Hot cross bun

Lore & Background

In the Christian tradition, buns with a cross on them are made and consumed after breaking the fast on Good Friday, along with 'crying about Hot cross buns', to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus. In 1592, during the reign of Elizabeth I of England, the London Clerk of Markets issued a decree forbidding the sale of spiced buns and other spiced breads except at burials, on Good Friday, or at Christmas. The punishment for transgressing was forfeiture of all the forbidden product to the poor, so hot cross buns at the time were primarily made in domestic kitchens. Further attempts to suppress their sale outside these holy days took place during the reign of James I of England (1603–1625).

The first definite record of hot cross buns comes from a London street cry: 'Good Friday comes this month, the old woman runs. With one or two a penny hot cross buns', which appeared in Poor Robin's Almanac for 1733. The line 'One a penny, two a penny, hot cross-buns' appears in the English nursery rhyme 'Hot Cross Buns' published in the London Chronicle for 2–4 June 1767. Food historian Ivan Day states, 'The buns were made in London during the 18th century. But when you start looking for records or recipes earlier than that, you hit nothing.'

English folklore includes many superstitions surrounding hot cross buns. One is that if the bun was made from dough kneaded for the host and baked and served on Good Friday, it would not spoil or grow mouldy during the subsequent year. Another belief encourages keeping such a bun for medicinal purposes: a piece given to someone who is ill is said to help them recover. If taken on a sea voyage, hot cross buns are said to protect against shipwreck. If hung in the kitchen, they are said to protect against fire and ensure that all breads turn out perfectly, with the hanging bun replaced each year.

Reader's Guide

The hot cross bun holds significance as a traditional Christian food marking the end of Lent and commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus. Its history reflects early modern English efforts to control the sale of spiced breads, with decrees under Elizabeth I and James I restricting their sale to specific holy days. The first definite record appears in 1733, and the bun is also immortalized in the nursery rhyme 'Hot Cross Buns' from 1767. Folklore attributes protective and medicinal properties to buns baked on Good Friday, such as preventing spoilage, aiding recovery from illness, protecting against shipwreck, and safeguarding kitchens from fire. Modern variations include toffee, orange-cranberry, salted caramel, chocolate, and apple-cinnamon in the UK, and chocolate chip, sour cherry, burger sauce, Vegemite and cheese, and jalapeño and cheese in Australia. In Jamaica and some Commonwealth Caribbean islands, the bun has evolved into a spiced Easter loaf eaten with cheese. In Slovakia and the Czech Republic, a similar cake called mazanec is eaten at Easter, often marked with a cross. The traditional method for making the cross on top uses shortcrust pastry, though some 21st-century recipes recommend a paste of flour and water.

Did You Know?

• In 1592, a decree by the London Clerk of Markets forbade sale of spiced buns except at burials, on Good Friday, or at Christmas.
• A hot cross bun baked on Good Friday is said not to spoil or grow mouldy for a year.
• The first definite record of hot cross buns is a street cry from Poor Robin's Almanac for 1733.