Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
Hot cross buns are great and all, we just really felt they were missing something. Chocolate, as usual, was the missing piece.
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
- FOR THE BUNS
- Cooking spray
- 1¼ c. granulated sugar, plus 1 tsp, divided
- 2 (0.25-oz.) packages active dry yeast
- 3½ c. all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
- ⅓ c. Dutch process cocoa powder
- ¼ c. packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. nutmeg
- 6 tbsp. melted butter, cooled
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp. orange zest
- 1 c. chocolate chips
- Egg wash, for brushing
- FOR THE GLAZE
- 1½ c. powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp. milk
- ¼ tsp. cinnamon
Instructions
- Grease a large bowl with cooking spray. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup add lukewarm milk and 1 teaspoon sugar and sprinkle yeast on top. Let sit until frothy, about 10 minutes, then whisk yeast into milk.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, remaining ½ cup sugar, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add milk, melted butter, egg, vanilla, and orange zest. Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture is a thick, shaggy dough. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Turn dough onto a heavily floured surface and knead until dough is soft and elastic, 5 minutes. Add flour as you knead until no longer sticking to your hands.
- Place dough in greased bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375° and grease a 9”-x-13” baking pan with cooking spray. Divide dough into 12 equal portions with a sharp knife or pizza wheel.
- Shape each piece into a roll, tucking the edges under, and place each roll seam side-down into prepared pan. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until rolls have doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
- Brush tops of buns with egg wash. Bake until golden and puffy, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool.
- Make glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and cinnamon until smooth. Transfer to a medium resealable plastic bag and make a small cut in the corner of the bag. Pipe a thick cross shape over each bun.
