Hot Cross Buns with a Golden Mānuka Glaze
Hot Cross Buns with a Golden Mānuka Glaze
Easter just got a whole lot tastier. 🐣 These aren't your average hot cross buns — we've swapped refined sugar for Kai Ora Mānuka Honey, giving you a richer, more nuanced sweetness with all the natural goodness that only Mānuka can deliver. Soft, spiced, pillowy, and finished with a sticky golden glaze — this is the recipe your Easter table has been waiting for.
Why Bake with Mānuka Honey?
Not all sweeteners are created equal. Mānuka honey brings far more than sweetness to the table — it's a genuine superfood with a flavour profile that transforms your baking.
Natural Antioxidants
Rich in antioxidants that refined sugar simply can't offer, giving your bake a nutritional edge.
Deep, Earthy Flavour
That distinctive Mānuka richness adds layers of complexity — warm, slightly floral, beautifully caramel.
Antibacterial Properties
Mānuka honey is celebrated worldwide for its natural antibacterial qualities, unique among honeys.
Pure New Zealand Origin
Sourced from native Mānuka bush in the pristine forests of Aotearoa. Wild, raw, and lab-certified.
Ingredients
The Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tbsp instant yeast
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt
- 1¼ cups warm milk
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup softened butter
- ¾ cup currants or raisins
Crosses & Glaze
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tbsp Kai Ora Mānuka Honey
- 1 tbsp warm water
How to Make Them
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir well to distribute the spices evenly.
Add the warm milk, egg, and softened butter. Mix until a soft, shaggy dough forms, then turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Gently knead the currants or raisins into the dough. Shape into a ball, cover with a damp cloth, and leave to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size — about 1 hour.
Divide the dough into 12 even portions. Roll each into a smooth ball and arrange snugly in a lined baking tray. Cover and rest for another 30 minutes until puffed.
Whisk together ½ cup flour and ⅓ cup water into a smooth, pipeable paste. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 3mm round nozzle. Carefully pipe straight lines across the buns to form classic crosses.
Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 25–30 minutes until deeply golden and your kitchen smells absolutely extraordinary.
The moment they leave the oven, stir 2 tbsp of Kai Ora Mānuka Honey with 1 tbsp warm water and brush generously over every bun. Watch them turn glossy and golden. Lift onto a rack to cool — or eat one immediately. We won't judge.
The next day, split a leftover bun in half and warm it in a pan with a little butter until the cut sides are toasted and caramelised. Finish with an extra drizzle of Kai Ora Mānuka Honey. It's arguably better than fresh out of the oven — and that's saying something.
Have a question, or want a product recommendation? Get in touch.