Hot Cross Cookies Recipes

HOT CROSS BUNS

Steps:

• Whisk milk, sugar, and yeast in a bowl until sugar dissolves. Cover and let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• Sift flour, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Rub in butter with your fingers until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in raisins, eggs, and yeast mixture; mix until well combined.
• Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in a large, lightly-oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
• Knock back risen dough with your fist. Remove from the bowl and knead for 1 minute. Divide into 12 pieces and roll into buns.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease an 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Arrange buns neatly in the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
• Whisk flour and water together in a small bowl to form a smooth paste. Transfer to a piping bag and carefully pipe a cross onto the top of each bun.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking until buns have risen and are golden in color, 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven and immediately brush with warmed apricot jam.

HOT CROSS COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly butter a few baking trays. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar and egg until smooth. Sift in the flour, cinnamon and baking powder, then combine to make a dough. Add the sultanas and 100g of the white chocolate, and mix to combine.
• Roll lumps of dough into balls the size of golf balls. Flatten these onto the trays, leaving enough space between each for them to expand. Bake for 10 mins until golden (you may have to do this in batches). Remove the cookies from the trays and cool on wire racks.
• Melt the remaining white chocolate in the microwave on Low in 20-second bursts. Using a small piping bag or a teaspoon, carefully drizzle a cross on top of each cookie. Leave to set before eating. These cookies can be stored in a cookie jar for up to 3 days.