How to Celebrate National Hot Cross Bun Day
Celebrating National Hot Cross Bun Day is a fairly simple act that can be made into fun little family or workplace traditions! Try these ideas for enjoying this day:
Eat Some Hot Cross Buns
Although they may be a bit harder to find during certain times of the year, hot cross buns are a delicious treat that should be enjoyed on this day!
Ask ahead and a bakery might be happy to special order them for the day. Or, if they haven’t heard of National Hot Cross Bun Day, let them know it’s coming up and they might just make a special batch in honor of the day.
Learn to Make Hot Cross Buns
Although it’s a little fussy due to the involvement of yeast in the recipe, making Hot Cross Buns at home is the perfect way to pay homage to this day! And they will taste so much better when served fresh and hot, rather than those buns that have been made somewhere else and brought home.
When making the buns, a couple of options exist for creating the quintessential cross on the top of the buns.
Traditionally, the cross was often created simply by making a knife imprint in the dough before baking, or by fashioning a cross out of thin pieces of dough. Today, however, people often like to make things just a bit sweeter by creating the cross out of a line of frosting made from powdered sugar.
Sing the Hot Cross Buns Song!
Almost any preschool or kindergarten child will know the lyrics to this little song and be able to join in together in singing it.
And this is the ideal day to do it, too. There are, of course, a few different verses and versions, but the basics go like this:
Hot cross buns
Hot cross buns
One a penny
Two a penny
Hot cross buns
There’s also a verse using the phrases “Give them to your daughters, Give them to your sons”. But really, it can be sung in any way that is preferred, because it is all meant to be in good fun!
Get Creative with Hot Cross Buns Recipes
Even with their religious significance, Hot Cross Buns certainly don’t need to be average or boring! Just a dash of creativity can mean making them in all kinds of creative ways that will please friends, family and neighbors alike. Try these varieties of Hot Cross Bun recipes that will make them seem truly magical:
- Chocolate Hot Cross Buns. Satisfy that need for chocolate while still celebrating National Hot Cross Bun Day! These lovely little buns are made with a typical recipe base, plus adding some cinnamon, cocoa powder and dark chocolate pieces. Create the white crosses with either reserved dough that doesn’t contain cocoa, or with a frosting made from powdered sugar and butter.
- Bacon Hot Cross Buns. These delightful sweet and savory buns are made with maple syrup in the dough, dressed up with caramelized onions, sage, chives and fontina cheese. Then, the cross on top is made with delicious bacon brushed in more maple syrup.
- Sourdough Hot Cross Buns. Inspired by the Aussies, this treat uses a sourdough starter instead of traditional yeast to make the buns. And don’t forget dried fruits such as raisins, sultanas or even dried cranberries.
- Hot Cross S’mores Buns. For some outdoor fun with Hot Cross Buns, try using them in place of graham crackers to create a s’mores like treat. Add chocolate and toasted marshmallows. If there’s no campfire around, a kitchen blow torch works well for caramelizing the marshmallows.