The Hot Cross Bun Adventure — A Sweet Save
Our Easter hot-cross buns almost ended up in the trash. At one point, I was pretty sure I’d be tossing the sad little blob of dough straight into the bin. I had time, ingredients, and a lot of good intentions invested, and my heart just wouldn’t let me throw it away. Thankfully, a last-minute idea saved the day — a quick slurry of extra yeast brought the dough back to life just in time for Easter dinner!
The troublemaker, as I’ll be noting on my printed recipe, was the butter. Don’t get me wrong — butter is wonderful. But it can also be a yeast inhibitor. The recipe called for 3.5 cups of flour, ½ cup of sourdough discard, ½ cup of sugar, plenty of spices, and six tablespoons of butter. I truly thought the sugar would help feed the starter (it was a lively sample of discard!), but the rich butter seemed determined to smother the yeast.
Meanwhile, the jug of sourdough starter I fed at the same time was so lively overnight that it blew the lid clean off the jug! Proof that the starter itself wasn’t the problem. Still, I won’t pass judgment on the recipe after just one try. I’ll definitely be baking it again — maybe even twice — testing with extra sourdough discard or tweaking the rise time. Next round, I might leave the dough on the counter overnight instead of chilling it. It had already spent over four hours at room temp before being refrigerated, but maybe the chill was too much. Stainless steel bowls don’t hold the warmth long!
The good news? My taste testers have already signed up for more “experiments!”
Better & Best with BUTTER
One thing’s for sure — we are NOT cutting back on the butter. That richness made the buns absolutely decadent. I even added a little orange zest (borrowed from another recipe), which left me with a naked orange. Not one to waste, I squeezed the juice over the raisins. They were already tender but soaking them made them practically turn into juicy little grapes again.
Throughout the process, the dough had a good feel — sticky, but with that perfect springy action you look for. I stretched, pulled, and kneaded far more than recommended trying to coax a rise. Nothing worked until that little boost of extra yeast.
Lesson reaffirmed: sourdough has a mind of its own!
Just like with my flapjacks — sometimes they’re light and elegant, sometimes they’re more like crepes. That’s part of the adventure.
These hot-cross buns actually turned out to be a delightful twist on cinnamon rolls. Instead of rolling in extra sugar (which can dry out the buns and make a syrupy mess in the pan), shaping them like dinner rolls kept all the goodness tucked inside. The egg wash was easier to apply, and the jam glaze kept the tops soft without the usual butter or oil.
Now, for the frosting adventure...
To finish, I tackled the classic powdered sugar frosting cross. The blogger suggested a pastry bag, or a sandwich bag with a corner snipped off. I’ve seen that tip for years but never tried it until now. Let’s just say — it’s trickier than it sounds!
The frosting was thin and slippery; it didn’t want to spoon into the bag. Once inside, it stubbornly clung to the sides instead of flowing out nicely. Next time, I’ll remember to make a little extra to allow for the inevitable countertop dribbles and the frosting locked inside the bag (and all over the baker’s hands).
It took me a bit to laugh about my “sorta-cross” buns, but laugh I did — especially when the taste testers didn’t even notice the frosting. They didn’t care about looks. They just dug right in, savoring every big buttery bite.
And honestly, that’s the best kind of success. You can enjoy the company of Fox Park Strain Sourdough for your next bake.
Journal your experiences with your sourdough in a special journal – The Living Loaf.