Hot Cross Buns / Canva
Hot Cross Bun Day is the 11th of September.
So closely are Hot Cross Buns associated with Easter, and in particular, Good Friday, that at first blush you’re quite tempted to think why would you want Hot Cross Buns in September?
It appears, though, that some people so love them that they squeal with delight at learning they can have them again, only a short 5 months or so after Easter, when normally you have to wait a whole year to have them again.
Now, you can usually find some grocery store bakery somewhere that sells them just about year-round.
Even if you can’t find them in your area today, you can learn all about their history, find out some of the myths around them — and how much of that is true.
#HotCrossBuns
See also: Hot Cross Buns
Recipes
History
The first print mention that CooksInfo is aware of for a Hot Cross Buns Day in September occurred in 2007 in New Jersey:
“Hot Cross Buns aren’t just for Easter and Christmas. After all, Tuesday [Ed: 11 Sept 2007] is National Hot Cross Bun Bay. To make them in a hurry, substitute frozen bread dough — thawed, of course. Simply add raisins, cinnamon and sugar, shape as desired and cook them at 350 degrees until finished. To make the glaze, stir together ½ cup of powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons milk, and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla. Add more sugar or milk to get the consistency you’d like.” — Food Column. Hackensack, New Jersey: The Record. Sunday, 9 September 2007. Page F2, col. 1.
Previously, in fact as recently as the year before, a newspaper in Maryland reported that the date was in fact at Easter Time, which is when any right-thinking person would probably have expected it to be:
“Someone in the office stumbled upon a list of American Food and Drink Holidays on the Internet that someone else spent a lot of time and effort compiling [www.tfduch.com/foodh.htm]…. Here are some of my personal favorites from the list… National Hot Cross Bun Day (Good Friday)…” — Colvin, Janice. Food by the days. Easton, Maryland: The Star-Democrat. Sunday, 28 May 2006. Page C10, col. 1.
Literature & Lore
Hot Cross Buns! Hot Cross Buns!
One a penny,
Two a penny,
Hot Cross Buns!
If you have no daughters,
Pray give them to your sons!
One a penny,
Two a penny,
Hot Cross Buns!