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.
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. It’s as easy as making a quick batch of biscuits.

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

Hot Cross Molasses Raisin Tea Buns.
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 Instagram. Plus you’ll see daily recipe suggestions from decadent desserts to quick delicious weekday meals too.
You can also sign up for our FREE newsletter to know immediately when we add new recipes. You’ll also get weekly suggestions for great family friendly meals and desserts too!
For even more delicious ideas for brunch, we have put them together into one amazing collection of our 25 Best Scone Recipes.

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.
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
- In a food processor or in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- 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.
- Make a well in the center of this mixture.
- Mix together the molasses, milk and vanilla.
- 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.
- 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 25 -30 minutes. Baking time may vary a little depending on the size of your biscuit cutter.
- This recipe makes about 12 tea buns.
To make the Vanilla Glaze
- 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.
Recommended Products
Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.
Nutrition Information
Yield
18 smaller tea buns or 12 largeServing Size
1 large tea bunAmount Per Serving Calories 330 Total Fat 8g Saturated Fat 5g Trans Fat 0g Unsaturated Fat 2g Cholesterol 21mg Sodium 202mg Carbohydrates 63g Fiber 1g Sugar 44g Protein 3g
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.
The picture doesn’t look like they were cut before baking; please explain.
Love your recipes!
They just expanded and grew together when baking.
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.
It isa circular cutter, they just grow together in the pan. They need that room to expand.
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!
Can you make these without raisins or 1/3 of the amount of raisins?
Yes indeed.