Vanilla Matcha Hot Cross Buns Recipe

These super fragrant vanilla matcha hot cross buns are a great option if you love sweet buns, but aren't a fan of the other spices that traditionally go into hot cross buns.

My vanilla matcha hot cross buns are made by kneading a whole vanilla pod into the dough, making sure that the maximum flavours are released.

Instead of mixed peel, I used chopped apricots for their milder flavour. Since matcha's already bitter, I wanted to balance it out with more sweetness, while the vanilla doesn't overpower it like spices like cinnamon would.

You can also watch me make this on my YouTube channel:

Ready? Let's make some matcha hot cross buns.

(Makes six buns.)

Ingredients for Buns:

275g strong white bread flour
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 heaped tbsp matcha, sifted
Pinch of salt
1.5 tsp instant / fast action / easy bake yeast
25g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 beaten egg
150ml milk
1 vanilla pod
75g sultanas
75g chopped apricots

Ingredients for Crosses:

50g plain flour
5–10 tbsp cold water

Ingredients for Glaze

Simple syrup, or warmed honey or warmed apricot jam

Method:

1. To make the buns, stir the flour, sugar, matcha, salt and yeast together in a large bowl.

2. Add in the egg and milk, and split the vanilla pod lengthways, scraping out the seeds and adding them too. Chop the empty pod into thirds and toss into the bowl, too.

3. Stir until everything comes together to form a dough, and knead on a well-floured surface.

4. After about ten minutes of kneading, remove and discard the vanilla pod pieces, add the sultanas and apricots, and knead for a further 10 minutes.

5. Place the dough in a lightly-oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm, and leave to proof until doubled in size (about 30 minutes to an hour depending on room temperature).

5. Once risen, divide the dough into six equal portions, shaping each into a ball. Place them on a baking paper-lined baking tray (about 1 cm together if you want the buns to join up or 5cm if not), cover with clingfilm and leave to rise until doubled in size again.

6. Preheat the oven to 180°C. To make the flour paste for the crosses, gradually mix the flour and sugar together until it forms a pipeable paste (you might not need all 10 spoonfuls). Place in a piping bag and snip off the tip.

7. Pipe crosses onto your risen buns, and bake for 12–15 minutes until puffy and golden.

8. While the buns are still hot, brush your chosen glaze on top. Leave to cool before serving.

Enjoy, and have fun.