Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe With Mango and Coconut {African Flavours}

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You will love this easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe studded with mangoes and shredded coconut which adds a touch of the exotic to these buns. Whilst traditionally served at Easter, these glazed Hot Cross Buns can be eaten at any time of the year.

Hot Cross Buns Recipe - Hot cross buns on a cake tray with flowers and a yellow cloth.

If Africans did Hot Cross Buns, this Hot Cross Buns Recipe right here, would be the one we would make. Why? Because we love sweet, baked buns and cakes, and we love to bring our tropical flavours to traditional British recipes. Mangoes would replace raisins and sultanas and coconut milk would replace fresh milk.

Yeap, this Mango and Coconut Hot Cross Buns recipe is so easy to make and immensely morish.

Now let’s talk about leftovers. Leftover Hot Cross Buns are not really a thing in my house. First, we eat aaaaaaaaaaalll the Easter Chocolate. Then we eat aaaaaaaaaallllll the buns. Every single one. We are greedy like that.

You might have more restraint than us and if you do then my friend S has some advice for you. You can freeze them or make Hot Cross Buns French Toast and Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding. These sound so lush. Of course you can just toast them.

Hot Cross Buns Recipe - Hot cross buns on a cake tray with yellow flowers

 Hot Cross Buns Recipe

These Hot Cross Buns are packed full of sweet mango pieces pre-soaked in coconut milk, with hints of shredded coconut for a bit of texture, all paired beautifully with the warming flavours of nutmeg and allspice. Even the crosses have a coconut flavour. Yeap, this is how we would do it for Easter Hot Cross Buns in Sierra Leone.

Step 1. Combine the dry ingredients.
Step 2. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients and mix into a dough.
Step 3. Let the dough double in size before transferring to a lightly floured surface and punching out the air.
Step 4. Split the dough into 12 equal sized pieces, shape them into balls and leave to rise on a baking tray.
Step 5. Cover and leave them to rise for about 30 mins, or until doubled in size.
Step 6. Make the cross paste by thoroughly mixing together the ingredients and piping the crosses over the buns.
Step 7. Bake the buns in the oven until they are golden.
Hot Cross Buns Recipe - Hot cross buns on a cake tray with flowers , jam, and butter

Tips for Perfect Hot Cross Buns

  • Using a mixer will be quick and easy but if you mix by hand you can work out when you think the dough is right.
  • Soak the fruits for about 30-45 mins beforehand so that the fruits are nice and juicy in the buns.
  • Use a high grade of flour as the gluten will result in lighter baked treats.
  • Please do allow your dough rise in a warm spot until it has doubled in size.
  • Change up the spices to your taste – things like cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and others to taste.
  • Feel free to use marzipan to make the cross for the buns.
  • Try and bake the buns in the middle of the oven for more even baking.

Hot Cross Buns History

What Are Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns are a spiced sweet yeasted bun studded with dried fruits like currants, sultanas or in this case mango and then marked on the top with a cross that is either marked on or has icing pipped top. Whilst these are traditionally eaten on Good Friday you can now find them in supermarkets and food stores all year round.

I found you this really cool video that tells you a little bit more about Hot Cross Buns history. Have fun finding out more.

Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipes

If you are looking for more easy Hot Cross Buns recipe why not check out this Chocolate Orange version from Kitchen Sanctuary and this Carrot and Ginger version from Veggie Desserts.

More Easter Recipes

Rocky Road Cake.

Hazelnut Easter Egg Cake.

Here is how to make this Hot Cross Buns Recipe. Please do try it and if you do make it then please do tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or Twitter so that I can pop over and have a look. It is really, really awesome for me when you make any one of my recipes. You can also share it on my Facebook page.

Don't forget to tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or Twitter if you try Coconut and Mango Hot Cross Buns Recipe! It is really, really awesome for me when you make one of my recipes and I'd love to see it. You can also share it on my Facebook page. Please pin this recipe to Pinterest too! Thank you for reading Recipes from a Pantry.

Hot Cross Buns Recipe - Hot cross buns on a cake tray with flowers and a yellow cloth.
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4.94 from 16 votes

Coconut and Mango Hot Cross Buns Recipe

A tropical hot cross bun recipe with mangoes, coconut, allspice and nutmeg
Prep Time2 hours
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12
Calories: 298kcal
Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

For the tropical hot cross buns:

  • 75 g (2.6oz) dried mango finely chopped
  • 200 ml hand hot coconut milk
  • 450 g (1lb) strong white bread flour
  • 50 g (1.7oz) caster sugar
  • 3 tbsp shredded coconut
  • 4 tsp easy bake yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp ground allspice
  • 50 g (1.7oz) caster sugar
  • 50 g (1.7oz) melted butter
  • 1 egg beaten

For the crosses:

  • 4 tbsp plain flour
  • 4 tbsp coconut milk

For the glaze:

  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp water

Instructions

  • Soak the mango in the warm coconut milk for 15 mins.
  • Combine the flour, sugar, shredded coconut, yeast, salt, nutmeg and allspice in a large bowl and mix.
  • Heat the coconut milk and mango mixture in a microwave for about 25 secs to make it hand hot again.
  • Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the melted butter, the coconut mango mix and the egg and mix till it is well combined and forms a dough that comes cleanly off the side of the bowl.
  • Cover the bowl and set aside in a warm place for about 1.5hrs, or until doubled in size.
  • Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and punch out the air.
  • Split the dough into 12 equal sized pieces, shape them into balls and place on a lightly oiled and lined baking tray. Make sure to leave enough space so they can rise.
  • Cover and leave them to rise for about 30 mins, or until doubled in size.
  • Preheat the oven to fan-assisted 170C / 190C / 375F / gas 5.
  • Make the cross paste by thoroughly mixing the flour and coconut milk and piping the crosses over the buns.
  • Transfer the buns into the oven and bake for 15-20 mins, until they are golden.
  • Remove them from the oven and transfer to a wire rack.
  • Quickly mix together the honey and water for the glaze and brush this over the hot cross buns before leaving them to cool completely.
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Nutrition

Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 234mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 780IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 3mg

 

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4.94 from 16 votes

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50 Comments

  1. 4 stars
    Your posts leave me with a lot of experience and impressions, I hope you will have more good posts in the near future to share with readers.
    vex 3

  2. 5 stars
    We’re big fans of hot cross buns in our household, but I’ve never jazzed them up nice like this before! I’ll have to make these this year!

  3. 5 stars
    I love hot cross buns and these look and sound absolutely incredible with the mango and coconut. Can’t wait to try this recipe!

  4. 5 stars
    I remember enjoying hot cross buns for years now and I absolutely love mango and coconut. What a great way to combine the old with the new {for me!}! Thank you for sharing!

  5. I’ve been eating Hot Cross Buns since february as our local artisan bakery has been making them since then. I love them but wanted to make a batch of my own this weekend. I love this twist on the flavours. Thanks for sharing.

  6. 5 stars
    Thank you very much for your African touch to this classic recipe!

    My eaters hate raisins so I am very glad to have discovered your version.
    We gonna ‘worship’ this cross with all hearts and minds at every Easter from now.

    Merci beaucoup….