Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are so much better than store-bought, especially when they are fresh from your own oven. These easy hot cross buns are soft, fluffy, and filled with pockets of melted chocolate chips that make every bite feel a little extra special.

This chocolate hot cross buns recipe is made to be simple and approachable, with a classic yeast dough that creates soft, fluffy buns without any complicated steps. Just mix, knead, and bake, and enjoy warm, fragrant hot cross buns that both kids and adults will love. And since it's finally Easter, there is no better time to bake a batch of homemade chocolate cross buns and let your kitchen smell like pure comfort.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Every Good Friday, we make a bunch of sweet treats for our family, a few portions of a classic meal, and a favorite dessert to be the start of the table. This Hot buns are always a MUST. 2-3 minutes and they are GONE.

These Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are designed to be easy without sacrificing texture or flavour. Using a classic yeast method gives you soft, fluffy hot cross buns with a light, tender crumb, making this chocolate hot cross buns recipe approachable for home bakers, even if you have a little extra time to let the dough rise.

What makes these chocolate cross buns shine is the balance between the lightly sweet dough and the melted chocolate chips throughout. They bake up tender and moist, with a soft crumb that stays fresh for days. Whether you are serving them warm for Easter morning or toasting leftovers later, these hot cross buns deliver bakery-style results with simple steps. It taste like classic hot cross bun, but with chocolate!

Ingredients

This Chocolate Hot Cross Buns recipe uses simple pantry staples, but each one plays an important role in creating soft, fluffy buns with just the right amount of sweetness and spice.

• Bread Flour: Gives the buns structure and chew while keeping the crumb soft and fluffy. You can use all-purpose flour if needed, but bread flour delivers a more bakery-style result.
• Instant Yeast: Speeds things up and keeps this recipe approachable. There is no long proofing stage, which means you can enjoy warm chocolate cross buns sooner.
• Warm Milk: Activates the yeast and adds richness to the dough, helping the hot cross buns bake up tender rather than dry.
• Chocolate Chips: The star of the show. They melt into the dough as the buns bake, creating pockets of chocolate that make these Chocolate Hot Cross Buns extra indulgent.

Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.

On the stove

1. Active dry yeast. In a small bowl, combine the warm milk with a little sugar and the yeast. Let it sit for a few minutes until it becomes frothy on top. This step makes sure your dough rises properly and gives you that soft, fluffy texture.

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, remaining sugar, spices, salt, orange zest and chocolate chips. Give everything a quick mix so the chocolate and spices are evenly distributed through the dough.

1. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture, chocolate chips, melted butter and egg. Start mixing until a dough comes together. It may look a little sticky at first, that's exactly what you want.

1. Knead the dough until it becomes soft, smooth and slightly elastic. You're looking for a dough that stretches without tearing too easily. If it feels too sticky, add a little flour at a time, but don't overdo it.

1. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This is where the texture develops, so don't rush it.

1. Punch down the dough to release the air, then divide it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each one into a smooth ball and place them into a lined baking tray.

1. Cover again with a towel and let them rise a second time until puffy and slightly touching. This second rise is what gives you that soft, bakery-style finish.

1. After the rising time, brush the tops with egg wash, then bake until golden brown, in a in a preheated oven 350°F (180°C) for 22–25 minutes.

1. Bake until golden brown on top. You'll know they're ready when the tops are deeply golden, and the buns feel light.

1. Once out of the oven, brush with glaze, pipe the chocolate crosses, and serve warm while the chocolate is still soft.

Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are rich and lightly sweet, so they work best with something simple on the side to balance them out. We like serving them with something savoury, like a simple egg and potato dish. It cuts through the sweetness and makes everything feel more complete, especially for an Easter brunch or a slow weekend morning.

You can always add cranberries, cherries, or eat them as a traditional hot cross bun; you can put them in the toaster oven and add a small amount of butter to them. But if you are craving more chocolate icing, you can use the remaining of the crosses as a topping.

If you want to keep things lighter, something fresh and citrusy a fruit mix works well here. Or just go all in and have them with a warm chocolate drink. Either way, they hold up without feeling too heavy.

Kitchen tip

• If your dough feels a little sticky at first, resist the urge to add too much flour. A slightly tacky dough is what gives you that soft, fluffy texture once baked.
• Make sure you're using lukewarm milk, not hot. Whole milk works best here for a softer dough. If it's too hot, it can affect the yeast and your dough won't rise the same way.
• When kneading, you can use a dough hook if using a stand mixer, or knead by hand until the dough feels smooth and elastic. Overworking it can make the buns a bit dense instead of light.
• For a good rise, place the dough in a warm spot, like near the oven or inside with just the light on. It makes a big difference.
• Don't rush the second proof. This step is what gives the buns that light, fluffy finish.
• When shaping, work on a lightly floured surface and try to keep the buns even in size so they bake at the same rate and sit nicely together in the tray.

Recipe FAQ's

Yes, all-purpose flour works well in this recipe. Bread flour gives slightly more chew, but the buns will still be soft and fluffy with plain flour.

It's best to add them after the first rise. Adding chocolate too early can cause it to melt during kneading and affect the dough texture.

Warm individual buns in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, or reheat a batch in a low oven wrapped loosely in foil to prevent drying out.

What you need

• 2 packets rapid rise yeast or dry instant
• 1 1/2 cups milk warm
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar or caster sugar divided
• 4 1/2 cups bread flour or plain/all purpose up to 1/4 cup extra if needed
• 1 teaspoons all spice or mixed spice
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ semi sweet chocolate chips
• zest of an orange or 2 tablespoons mixed peel
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1/4 cup butter melted and cooled slightly
• 1 yolk
• 10 ml milk
• egg yolk to brush before make the crosses
• ½ cup dark chocolate melted
• 1 tbsp jam orange marmalade or apricot jam. You can also use honey, maple syrup, agave or golden syrup
• 2 tsp boiling water

Method

1. Start by activating the yeast. Mix the warm milk with a little sugar and the yeast, then let it sit until it turns frothy on top.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, remaining sugar, spices, salt, orange zest and chocolate chips. Give everything a quick mix so it's evenly distributed.
3. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture, melted butter and egg.
4. Knead using a dough hook if using a stand mixer, or by hand on a lightly floured surface. It will look slightly sticky at first; that's normal.
5. Knead the dough until soft and smooth. You're looking for a texture that feels elastic and not too sticky.
6. Stretch a small piece of dough to check it. It should stretch without tearing easily.
7. Place the dough in a bowl, cover and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled in size.
8. Let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
9. Punch down the dough to release the air.
10. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces.
11. Place the dough balls into a lined baking tray.
12. Cover again and let them rise until puffy and slightly touching.
13. Mix the egg yolk with milk to make the egg wash.
14. Brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash.
15. Bake until golden brown on top in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for 22–25 minutes.
16. Mix the marmalade with the boiling water to create the glaze. Brush the baked buns with it.
17. Transfer melted chocolate into a piping bag and pipe crosses over the buns.
18. Continue piping until all buns are covered with crosses.
19. Serve warm while the chocolate is still soft.