Luxury Mesquite Hot Cross Buns

It took me five batches to nail this recipe. Thankfully I’ve had the house to myself most of the weekend so I’ve been able to go hard, mixing, melting, kneading and proofing over and over. The kitchen is a total write off. I’ve never made such a mess. But I don’t care because these buns are the shiz. Actually they are beyond shiz. They are what shiz aspires to be when it grows up.


I’ve never been their biggest fan of hot cross buns. Don’t get me wrong – they’re nice and all – but, well that’s just it: they’re “nice”. Anyone can throw some cinnamon and raisins in a bun but is that really worthy of Easter, a national holiday in many lands? According to some sources (read: google), hot cross buns have been made since the pagan times, and it is widely held that Queen Elizabeth I declared, back in the sixteenth century, that they must henceforth be enjoyed only on Good Friday – to mark this holy day towards the end of the Lent fast. My guess is that she was simply over the freakin’ things and wanted to put a stop the spiced bun madness for the other 364 days of the year.

So here are my luxury hot cross buns worthy of any celebration any time of year. They’ve got mesquite flour. My friends, if you are not yet acquainted with mesquite flour then boy are you in for a treat. Made from grinding the dried bean pods of the mesquite tree, mesquite flour lends a punchy, caramelly-sweet flavour to baked goods. It will take some seeking out… look for it in the bulk section (or perhaps superfood section) at a good health food store. And it’s a little pricey but you don’t need to use a lot to have an impact on the flavour.

Aside from the mesquite flour, I pimped these bad boys with a little fresh ground nutmeg, vanilla seeds from 3 pods, muscovado sugar, and of course cinnamon, raisins and sultanas.

Luxury Mesquite Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Two things are key to getting a good rise. The first is proofing: the buns need to double in size before baking. If not proofed for long enough or in a warm enough place then the resulting buns will be hard and small. My first few batches were ruined because I did not proof long enough.

The second is temperature. Throughout the whole bun making process, try to keep everything warm in order to aid the proofing process. If you keep your flour in the fridge, warm it before use. Also warm butter and milk before adding.

1 cup warm water (about bath temperature)
4 teaspoons dried active yeast
3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons muscovado sugar
3⅓ cups strong / hi grade white flour
⅔ cup mesquite flour
½ teaspoon fine ground sea salt
½ cup sultanas
½ cup currants
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
3 vanilla pods, scored lengthwise and seeds scraped out with the back of a knife
2 tablespoons warm milk (about bath temperature)
1¾ oz / 50g melted butter

For the crosses:
⅓ cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon water

For the glaze:
2 tablespoons muscavado sugar
¼ cup water

Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mix together the warm water, active yeast, and 2 teaspoons of muscovado sugar. Set aside until it becomes frothy, about 15 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flours, 2 tablespoons muscovado, salt, sultanas, currants, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla seeds.

Make a well in the centre and mix in the warm milk and melted butter, and yeast mixture. If using a mixer, use the dough hook and mix for 6-8 minutes. If kneading by hand, turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or about 200 times.

Place inside a large bowl (slightly oiled) and cover. Set aside until the dough has at least doubled in size. This can take from 1-3 hours depending on the temperature. Try to keep it somewhere warm. A good trick is to place the bowl in a large pan filled with hot water

Divide into 16 portions and roll each into a ball. Place on prepared baking sheet approximately 1 finger-width apart. Cover in cling seal and place inside oven to proof for one hour, or until the buns double in size. Once inside the oven turn off the heat.

Punch the dough to flatten, then cut and shape 15 buns. Place them in the prepared baking sheet, just touching each other.

Place the buns in a warm place to continue rising, until they have at least doubled in size again. This can take 1-2 hours. Again, placing the tray over hot water can help things along.

Prepare the crosses. Cut the butter into the flour and, with clean hands, work in by rubbing with your fingers. Add the water and mix until it comes together. Divide into 6 pieces and roll each into a long, thin noodles for the crosses.

After the dough has doubled in size, carefully place the crosses on top. Bake at 390F / 200C for 12-15 minutes.

Prepare the glaze: mix together the water and muscovado and microwave for 1-2 minutes, until it bubbles.

Brush the glaze over as soon as the buns are out of the oven. Cool on a wire rack. Enjoy them while they’re still warm and deliciously sticky!

Makes 16 mesquite hot cross buns.