Hot Cross Buns Day

Friday before Easter: Hot Cross Buns Day

Hot Cross Buns Day

Hot Cross Buns Day occurs on the Friday before Easter.

Hot cross buns are spicy sweet breads made with currants. They are marked with a cross on the top. And they are traditionally eaten on Good Friday in the British Isles, Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa and some parts of America. The Friday before Easter is called Good Friday, a Christian holiday.

Superstitions

  • Bread baked on Good Friday will hardened in the oven and keep all year to protect the house from fire.
  • Hanging a hot cross bun in the house on Good Friday offers protection from bad luck and evil spirits in the coming year.
  • Hanging one in the kitchen will ensure all future breads that year will baked perfectly.
  • Taking hot cross buns on a sea voyage will protect against shipwreck.
  • Sharing a hot cross bun will ensure friendship. Half for you and half for me, Between us two shall goodwill be.

Hot Cross Buns

5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
salt
2 packages dry-active yeast
2 cups milk
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
2 eggs
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 cup currants
1 teaspoon orange extract
egg white whisked with a tablespoon of water
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
drop of vanilla

Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Heat milk, water, and shortening over low heat until warm. Gradually add to dry ingredients. Beat 2-3 minutes. Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour, or enough flour to make a thick batter. Beat 2-3 minutes. Stir in cinnamon, currants, orange extract, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured board. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, rotate dough to oil top of dough. Cover, and let rise till double, about 1 hour. Punch down and rise again, 1 hour. Punch down again, turn onto lightly floured board. Shape as into 5-inch rounds and place on a greased pan. Let rise again, 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400F. Slit tops making an X. Brush with egg white mixed with water. Bake 20-25 minutes. Combine powered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Piped over the X.

There’s a National Hot Cross Buns Day on September 11th as well.

Go to International Easter Breads

⇴ image from jules, wikipedia, (CC BY 2.0)

Share It:
Skip to content