These Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are a delicious twist on a classic Easter recipe. Rich chocolate flavor with soft and pillowy dough. Serve warm for a festive breakfast or at any time of the day for a decadent chocolate treat!
What are Hot Cross Buns?
Hot cross buns are sweet, spiced buns traditionally made with currants or raisins and marked with a cross on top. Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are a popular variation of this Easter classic made with chocolate dough and filled with chocolate chunks (or chips)! These buns are most popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, especially around Easter. While they’re less common in the U.S., you can still find them, particularly in areas with a strong British or Irish influence. Traditionally, hot cross buns are eaten during Lent and on Good Friday, with the cross symbolizing the crucifixion of Christ.
I love how these buns are tied to Easter traditions, with some cultures believing they bring good luck or ensure lasting friendships when shared. I decided to switch things up this year for Easter and give these delicious chocolate hot cross buns a try (along with my brand-new carrot cake cheesecake and fruit pizza)! I hope you do, too and love them as much as I did! I also highly recommend that you try my lemon thumbprint cookies and raspberry lemon cake for Easter this year!
How to Make Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
The Ingredients: This recipe is a bit detailed, so I've included plenty of step-by-step photos to help guide you through! The full recipe, with ingredient amounts and instructions, is in the card below - the recipe below is just an overview with helpful step-by-step photos. The photo below shows every single ingredients you’ll need—grab a screenshot for your shopping list!
Prepare the dough: In a medium saucepan, heat milk until steaming (but not boiling), then add butter and mix until melted. Set aside to cool slightly. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and yeast. Mix with a whisk. Check the temperature of the milk mixture, then add it along with a lightly beaten egg to the flour mixture.
Mix the dough: Mix by hand until a rough dough forms. Turn on the mixer at the lowest speed and mix for 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. For hand kneading, knead on a floured surface for about 10 minutes.
Add chocolate chunks and mix for 2 minutes on low speed, then work in any remaining chunks by hand.
First rise: Lightly oil a glass bowl and transfer the dough into it. Cover with cling wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until doubled in size.
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions: Prepare a 13” x 9” baking pan with parchment paper. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 12 equal portions.
Second rise: Roll each portion into a ball and place them in the prepared baking pan with some space between each. Cover the pan with cling wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The buns should puff up and touch each other.
Make the crosses: Preheat the oven to 375ºF. In a small bowl, mix flour and water to a toothpaste-like consistency. Transfer to a piping bag and pipe crosses onto each bun.
Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven on the middle rack and bake for 20 minutes, or until the buns are dark brown and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven. Heat honey in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, then brush the warm buns with the honey.
Best Flour for Homemade Buns
I generally use bread flour for baking yeasted breads as it has a higher amount of protein and gluten which means your baked goods will have a better overall texture. I have tested and made this recipe with all-purpose flour this time and it works fine, too!
How to tell when the Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are done?
Once baked the buns will be dark brown and springy when you touch them. I recommend using a thermometer: the internal temperature of the dough should be 190ºF.
Serving Suggestions
These Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are best served warm. Slice any leftover buns in half and broile for a minute or two on each side. I used honey for brushing, you can also use maple syrup. I like serving them just as they are but you can certainly add butter or jam.
Storage Instructions
Store in an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days. Chocolate Hot Cross Buns can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then reheat in the oven or under a broiler.
More Easter Brunch & Dessert Recipes
- Lemon Blueberry Cake with Lemon Glaze
- Fruit Pizza
- Carrot Cake Cheesecake
- Puff Pastry Breakfast Egg Tarts
- Strawberry Blueberry Cake
- Ham & Broccoli Frittata
- Garlic Butter Dinner Rolls
Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
For the Buns
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk
- 3 ½ tablespoons butter
- 3 ¼ cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup dutch processed cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 ¼ teaspoons Instant yeast or fast action yeast
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks or chips
- ½ cup milk chocolate chunks or chips
For the Crosses
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons water
For Glazing
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- In a medium sized saucepan heat the milk until steaming, but not boiling then add the butter. The milk will be hot enough that the butter melts into it. Mix together then set aside.
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment fitted, add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and yeast. Hand mix with a whisk to combine.
- Check the temperature of the hot milk mixture (assuming it’s not too hot - see notes), pour the milk and lightly beaten egg into the mixing bowl then mix by hand to a rough shaggy dough.
- Turn the mixer on at its lowest speed and mix for 5 minutes. You should have a smooth and elastic dough. If kneading by hand do so on a lightly floured surface - this will take around 10 minutes.
- Tip in the chocolate chunks and mix again on the lowest speed for 2 minutes. The chocolate chunks will have mostly incorporated into the dough. If there are any loose ones or lots poking through the dough, work them into the dough by hand.
The First Rise
- Lightly oil a glass bowl and turn the dough out into it. Cover with cling wrap or a damp kitchen towel and leave somewhere warm to rise until doubled in size. This will take 1 to 1 ½ hours depending on the temperature.
- Prepare a 13” x 9” baking pan with parchment paper.
- When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 12 equal sections.
The Second Rise
- Roll the sections of dough into ball shapes then place them in the baking pan with some space in-between. Cover the pan with cling wrap or a damp kitchen towel and leave to rise somewhere warm as before. This second rise will take 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the temperature. After the second rise the buns will have puffed up and joined together.
Make the Crosses
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Add the flour and water to a small bowl and mix together until completely combined. The mixture should be the consistency of toothpaste. If it’s not, add a little more flour or water until you reach the desired consistency. Add to a piping bag with the end snipped off and carefully pipe crosses on top of each bun.
Bake
- Place the baking pan in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake for 20 minutes or until the buns are a dark brown and feel springy to the touch.
- Remove from the oven.
- Heat the honey in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
- Using a pastry brush, coat the tops and sides of the buns with the honey while the buns are still warm.
Notes
- The milk temperature is key: The milk should be heated to around 110ºF. If you no thermometer is available, I like to do the finger dip test by putting my finger into the milk. If it feels hot but not so hot I can’t leave your finger in there it’s fine to use. If it’s too hot it will kill the yeast so if you’re not sure always err on the side of caution and wait for it to cool down before using.
- The equipment you need to mix and kneed the dough: For the initial mix of the dough to a “shaggy” dough use a danish whisk or your hands. Once you turn on your mixer to work the dough with the hook this will take 5 minutes but can also be done by hand and it will take around 10 minutes to achieve a smooth and elastic dough.
- First rise (proofing your dough): When it’s time to proof the dough (first rise) I recommend taking a photo of it in the bowl, that way you’ll be able to judge whether or not it’s doubled in size. You can do this rise in a proofing drawer which is the optimum temperature or if you don’t have one you can turn your oven on to 120ºF let it heat up then turn it off and put the dough in with the door closed.
- Dividing the dough into balls: You can eyeball this or if you have some scales you can weigh them. Opt for around 70g (2.5 ounces) each.
- How to shape the buns: To roll the dough into smooth balls, take a section and cup your hand over the top of it then using a medium firm pressure roll the dough on a work surface until it’s smooth and ball shaped.
- Tips for making and piping the crosses: The consistency for the mixture of the crosses is described in the recipe above. It should be thick enough that it doesn’t run when piped. Use a piping bag or squeeze bottle to pipe the crosses with as steady a hand as you can manage.
- Step-by-step photos: I provide super helpful step-by-step photos ABOVE this recipe card. If you need a visual reference, scroll up!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I just made these so I could share them tomorrow with my co-workers on Good Friday! My 10-year old son loved them so much that he doesn't want to share. I brushed them with golden syrup for extra shine. Can't wait to make them again and try some variations like adding nuts, dried fruit, orange zest, brushing with melted orange marmalade. YUM!