Wholemeal Apple Hot Cross Buns are a healthier Easter teatime treat with added chunks of apple, currants and mixed spice! Readers come back and make these year on year they’re so good!
NB: I originally posted this recipe in April 2014 and last year took some more photos which I didn’t get round to adding. I’ve now added these and you’ll notice they don’t contain currants as I only had large raisins and cranberries so used those along with the apple.
I’ve kept a couple of original pictures in this post so you can see how they should look with currants!
I’m feeling a bit tired and dizzy today as I was up until 1 am last night! No I wasn’t out clubbing but was perfecting my recipe for Wholemeal Apple Hot Cross Buns.
I’m not much of a one for planning, indeed I’d intended to make a Hot Cross Bread & Butter Pudding this week. But suddenly I found myself deciding to make Hot Cross Buns which I had only ever made once at school.
I didn’t really have much of a relationship with bread making in my youth and it’s only in the last couple of years that it’s become a passion of mine. Therefore I felt it was high time that I made my own Hot Cross Buns! So armed with my old school recipe I started my bake.
Well the first hurdle was that I only had strong wholemeal flour and not white flour. “I know” I thought, “I’m sure I’ve seen Wholemeal Apple Hot Cross Buns for sale I’ll make those”!
A quick google told me that in a taste test some Apple & Cinnamon ones had only scored 4.5 out of 10 so I decided to stick with the traditional mixed spice.
I played about with the recipe I had chopping and changing things here and there but stuck to the one rising, which is where I tripped up. After baking, out came some small, slightly over cooked but delicious hot cross buns which were too close in texture and not like the light fluffy ones you buy in a bakery or supermarket.
Sometimes I might just give up on a recipe but I could see that there was huge potential here. I just needed to tweak a few things like adding a bit more yeast, giving the dough an extra rise, increasing the proving time and lowering the oven temperature.
So at 12.45 am last night (or should I say this morning) I was giving my husband a portion of buttered Hot Cross Bun and asking his opinion. He did protest that he didn’t want to eat just before going to sleep but I was insistent – “perfect” he said, after finally relenting to my request.
“Great, I’ve cracked it” I said and went to bed tired but happy!
So the moral of the story is, Hot Cross Buns don’t like to be rushed. I hope you give these Wholemeal Apple Hot Cross Buns a go this Easter as they are totally delicious and far healthier than their white cousins.
How long will Wholemeal Apple Hot Cross Buns keep for?
Hot Cross Buns are best eaten on the day of baking but can be stored for a couple of days and then toasted.
Can you freeze these homemade Hot Cross Buns?
Yes, just freeze on the day of baking in a reusable bag with as much air removed as possible.
What do you serve Wholemeal Hot Cross Buns with?
You can serve with just butter or butter an jam. I added my Rhubarb & Vanilla Jam to these but any jam would go well!
My biggest tip for making Hot Cross Buns!
Make sure you space the Hot Cross Bun dough on the baking tray 3 cm apart maximum so that as they rise, they touch. You want that broken away, pulled dough edge to them once they’ve baked.
They don’t want to look like individual buns which is the mistake I made when I re-shot as I had them too spaced apart!
More Hot Cross Bun Recipes
Once you’ve made my wholemeal buns you should check out these Hot Cross Buns from fellow bloggers!
- Apple & Carrot Healthy Hot Cross Buns (Vegan)
- Carrot & Ginger Hot Cross Buns
- Banana Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns
- Choc Cross Buns
- Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns
- Sourdough Hot Cross Buns
- Hot Cross Buns
More Easter Recipes
Easter is all about treats so be sure to head over to the following recipes!
- Mini Egg Chocolate Granola Bites
- Creme Egg Chocolate Brownies
- Creme Egg Chocolate Cake
- Mini Egg Chocolate Rice Crispy Cake
- Chocolate Filled Easter Egg (made with no fancy equipment)
- Hot Cross Bun Mug Cake
Happy Easter to you all!
Pin for later!
Leave a comment and rating below when you’ve made this recipe; I love getting your feedback! You can also share your pictures by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram.
Wholemeal Apple Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
- 75 ml Milk hand hot
- 75 ml Water hand hot
- 1 tsp Caster sugar
- 12 g Active yeast (or 7 g sachet of fast action yeast) dried (see notes for fast-action yeast instructions)
- 325 g Strong wholemeal flour
- 50 g Butter
- 1 tsp Mixed Spice
- ½ tsp Salt
- 25 g Caster sugar I keep a vanilla pod in mine or you could substitute a tsp for vanilla sugar
- 50 g Currants (or similar small dried fruit)
- 1 Apple chopped into small pieces (I used small Braeburn)
- 1 Egg lightly beaten
For Crosses
- 50 g Plain flour
- 5 tbsp Water approx.
For Sugar Glaze
- 2 tbsp Granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp Water
Instructions
- Mix the warm milk and water with the tsp of sugar, sprinkle on the active yeast (if using) and whisk thoroughly. Set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients (a nice froth should build up).
- Put the flour in a large bowl and cut the butter into it and then rub into the flour to form fine crumbs.
- Mix in the mixed spice, salt, caster sugar, currants and apple thoroughly.
- Make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture and beaten egg and form a dough – I used my hand for this as you can gauge the consistency better – adding extra flour or milk if needed.
- Once you have cleaned the sides of your bowl with the dough, tip out onto a work surface and knead for 10 minutes.
- Then put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 1 – 1 ½ hours until doubled in size.
- Once risen turn out onto a lightly oiled work surface and knock back all the air and knead until back to its original size.
- Make 12 balls of dough (I weigh the dough and divide the figure by 12 so mine weighed 65g each). I also knead each ball into a neat bun shape.
- Place the dough balls onto a lightly greased baking tray 3cm apart, cover in lightly oiled cling film and put to rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile make up the cross mixture by mixing the flour and water together to make a smooth paste.
- Place paste in a piping bag with a small plain nozzle or make your own out of baking paper and snip off the corner when ready to use.
- Make the glaze by heating the sugar and water in a small pan until the sugar has dissolved.
- Pre-heat the oven to 200⁰C, 180⁰C fan, 390⁰F or Gas Mark 6.
- When the buns have risen mark each one with a cross using the side of a metal scewer (so that you have a line to fill with the cross mixture).
- Pipe the flour paste crosses onto the buns working all the way in one direction across the buns and then in the other.
- Bake for 12 – 15 minutes (turning towards the end if necessary for an even bake).
- Once ready take out of the oven and using a pastry brush paint the glaze over each bun.
- Place the buns on a wire rack and either serve warm or cold with butter.
Diane
I’ve just made these and to me there is not enough sugar
Mine did not rise after the first one after making them into balls
Not sure what I done wrong
Camilla
Hi Diane, you could add more sugar if you prefer, it’s not a comment I’ve had before but we’re all different. As for the buns not rising the second time, how long did you leave them for. Perhaps the weather was cold, if so the proving would take longer unless you had them in a warm place like an airing cupboard.
Nic | Nic's Adventures & Bakes
Thanks for sharing, these look a lovely twist on the traditional hot cross bun 🙂
Camilla
Thanks Nic, they are fab:-)
Rebekah
Why not fast action yeast? Asking as it’s the only one I have!
Camilla
Hi Rebekah, fast action yeast is added straight in with the flour and as I haven’t used this method for this recipe I can’t vouch for how it would turn out. I could be perfectly fine, perhaps Google a Hot Cross Bun recipe that uses it and then you could adapt mine!
David
Wow…. just made these… and what a recipe… well done… why use White flour when Strong Wholemeal gives such a great result!!! Thanks greatly
Camilla
Yay David, I just made them this afternoon too. So glad you like the recipe:-)
Choclette
Oh my, these hot cross buns of yours are making me soooooooooo hungry! Love it that you used wholemeal flour and apple too – my sort of bake.
Camilla
Thanks Choclette, they win on being healthier and totally delicious too:-)
Kate Hackworthy
I love shine on yours! they look great and I love the flavours. Thanks for linking to my carrot and ginger hot cross buns.
Camilla
Thank you Katherine, it’s lovely how diverse Hot Cross Buns have become:-)
Janice
I’ve never managed to make light textured Hot Cross Buns, I must try your recipe, they look delicious.
Camilla
Thank you Janice, I finally nailed them:-)
Mandy
You’re so right Camilla – they really do need to take their time, but they’re so worth the wait! Thanks for linking to mine.
Camilla
A pleasure Mandy:-)
Sophie Jo
I wonder if I could use nativa as a sugar replacement?
Camilla
I’m afraid I won’t use or eat sugar replacements so not the best person to ask. But if you can find another hot cross bun recipe that uses it then that would be your answer.
Camilla
I don’t use sweeteners so wouldn’t like to say but if other hot cross bun recipes use them then that would be your answer.
Lisa Williams
ahhh yes hot cross buns that Christmas tradition …. or at least that is what I am telling everyone so that I can make these now 🙂
Camilla
Noo – wait until Easter or just leave the crosses off:-)
Maya Russell
These are delicious freshly made and still warm, with butter.
Camilla
Too true:-)
David Clarke
Look so tasty, never thought about wholemeal with apple especially hot cross buns
Camilla
Thanks David, they are lush:-)
Jane Davies
These look lovely, being Welsh I’m sure these will go down a treat at ours ! 😀
Camilla
Thank you Jane – they are a bit special:-)
William Gould
Great idea! My wife doesn’t like the “mixed peel” bits in some recipes, probably why she won’t eat Hot Cross Buns, substituting apple should do the trick!
Camilla
That’s just like my husband LOL!
Paul Wilson
Look really tasty.
Jo Hutchinson
hot crossed buns with a twist.
Ursula Hunt
Might be nearly christmas but I still make and enjoy these
Anne Dalzell
I’m sitting here, a little bit hungry and dreaming of a tasty snack. can you send some of these to Belfast please Camilla? x
Camilla
I’m glad you like them I was up til 1am in the morning perfecting this recipe:-)
tracy nixon
Great for Halloween as the crosses could represent a cross to kill Dracula!!!!
Kat Tew
Wish it was Easter so I had a good excuse to bake these 🙂
Heather Haigh
Extra healthy, extra tasty hot cross buns – I love it!
Felicity Kelly
These look very tempting, thankyou
Paul Wilson
I like the idea of wholemeal and apple.
Camilla
Thanks, they do make a nice change:-)
Bev
Sounds like a lovely variation.
June Etherington
These are absoluely delicious & I don’t like hot cross buns but I do these ones
Camilla
Thank you, they were good:-)
Ursula Hunt
Easter may have passed but I will not be stopping making my hot cross buns
Camilla
Exactly, if you like something make it. You could even leave the cross off as it’s no longer Easter;-)
Ursula Hunt
The apple is a delicious addition
Camilla
It most certainly is:-)
helen atkins
I love hot cross buns, will be giving these ago
donnakent
These are far beyond my skill level but they sound delicious.
Camilla
Aah thank you, if you follow the instructions to the tee you can’t go wrong:-) The trick is not to kill the yeast with too hot water at the beginning and then the rest is mainly a waiting game!
Laura Caraher
These look delicious I’m going to try baking a batch myself tomorrow 🙂
Camilla
Thank you, do let me know how you get on:-)
Kirsty Mills
They sound delicious!
Camilla
Thank you, they are well worth the effort:-)
igu04366
These look great. Might try and make some tomorrow.
Camilla
Thank you, hope you do manage to:-)
natz101
Oooh, these look lovely!! I do like to make things that are slightly different from the norm!! 🙂
Camilla
Thank you:-)
Sarah N
These look wonderful. I’d like to try making them myself.
Camilla
Thank you, I hope you do:-)
Ursula Hunt
I love hot cross buns especially warm with lots of butter
Paul Wilson
They look delicious.
Camilla
Thank you:-)
Lorna MacFadyen
I’ve never tried to make hot cross buns before, these look lovely! And like the sound of the apple. Think I might attempt to make these on Sunday! xx
Camilla
Brilliant, do let me know how you get on:-)
Suzanne Jackson
These sound amazing! I’ve never even considered making my own hot cross buns, I’m usually lazy and buy them!
Camilla
Thanks. If you’re entertaining at Easter it’s nice to say “I made these” and they taste so good hot out of the oven:-)
Rachel O'neill
wow they sound great, hope you win them all!
Camilla
Thank you:-)
Maya Russell
I always try and get wholemeal hot cross buns – so much better for your stomach. Now I have the opportunity to make some too. I have printed off the recipe and am going to double up.
Camilla
Exactly! My kids will only eat wholemeal bread so I’m pleased I made these as I think wholemeal is far tastier anyway:-) So pleased you’re going to make them, do let me know how you got on:-)
Herbert Appleby
these look very appetising and healthy!!
Camilla
Thank you, they were very tasty:-)
Deena Kakakya
Now here’s a good idea, they look indulgent, I bet they taste glorious too and they aren’t so naughty. I’m all fir that xx
Camilla
Thanks Deena, I may have OD’d on them LOL:-)
Carolyn Clapham
Mmm – I’m hungry now. Those sound delicious!
Camilla
Thank you – they are:-)
Janice
They look fantastic Camilla. Well done for persevering.
Camilla
Thank you Janice, I was like a woman possessed last night LOL! I wouldn’t let it lie – so happy with the result:-)
Javelin Warrior
My mom makes these buns every year at Easter and I can never get enough 😉 It’s definitely hard to stop at just one. Of course, my mom also adds a couple stripes of frosting for the cross – which might have something to do with my enjoyment 🙂 Very tasty and beautiful buns, Camilla!
Camilla
Thank you! Mmm, not come across frosting but that sounds like a delicious idea Mark, bet your mom’s buns are ace:-)
YOLANDA DAVIS
theses look so good, easy to make so i cant wait to try making them
Camilla
Oh do let me know if you do:-)