Hot Cross Buns

Our family enjoyed Hot Cross Buns for breakfast this morning. It is an old English Easter tradition that I have always wanted to try. I saw them on The Pioneer Woman's site a while ago and knew that was the perfect recipe to start out on! It is her cinnamon roll base (YUM) filled with cinnamon and raisins. It is pretty tasty! Go HERE for detailed instructions. Hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! HE IS RISEN! Happy Easter!

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients:

For the buns:

2 c whole milk

1/2 c canola oil

1/2 c sugar

1 package Active Dry Yeast

4 c flour

1/2 c (additional) flour

1/2 t (heaping) b. powder

1/2 t (heaping) b. soda

2 t salt

1/4 c sugar

1 t cinnamon

1/2 c raisins (i used a little more....we like raisins)

For the egg wash:

1 egg white

splash of milk

For the glaze:

1 egg white

powdered sugar

splash of milk

Instructions:

Combine 2 cups milk, canola oil, and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan. Stir and heat until very warm but not boiling. Turn off the heat and allow to cool until mixture is still warm, but not hot–about 30 minutes.

Sprinkle yeast over mixture. Add 4 cups of flour and stir to combine. Mixture will be very sticky. Cover with a towel and set aside for 1 hour.

Add 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir till combined.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar with cinnamon and whatever other spices you want to use.

Lightly flour surface. Press to slightly flatten dough. Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of the sugar/cinnamon mixture. Sprinkle on about a third of the raisins. Then fold the dough over on itself and flatten again so the dough is “plain” again. Repeat the sugar/raisin process, then fold the dough again. Repeat a third time until all the raisins are used. (You won’t use all the sugar/cinnamon mixture.)

Pinch off ping pong or golf ball-size bunches of dough. With floured hands, quickly roll it into a ball, then turn the edges under themselves slightly. Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place for at least 30 minutes…an hour-plus is better.

PREHEAT OVEN TO 400 degrees

GLAZE

Mix 1 egg white with a splash of milk. Brush onto each roll.

Bake for 20 minutes, give or take, or until tops of buns have turned nice and golden brown.

Remove from pan and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

ICING

Mix 1 egg white with enough powdered sugar for icing to be very thick. Splash in milk as needed for consistency.

Add icing to a small Ziploc bag and snip the corner. Make icing crosses on each roll, making sure they’re completely cooled first.