Apple Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

This Easter favorite is never easy, but always worth it!

These buns traditionally served on Good Friday are a good hybrid between a breakfast bun and a dinner roll. I personally have never been a huge fan of cranberry orange as a combination so I adjusted this recipe to include flavors of apple and cinnamon. Because of this delicious flavor profile, these are also a fantastic recipe to make in the fall!

Ingredients:

5 cups of all purpose unbleached flour (must be unbleached, bleach will react with the yeast and you run the risk of your buns not rising)

1 1/2 cups of milk at room temperature

8 tbsp butter at room temperature (divided)

3 medium sized eggs and 1 egg yolk at room temp

3/4 cups of raw sugar (divided)

3 cups of peeled and cubed honey crisp apples (2-3 apples)

zest of one lemon

3 tsp of active dry yeast

1/2 tsp baking powder

For the cross:

1/4 cup of warm water

1/4 cup of flour

For the glaze:

1/4 cup of butter

1/4 cup of honey

1/4 tsp of cinnamon

Instructions:

In a skillet add apples, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 tbsp butter, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon over medium heat. Stir continuously until the apples are soft and all of the sugar has melted into a glaze. Set apples aside.

In a small bowl add 1/4 cup of warm water, 3 tsp of yeast, and 1 tsp of sugar. Stir and let sit for 10-15 mins and the yeast is growing and foamy.

In a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment add eggs, remaining sugar, butter, cinnamon, lemon zest, and salt. Add the milk. Then add baking powder, yeast mixture, and slowly add in the flour. 

Once everything is fully incorporated, turn your mixer to low medium and let your dough knead for 5ish mins doing the window pane check to make sure it is elastic enough at completion but you don’t over knead your dough.

Dump your dough on a lightly floured surface. Fold in your cooked apples adding flour along the way as it will naturally get stickier from the glaze. Once all apples are evenly dispersed lightly rub flour on the outside of your dough ball and place into a buttered mixing bowl and cover in Saran Wrap. Let it sit for 1 hour. I recommend putting it in the warmest place in your home to aid in rising. 

Once the hour is up, your dough should be noticeably puffier. Dump your dough on a floured surface (you don’t need to punch it down). Divide into 15 balls and place in 3 rows of 5 evenly on a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat sheet. Cover with Saran Wrap and let rise until all the balls have grown to the point that they are all touching (45 mins or so). 

Add the cross to your buns with a paste of flour and water. Put the flour and water in a ziplock bag and mix in the bag until it is smooth. Then cut a tiny corner of the bag on the bottom and pipe the paste into your buns in a cross.

Bake for 30 mins at 375. After 20 mins add the glaze. Once finished and cooling add another layer of the glaze. 

Let cool for 10 mins.

While I recommend making these ahead if you plan on serving them for easter breakfast purely for the fact that they are time consuming, but they are best when served immediately.

To reheat, pop them in the oven at 275 for 20 mins.