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–+ servings

Instant Pot Hot Cross Buns

You'll love how simple and delicious these instant pot hot cross buns are to make! They're not just an Easter Recipe!
David Murphy
Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 52 minutes
Serving Size 12

Ingredients

  • INGREDIENTS FOR DOUGH
  • • 1 tablespoon of instant or rapid rise yeast
  • • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • • 4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • • 1 teaspoon all spice
  • • 1 cup raisins
  • • 1 1/2 cups milk warm, full fat
  • • 1/4 cup melted butter cooled, you don’t want it hot
  • • 1 egg
  • INGREDIENTS FOR CROSSES
  • • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • • 5-6 tablespoons of water
  • INGREDIENTS FOR GLAZE
  • • 1 1/2 tablespoon apricot preserve or jam
  • • 2 1/2 teaspoon water

Instructions

  • Place all dry ingredients into your Kitchen Aid mixer, and connect dough hook. Turn on mixer for about 1-2 minutes on lowest setting to mix the ingredients.
  • Add milk, butter, egg, and raisins. Turn mixer on to level 2-3 until a nice dough ball forms. Once the dough ball forms, place your mixer to lowest level 1, and allow it to knead the dough for approximately 5 minutes. You want the dough to be smooth and elastic.  If your dough is still a little tacky to touch or the bowl, add a little flour. We want the dough to come away from the sides of the bowl without being too tacky.
  • Lightly coat your Instant Pot metal liner with non stick spray. Remove dough from mixer and and place in Instant Pot. Press Yogurt button until you see LESS chosen. Select timer for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Cover with lid (You will want an Instant Pot lid, not the normal lid you pressure cook with, I happen to have a lid from one of my pots that fits. We want the dough to be doubled in size.
  • Once dough has risen, remove plastic wrap and punch the dough in the middle to deflate. Dust a little flour onto your counter/table that you’re working on. Roll and shape dough into an oblong shape, like that of a log.
  • Cut the log into 12 equal parts. Take each part and roll into individual dough balls. Place each dough ball on a parchment paper lined baking sheet that measures 9 x 13. 
  • Loosely cover dough balls with a piece of plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place and allow to rest and rise for 35-45 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Make mixture for crosses. Mix water and flour together, as noted in the ingredients list. You want a consistency that’s a slightly thicker than glue.Using either a plastic ziplock bag with a snipped corner, or a piping bag, slowly make your cross designs. Take your time so that you get the curves without any interruption of flour mixture.
  • Once done, bake for approximately 20-25 minutes (depending on type of oven and altitude). To truly know that your buns are done, they will turn a beautiful dark golden brown color.
  • Once you pull your buns from the oven, mix the jam and water solution together. Place in microwave for about 20 seconds. This will help make it a little more loose in consistency. Brush across the tops of your buns and then allow your buns to completely cool.

Notes

  • To use your Instant Pot for the bread proofing, be sure that you have a yogurt setting with the option for LESS.
  • You can add 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest or lemon zest to your dough, and it will make super fragrant and lovely citrus zest.
  • I've found that their is enough flavorings from the spices (cinnamon and allspice), but you can add in extra teaspoon of allspice if you want it more fragrant.
  • When you warm your milk in the microwave, please be careful not to make it scalding hot. You just want it warm, or you can very easily kill your yeast...and then you'll be a very sad panda.
  • Make sure your yeast is fresh and still active and alive. You can always do a yeast test to ensure this. Use 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 1/4 (1 envelope) of yeast, and 1/2 cup warm water. If it starts bubbling after about 10 minutes, and smelling yeasty, then your yeast is good!
  • You want your dough to be a tad bit tacky to touch, not to where it's sticking to everything. You also want to make sure you don't add too much more flour, or your little buns will be hard and tough.
  • As far as flour type goes, you can just use all purpose flour; however, some people use bread flour.
  • The cross is made out of a flour paste, and when it bakes it tends to be a bit chewy. This is the traditional way of doing it. You can always doing a thick icing to make the crosses on top of the buns when they're done and completely cooled.
  • Don't have apricot jam? No worries. You easily use a little coat of honey. I'd warm the honey in the microwave first. No need to add water.
  • Most Importantly: Be patient! Your yeast is working, and it needs time to rise in your Instant Pot. If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can allow your dough to rise in a very warm place.