Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Cocoa flavoured bread dough teamed up with milk chocolate chunks make these chocolate hot cross buns delicious.

These are perfect for when you need more chocolate alongside your chocolate this Easter.

Chocolate hot cross buns are a great twist on the classic hot cross buns for Easter

I love trying out different versions of classic recipes. These hot cross buns are no exception! I know a few people who are not big fans of the fruity spiced hot cross buns that are abundant around Easter time. This lead me to try and create a recipe to share, that everyone I know will love. These have been a go to for us this year, nothing can compare to these decadant sweet and fluffy chocolate hot cross buns

If you do prefer a more more traditional spiced fruit bun. Definitely try out this recipe for Hot Cross Buns!

These chocolate hot cross buns are a yeast based bread roll. This means that it does require a bit of a time commitment but do not let that scare you off! This recipe is simple and has very little hands on time with no steps that are too complicated. Take a day over the coming long weekend to take things slowly and create something special just for the joy of making it yourself.

Key ingredients

Chocolate – Roughly chopped chocolate is key for these chocolate hot cross buns. The pieces needs to be big enough to not dissolve fully  but it should also be small enough that it does not cause melted chocolate explosions during the baking process. Feel free to swap this out for any of your favourite chocolate.

Cocoa – Any cocoa is totally fine here, just bear in mind that the darker the cocoa the more acidic and bitter the result will be.

Yeast – Yeast is a very necessary ingredient, any yeast will do the job, just make sure that it is fresh and active.

Baking powder – The cocoa in this will make the yeast struggle a little with the rising process. This small amount of baking powder here will just help assist they yeast push past that hurdle a little bit.

Milk – I use a low fat milk but any milk will do here.

Butter – I use salted butter as that is what I always have on hand, if you prefer to use unsalted then make sure to add a little extra salt to compensate.

Flour – I use plain flour for these buns, yes I know it is a little controversial but honestly I get a great result with no kneading using this method so I do not feel the need to change it to a high grade  or bread flour. The added cornflour helps the structure of the bread and guarantees the softness and fluffyness of the hot cross buns.

Ingredients.

Dough before its first rise

Dough after its second rise.

Formed hot cross buns before their final rise.

Hot cross buns after their final rise, with crosses and ready to bake.

Hot cross buns, baked and glazed.

Steps to make these chocolate hot cross buns

Activate the yeast – While the yeast is soaking in the warm milk it will fluff up and start to release the bubbles that will eventually make your buns rise.

Mix, mix, mix – This is one of the steps that reduces the need to knead the dough a lot. The mixing at this stage starts to develop the gluten in the flour and begins to incorporate air bubbles into the mixture.

Form – Add in the remaining dry ingredients. Mix the dough and form it into a smooth ball.

Rise – This stage allows the yeast time to work and rise the dough. The dough will be more pliable and should no longer be sticky. On a colder day you will need to allow a little longer for the dough to rise fully. You will roll and fold the dough between rises and that will help to strengthen your bread dough and gives it structure without having to knead the dough a lot.

Shaping – Divide the dough into 12 and shape into tight balls. You will want the smoothest part of the ball at the top of the bun. Arrange and allow them to rise again.

Crosses – Pipe your cross batter on top of your buns in long smooth lines.

Bake – The buns are baked for about 30 minutes.

Glaze – Glazing is optional but it adds a nice sweetness and shine to the surface of the buns. Make sure that you glaze the buns while they are still hot.

Storing your chocolate hot cross buns

These are best eaten the day that they are made, but they will store well in a sealed container for a couple of days. Toast your chocolate hot cross buns in the oven. Another option is to reheat in the microwave and serve with butter. These also freeze well. To do this, wrap the cooked hot cross buns well, with cling film. You can freeze these for up to 3 months.

Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Rest Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 5 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 12 buns

Course: Baking

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

Buns

• 275 ml milk
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 60 grams butter melted
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 150 grams milk chocolate buttons roughly chopped

Crosses

• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar
• 4 tablespoons water

Glaze

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon water

For preparing

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil

Method

 

1. Pour the milk into a large microwave safe bowl, microwave for about 45 seconds to warm the milk slightly. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and give it a light stir. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
2. Add the sugar, butter and egg to your yeast and milk and give it a little mix.
3. In a medium sized bowl, place the cocoa, flour salt and baking powder. Mix together until well combined.
4. Add half of your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients and give it a good stir. Add 1/2 of the remaining dry ingredients and continue mixing for about 3 minutes.
5. Add in your chopped chocolate along with the remaining dry ingredients.
6. Mix your dough until it forms a smooth, slightly sticky ball of dough.
7. Drizzle a little oil on top of your formed dough and flip the dough in the bowl. Cover the surface of the dough with a little more oil and make deep indents into the dough using your fingertips.
8. Set dough in a warm place to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
9. Once the dough has risen, knock the dough down and roll it out on a clean surface (the dough should not stick so don’t be tempted to add flour) roll into a large square shape. Fold your square of dough in thirds lengthwise and then fold in thirds again the other way. Place the dough back into your bowl and allow to rise for another hour or until doubled in size.
10. Once the dough has completed its second rise knock down the dough again and split into 12 evenly sized sections (each piece should weigh between 90 and 100 grams each if you want to be accurate).
11. Cover your hands in a thin layer of oil and form the dough balls into buns. Making sure to place the smoothest edge of the dough on top.
12. Line a large rectangle baking pan with baking paper and arrange your buns in 3 rows of 4 with a little bit of space between each.
13. Leave the buns to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
14. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees.
15. Combine the flour, cocoa and icing sugar with enough water to form a thin paste. Spoon the paste into a small ziplock bag or piping bag. Seal bag and cut off one corner to create a hole for piping.
16. Pipe crosses onto the buns.
17. Place into a preheated oven and cook at 160 degrees for 30 minutes or until fully baked through.
18. Once the buns are cooked place all of your glaze ingredients into a small saucepan.
19. Heat on a medium heat until the butter and jam are melted. Stirring occasionally.
20. Brush the glaze over your freshly baked buns.
21. Serve hot with butter and jam.

Heres something else you may like to try:

Hot Cross Buns Garlic Knots Trio of flatbreads