Hot Cross Muffins with Chai Spice and Orange

Jump to Recipe

When you’re craving Hot Cross Buns but have neither the time nor inclination to make them, these are a fabulous option. Light and fluffy orange and chai spiced muffins studded with dried fruit or chocolate chunks and drizzled with a honey and orange syrup. All the flavours of light and soft Hot Cross Buns, but ready in 30 minutes!

As these muffins bake, the festive aromas will waft through the house; what a delicious way to start your Easter morning. But the best bit is, they can be made entirely in advance so there is absolutely no work to do on the day, apart from put them in the oven to bake!

Get ready for Easter Sunday by making up a batch of these muffins, up to the point they go in the oven – instead pop them, (in the paper cases in the baking tray) immediately in the freezer. As soon as they are frozen. cover with cling film and save until you want to cook them. Further, more precise details, are given below.

How to make Hot Cross Muffins with Chai Spice and Orange

This recipe is based on my Sweet Muffins/Loaf – Core Recipe. So if you fancy adding your own take and your favourite flavours and add-ins, simply refer to the Core Recipe and use your imagination. It is quick, easy and all made in one bowl.

Collect all your ingredients together:

Wet ingredients:

• unsalted butter
• milk
• lemon juice
• large egg

Dry ingredients:

• plain/all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• bicarbonate/baking soda
• fine salt
• chai spice or a mix of mixed spice and cinnamon
• caster sugar
• grated rind from 1 orange

Additional ingredients:

• dried fruit such as raisins, currants, sultanas, orange peel, OR
• chopped chocolate of your choice, OR
• I use half of each and make 3 fruit muffins and 3 chocolate ones

For the soaking syrup:

• orange juice
• runny honey

For the crosses:

• icing sugar
• orange juice

How to make these delicious seasonal muffins:

1. Melt the butter in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl. (If you do not have a microwave, you can melt the butter in a large saucepan and then use the saucepan as your mixing bowl – if you are using a metal balloon whisk, make sure your saucepan is not non-stick!) Leave to cool slightly whilst you collect the remaining ingredients together.
2. Add the remaining wet ingredients: milk, lemon juice, and egg. When you add the lemon juice to the milk, it will curdle. This is OK! Your lemon juice is basically turning your milk into buttermilk. Mix thoroughly with a balloon whisk.
3. Add dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, spices, sugar and grated orange zest.
4. Fold until 80% mixed in.
5. If using 2 different add-ins, divide the mixture in half.
6. Add your chosen add-ins to each half or simply add your one chosen add-in to the complete mixture.
7. Fold in. Do not over mix – it is OK to have a few lumps.
8. Divide between muffin cases. If freezing, put in the freezer in the tin straight away. When frozen, cover with cling film.
9. Either:
   • If cooking immediately – cook in the centre of a pre-heated oven at a high heat for 5 minutes and then reduce the temperature until cooked – around a further 15 minutes.
   • If cooking from frozen – put the frozen muffins in the centre of a pre-heated oven at a high heat for 10 minutes and then reduce the temperature until cooked – around a further 15 minutes.
10. They are cooked when they are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the sponge is clean.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Make the honey and orange drizzle:

1. Warm the honey in the microwave for around 20 seconds and mix with the orange juice.
2. As soon as the muffins come out of the oven, puncture each one in a cross shape with a cake tester or skewer.
3. Brush each cake with the drizzle, using it all up.
4. Leave in the cake tin for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Add the distinctive cross:

1. Mix the orange juice and icing sugar until you have a thick icing – you want it to hold its shape obviously you need go be able to pipe it.
2. Transfer to a piping bag with a small nozzle or cut a small hole in the end of the bag.
3. Pipe on the crosses, covering the puncture holes you made for the drizzle.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.