These sourdough einkorn hot cross buns are a soft, lightly sweet Easter classic made with nourishing ingredients like sourdough starter and einkorn flour. Enjoy them on Easter morning, at spring brunch, or anytime you want a special homemade treat!
These sourdough einkorn hot cross buns are a soft, lightly sweet Easter classic made with nourishing ingredients like sourdough starter and einkorn flour. Enjoy them on Easter morning, at spring brunch, or anytime you want a special homemade treat!
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A From Scratch Easter
Every year I always look forward to making some from-scratch Easter recipes.
From naturally dyed Easter eggs to carrot cake cupcakes to sourdough brioche, there are many ways to serve your family something easy and delicious for the sacred holiday.
I hope these sourdough hot cross buns have a cozy spot on your Easter table!
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Why We Love Sourdough Einkorn Hot Cross Buns
Hot cross buns are a traditional Easter food signifying the end of Lent and the crucifixion of Jesus. They are the perfect food to make with kids to teach them about the Easter holiday and practice using sourdough starter too!
Using sourdough starter plus einkorn flour makes for a healthy, long fermented treat. Einkorn is an ancient grain that is higher in protein and lower in gluten, making it healthier and more nutritious for you. If you are new to sourdough starter, learn how to make one here with regular flour or here for einkorn sourdough starter.
The flavor profile! The milk, lemon, cranberries, raisins, and einkorn flour with the cozy spices of nutmeg, cinnamon and clove make for a delicious taste in every bite. I love festive rolls like this because you can make them for a healthy snack or bring them to a brunch party.
This recipe is a variation of my original einkorn sourdough dinner rolls, which are a huge hit in our family. I hope you love them as much as we do!
Tips for Making Sourdough Einkorn Hot Cross Buns
Use an active sourdough starter. Your starter should be bubbly and active before mixing the dough so the buns rise properly. I like to pass the “float test” – so a spoonful of starter should float in a cup of water.
Einkorn dough is usually softer and stickier than regular wheat dough. Try not to add too much extra flour or the buns may turn out dense. Also, don’t forget that einkorn has less gluten in it than regular flour, so you will not get as big of a rise or as fluffy of bread rolls than your store-bought alternative!
More Easter Recipes from the Homestead
Natural Easter Egg Dye Tutorial
Chocolate Chip Sourdough Brioche Rolls
Einkorn Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Whole Grain Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Sourdough Einkorn Hot Cross Buns Ingredients
Sourdough starter gives these hot cross buns a nice subtle tang plus makes them easier to digest. Learn how to start your own sourdough starter here!
Milk and butter add richness and softness to the dough, making them fluffy and comforting with every bite.
Lemon zest brightens the buns with a subtle citrus flavor that pairs beautifully with the warm spices.
Honey adds natural sweetness and helps the buns stay soft and moist. Note: feel free to swap out maple syrup or regular sugar here!
Einkorn flour gives these buns a slightly nutty flavor and a soft texture. It’s an ancient grain that many people find easier to digest than modern wheat.
Spices and fruit (cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, dried raisins, dried cranberries) create the classic hot cross bun flavor. The warm spices add cozy depth while the dried fruit gives little pops of sweetness throughout the buns.
Tools Needed
Large mixing bowl or stand up mixer
Sourdough Einkorn Hot Cross Bun Ingredients
Dough:
1/2 cup sourdough starter
1 cup milk
4 tbsp butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
Zest from 1 lemon
1/4 cup honey + 1/2 cup sugar
4 1/2 cups einkorn flour
Spices and Fruit:
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp clove
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup dried raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Flour Cross Paste:
1/2 cup einkorn flour
1/4 cup water or more for desired thickness. You want the texture to be thin enough to pipe!
Topping options (pick one, or do them all!):
Egg wash (optional – do this before the flour cross piping)
4 tbsp melted butter (do this after rolls have baked)
Apricot or orange glaze for a traditional topping (after rolls have baked)
How To Make Sourdough Einkorn Hot Cross Buns
In a large bowl or stand up mixer with a dough hook, add the dough ingredients. Mix the dough either with the mixer or your hands briefly until just combined. Then add the spices and fruit, and continue mixing and folding until a sticky dough is formed. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let sit on the countertop.
Perform 1-3 stretch and folds, about 1 hour apart from each other. Note: this is not a rigid timeline but rather a guidance, so generally I just do stretch and folds whenever it’s convenient but you do want to do them in order to develop the gluten. Gently lift up one side of the dough, stretching it upwards, and then back down over the center of the dough. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat, until all 4 sides have been stretched and folded. Cover the bowl with a tea towel in between stretch and folds.
Cover the bowl with plastic and let sit in the fridge overnight.
The next day, bring the sourdough hot cross bun dough out of the fridge and let it sit out for about 30 minutes to bring it to room temperature.
Grease a 9×12 baking dish with oil or line with parchment paper.
Place the dough on a floured clean countertop and use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut it into 12 even pieces.
How To Make Sourdough Einkorn Hot Cross Buns, cont.
Roll each piece into a ball and pinch the bottom to create tension in each dough ball.
Place the dough balls in the baking dish and cover with a tea towel. Let sit in a warm location (like near the stove) for 2-4 hours, or until about doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour cross paste ingredients. You want the consistency to be smooth enough to pipe onto the rolls. If doing the egg wash, whisk together an egg in a separate bowl.
Brush the tops of the rolls with the whisked egg.
Then add the flour mixture to a piping bag or make your own by cutting the tip off a plastic bag.
Pipe the crosses onto the rolls, making sure to go slow to get a nice straight line.
Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until slightly golden on top.
Brush on additional toppings, such as the melted butter or orange glaze for a traditional hot cross bun. Serve and enjoy!
FAQs
What does einkorn flour do in bread?
Einkorn flour adds a slightly nutty flavor and creates a soft, tender crumb. It is an ancient grain that many people find easier to tolerate than modern wheat.
Can sourdough hot cross buns be frozen?
Yes. Once cooled, the buns can be stored in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Simply thaw and warm before serving.
Why are my sourdough hot cross buns dense?
Dense buns usually happen if the dough didn’t rise long enough or if too much flour was added to the dough.
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More Sourdough Recipes from the Homestead
Sourdough Whole Grain Sugar Cookies
Einkorn Sourdough French Bread
Sourdough Einkorn Hot Cross Buns
These sourdough einkorn hot cross buns are a soft, lightly sweet Easter classic made with nourishing ingredients like sourdough starter and einkorn flour. Enjoy them on Easter morning, at spring brunch, or anytime you want a special homemade treat!
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter
- 1 cup milk
- 4 tbsp butter, softened
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup honey + 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 1/2 cups einkorn flour
Spices and Fruit:
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp clove
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 cup dried raisins
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Flour Cross Paste:
- 1/2 cup einkorn flour
- 1/4 cup water or more for desired thickness. You want the texture to be thin enough to pipe!
Topping options (pick one, or do them all!):
- Egg wash (optional - do this before the flour cross piping)
- 4 tbsp melted butter (do this after rolls have baked)
- Apricot or orange glaze for a traditional topping (after rolls have baked)
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand up mixer with a dough hook, add the dough ingredients. Mix the dough either with the mixer or your hands briefly until just combined. Then add the spices and fruit, and continue mixing and folding until a sticky dough is formed. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let sit on the countertop.
- Perform 1-3 stretch and folds, about 1 hour apart from each other. Note: this is not a rigid timeline but rather a guidance, so generally I just do stretch and folds whenever it’s convenient but you do want to do them in order to develop the gluten. Gently lift up one side of the dough, stretching it upwards, and then back down over the center of the dough. Rotate the bowl 90 degrees and repeat, until all 4 sides have been stretched and folded. Cover the bowl with a tea towel in between stretch and folds.
- Cover the bowl with plastic and let sit in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, bring the sourdough hot cross bun dough out of the fridge and let it sit out for about 30 minutes to bring it to room temperature.
- Grease a 9x12 baking dish with oil or line with parchment paper.
- Place the dough on a floured clean countertop and use a bench scraper or sharp knife to cut it into 12 even pieces.
- Roll each piece into a ball and pinch the bottom to create tension in each dough ball.
- Place the dough balls in the baking dish and cover with a tea towel. Let sit in a warm location (like near the stove) for 2-4 hours, or until about doubled in size.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour cross paste ingredients. You want the consistency to be smooth enough to pipe onto the rolls. If doing the egg wash, whisk together an egg in a separate bowl.
- Brush the tops of the rolls with the whisked egg.
- Then add the flour mixture to a piping bag or make your own by cutting the tip off a plastic bag.
- Pipe the crosses onto the rolls, making sure to go slow to get a nice straight line.
- Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until slightly golden on top.
- Brush on additional toppings, such as the melted butter or orange glaze for a traditional hot cross bun. Serve and enjoy!
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