Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One a’ penny, two a’ penny,
Hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters,
Give them to your sons
One a’ penny,
Two a’ penny,
Hot Cross Buns!

That’s right. The girls get them first! Lightly spiced, filled with flavor and pretty much the one exception to my raisins in bread rule – I love hot cross buns on Good Friday. These rolls are perfect warm from the oven with a little butter and a cup of tea. I love the simple reminder on top of these rolls of the cross. The sacrifice paid for me. Thank you Jesus!

Hot Cross Buns

* 3/4 C buttermilk, warm (110 degrees)
* 6 T (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
* 3 large eggs
* 4 1/4 C all purpose flour
* 1/4 C sugar
* 1 envelope instant or rapid-rise yeast
* 1 1/4 t salt
* 1 t ground cinnamon
* 1 C  raisins soaked in orange juice, then drained well
* 1 large egg
* 1 T water
Glaze:
* 3/4 C powdered sugar
* 1 t orange juice
* 2 t milk
* 1/2 t vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. For the buns: Whisk the buttermilk, melted butter and eggs together in a large liquid measuring cup. Combine 4 C of the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and cinnamon in a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. With the mixer on low, add the buttermilk mixture and mix until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes.
2. Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If after 5 minutes, more flour is needed, add the remaining 1/4 C flour, 1 T at a time until the dough clears the side of the bowl but sticks to the bottom.
3. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter, add the raisins and knead by hand to form a smooth round ball with evenly distributed raisins. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place  until doubled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. *I recently read a great tip. Boil some water, put it in a heat proof bowl and place it on the bottom rack of your oven. Then put the bowl with the dough in it on a higher rack above the hot water. The heat being released from the bowl of hot water is enough to warm up the oven to the perfect dough raising temp!
4. Grease a 13×9 inch baking pan. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter, divide it into 12 even pieces. round the pieces of dough into small taut rolls. Arrange the rolls in the prepared baking pan and wrap tightly with greased plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until the rolls have nearly doubled in size and are pressed against on another, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
5. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the egg and water together and brush over the buns. Then, using a sharp knife, cut an X through the top 1/4 inch of each bun. Bake until golden and puffed, 25-30 minutes.
6. For the glaze: Let the rolls cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, orange juice and vanilla together then drizzle in an X into the cut groves of the buns. Serve warm.