Carrot Cake Hot Cross Buns

Combine two favorite Easter recipes into one with these Carrot Cake Hot Cross Buns! These spiced buns include carrots, raisins and chopped walnuts.

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We always make a batch of Hot Cross Buns every year around Easter. There are a lot of superstitions surrounding these buns, but we make ’em just because they’re delicious. Plus, there is something fun to be said about making favorite recipes at certain times of the year. Much like Smoked Brisket Tacos in the summer and Chicken + Dumplings in the winter, Hot Cross Buns are a seasonal favorite in our house.

What are Hot Cross Buns?

Before we get into the fun carrot cake twist on these buns, let’s chat for a hot minute about classic Hot Cross Buns. These buns are a cross between a cinnamon roll and a dinner roll. They are bready like a dinner roll, but they are spiced like a cinnamon roll. Hot Cross Buns are often made with dried fruit, and they always have an iconic cross on top. These buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, and the cross is meant to represent Jesus’ crucifixion.

This past year, I got to thinking. Carrot Cake is another Easter favorite around our house, and our version of carrot cake is essentially a spiced cake that includes raisins. The flavors are somewhat similar to Hot Cross Buns. The natural next step was to create a mashup of these two classic springtime recipes!

Carrot Cake Hot Cross Buns

These Carrot Cake Hot Cross Buns turned out really well! They definitely lean to the dinner roll side much like a classic Hot Cross Bun. But they also include a few of iconic ingredients of carrot cake – namely shredded carrots and chopped walnuts. The spices combined with the raisins, nuts and carrots yields a delicious roll!

In traditional Hot Cross Buns, the white cross is a mixture of water, flour and confectioner’s sugar. The crosses get painted on the buns before they are baked. Carrot cakes almost always feature a cream cheese frosting, and I knew I wanted to incorporate those flavors in these Carrot Cake Hot Cross Buns somehow.

Instead of painting the crosses on the buns before they were baked, I whisked together a small batch of cream cheese frosting and piped crosses on top of the rolls once they cooled. The result was a roll that definitely resembled traditional hot cross buns…but with a carrot cake twist. They were quite tasty and also a fun mashup of two favorites!

How to Store Leftover Hot Cross Buns

According to legend, hanging a hot cross bun in your kitchen will protect against fires and ensure that all breads baked that year turn out well. It is said that hot cross buns that are baked on Good Friday will not turn moldy. While I appreciate the superstition here, I do not recommend hanging one of these buns from your kitchen ceiling for a year.

Instead, leftovers should be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They can be reheated in an oven or toaster oven for about 4-5 minutes on 300°F. If possible, wait and pipe the cream cheese cross on the rolls before serving.

The rolls can also be frozen. Just place them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 4 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours before reheating. Of course, like most breads, these rolls will taste much better when they are freshly baked.

If you’re looking for a unique Easter recipe, then put these Carrot Cake Hot Cross Buns on the list. We had fun making (and eating) these buns. Happy baking!

Did you make this Carrot Cake Hot Cross Buns recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Carrot Cake Hot Cross Buns

Combine two favorite Easter recipes into one with these Carrot Cake Hot Cross Buns! These spiced buns includes carrots, raisins and chopped walnuts.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Rising Time: 2 hours hours

Total Time: 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 large rolls

Calories: 365kcal

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Ingredients

For the Buns

• 4 cups bread flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2¼ tsp instant dry yeast i.e. 1 (¼-oz. packet)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
• 1¼ cups warm milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ cups grated carrots
• 1 cup raisins
• ½ cup walnuts chopped and lightly toasted

For the Glaze

• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp water

For the Crosses

• 2 oz. cream cheese softened
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
• 2 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Buns

• Using the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, sugar, yeast, salt, cinnamon, allspice, cloves and nutmeg; stir until well combined.
• In a separate bowl, add butter, warm milk, egg and vanilla extract; stir until well combined.
• Pour liquid mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using the dough hook attachment, mix until dough begins to come together.
• Add carrots, raisins and walnuts; continue mixing until well combined.
• Spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer dough into bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm location for 60 minutes. Note: I usually let dough rise in the oven with only the oven light on.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper; set tray aside.
• Transfer dough to a lightly-floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Working with one piece at a time, flatten dough and then press down on top with your palm. Rotate hand clockwise until dough comes together in a ball. Place dough balls at least 1½” apart on the prepared tray. (Note: This recipe yields 12 large buns. Depending on your preferences, you could divide the dough into 18 pieces to make smaller buns. If making smaller buns, reduce the baking time by 1-2 minutes.)
• Lightly spray tops of dough balls with baking spray. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and place tray in a warm location for 60 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. (Note: If letting the dough rise in the oven, make sure to remove tray before preheating oven.)

For the Glaze

• Using a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Brush this mixture on top of the buns.
• Bake at 350°F for 18-22 minutes, or until buns are golden brown in color. (Note: If you have an instant read thermometer, the internal temperature of the buns should be ~200°F.)
• Remove tray from oven and let buns cool slightly.

For the Crosses

• Using a small bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract. Transfer mixture into a piping bag or a sandwich bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe crosses on the tops of the rolls.
• Serve buns warm or at room temperature.

Looking for more Easter recipes? Check out these other favorites, too: