This Easter Hot Cross Buns recipe is even better than the traditional one. The mini chocolate chips add a touch of sweetness in each bite! AN EASTER FAVORITE BAKED GOOD Hot Cross Buns‚ with their pillowy soft texture and unique look‚ are not just a delightful Easter favorite– they are a longstanding‚ comforting tradition with family and friends. These semi sweet buns are perfect to bake up this weekend for Easter breakfast or brunch! This particular recipe is a twist on the original recipe and one that is a huge hit with the younger folks! FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:  What are Hot Cross Buns? Hot cross buns are a traditional sweet bun typically made with spices like cinnamon‚ nutmeg‚ and allspice‚ along with currants or raisins. They are marked with a cross on the top that is either made from a simple flour and water mixture or icing. Are Hot Cross Buns sweet? They are not overly sweet. They do have a touch of sweetness but aren’t meant to be like a sweet dessert roll. Why eat Hot Cross Buns at Easter? Hot cross buns are often enjoyed during the Easter season since the cross on the top symbolizes the crucifixion of Jesus. How do you serve Hot Cross Buns? These are best served still warm and really good with a little salted butter or butter and jam. The salty with the sweet really works nicely. They are a bun texture‚ a little more dense than a yeast roll but still soft with a nice chew. Shouldn’t the cross be made with icing? There are several ways to make the cross on the buns and it just depends on how folks learned to make it. Some family recipes have the cross baked in and others choose to use icing to make a cross. It is completely up to you and you could even do both. If you like these on the sweeter side‚ you can certainly make a thick icing and use that to make the crosses on top of each bun. Can I double this recipe? Yes‚ you can. But I do suggest that you bake them in two separate pans and you may need to make the dough in two batches depending on the size of your mixing bowl/stand mixer and what it can hold. How do you store leftovers? Keep at room temperature for up to 2 days‚ and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Best eaten warm so place in the microwave or oven to warm a little before enjoying again. Can Hot Cross Buns be frozen? Yes! If they are wrapped and stored properly‚ they can be frozen for up to 3 months. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE) HOW TO MAKE HOT CROSS BUNS Place the warm water and yeast into the body of a stand mixer‚ stir‚ and allow the yeast to bloom‚ for 5-10 minutes. If it has not bloomed by 10 minutes‚ the yeast is not alive. Add half of the flour‚ sugar‚ and salt‚ and mix to combine with the hook attachment‚ the mixture will be thick. Stir in 2 egg yolks‚ the butter‚ milk‚ and vanilla. The mixture may be lumpy‚ but that’s okay. Add the remaining flour and stir to combine‚ scrape down the sides. Place on medium spead and knead the dough for 5 minutes. The dough will clean the sides of the bowl. Add the chocolate chips and mix them in‚ you may need to knead it a little by hand to help incorporate them. Knead the dough by hand a few times in the bowl until it forms a smooth dough. Lightly grease a large bowl with cooking spray add the dough to the bowl‚ and lightly spray the top of the dough with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm area and allow to double for 1-2 hours. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions‚ I like to weigh the dough on its own and then weigh each portion to make sure they are even. Roll the portions into a ball and place into the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm area again. Allow to double in size‚ about 1 hour. While the buns are doing their second rise‚ preheat the oven to 350°F.  To make the cross mixture‚ whisk together the flour and 6 tablespoons of water to form a paste. Place the mixture into a piping bag or a plastic baggie. In a small bowl‚ whisk together the remaining egg yolk and 2 Tablespoons of water. Once doubled‚ remove the plastic wrap. Brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash. Snip off a corner of the baggie with the cross mixture and pipe on the crosses‚ there will be excess mixture. Bake for 22-26 minutes until golden brown. While the buns are baking‚ whisk together the powdered sugar‚ milk‚ and vanilla for the glaze. Once the buns are done baking‚ immediately brush them with the glaze‚ and use it all. Allow to cool and serve. CRAVING MORE RECIPES?  50 Easter RecipesSoft Dinner RollsHomemade Crescent RollsOrange RollsButter Swim Yeast RollsApple Cinnamon BunsHomemade Sticky BunsChocolate Chip MuffinsChocolate Chip Cookie in a Mug Print Hot Cross Buns (with chocolate chips) This Easter Hot Cross Buns recipe is even better than the traditional one. The mini chocolate chips add a touch of sweetness in each bite! Course BreadsCuisine American‚ British Prep Time 30 minutes minutesCook Time 26 minutes minutesRise Time 3 hours hoursTotal Time 3 hours hours 56 minutes minutes Servings 12 servings Calories 285kcal Author Brandie @ The Country Cook IngredientsFor the dough:½ cup warm water 110°F1 Tablespoon active dry yeast3 cups all-purpose flourâ…“ cup granulated sugar½ teaspoon salt3 large egg yolks divided use4 Tablespoons salted butter melted¼ cup milk2 teaspoons vanilla extract¾ cup mini chocolate chipsFor assembly:½ cup all-purpose flour8 Tablespoons water divided use½ cup powdered sugar1 ½ Tablespoons milk½ teaspoon vanilla extract InstructionsPlace the warm water and yeast into the body of a stand mixer‚ stir‚ and allow the yeast to bloom‚ for 5-10 minutes. If it has not bloomed by 10 minutes‚ the yeast is not alive. Add half of the flour‚ sugar‚ and salt‚ and mix to combine with the hook attachment‚ the mixture will be thick. Stir in 2 egg yolks‚ the butter‚ milk‚ and vanilla. The mixture may be lumpy‚ but that’s okay. Add the remaining flour and stir to combine‚ scrape down the sides. Place on medium spead and knead the dough for 5 minutes. The dough will clean the sides of the bowl. Add the chocolate chips and mix them in‚ you may need to knead it a little by hand to help incorporate them. Knead the dough by hand a few times in the bowl until it forms a smooth dough.Lightly grease a large bowl with cooking spray add the dough to the bowl‚ and lightly spray the top of the dough with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in a warm area and allow to double for 1-2 hours. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.Divide the dough into 12 equal portions‚ I like to weigh the dough on its own and then weigh each portion to make sure they are even. You do not need to do this of course‚ just do your best to eyeball it. Roll the portions into a ball and place into the prepared baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm area again. Allow to double in size‚ about 1 hour. While the buns are doing their second rise‚ preheat the oven to 350°F.To make the cross mixture‚ whisk together the flour and 6 tablespoons of water to form a paste. Place the mixture into a piping bag or a plastic baggie. In a small bowl‚ whisk together the remaining egg yolk and 2 tablespoons of water. Once doubled‚ remove the plastic wrap.Brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash. Snip off a corner of the baggie with the cross mixture and pipe on the crosses‚ there will be excess mixture. Bake for 22-26 minutes until golden brown.While the buns are baking‚ whisk together the powdered sugar‚ milk‚ and vanilla for the glaze. Once the buns are done baking‚ immediately brush them with the glaze‚ and use it all. Allow to cool and serve. Notes Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions. NutritionCalories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 142mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g