Happy Monday! I hope you all had an awesome Easter weekend.
I hope there were lots of chocolates and smiles and kids hunting eggs. I wanted to throw an Easter party for the kids and have them hunt colorful Easter eggs but we didn’t have a place to do it and with the house construction, all my “Easter things” are tucked inside a box under numerous boxes which contains all my other stuff. To tell you honestly, I was too lazy to dig it up.
So I thought we’d just make some Hot Cross Buns. The kids, well you know them: Ykaie, Cyra, and Cyvrine, got excited! They love helping me in the kitchen.Well, they love touching the dough and spilling the flour but trust me, it makes baking a lot more interesting…heehee.
Last month, my peanutbutter♥ sent over a box of this pitted medjool dates with candied orange peel tucked wonderfully in the center. It is heavenly when eaten like that but it just seemed right that I chop it up and make it into something more special.
So these got chopped up and in they went in these special buns.
It’s my first time to make a bun and I don’t think I know how. Don’t judge. I know these buns look more like scones but they taste amazing! Not too sweet and bursting with the flavor and aroma of cinnamon and all-spice in each bite. The dates and orange peel act as natural sweeteners and just makes this traditional bun more special.
Sis and I ate up as soon as it came out of the oven.
I think I’ll be seeing more of this Hot Cross Buns in Easters to come.
- 3⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon all-spice
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup nonfat milk, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 8 medjool dates with orange peel, chopped
- ¼ cup white chocolate chips for the hot cross
- Glaze:
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons nonfat milk
- 2 tablespoons water
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, all-spice, yeast and salt. Mix well and set aside.
- In another bowl small bowl, beat the egg, butter and milk. Pour in the egg mixture into the flour mixture and mix well until a soft dough starts to form.
- Put the stand mixer and on low speed, using the dough hook, knead for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Knead in chopped dates and citrus peel and place the dough into a large bowl. Cover with a dry cloth and let it rest in a warm, draft-free spot for 30- 60 minutes.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper.
- Once the dough has nearly doubled in size, turn it out on to a lightly floured surface. Punch it down and cut it into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a bun. Place them all into the prepared baking pan in a single layer leaving space between each bun. Cover again and let rest for 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Combine the sugar, milk and water together to make the glaze and set aside.
- Bake the buns for 15 minutes and remove them from the oven. Gently brush the glaze over top each bun and return the baking pan back to the oven for another 5 minutes until they are golden.
- Remove the buns from the oven and brush the remaining glaze over top.
- Cool for 5 minutes in the pan and remove the buns to cool on a rack.
- You can melt your white chocolate chip in a microwaveable bowl and then transfer it to a piping bag to make the cross on top of the buns. What I did was put the white chocolate chips in the piping bag and microwaved it into 10 second increments until it's smooth.
- Cut the tip off of the piping bag and pipe a cross over the top of each bun.
- Serve warm and with butter on the side
Wow those dates were a wonderful gift to have. I am certain they must have liven up Hot Cross Buns. Awesome that your kids like to help. That wasn’t the case in my life, but I had two boys. However, they both do cook now as adults and they married good cooks.
So all is good. I was the Easter dinner cook this year for the family. We have a family member who is allergic to beef and pork. So no ham. But salmon was a great alternative!
That’s a nice story. I’m sure you had a wonderful Easter.
these look so good and the Middle east has the best dates hope your easter was wonderful
Yeah, these dates tastes amazing!
We love to make hot cross buns! They’re so good, aren’t they? Yours look perfect — thanks for sharing.
Thanks John! Will look up your version. I might try it out next easter.
I love hot cross buns and your version looks quite special. Love the idea of putting dates in them!!!
Thanks MJ! This is delicious.
Peachy,these soft,sweet and fragrant hot cross buns look like a sweet dream come true…so good and perfectly golden,thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you so much.We love them!
I am itching to try this recipe mostly because it looks so delicious with coffee! I really ought to buy a new oven.
It is soooooo good with coffee!
I don’t bake as well as that so to me those buns look great. Sigh I can’t wait for my oven on December, that’s when I can really get to try all the lovely recipes you share.
I’m planning to get my oven in August. Nakiki-oven lang din ako..LOL!
I miss baking. It’s been so hot lately that I just haven’t been in the mood to stand in the kitchen for a long time. These look yummers!
So true! Nakakaloka magluto! It’s so hooot! Feeling ko bine-bake din ako habang nasa kitchen.
I really wish I’m as good a cook/baker as you. My daughter wants to be a baker someday. No doubt she’d like to learn how to make this.
Thanks! I’m sure your daughter will be a great baker.
These look great. With dates inside, it should be yummy.
It’s really good.
I haven’t tried Dates ever! I’m giving my Mom your hot cross buns recipe!
Dates are delicious! Give me a bowl of dates and I could finish it in one sitting!
Dates just taste great. I can eat a bunch of them! Thanks for the recipe
Same here. I could eat a bowl in one sitting.
My mouth just melted just looking at the photos 🙁 Definitely a yummy and healthy merienda to try! I hope I can try baking too
I’m sure you’ll be good at baking.
Can I have one for my cup of coffee please? Looks good!
It’s perfect with coffee!
The buns looks delicious and soft. I’m sure the dates made it yummier. I love dates. My friend gives me a box every time her husband comes home from the middle east.
It is best when warm and it is sooo delicious.
When I was working in Kuwait as a flight attendant, I have served so many dates onboard. especially during Ramadan especially after sundown when they are able to eat. I have tried eating dates but never really liked it.
Awww… I love dates.
YUM! These look too good not to share. I’ve just recently started loving dates, so I bet I’d LOVE these/
Oh I’m sure you will!