Hot Cross Bun in Welsh: Bara Croes Recipe

Welsh hot cross buns, or bara croes, are soft, lightly spiced yeast buns studded with dried fruit and marked with a flour-paste cross. This version uses familiar pantry ingredients and is served warm at Easter, though the buns are welcome with tea any time of year.

Ingredients

4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, plus a little extra for dusting
1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast
1 teaspoon (5 g) fine salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, warmed to about 105°F (40°C)
1 large egg (about 50 g without shell), at room temperature
5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (150 g) raisins or mixed dried fruit
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (about 2 g), optional
For the crosses: 1/3 cup (40 g) all-purpose flour and 5 tablespoons (75 ml) water
For the glaze: 2 tablespoons (30 ml) apricot jam, or 2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar stirred with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) hot water

Instructions

Mix the dough. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the warm milk, egg and softened butter. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, or in a stand mixer with a dough hook for 6–8 minutes. The finished dough should be smooth and elastic, and slightly tacky without clinging heavily to your hands. Add flour a tablespoon at a time only if it is too sticky to handle.
Add the fruit and first rise. Knead in the raisins and orange zest, if using, until evenly distributed. Put the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover it, and leave it in a warm, draft-free place for about 1 hour, or until roughly doubled. A cool room may make the rise take longer; use the dough’s size rather than the clock alone.
Shape the buns. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn the risen dough out and divide it into 12 equal portions, about 90 g each. Shape each into a smooth ball by tucking the edges underneath, then arrange on the sheet with about 1 inch (2.5 cm) between them.
Proof. Cover the buns loosely with a clean towel or lightly oiled plastic wrap. Let them rise for 35–45 minutes, until puffy and close to touching. Near the end of this rise, heat the oven to 375°F (190°C), with a rack in the center.
Pipe the crosses. Stir the cross flour and water into a smooth, thick paste. Add a little water if it is too stiff to pipe, or a little flour if it runs. Spoon it into a small piping bag or a zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped off. Pipe a line across each row of buns, then a second line in the other direction, so each bun has a cross.
Bake and glaze. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until the buns are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped underneath. If they brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last few minutes. Warm the apricot jam with a teaspoon of water and brush it over the buns as soon as they come out of the oven; alternatively brush on the sugar-water glaze. Cool on the tray for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips

Milk should feel warm, not hot. If you have a thermometer, aim for about 105°F (40°C); hotter liquid can damage the yeast and slow or prevent rising.
If using active dry yeast instead of instant, mix it into the warm milk with a teaspoon of the measured sugar and wait 5–10 minutes for it to foam before adding it to the other ingredients. The overall timing may need a little extra room.
For plump, evenly distributed fruit, soak very dry raisins in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat them thoroughly dry before kneading them into the dough. Wet fruit can make the dough harder to shape.
Do not force the dough to rise in a hot oven. A comfortably warm, draft-free spot is enough; a slow rise is preferable to overheated dough or melted butter.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the buns freshly baked, still slightly warm, with butter. They also pair well with a mild cheddar, a cup of tea, or coffee. For a fuller Easter breakfast, offer them alongside fresh fruit and yogurt. Split and toast day-old buns, then spread with butter or marmalade.

Variations

Use currants, chopped candied peel, or a mixture of raisins and dried cranberries in place of the mixed fruit. If candied peel is difficult to find, extra orange zest gives a fresher citrus aroma but will not add the chewy sweetness of peel. For a more pronounced spice flavor, add 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or replace the cinnamon and nutmeg with 2 teaspoons mixed spice. You can also replace up to half the raisins with finely chopped dried apricots, keeping the total dried fruit amount at 1 cup (150 g).

For a dairy-free version, use an unsweetened plant milk and a firm dairy-free baking stick in place of butter; dough texture and browning can vary slightly. To make a richer, sweeter finish, use the apricot glaze. The simpler sugar-water glaze has a clean sweetness but less fruit flavor.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the buns fully, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Refrigeration tends to dry bread, so use it only if the room is unusually warm; refrigerate within 2 hours if needed and use within 3–4 days. Freeze cooled buns in a well-sealed freezer bag for up to 2 months, ideally before glazing. Thaw at room temperature.

To refresh, warm a bun in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–8 minutes, or microwave it for about 10–15 seconds. Toast split buns if you prefer crisp edges. Discard buns that show mold or have an unusual odor.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does bara croes mean?
Bara croes is Welsh for “cross bread” and is the Welsh name commonly used for hot cross buns. Recipes vary by household and region; this one follows the familiar sweet, spiced bun style.

Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. After kneading in the fruit, cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough overnight. The cold rise is slower, so allow it to sit at room temperature until puffy before shaping, then complete the second rise as directed. The total time will be longer than the schedule above.

Why are my buns dense?
Common causes include adding too much flour, using milk that was too hot, or not allowing enough time for the rises. The dough should remain slightly tacky, and the shaped buns should look visibly puffy before baking.

Can I use bread flour?
Yes. Substitute bread flour by weight, using 500 g. It may absorb a little more liquid and produce a chewier bun, so hold back a tablespoon of flour if the dough feels stiff.

Do I need a piping bag for the crosses?
No. A zip-top bag with a very small corner cut off works well. You can also use a spoon, but piping gives more even lines. Keep the paste thick enough to stay on top of the buns rather than running down the sides.

Can I make the buns without dried fruit?
Yes. Leave the fruit out for plain spiced buns, or replace it with an equal amount of chopped chocolate. Chocolate may melt into the dough during kneading, so add it near the end and handle the dough gently.

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