Super Soft Hot Cross Muffins (No yeast needed)

PREP TIME 15

COOK TIME 20

TOTAL TIME 35

12 - 18

Enjoy all the flavors of the classic hot cross bun, but in a muffin form. With its sweet spiced flavor and super soft cake like texture, they are a delicious variation on traditional Hot Cross buns.

Watch how to make the recipe

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Dry ingredients

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour OR cake flour
¾ cup brown or white granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
1½ teaspoon allspice or mixed spice
¼ Teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon grated nutmeg (optional)
1 cup sultanas or raisins or a mixture of both (see note 1)

Wet ingredients

½ cup buttermilk OR 2 large eggs (See note 2)
¾ cup whole milk (full fat milk)
¾ cup oil (sunflower or canola oil)
2 teaspoons orange zest (see note 3)

Crosses

¼ cup all purpose or cake flour
1 Tablespoon melted butter
2 Tablespoons water (room temperature or regular tap water is fine)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F /180°C (160°C fan).
Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray or use cupcake liners.
Dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice (mixed spice), salt and nutmeg (if using) until well combined.
Wet ingredients: In a separate small bowl or measuring jug, whisk together the buttermilk (or eggs or buttermilk substitute), milk and oil.
Combine dry and wet ingredients: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients.
Add in the fruit mix: Add in the orange zest, raisins and sultanas (or cranberries)
Mix gently: Fold everything together gently just until combined. Spoon the batter evenly into liners, filling them until they are three quarters full.
Once you have scooped the batter into the muffin liners, use the back of a spoon or a small spatula to very gently and lightly level the surface of the batter. This will ensure that your muffins have a smooth, even top when they are baked.

Paste for the crosses

Mix flour, melted butter and water together and spoon into a piping bag and snip the corner. (See note 4)
Pipe the crosses on top of each muffin.(See note 5)
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Glaze: Optional: Combine ¼ cup (60ml) water and ¼ cup (50g) white granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer over low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Brush the glaze over the warm baked muffins.

These muffins can easily be baked in advance, cooled and stored:

At room temperature: In an airtight container for up to three days.
In the refrigerator: In an airtight container for up to one week.
In the freezer: In an airtight container for up to one month.

Recipe Notes

1. Raisin/ sultana substitute: Mix up your hot cross muffins by swapping out raisins or sultanas for dried cranberries, apricots, cherries, or peaches. Try different combinations to find your favorite flavor.

2. Buttermilk substitute: You can choose to use either ½ cup of Buttermilk, plain unflavored yogurt, or 2 large eggs in this recipe based on your preference. In case you don't have buttermilk, you can easily make it at home by adding 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of lemon juice or vinegar to ½ cup (125 ml) of milk. Keep it aside for 5 minutes before using it in the recipe.

3. Orange zest: You only need the zest, which is the outermost layer or peel of the orange, so one medium-sized orange should be enough.

4. If you want the piped cross to have a particular thickness, you can adjust it by cutting the corner of the piping bag accordingly. Another choice is to use a plastic sandwich bag instead of a piping bag.

5. For best results when making the cross topping, use the paste within 5 minutes of preparing it while the butter is still warm. This will make it easier to pipe onto the muffins. As the butter cools, the paste will thicken and become more difficult to pipe, so it's best to work quickly.

Nutrition