One Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Two Delicious Twists

Hot cross buns: the sweet, spiced little treats we all know and love—especially around Easter. You might not know that my hot cross buns recipe is easy, quick, and simple. It’s more than just great on its own. It’s also the perfect base for two totally delicious spin-off recipes!

Let me introduce you to:
🥁 Fruity Cinnamon Roll Buns and Chocolate Scroll Buns.
Same dough, totally different vibes.

Let’s get baking!

The Base: Easy Hot Cross Buns Dough

If you’ve tried my hot cross buns recipe before, you already know how foolproof it is. No fancy equipment, no endless kneading—just soft, spiced dough that’s perfectly sweet and incredibly versatile.

If you haven’t made it yet, go grab the Easiest Chocolate Hot Cross Buns Recipe

or the Deliciously Quick Fruit Hot Cross Bun

because you’ll need it to make these delicious creations.

1. 🍊 Fruity Cinnamon Roll Buns

These are basically the lovechild of a cinnamon roll and a hot cross bun. Warm, gooey, spiced, and packed with juicy fruit. Think: breakfast comfort food that smells like a hug.

Here’s how to do it:

What you’ll need:

• 1 batch of fruit hot cross buns dough
• 50 g butter softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. After the first rise, roll out the dough into a rectangle about 1cm thick.
2. Spread with butter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
3. Roll it up tightly, slice into rounds, and place them cut-side side-ways in a greased loaf pan.
4. Let them rise again until puffy (about 30 minutes).
5. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 20–25 minutes, or until golden and sticky.
6. Drizzle with a simple icing (powdered sugar + splash of water and vanilla) if you’re feeling fancy.

☕ Serve warm with a cuppa. Bliss.

2. 🍫 Chocolate Scroll Buns

These are the cheeky, chocolaty cousins of the classic bun. Soft, swirled like a scroll, and studded with melty chocolate chips. Perfect for lunchboxes, weekend treats, or late-night snacks (no judgment).

Here’s the easy method:

You’ll need:

• 1 batch of chocolate hot cross buns dough
• 50 g butter softened
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Roll out your dough just like before—rectangle, 1cm thick.
2. Spread with butter, sprinkle over cocoa powder, sugar, and chocolate.
3. Roll, slice, and pop into a muffin tin. I used the Texas-sized tins, but you could make smaller versions.
4. Let them rise again until puffy (about 30 minutes).
5. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 20 minutes.
6. Drizzle with a simple icing (powdered sugar + splash of water and vanilla) if you’re feeling fancy.

🍫 Chocolaty. Swirly. Totally irresistible.

🧡 One Dough, Endless Possibilities

What I love about this dough is how adaptable it is. Keep it classic or mix it up—it’s your kitchen! These two variations are just the beginning. You could go savory, add nuts, drizzle with caramel… the only limit is your imagination (and maybe your oven size).

So next time you make my hot cross buns recipe, save a batch and try one of these twists. Or both. Go wild.

If you try them, let me know in the comments—or tag me on Instagram farmers_wife_homestead. I love seeing your bakes!

You can watch me making these two recipes on this video One Hot Cross Buns Recipe, Two Delicious Twists!

Happy baking!
xx
Stace