a little extra indulgence to your usual hot cross buns with these tasty and easy-to-make Easter recipes.
David Jones’ famous Hot Cross Buns are available in our Bondi Junction and Elizabeth Street Flagship until Monday 10th April 2023. Explore our David Jones Store Locator to discover your closest hot cross buns outlet.
There’s nothing quite like indulging in your own hot cross buns this Easter. Whether baking a batch as a tasty Easter treat or as a culinary delight on a picnic, these simple yet delicious recipes are sure to be your favourite go-to bakes.
Looking for more delicious Easter recipe ideas? Why not explore our Easter Menu Guide for an unforgettable feast this holiday. Or, for those with a sweet tooth, our famous Chocolate Cheesecake Twists Recipe. Yum!
Simple Hot Cross Buns Recipes
Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding
This delicious pudding recipe means there’ll be no leftover hot cross buns going to waste. Pro tip: if you have surplus mini chocolate eggs, tuck them into the layers of the pudding for little pockets of melted chocolate magic.
INGREDIENTS
600 ml pouring cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
Finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 orange
8 egg yolks
140g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
8 David Jones Classic Hot Cross Buns
30g softened butter
Icing sugar, for dusting
Strawberries and raspberries, to serve
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Bring cream, vanilla and rinds to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale, then whisk in the hot cream mixture.
2. Split buns in half and spread cut sides with butter. Arrange snugly in a buttered shallow 2.5-litre capacity baking dish, pour over custard and stand for 30 minutes.
3. Bake until custard is just starting to set (30-35 minutes), then increase heat to 200°C and bake until caramelised and golden (10-15 minutes). Remove from oven and rest for 30 minutes, dust with icing sugar and serve with berries.
Classic David Jones Hot Cross Buns with Spiced Brown Sugar Butter
Spice up your delicious store-bought hot cross buns by serving them with one of our impossibly easy easter recipes: sumptuous sugar butter. The hard work is done for you with these pre-made sticky, fruit-laden hot cross buns. Serve them with spiced butter or on their own for a tasty Easter treat.
INGREDIENTS
250g softened Pepe Saya butter
55g (1/4 cup) brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Finely grated rind of 1 orange
2 dozen David Jones Classic Hot Cross Buns
METHOD
1. To make the spiced brown sugar butter, beat ingredients in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy (3-4 minutes). Serve with fresh or toasted David Jones Classic Hot Cross Buns. Transfer unused butter to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Fig, Honey, and Walnut Hot Cross Buns
For hot cross buns with a twist, this flavourful recipe brings together a fun, symphony of flavours. You’ll fall in love with fluffy dough studded with Turkish Figs and walnuts and topped with honey. Our simple cinnamon butter mixture can be scaled up or down, and is best served on buns fresh out of the oven.
INGREDIENTS
100g butter (unsalted)
1 whisked egg
14gm instant yeast
2 1/3 cups sifted plain flour
2 cups wholemeal plain spelt flour
350ml milk
2/3 cup Unrefined Rapadura Sugar
200g dried Turkish Figs
50g walnuts, toasted, roughly chopped
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 cup honey
PIPING
1/4 cup plain flour
2 tbsp milk
1 tbsp water
CINNAMON BUTTER
400g salted butter, at room temperature
100g pure icing sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 200°C and lightly grease a round 24×4 cm baking dish.
- Place all the ingredients for the cinnamon butter in a food processor and gently blend until combined. Set aside to cool.
- Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and gently melt. Once melted, add milk. Once warmed through, remove from heat and add the egg. Stir, and allow to cool.
- Combine all of the flours, sugar, chopped dried fig, walnuts, yeast, and spices in a stand mixer using the dough hook attachment.
- Slowly add the milk mixture, set to medium knead until combined. Increase speed to medium-high and knead for a further 8-10 minutes. Lightly butter a large bowl. Once the dough is smooth, place the dough in the buttered bowl, turning to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow it to rest in a warm space for 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured service. Divide into roughly 20 pieces (ensuring they are all even) and begin to roll each dough lump into a ball.
- Place the first dough ball in the centre of the buttered pan, and continue in a concentric circle with the remaining dough balls. Allow for .5cm between each. Place a clean tea towel over the pan, and allow it to stand for 30 minutes more.
- Make the piping by gently whisking all of the ingredients. Once smooth, transfer the mixture to a piping bag. Pipe a cross on each bun.
- Bake buns for 10 minutes at full heat, and then reduce oven to 180°C and bake for a further 20 minutes. Once the buns are golden brown, transfer them to a wire rack and allow them to cool down (we prefer these buns when they are slightly warm). Gently brush honey over the buns and serve with a side of cinnamon butter.