Soft Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
INGREDIENTS
Sweet Stiff Starter (Night Before)
- 10 g sourdough starter
- 10 g honey
- 40 g water
- 80 g flour
Cross Piping Starter (Night Before, Optional)
- 10 g sourdough starter
- 50 g water
- 60 g flour
Soaked Raisins
- 150 g raisins
- 50 g orange juice (freshly squeezed from 1 orange)
- 10 g vanilla extract
- 13 g hot water
Tangzhong
- 25 g all-purpose flour
- 125 g whole milk
Main Dough
- All of your sweet stiff starter
- All of the tangzhong (cooled below 100°F)
- 370 g all-purpose flour
- 55 g butter (unsalted, softened)
- 65 g sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- Pinch of clove (optional)
- 5 g salt
- 3 g orange zest
- 100 g whole milk
Finishing Touches
- 75 g powdered sugar (for glaze)
- Remaining liquid from draining the soaked raisins (for glaze)
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- 4 g water (for egg wash)
Equipment
- Oval metal piping tip (optional)
- Piping bags (can use zip-top bag instead)
- Proofing box (can use oven with light on)
Instructions
Day 1 (Evening)
- Make stiff, sweet starter: Mix 10 g sourdough starter, 10 g honey, 40 g water, and 80 g flour in a half-liter jar. Make cross piping starter: If desired, prepare cross piping starter by mixing 10 g sourdough starter, 50 g water, and 60 g flour in separate container.* Let both ferment overnight.
- Set out butter to soften overnight.
Day 2 (Morning)
- Prepare raisins: Zest orange and set zest aside. Juice orange and combine 50 g orange juice, 150 g raisins, 10 g vanilla extract, and 13 g hot water. Let soak (1+ hour).
- Make tangzhong: Whisk 25 g all-purpose flour and 125 g whole milk. Microwave* in 20-second intervals until thickened (150°F or 65°C). Cool in fridge for 5-10 minutes.
- Mix dough: In your stand mixer bowl, add All of your sweet stiff starter, All of the tangzhong, 370 g all-purpose flour, 55 g butter, 65 g sugar, 1 egg, 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp cardamom, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, Pinch of clove, 5 g salt, 3 g orange zest (from prior step), and 100 g whole milk. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes; then increase to medium speed and knead for 6-8 minutes until dough passes the windowpane test.*
- Rest: Cover dough and rest 30 minutes.
- Add raisins: Drain raisins (reserve liquid for the glaze). Fold and squeeze raisins into dough by hand.
- First rise: Let dough rise at 78-80°F (25.5-26.6°C) for 4-6 hours until doubled.
- Note: If you've made the starter for piping the crosses, once it has peaked, feel free to put it in the refrigerator until it's time to bake.
Day 2 (Afternoon to Day 3)
- Shape: Divide dough into 12 equal pieces (90g each). Shape into balls and place in greased 9×13-inch dish. Cover with plastic wrap.
- Chill: Refrigerate shaped buns until bedtime.
- Second rise: Remove from refrigerator in the evening and let rise at room temperature overnight (12+ hours).
Day 3 (Baking Day)
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Egg wash: Mix 1 egg and 4 g water. Brush on top of buns.
- Pipe crosses onto buns with cross piping starter (or thick discard).
- Bake 25-31 minutes until golden [internal temp 190°F (88°C)].
- Make glaze with 75 g powdered sugar and Remaining liquid from draining the soaked raisins.
- Brush glaze on warm buns.
- Cool 10 minutes in pan, then transfer to rack.
Notes
- Starter Container: Use at least a half-liter jar as your starter will likely triple overnight.
- Cross Piping Starter: This is optional because you can also use sourdough discard if it's thick enough. If your discard is runny, it'll be a hot mess!
- Windowpane Test: After kneading, the dough should pass the windowpane test—take a small piece of dough and gently stretch it between your fingers. If it stretches thin enough to see light through without tearing, it's developed enough gluten.
- Tangzhong: You can make the tangzhong up to 2 days in advance; keep in fridge. You can also make the tangzhong on the stovetop if you prefer. Heat over medium heat until the mixture reaches about 150°F and is thick like pudding.
- Temperature Matters: For best results, keep the dough around 78-80°F. Below 75°F, the dough will rise much more slowly. Your oven with just the light on works well as a proofing environment. If the light doesn't provide enough warmth, place a cup of boiling water in the oven (refresh as needed).
- Cinnamon Effect: Cinnamon contains compounds that naturally slow down fermentation, which is why these buns need a lot more time to rise than regular bread.
- Raisin Incorporation: It's best to mix raisins in by hand rather than with a stand mixer. Using cheesecloth to squeeze out excess moisture from the soaked raisins can make them easier to incorporate into the dough.
- Shaping Tips: When shaping the buns, use minimal flour (ideally none!) on your work surface. Too much added flour will cause the buns to be dense.
- Refrigeration: The refrigeration step isn't just for convenience—it helps prevent overproofing and enhances flavor development. When removing from the refrigerator, the buns may appear to deflate slightly; this is normal, and they'll rise again during the overnight proof.
- Cross Piping: For well-defined crosses, use a metal piping tip or make a very small hole in a zip-top bag.
- Glaze Options: If you don't want to use the raisin soaking liquid for any reason, you can opt to make a fresh glaze with 2 Tbsp orange juice, 1/4 tsp vanilla, and powdered sugar.
- Storage & Reheating: Best on baking day; stays fresh 2-3 days in an airtight container. Freezes well for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes or microwave individual buns for 15-20 seconds.
For detailed troubleshooting, process photos, and tips from my 18 recipe testers, see the full blog post!
