This hot cross bun bread and butter pudding is the perfect Easter pudding recipe for you! Imagine soft, spiced hot cross buns, spread with sweet raspberry jam, dotted with melted white chocolate and juicy raspberries, baked in a creamy vanilla custard.
Easter just wouldn’t be Easter without hot cross buns. They're so nostaglic for me, spiced and filled with dried fruit. When you're bored of toasting them and adding lashing of butter (if ever!), this is your next recipe to try. It looks (and tastes) impressive enough to be the celebration pudding for your Easter gathering, even if you may be using up slightly stale hot cross buns. Think of it as a spring version of my panettone bread and butter pudding.
It really couldn’t be simpler to make… All you have to do is make some jam, raspberry and white chocolate hot cross bun sandwiches, arrange them in a greased ovenproof dish, pour over a simple custard and then leave to soak. After that, you just pop it in the oven. That is all there is to it. It really is so good compared to how little effort it takes to put together.
If you are someone who finds white chocolate a bit too sweet, feel free to swap it for milk or dark chocolate. In fact, you can switch up the jam and the raspberries for all sorts of different flavours and fruits too (scroll down for inspiration). I love my easy lemon curd with blueberries for a super refreshing, zesty hot cross bun and butter pudding. Although, if you like my jaffa cake cake you can use marmalade, sliced orange segments and dark chocolate to create a chocolate orange hot cross bun bread and butter pudding.
Jump to:
- Why you will love this recipe:
- Ingredients:
- Substitutions and Variations:
- Here's how to make this simple hot cross bun bread and butter pudding:
- Cooking Tips:
- Chocolate chunks vs chocolate chips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storage, Freezing & Make Ahead Instructions
- Other recipes you might enjoy:
- Made this recipe and loved it?
- Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding
Why you will love this recipe:
- It is a super easy Easter pudding - perfect for entertaining over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
- It is full of flavour and texture. Think soft, spiced hot cross buns, sweet jam, fruity raspberries and gooey white chocolate all baked in a creamy custard.
- It is perfect for using up leftover hot cross buns. Yet impressive enough to be a special occasion pudding.
- It is the ultimate crowd-pleasing pudding. I have yet to find someone who can resist a bowl!
- It is versatile. You can get creative by switching up the chocolate and fruit, as well as trying different jams and spreads.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Butter - opt for unsalted butter so you can control the salt level in this hot cross bun bread and butter pudding.
Hot cross buns - the star ingredient in this hot cross bun bread and butter pudding! You can use the classic variety or switch up for one of the many different flavours available.
Raspberry jam - this brings a sweet and fruity flavour. Try to find one with a high fruit ratio for the best results.
Raspberries - opt for ripe and juicy raspberries for the best results.
White chocolate - opt for the best quality white chocolate bar you can find. It will melt into sweet, creamy puddles of molten chocolate when baked.
Eggs - I always use free-range large eggs stamped with the British Lion mark.
Caster sugar - this adds a hint of sweetness to the custard. You don’t need much as the white chocolate, jam and hot cross buns are already sweetened.
Milk - use full-fat milk for a deliciously thick and creamy custard.
Double cream - this brings extra richness and thickness to the custard.
Substitutions and Variations:
Hot cross buns: you could use brioche, panettone or pandoro at Christmas or croissants too.
Jam: you can use whatever flavour jam you like. Strawberry, apricot, blackcurrant and/or blueberry are all delicious. Marmalade is great if you want to go for chocolate orange vibes. Or use nutella or biscoff instead.
Chocolate: swap the white chocolate for milk or dark chocolate if you prefer.
Fruit: swap the raspberries for any kind of berry you wish. Blackberries, blueberries, sliced strawberries or pitted cherries all work well. Alternatively, use chopped oranges for a chocolate orange hot cross bun bread and butter pudding.
Marzipan: add another Easter twist by scattering chopped chunks of marzipan into the hot cross bun sandwiches and on top. It will give the hot cross bun bread and butter pudding a delicious almond flavour.
Serving suggestions: a scoop of good-quality vanilla ice cream and a drizzle with my easy homemade pistachio cream is my favourite (you'll see it in the image above!) But of course, optional! It's delicious with just a drizzle of double cream.
Here's how to make this simple hot cross bun bread and butter pudding:
Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
ONE: Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Grease a 1 Litre oven-proof baking dish with butter and set aside. Pop the hot cross buns onto a board and spread the bases generously with raspberry jam.
TWO: Sprinkle over half the fresh raspberries, followed by half the chopped white chocolate. Top with the lids to make 8 hot cross bun sandwiches.
THREE: Arrange the hot cross bun sandwiches into the prepared dish - you may have to cut some into quarters so that they all fit neatly (try to fill in any gaps).
FOUR: Scatter over the remaining raspberries and white chocolate. Set aside.
FIVE: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
SIX: Pour the milk and cream into a large saucepan and place over a low heat. Warm through until beginning to steam. Take care not to let it boil. Remove from the heat and gradually pour over the egg-sugar mixture, whisking constantly.
SEVEN: Carefully pour the egg mixture over the hot cross buns, ensuring they are evenly covered. Leave to stand for 10 minutes to allow the hot cross buns time to soak up some of the custard.
EIGHT: Place the baking dish into a deep roasting tin and pour in enough cold water round the edge to come about 2.5 cm up the sides of the dish. Pop in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes - or until the custard is just set and the top is golden and crisp.
Cooking Tips:
Leftover hot cross buns: don’t worry if your hot cross buns are slightly stale. In fact, they are often the best for making any kind of hot cross bun bread and butter pudding as they absorb the custard really well.
Resting: this is key to achieving the very best hot cross bun bread and butter pudding. Allowing the custard time to soak creates the best texture.
Covering with foil: check on your hot cross bun bread and butter pudding half way through and cover with foil if it is browning too quickly.
Flavour combos: I use white chocolate and raspberries in this hot cross bun bread and butter pudding, but you can get creative with all sorts of fruit and chocolate. Dark chocolate or milk would be great and different fruits too such as blueberries, sliced strawberries, pitted cherries or blackberries too!
Chocolate chunks vs chocolate chips
I always use a bar of good-quality white chocolate, chopped into chunks instead of white chocolate chips. I do the same in my triple chocolate brownies and chocolate chunk muffins. I find it gives a much better flavour and texture. This is because chocolate chips have stabilisers in which means they hold their shape even when baked. This means they don't melt down into little gooey chocolate pools which I think is the best bet. You can use chips but I would try with chocolate chunks once and you'll never go back!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can. Just add them on top in place of fresh raspberries. You may get more juices running which means it may turn a little pink in areas but will be delicious.
It essentially takes some type of bread/bun, adding a spread like butter or jam then arranged in a dish. Then a rich egg custard (often infused with vanilla and spices) is poured over and left to soak. Once the custard has had time to soak into the bread, it is baked until just set. This makes it a delicious pudding with a crisp top and gooey underneath.
Hot cross buns are spiced sweet buns, often including dried fruits like raisins, that are traditionally eaten on Good Friday to mark the end of Lent (and beginning of Easter). They are instantly recognisable by their distinctive cross on the top which symbolises the crucifixion of Jesus.
Yes, stale hot cross buns work really well, sometimes better than fresh, as they absorb the custard really well.
Storage, Freezing & Make Ahead Instructions
Yes! Any bread and butter pudding is a great idea if you need a make ahead pudding recipe. Simply make up to the soaking stage, cover and chill in the fridge. You can do this for a couple of hours or overnight. Then you just bake as instructed in the recipe. If you are making it the night before, keep back a little of the custard and pour over 30 minutes before baking.
Any leftovers can be covered and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. I tend to cover the dish well with clingfilm or transfer to an airtight tupperware if only a little remains.
You can eat this pudding cold but if you prefer it hot, you can either heat a portion at a time in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until piping hot or place the whole baking dish back in the oven at 160c for 10-15 minutes until hot (it will depend how much you have left). This can make the custard a little overcooked but it's still delicious.
The assembled (unbaked) pudding can be frozen for up to 3 months. Don't freeze with the raspberries and white chocolate chunks on the top. Assemble it and then wrap tightly in clingfilm and a final layer of foil. When ready to eat, defrost overnight in the fridge. Around 30 minutes before baking it, remove it from the fridge to bring it to room temp. Then bake as usual. Make sure it's piping hot before serving.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you like the sound of this hot cross bun bread and butter pudding, check out my salted caramel bread and butter brioche pudding with nutella. Also don’t miss my pistachio cream brioche french toast or for something savoury, ham and cheese croissant bake.
Made this recipe and loved it?
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Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding
Ingredients
- About 10 g unsalted butter for greasing
- 8 hot cross buns sliced in half
- 100 g raspberry jam
- 100 g fresh raspberries
- 100 g good-quality white chocolate chopped into small pieces
- 3 large eggs
- 20 g caster sugar
- 225 ml full-fat milk
- 225 ml double cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Grease a 1 Litre oven-proof baking dish with butter and set aside.
- Pop the hot cross buns onto a board and spread the bases generously with raspberry jam. Sprinkle over half the fresh raspberries, followed by half the chopped white chocolate. Top with the lids to make 8 hot cross bun sandwiches.
- Arrange the hot cross bun sandwiches into the prepared dish - you may have to cut some into quarters so that they all fit neatly (try to fill in any gaps). Scatter over the remaining raspberries and white chocolate. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
- Pour the milk and cream into a large saucepan and place over a low heat. Warm through until beginning to steam. Take care not to let it boil. Remove from the heat and gradually pour over the egg-sugar mixture, whisking constantly.
- Carefully pour the egg mixture over the hot cross buns, ensuring they are evenly covered. Leave to stand for 10 minutes to allow the hot cross buns time to soak up some of the custard.
- Place the baking dish into a deep roasting tin and pour in enough cold water round the edge to come about 2.5 cm up the sides of the dish (take care not to get any water into the pudding itself).
- Pop in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes - or until the custard is just set and the top is golden and crisp.
- Leave to stand for 10 minutes before spooning into bowls and serving warm with scoops of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of double cream. You can also add the ice cream on top of the dish and serve family-style at the table.
