Hot Cross Muffins – perfect for Easter Brunch
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These easy-to-make Hot Cross Muffins are perfect for Easter Brunch! Serve these delicious raisin-studded Muffins and you’ll be more popular than the Easter Bunny!
With Easter just around the corner, this is just the right moment for some last-minute Easter Brunch Foodspiration!
Think of this recipe for Hot Cross Muffins as your ticket to easy-breezy Easter Brunch Success!
These Hot Cross Bun-inspired muffins have all the flavours of a hot cross bun – the spices, the dried fruit, everything – except in a muffin.
As muffins take way less time to make than yeasted hot cross buns, this recipe is a real time saver! The spiced buttermilk batter comes together in 5 minutes and after about 20 minutes of baking, you are pretty much ready to go!
Of course, it wouldn’t be a hot cross muffin, without the cross on top. I used a simple sugar glaze.
For 12 muffins, I needed about 80 g of icing sugar, to which I added a tbsp of homemade German Egg Liqueur, which basically needs to go into everything I eat on Easter.
Egg Liqueur is pretty thick, so if you are using lemon juice or even water, you might need a bit less. Make sure to add your liquid slowly until you have a very thick paste!
Otherwise, your crosses will be all over the place as the surface of the muffins is not as even and smooth as a hot cross bun.
Tips for making Hot Cross Muffins:
If you plan to serve the hot cross muffins for breakfast, you might want to soak your raisins and cranberries overnight.
I added a splash of marsala to my soaking liquid – because why not – and it goes really well with the festive spices in the batter. I imagine rum or port would also do the trick. Or just use some orange juice.
Also, you might notice, that there’s no mention of candied peel in the recipe. Reason: I can’t stand it. So feel free to replace some of the dried fruit in the recipe with chopped candied peel to get the “real thing”.
There’s nothing like the aroma of freshly baked hot cross muffins wafting through your kitchen on Easter Morning.
I really hope you get to try this sweet and easy Easter Brunch recipe this year.
You will simply love this recipe for its simplicity and I already had to promise to make them again next Easter!
I am sure your family will love them just as much. Happy Easter, everyone.
Things you might like:
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★ Did you make and love this hot cross muffins recipe? Give it your review below! And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram!
Hot Cross Muffins
These easy-to-make Hot Cross Muffins are perfect for Easter! Serve these Hot Cross Bun - inspired treats on Easter morning, and you'll be more popular than the Easter Bunny!
Ingredients
- 250 g mix of cranberries, raisins, dried cherries
- 4 tbsp rum, marsala or port substitute with orange juice or water
- 375 g flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cardamom ground
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg ground
- 1/2 tsp allspice ground
- 1/4 tsp cloves ground
- 200 g sugar
- 1 tsp orange zest optional
- 250 ml buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 165 ml oil
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 4 tbsp sugar
- 100 ml water
- 80 - 100 g icing sugar
- 1 tbsp advocaat or lemon juice
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 200 C and line a muffin tin with paper cases. Put dried fruit in a bowl, add alcohol, if using, and cover with some water until the fruit is just covered. Heat in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours or overnight. Drain fruit and pat dry with a paper towel.
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Sift the flour, soda, salt and spices into a large bowl. Rub the orange zest into the sugar, using your fingertips. Stir together sugar, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and oil. Add egg mixture to the dry mix and stir together with a rubber spatula, until the flour is fully incorporated. It does not have to be smooth, make sure not to overmix the batter. Now, fold in the dried fruit. Divide the mixture among muffin cases, then bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
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Meanwhile, place 4 tbsp of sugar in a pan with the water and simmer for about 4 to 5 minutes over low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly. Brush the glaze over the muffins.
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Stir advocaat or lemon juice and icing sugar together to make a thick, pipeable icing. Use a piping bag or drizzle from a spoon to draw a cross on each muffin.
Recipe Notes
If you plan to serve the hot cross muffins for breakfast, you might want to soak your raisins and cranberries overnight.
I added a splash of marsala to my soaking liquid - because why not - and it goes really well with the festive spices in the batter. I imagine rum or port would also do the trick. Or just use some orange juice.
Also, you might notice, that there's no mention of candied peel in the recipe. Reason: I can't stand it. So feel free to replace some of the dried fruit in the recipe with chopped candied peel to get the "real thing".
