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Garlic Butter Cheese Hot Cross Buns

My favorite no knead all butter hot cross bun dough that is fluffy and soft, stuffed with a garlic and cheese herb butter, baked until golden and gooey. The buns are topped with more butter and a little parmesan cheese. It is a hot cross but but savory and perfect for easter. 

The season for hot cross buns is here and if you’re new to my blog then know this about me: I love me a good soft and fluffy hot cross bun. It is the best and most comforting recipe of all time. But garlic bread is also comforting making this recipe a go to for this season. Also if you prefer savory over sweet then these are the buns for you. Now the dough is my no knead all butter fluffy hot cross bun dough recipe and the for the garlic butter I have used my garlic bread butter spread recipe that is a classic but with a twist, adding cheese and cream cheese for good measure and they come together with little effort but deliciously feed a crowd. 

What are hot cross buns?

Hot cross buns mark the end of the Christian season of lent. The bun itself has many meanings depending on the country you come from. Some say the cross depicts the crucifixion of Jesus,  while the spices inside signify the spices used to embalm him during the burial. There are many stories on why it signifies however we will not get into every story/belief. 

What ingredients are needed to make these Garlic Cheese Bread Hot Cross Buns?

To make these hot cross buns we need all purpose flour, garlic powder, dried herbs, black pepper powder, sugar, instant yeast, salt, butter, milk and egg. For the garlic butter we need, butter, fresh garlic, fresh parsley, yogurt, parmesan cheese. For the cheese I’ve used a combination of mozzarella, cheddar, parmesan cheese. For the egg wash we need eggs, cream/milk. To make the crosses we need flour, water and cream. 

What equipment is needed to make these Garlic Cheese Bread Hot Cross Buns?

We need a large mixing bowl, a wooden spoon or your hands to mix the dough together. Cling film to cover the dough. A baking tray and baking paper to line the try. A dough scraper would really help with cutting and handling the dough. If you do not have a scrapper you can use a rubber spatula help with that. I have used a mixing bowl and whisk for the garlic butter, the cheese is grated in a food processor as I use the blocks and don’t buy them pre shredded. 

Pro Tips on making Hot Cross Buns:

  • Always allow the yeast to bloom in the milk to check if it has expired or is not good. 
  • The milk must be warm to the touch, too hot and it will kill the yeast, too cold and the yeast will be dormant. 
  • Allow the dough to proof for 1 hour at least however what we are looking for is for it to have doubled in size – which may take more time depending on the temperature of your kitchen. 
  • Roll the dough wit the filling inside well as we want to avoid all the filling oozing out, a little is fine. 
  • Preheating the oven is essential to ensure the buns bake well one placed inside. 
  • Egg wash on top helps give them a deep golden brown color as it bakes. 

Serving these Garlic Cheese Bread Hot Cross Buns?

They are best served warm with a simple tomato sauce you could use pizza sauce or tomato pasta sauce. I would also suggest serving it with more garlic butter and a grating of parmesan cheese. Serve it with eggs, sausages as well. It makes for a delicious side dish too.

Storing the leftover Garlic Cheese Bread Hot Cross Buns:

With the leftover buns you can store them in airtight containers or zip lock bags and place them in the fridge for 3-4 days. Or you can tore them in the freezer for upto 2 weeks. 

Looking for more hot cross bun recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make this Garlic Cheese Hot Cross Buns, you can have a look at the video on my instagram but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more baking recipe inspiration. 

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on pinterest or instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.  

Garlic Cheese Hot Cross Buns

My favorite no knead all butter hot cross bun dough that is fluffy and soft, stuffed with a garlic and cheese herb butter, baked until golden and gooey. The buns are topped with more butter and a little parmesan cheese. It is a hot cross but but savory and perfect for easter.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Proof Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Bread, Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, Side Dish, Starter
Cuisine American
Servings 12 buns

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowls
  • Scraper/Spatula
  • Cling film
  • Baking tray
  • Baking paper
  • Brush

Ingredients
  

For the Buns -

  • 380 gm Warm milk
  • 14 gm Yeast
  • 60 gm Castor sugar
  • 600 gm Flour
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp dried herbs
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 80 gm Butter cold
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/2 tsp Salt

For the Garlic Butter -

  • 57 gm butter
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 30 gm parmesan cheese grated

For the Garlic Cheese filling -

  • 30 gm butter
  • 3 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 2 tsp dried herbs
  • 30 gm greek yogurt
  • 200 gm cheese grated, coarsely chopped (I used a combination of mozzarella, parmesan cheese, brie)
  • 100 gm cream cheese
  • 100 gm kiri cheese
  • 150 gm cheddar (cubes) (optional)

For the Crosses -

  • 50 gm Flour
  • 25 gm Water
  • 25 gm Cream

Egg wash -

  • 1 egg
  • 3 tbsp cream/milk

Optional -

  • Parmesan on the top

Instructions
 

To make the garlic butter -

  • Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until combined and set aside

To make the garlic cheese filling -

  • Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl except for the cheddar cheese cubes and set aside.

To make the dough -

  • We start by blooming the yeast in a small bowl with warm milk and sugar. Stir and set aside for 10 mins until frothy.
  • In a large mixing bowl add the flour and butter, rub them together until they resemble fine bread crumbs. Add the salt, garlic powder, dried herbs, black pepper powder into the bowl and distribute evenly.
  • Add the egg and milk yeast mixture. Mix everything together until combined and no dry pockets. The dough will be sticky and that’s perfect. Clean your hands using the scraper or spatula and add olive oil onto your hands and the dough.
  • Using the scrapper or spatula bring it together and briefly shape with your hands. Place the dough into the oiled bowl, cover and leave to rise for over an hour until doubled in volume.

Assembly -

  • After the dough has risen, remove the covering and oil your hands well before knocking the dough back. Transfer to a clean work surface and bang the dough onto the surface multiple times until it is smooth and not sticky. As and when required add more oil on your hands or the surface to avoid it from sticking.
  • Portion the dough into 12 pieces, fill each piece with the garlic cheese filling, optionally add a few cubes of the cheddar cheese inside each bun. Pinch the ends together.
  • Roll the dough into balls and transfer to the baking tray lined with baking paper. Cover and leave to rise for 15 - 20 mins until they are bigger.
  • At this time, preheat the oven to 180℃. Let us make the mixture for the crosses, mix the flour and water together until combined, transfer to a piping bag. Beat the egg and cream for the egg wash in another bowl.
  • Once the buns have risen, brush them with an egg wash and pipe them with the cross mixture. Bake them for 25-28 mins. They will be done when they are golden and risen, they will also have a hollow sound if you tap them. They will have a crust while they are hot.
  • Brush them with the garlic butter and top with more grated parmesan cheese when they come out of the oven and let them cool down a little before serving. Serve with tomato sauce, pesto, eggs etc.

Notes

  • If the milk yeast and sugar mixture doesn’t rise and become frothy then the yeast is dead, make sure to check your expiration date not the packet and it must have expired. Or the milk was too hot/cold to activate the yeast. It must be warm tot he touch.
  • Do not skip on both the proofing times. This ensures the buns will be fluffy and light once baked considering we are not kneading it into submission.
  • The egg wash gives a deep golden color on the buns but you can skip it.

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