Easy Hot Cross Buns Recipe With Mango and Coconut {African Flavours}
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.
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
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.
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
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.
Coconut and Mango Hot Cross Buns Recipe
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.
Nutrition
Sounds like an amazing African dish!
I have never cooked with mango. I love that you added them to cross buns.
These flavors sound amazing together!
I have always wanted to try these. Your photos are just lovely! 🙂
I love the flavor combination you used for these classic buns!
They look great. Really like the addition of the mango.
These are so gorgeous! I am so not a fan of raisins in baked goods, so mango is a major upgrade. And I love the swapping in of coconut milk. Pinning these!
A new reader from FoogGawker here! 🙂 Your photos are stunning!
OMG! Bintu girl you just reinventing the wheel for hot cross buns. You certainly put Africa on the map with these little beauties…..love it!
These are so beautiful! The flavor combinations sounds exotic and SO delicious! Anything coconut has my heart!
What a yummy combination!
Thank you Akaleistar.
Bintu, you are killing me Gurrrl, just love your mango and coconut twist on this classic easter buns – My favorite ingredients .. I just have to give this a try.
Ah, well you will really love these then.
It has been too long since I made hot cross buns. Yours look awesome. Mango and coconut are inspired additions.
Thank you – I am hoping I get you out baking again with these.
What a brilliant variation on a normal hot cross bun! This version sounds so tasty – maybe with a bit of pineapple jam? 😉
Oh I like the sound of the added pineapple jam.
These sound and look amazing Bintu, I do like mixing things up with Hot Cross Buns and need to do something a bit more risque myself this year!
I look forward to seeing what u come up with
I love the idea of tropical Hot Cross Buns. I’ve been raving on about the ones with stem ginger in them, so I’m sure I would love these too.
I like the sound of some with stem ginger in them.
Those look heavenly Bintu. I’ve never tried making them myself yet. Yum!
You are in for a treat Jacqueline if you try making them.
I’m loving this recipe Bintu!!
Adding coconut and mango to hot cross buns is such a good idea, makes them so pretty and exotic 🙂
Thanks Margot. They are certainly very tropical.
I have fresh mangoes. Do I still need to soak in coconut milk?
I have not made them with fresh mango but I can imagine that you could add in some mango puree and reduce the amount of coconut milk.
hot cross buns have always bored me a bit (and i even like raisins! i feel like a lot of people are anti-raisins), but these sound amazing! love that you used dried mango- it’s so much easier to get, plus i bet the mango flavor is stronger than if you used fresh (:
Exactly – you get lots of little bursts of mango with every bite.