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Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns. A quicker alternative to hot cross buns, especially if you love the flavour of molasses.

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns shown on a teal pedestal with Easter decorations

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns. Make them a new Easter tradition.

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.

Perfect Hot Cross Buns

Perfect Hot Cross Buns

But, if you are dough-phobic or just don’t have the time to make the traditional version, why not try this molasses version. It’s  as easy as making a quick batch of biscuits.

Ingredients for Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

The simple ingredients for Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns.

Molasses tea buns are one of my favourites so I’ve used that recipe here. 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.

Newfoundland Molasses Raisin Tea Buns shown with a green and white tea service

Newfoundland Molasses Raisin Tea Buns.

Either way, in about an hour you could be enjoying these at an Easter brunch or on any given weekend.

Easter tea service photo with roses and Molasses Raisin Tea Buns on a teal pedestal

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns are perfect for Easter brunch.

 

Dry ingredients for Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Dry ingredients for Molasses Raisin Tea Buns.

Add the wet ingredients

Add the wet ingredients.

Toss the wet and dry ingredients together with a fork

Toss the wet and dry ingredients together with a fork.

Keep tossing with a fork until the dough starts to come together.

Keep tossing with a fork until the dough starts to come together.

Roll the dough out and add extra raisins to the surface if you like

Roll the dough out and add extra raisins to the surface if you like.

Roll the extra raisins into the surface

Roll the extra raisins into the surface. (See note below)

Molasses Raisin Tea Buns ready for the oven

Molasses Raisin Tea Buns ready for the oven.

Molasses Raisin Tea Buns fresh from the oven

Molasses Raisin Tea Buns fresh from the oven.

Love scones and tea buns?

For even more delicious ideas for brunch, we have put them together into one amazing collection of our 25 Best Scone Recipes.

25 Best Scone Recipes image with title text for Pinterest

Like this Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns recipe?

You’ll find plenty of other locally inspired ideas in our Newfoundland Recipes Category.

It’s easy to keep up with the latest home style cooking & baking ideas from Rock Recipes. Be sure to follow Rock Recipes Facebook Page and follow us on InstagramPlus you’ll see daily recipe suggestions from decadent desserts to quick delicious weekday meals too. 

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns photo with title text added for Pintertest

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Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns shown on a teal pedestal with Easter decorations
Yield: 12

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns - a quicker alternative to hot cross buns, especially if you love the flavour of molasses.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder (rounded)
  • 1 tsp baking soda (rounded)
  • 2 tsp cinnamon, optional
  • 1 tsp nutmeg, optional
  • 3/4 cup butter (cold &cut in cubes)
  • 1 1/2 cup raisins, light or dark, your preference
  • 1/2 cup molasses (fancy molasses not cooking molasses)
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Vanilla Glaze

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

Instructions

  1. In a food processor or in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
  2. Cut in or pulse in in the butter until the mixture resembles a fine meal. Remove to a large bowl and stir in the raisins.
  3. Make a well in the center of this mixture.
  4. Mix together the molasses, milk and vanilla.
  5. Pour into the well and mix only enough to form a dough ball. If this mixture seems too loose a dough, add a little more flour.
  6. Roll to 1 inch thickness and cut out buns with biscuit cutter and place in a parchment lined 9x13 baking pan.
  7. If you like, you can brush the tops of the buns with an egg wash made from whisking together one egg with a tablespoon of water. (You will not need to use all of the egg wash.)
  8. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 -30 minutes. Baking time may vary a little depending on the size of your biscuit cutter.
  9. This recipe makes about 12 tea buns.

To make the Vanilla Glaze

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

Notes

One of the ways I like to improve the appearance of any raisin buns is to sprinkle extra raisins on top of the dough. I then gently roll them into the surface of the dough before cutting the te buns out nd baking.

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Nutrition Information

Yield

18 smaller tea buns or 12 large

Serving Size

1 large tea bun

Amount Per Serving Calories 330Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 21mgSodium 202mgCarbohydrates 63gFiber 1gSugar 44gProtein 3g

The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.

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Janice

Sunday 21st of April 2019

Can you make these without raisins or 1/3 of the amount of raisins?

Barry C. Parsons

Monday 22nd of April 2019

Yes indeed.

Beverly

Sunday 7th of April 2019

Hi Barry,

Just made these biscuits (they are in the oven as I type this!) and am just wondering if the quantity of raisins in the recipe is correct. I put in the 1 1/2 cups called for but upon mixing the dough, wondered if it was supposed to 1/2 cup. Seemed like a lot of raisins! (Not a bad thing....I love raisins!) Fantastic dough, really nice to work with. Looking forward to having one of these biscuits with my coffee!

Marybeth Wood

Saturday 6th of April 2019

Barry, what sort of biscuit cutter did you use? The picture looks like the dough was just cut into squares to fit pan. Is that okay to do? Please let me know what you mean by biscuit cutter. I look forward to your posts and have made many of your recipes. I'm 83 and still love to bake.

Barry C. Parsons

Wednesday 17th of April 2019

It isa circular cutter, they just grow together in the pan. They need that room to expand.

Jennifer Edwards

Saturday 6th of April 2019

The picture doesn’t look like they were cut before baking; please explain. Love your recipes!

Barry C. Parsons

Wednesday 17th of April 2019

They just expanded and grew together when baking.

Sally

Tuesday 2nd of April 2019

These are delicious. I ate two before they had a chance to cool! Also made the orange date scones and they are equally delicious. Thank you for your website! Can't wait to try more of your recipes.

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