Soft No Yeast Hot Cross Buns

I didn’t know hot cross buns could be made without yeast until a few years ago, when I was scrambling to make them on Good Friday morning and realized I was completely out. A quick search saved the day, and honestly? I’ve never gone back to the yeast version.

That’s because no-yeast hot cross buns are so much faster—we’re talking ready in under an hour versus waiting around for dough to rise for two hours or more. They use self-raising flour and a few simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. For busy mornings when you want fresh-baked buns without the planning ahead, they’re perfect.

What Kind of Self-Raising Flour Should I Use?

Self-raising flour is the key to making these hot cross buns work without yeast, so you’ll want to make sure yours is fresh and hasn’t been sitting in your pantry for years. Check the expiration date on your bag, because self-raising flour loses its leavening power over time, which means your buns might not rise properly if it’s old. Any brand of self-raising flour will work fine for this recipe, whether it’s a store brand or a name brand. If you only have plain flour on hand, you can make your own self-raising flour by adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt per cup of plain flour.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving, so here are some swaps you can make if needed:

• Self-raising flour: This is the one ingredient you really shouldn’t substitute. Self-raising flour is what makes these buns rise without yeast, so it’s pretty essential to the recipe working properly.
• Mixed spice: If you don’t have mixed spice on hand, make your own by combining equal parts cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. You can also add a pinch of cloves or ginger if you like.
• Raisins: Feel free to use currants, sultanas, or dried cranberries instead. You can also mix in some chopped candied orange peel for a traditional touch.
• Butter: Margarine or coconut oil work fine here. Just make sure whatever you use is cold and firm so it can be rubbed into the flour properly.
• Milk: Any milk works – dairy, almond, oat, or soy. Just stick with unsweetened varieties so your buns don’t end up too sweet.
• Gelatin: This is just for the glaze. If you don’t have gelatin, you can skip it and just brush the buns with a simple sugar syrup made from the sugar and hot water.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making no-yeast hot cross buns is overworking the dough, which creates tough, dense buns instead of light and fluffy ones – mix just until the ingredients come together and handle the dough as little as possible when rolling it out.

Many bakers also make their dough too dry by not adding enough milk, so add the milk gradually until you get a soft, slightly sticky dough that’s easy to shape but not wet.

When piping the crosses, make sure your flour paste is thick enough to hold its shape (it should be like toothpaste consistency), otherwise the crosses will spread and disappear during baking.

Finally, don’t skip brushing on the glaze while the buns are still hot from the oven – this is what gives them that signature shiny, sticky finish that makes hot cross buns so good.

What to Serve With Hot Cross Buns?

Hot cross buns are perfect for Easter brunch or a cozy breakfast any time of year, and they’re best served warm with plenty of butter melting into all those nooks and crannies. I love pairing them with a cup of hot tea or coffee for dunking, which makes the spiced flavors really come alive. If you’re serving them for a special occasion, set out some jam or marmalade on the side – orange marmalade is especially good with the cinnamon and mixed spice. For a fuller spread, add some fresh fruit like berries or sliced oranges, maybe some scrambled eggs, and crispy bacon to balance out the sweetness of the buns.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your hot cross buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They’re best enjoyed within the first day or two when they’re still soft and fresh. If they start to firm up a bit, a quick warm-up will bring them back to life.

Freeze: These buns freeze really well for up to 2 months. Let them cool completely, then wrap each one individually in plastic wrap before placing them all in a freezer bag. This way you can grab just one or two whenever you want without thawing the whole batch.

Warm Up: To enjoy your buns warm, pop them in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds, or wrap them in foil and heat in a 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes. If they’re frozen, let them thaw at room temperature first, then warm them up the same way.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1950-2150
• Protein: 35-40 g
• Fat: 35-40 g
• Carbohydrates: 400-440 g

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 3 3/4 cups self-raising flour (I always use King Arthur for a better rise)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 5 tablespoons butter (cold and cubed into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup raisins (soak in warm water for 10 minutes to make them extra juicy)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk

For the crosses:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup water (add gradually until it reaches a thick, pipeable consistency)

For the glaze:

• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp gelatin (I use Knox unflavored gelatin packets)
• 1 tbsp hot water

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place and Preheat

• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup raisins

Heat your oven to 220°C (450°F) and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish or similar size.

While the oven preheats, soak the raisins in warm water for 10 minutes to plump them up and make them extra juicy—this step makes a real difference in the final texture.

Cube the cold butter into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.

This prep work ensures everything is ready when you start building the dough.

Step 2: Create the Dry Ingredient Base

• 3 3/4 cups self-raising flour
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

In a large mixing bowl, combine the self-raising flour, salt, mixed spice, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.

Whisk these together thoroughly to distribute the spices evenly—this ensures consistent flavor throughout all eight buns.

The combination of warm spices is what gives hot cross buns their distinctive taste, so don’t skip this step.

Step 3: Cut In Butter and Build Texture

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• 5 tablespoons cold butter

Add the cubed cold butter to the dry ingredient mixture and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

This technique creates small pockets of butter throughout the dough, which will produce a tender, slightly flaky crumb in the baked buns.

Work quickly to keep the butter cold—this makes all the difference in achieving the right texture.

Step 4: Combine Wet Ingredients and Form Dough

• dry and butter mixture from Step 3
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk

Drain the soaked raisins and stir them into the mixture along with the sugar.

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk, then pour this into the flour mixture while stirring gently with a fork until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.

You may not need all the milk—add it gradually until you reach the right consistency.

The dough should come together but still be moist enough to handle.

I prefer a dough that’s slightly wetter rather than dry, as it leads to moister buns.

Step 5: Shape and Place Buns

• dough from Step 4

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently roll it to about 1cm thickness.

Using a round cutter or cup about 3 inches in diameter, cut out 8 circles.

Place these circles into your prepared baking dish, leaving a little space between each one for them to rise slightly during baking.

Don’t worry if they’re touching—they’ll stay separate enough.

Step 6: Prepare and Pipe the Crosses

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup water

In a small bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup flour and 1/3 cup water, stirring gradually until you achieve a thick, pipeable consistency—it should look like thick cake batter.

Transfer this paste to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (or use a sandwich bag with the corner snipped off).

Pipe a cross on top of each bun, making two intersecting lines from edge to edge.

This is what makes them ‘hot cross buns,’ so take a moment to make them look nice.

Step 7: Bake and Glaze

• buns from Step 5
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp gelatin
• 1 tbsp hot water

Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes until they’re golden brown and a toothpick inserted into one comes out clean.

While they bake, prepare the glaze by mixing together the 1 1/2 tbsp sugar, gelatin, and 1 tbsp hot water in a small bowl, stirring until the sugar and gelatin dissolve completely.

Once the buns come out of the oven, brush the warm glaze generously over each bun—it will set as it cools, creating a subtle sweet finish.

For an extra glossy, caramelized finish, you can optionally place the buns under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, but watch them carefully to avoid burning.

Soft No Yeast Hot Cross Buns

Delicious Soft No Yeast Hot Cross Buns recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 42 minutes mins

Servings: 8 buns

Calories: 2050

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the dough

• 3 3/4 cups self-raising flour (I always use King Arthur for a better rise)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 5 tablespoons butter (cold and cubed into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup raisins (soak in warm water for 10 minutes to make them extra juicy)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk

For the crosses

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup water (add gradually until it reaches a thick, pipeable consistency)

For the glaze

• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp gelatin (I use Knox unflavored gelatin packets)
• 1 tbsp hot water

Method

 

1. Heat your oven to 220°C (450°F) and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish or similar size. While the oven preheats, soak the raisins in warm water for 10 minutes to plump them up and make them extra juicy—this step makes a real difference in the final texture. Cube the cold butter into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside. This prep work ensures everything is ready when you start building the dough.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the self-raising flour, salt, mixed spice, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Whisk these together thoroughly to distribute the spices evenly—this ensures consistent flavor throughout all eight buns. The combination of warm spices is what gives hot cross buns their distinctive taste, so don't skip this step.
3. Add the cubed cold butter to the dry ingredient mixture and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. This technique creates small pockets of butter throughout the dough, which will produce a tender, slightly flaky crumb in the baked buns. Work quickly to keep the butter cold—this makes all the difference in achieving the right texture.
4. Drain the soaked raisins and stir them into the mixture along with the sugar. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk, then pour this into the flour mixture while stirring gently with a fork until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. You may not need all the milk—add it gradually until you reach the right consistency. The dough should come together but still be moist enough to handle. I prefer a dough that's slightly wetter rather than dry, as it leads to moister buns.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently roll it to about 1cm thickness. Using a round cutter or cup about 3 inches in diameter, cut out 8 circles. Place these circles into your prepared baking dish, leaving a little space between each one for them to rise slightly during baking. Don't worry if they're touching—they'll stay separate enough.
6. In a small bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup flour and 1/3 cup water, stirring gradually until you achieve a thick, pipeable consistency—it should look like thick cake batter. Transfer this paste to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (or use a sandwich bag with the corner snipped off). Pipe a cross on top of each bun, making two intersecting lines from edge to edge. This is what makes them 'hot cross buns,' so take a moment to make them look nice.
7. Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes until they're golden brown and a toothpick inserted into one comes out clean. While they bake, prepare the glaze by mixing together the 1 1/2 tbsp sugar, gelatin, and 1 tbsp hot water in a small bowl, stirring until the sugar and gelatin dissolve completely. Once the buns come out of the oven, brush the warm glaze generously over each bun—it will set as it cools, creating a subtle sweet finish. For an extra glossy, caramelized finish, you can optionally place the buns under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, but watch them carefully to avoid burning.