Hot Cross Buns

not religious, but for this bun…maybe

I don’t have many fond memories of elementary school, I went to the same tiny episcopal school from K through 8 (yes, it was as weird as it sounds). I remember way more things I hated about that place than things I look back fondly on. However, if there is one good thing to come out of those years I spent at The Gooden School (besides meeting my best friend soul mate platonic life partner Claire) it was our sweet principal Mr. Towner and his hot cross buns. Every Easter, Mr Towner would drive to a local bakery nearby and pick up 100 steaming, fresh, glossy, icing slicked hot cross buns and hand them out to teachers and students after our Good Friday service. These buns were just the absolute best hot cross buns I had ever had. They blew my little 7 year old mind. It made sitting through 45 minutes of hearing about Jesus dying on the cross, smushed next to classmates on super hard wooden pews and in an itchy school uniform, so worth it. I don’t celebrate Easter religiously, except maybe I do in the sense that I worship these buns and how phenomenal they are. This is my perfect hot cross bun, studded with dried fruit, some spice, citrus zest, pistachios and a little bit of dark chocolate. Just like the ones Mr Towner would hand out, they have a thick icing cross instead of the traditional flour paste (which never tastes good). There’s no need for any special occasion to make these buns, just make them whenever you are in need of something so delicious and perfect you’ll weep with joy after each bite.