Sourdough Hot Cross Buns Two Ways: Raisins and Chocolate

I didn’t grow up with hot cross buns. It’s a tradition I picked up through marriage. My husband, who’s from England, grew up with them as a staple of Easter. Traditionally, they’re eaten on Good Friday to mark the end of Lent, with the cross symbolizing the crucifixion.

I make them every year now, not necessarily on Good Friday but usually sometime Easter weekend. I use sourdough starter instead of yeast and make six with raisins and six with chocolate. The raisins honor the tradition, and the chocolate adds a bit of decadence.

The flour is flexible. Many recipes call for bread flour, but I don’t keep it in the house anymore. Instead, I use all-purpose flour with a spoonful of vital wheat gluten, plus some spelt for texture and depth. If all you have is all-purpose flour, that’s fine, too.

For the fruit, I keep it simple with raisins, but you can use a mix of dried fruit or peel. I pipe the crosses with a flour paste using a baking injector, but a plastic bag works, too. It’s tricky to get the consistency right. The lines are never quite perfect, but that’s part of it. You just try again next year.

These buns take time, but each year they feel more and more familiar. Like many traditions, they become yours through repetition. You adapt and improve. You carry it forward, not because it’s perfect, but because it matters. You also do it because they’re so comforting warm from the oven.

This recipe is loosely adapted from a version I found on Lavender & Lovage. I’ve adjusted the method and ingredients over time.

Sourdough Hot Cross Buns (Makes 12)

Ingredients

• 150g (about 2/3 cup) recently fed sourdough starter
• 10g (1 3/4 tsp) salt
• 300ml (1 1/4 cups) filtered water
• 80g (5 1/2 tbsp) melted butter
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 50g (1/4 cup) sugar
• 250g (2 cups) spelt flour
• 250g (2 cups) all-purpose flour + 1 tbsp vital wheat gluten (or substitute bread flour)
• 60g (scant 1/2 cup) raisins
• 60g (scant 1/2 cup) chopped chocolate or chocolate chips (any kind you like)

For the crosses:

• 50g (1/3 cup + 1 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• Water to make a stiff paste, about 90ml (2/3 cup)

For the glaze:

• 25g (2 tbsp) sugar
• 30ml (2 tbsp) water

Instructions

1. Feed your starter: A few hours before you begin, feed your sourdough starter, making sure you'll have at least 150g available. Let it sit at room temperature until bubbly and active. Measure out 150g for the recipe.

2. Mix the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the starter, salt, water, melted butter, spices, sugar, and flours (including vital wheat gluten, if using). Knead for 8–10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.

3. Add inclusions & fold: Once kneaded, divide the dough in half. Return one half to the mixer and add the raisins. Knead briefly to incorporate evenly, then transfer to a clean bowl. Repeat with the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate in the second half.

4. Stretch, fold, and bulk ferment overnight: Cover both bowls and let the dough rest at room temperature. Over the next few hours, do 1–2 stretch-and-folds in the bowl to help develop strength. Then cover again and let rise overnight at room temperature or refrigerate for a milder flavor.

5. Shape the buns: In the morning, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 12 equal pieces. You can weigh the dough if you want to be exact. They will be about 100g. Roll into balls and flatten slightly. Place on a parchment/silicon-lined or lightly greased tray. Cover and let rest for 10–15 minutes while you prepare the crosses.

6. Pipe the crosses: Mix the flour and just enough water to make a thick paste that can be piped. Use a piping bag, baking injector, or a resealable bag with the corner snipped off to pipe a cross on each bun. Use a knife to detach the end of dough to finish the line.

7. Bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Bake the buns for 20–25 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding underneath. For extra lift, add steam to the oven by tossing ice cubes into a preheated pan on the bottom rack.

8. Glaze and cool: While the buns bake, heat the sugar and water for the glaze until the sugar has dissolved. Brush over the buns immediately after baking, then cool on a wire rack. —

Notes

• These buns are traditionally served on Good Friday to mark the end of Lent.
• Feel free to make all 12 buns with raisins or all with chocolate instead of splitting the batch.