Hot cross buns are traditionally served on Good Friday. I made a classic yeasted version of hot cross buns a few years ago, but for this year I wanted something a little easier. This recipe comes from The Bride’s Cookbook, a 1910 cookbook that was produced by local businesses in San Francisco and given to newly wedded brides for free in order to advertise their products. Since these buns are raised with baking powder rather than yeast, they are much quicker and easier to make than traditional buns.

Hot Cross Buns:

• 4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 pound currants
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 pound candied citron or other candied peel
• 1/4 pound raisins
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk

1. Sift the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder together in a large bowl.
2. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub it into the flour.
3. Mix in the spices and fruit.
4. Beat the two eggs in half a cup of milk, then stir into the dry mixture. If the dough doesn’t come together you can add an extra splash or two of milk.
5. Form into round buns (I made 15). Brush the buns with milk and cut a deep cross in each bun. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until the buns start turning golden brown.

Tasting notes:

The quantity of fruit in these buns is enormous, which I really liked since the last hot cross buns I made were a little too plain. The texture is very different – these are much more like scones or biscuits than buns. My only complaint is that because of the texture of the dough and all the fruit, the cross doesn’t show up very well on the finished buns. But, that could easily be fixed by piping on an icing cross, or you could just leave it off entirely and serve these all year round.

References:

The bride’s cook book. (1910). San Francisco, California: Original Bride’s Cook Book Pub. Co.. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100158338/Home