Hot Cross Buns (Easter — British Tradition)

England; the cross-marked seasonal bread tradition has pre-Christian roots; hot cross buns as a specifically Easter Good Friday food are documented from at least the 18th century; the name appears in 1733 in London.

Hot cross buns — enriched yeasted buns spiced with cinnamon, mixed spice, and candied peel, marked with a pastry cross and glazed after baking — are England's Great Easter morning bread, traditionally eaten on Good Friday. The cross is ancient: marked breads have pre-Christian origins across Europe, but the Christian association of the cross with Easter has given this preparation its permanent seasonal identity. A good hot cross bun should be soft and pillowy, with a distinct spice character, plenty of dried fruit, and a shiny, sweet glaze. The pastry cross must be distinct and white (an additional flour-water paste piped over the unbaked buns); the glaze (apricot jam or a simple sugar syrup) applied immediately after baking gives the characteristic shine. They are best eaten warm from the oven, split and buttered, within hours of baking.