Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Here's a great Easter idea that would be welcome at a weekend brunch any time of the year. We already have a great recipe for yeast raised Hot Cross Buns here on Rock Recipes but if you are dough-phobic or just don't have the time to make the traditional version, why not try this molasses version that's as easy as making a quick batch of biscuits.

Molasses tea buns are one of my favorites so I've used that recipe here but if you don't want the molasses version, you could try our regular Raisin Tea Buns recipe and just add the spices to that and then top those with the vanilla glaze. Either way, in about an hour you could be enjoying these at an Easter brunch or on any given weekend.

Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

In a food processor or in a large bowl, combine:

• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 rounded tsp baking powder
• 1 rounded tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg (optional)

Cut in or pulse in in:

• 3/4 cup cold butter, cut in cubes

until the mixture resembles a fine meal. Remove to a large bowl and stir in:

• 1 1/2 cup raisins (light or dark, your preference)

Make a well in the center of this mixture.

Mix together:

• 1/2 cup fancy molasses
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Pour into the well and mix only enough to form a dough ball.

Roll to 1 inch thickness and cut out buns with biscuit cutter and place in a parchment lined 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Baking time may vary a little depending on the size of your biscuit cutter.

This recipe makes about 12 tea buns.

Vanilla Glaze

• 1/2 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tsp milk

Mix together until smooth. You will want this to be quite a stiff glaze so only add enough milk to bring it to a thick consistency. Pipe crosses onto the tops of the warm buns. A Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off works well for this if you do not have a piping bag.

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Buttermilk Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

Buttermilk Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls

I’ve seen several versions of these gorgeous cinnamon rolls on various blogs and on Pinterest and I’ve even had a couple of readers ask if I had a recipe of my own, so I finally got around to trying this idea this morning. As a die-hard cinnamon roll lover, I was a bit skeptical but with no need for the significant amount of time it takes a yeast raised dough to rise, I had these in the oven in about 20 minutes, so that in itself is a huge benefit of this recipe.

In the end, as I sat with my morning coffee, enjoying one of these warm from the oven, I realized I did not miss spending all that time waiting to enjoy a great cinnamon roll at all. This is an idea that is sure to make repeat appearances at weekend brunches at our house.

Makes 8 large rolls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a food processor, blend together:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Pulse in

• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp very cold salted butter, cut in small cubes

Do not over incorporate the butter into the flour. Similar to making a flaky pastry, small pieces of butter should be visible in the flour. 

Transfer this mixture from the food processor into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour in:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Working very quickly with a wooden spoon, fold the dry mixture through the buttermilk, only until the flour disappears, then stop immediately. Drop the sticky dough onto a well floured counter top or bread board. Sprinkle the top of the dough with additional flour as well as flouring your hands to handle the dough. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 9x18 inches.

Mix together into a paste:

• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tbsp melted butter

Spread this paste evenly onto the rolled dough using a rubber spatula. Sprinkle the surface of the dough with

• ¾ cup of raisins (optional)

Press the raisins down into the dough gently with the palm of your hand.

Starting at the shorter end of the rolled dough roll the dough up tightly and pinch the end of the dough together to seal the end of the dough into the roll.

Slice the roll into 8 equally thick slices and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. I recommend aluminum baking sheets because they tolerate the higher oven temperature without burning the bottom of the biscuits. You can brush the rolls with an egg wash to help them brown and sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar for a little crunch if you like but this is optional.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the tops of the biscuits are evenly golden brown. Drizzle with Vanilla Glaze.

Vanilla Glaze

• 3/4 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix together until smooth. You can add a little more icing sugar or milk to make the glaze thicker or thinner in consistency to suit your taste.