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Masala Chai Spiced Hot Cross Buns

By • Updated September 2026
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These masala chai spiced hot cross buns bring the warming aromatics of traditional Indian chai into the heart of a British Easter classic. Instead of the usual mixed spice, we steep black tea, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and cloves directly into the milk, creating a fragrant enriched dough that's studded with sultanas and candied peel. The result is a soft, pillowy bun with layers of spice that develop beautifully as they prove and bake.

Working with enriched, sticky dough can be a challenge without the right tools. A good dough scraper (also called a bench knife or bench scraper) is essential here: it lets you cleanly divide the dough, scrape it off your work surface without tearing, and tidy up flour as you shape. The dough is quite tacky thanks to the butter, milk and egg, so you'll reach for your scraper again and again. If you're serious about yeasted tea breads, it's one of those inexpensive pieces of kit that earns its place every time you bake.

Masala Chai Spiced Hot Cross Buns
Prep Time35 mins
Cook Time18 mins
Servings12 buns
DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

  • 500 g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 7 g sachet fast-action dried yeast
  • 50 g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 300 ml whole milk
  • 2 tsp loose-leaf black tea (Assam or strong breakfast blend)
  • 6 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 cloves
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 50 g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 150 g sultanas
  • 50 g mixed peel
  • For the crosses: 75 g plain flour, 5–6 tbsp water
  • For the glaze: 3 tbsp apricot jam, warmed
Nutrition per serving:
Calories: 245
Fat: 5g
Sugar: 18g
Protein: 6g

Instructions

1
Infuse the milk: Pour the milk into a small saucepan and add the black tea, crushed cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves and ground ginger. Heat gently until steaming (not boiling), then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug, pressing the spices to extract maximum flavour. Let the spiced milk cool to lukewarm.
2
Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Pour in the lukewarm spiced milk, then add the softened butter and beaten egg. Mix with a wooden spoon until it comes together into a rough, sticky dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough will be quite soft but should become less sticky as you work it.
3
First prove: Lightly grease a large bowl with butter. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with a damp tea towel or cling film and leave in a warm spot for 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
4
Add fruit & divide: Once risen, tip the dough out onto your work surface. Scatter over the sultanas and mixed peel, then knead briefly to distribute the fruit evenly. Use your dough scraper to divide the dough into 12 equal pieces (each about 80–85 g). The scraper makes light work of cutting through the sticky dough and keeps your surface tidy.
5
Shape & prove: Roll each piece into a smooth ball by tucking the edges underneath and rolling gently on the work surface with a cupped hand. Arrange the buns on a lined baking tray, spacing them about 2 cm apart so they just touch as they rise. Cover loosely and prove for 45–60 minutes until puffy and nearly doubled.
6
Pipe crosses & bake: Preheat your oven to 200 °C (fan 180 °C / gas 6). Mix the plain flour and water into a thick paste, then spoon into a piping bag or a small zip-lock bag with the corner snipped off. Pipe a cross on top of each bun. Bake for 16–18 minutes until golden and the bases sound hollow when tapped. If they brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the final few minutes.
7
Glaze: As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush the tops generously with warmed apricot jam. This gives them a glossy, sticky finish and seals in moisture. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly, then serve warm with butter or enjoy them on their own. They're best eaten fresh but will keep in an airtight tin for 2–3 days; toast to refresh.

🫖 Equipment You'll Need

A dough scraper (bench knife) is indispensable when you're working with enriched, sticky doughs like this one. It lets you cleanly divide the dough into equal portions without tearing or stretching, scrape up bits from your work surface, and keep your hands from getting caked in flour and butter. For masala chai hot cross buns – where the dough is soft and tacky from milk, egg and spices – a good rigid metal or sturdy plastic scraper makes shaping faster, neater and far less frustrating.

See our dough scraper picks →

Expert Tip: Boost the Chai Flavour

For a more intense masala chai note, replace half the caster sugar with jaggery or soft dark brown sugar, and add a pinch of freshly ground black pepper to the spiced milk. The caramel notes and gentle heat mirror the depth you'd get in a homemade chai spice blend.

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