A savoury spin on hot cross buns! These Double Cheese Hot Cross Buns are packed with flavour from mature Cheddar, they’re topped with a cheesy cross and even more cheese. I serve mine with a quick, homemade chive butter.
Recipe originally posted in March 2014. Recipe and photographs updated March 2023.
This is a recipe redo from 9 years ago! The recipe and photographs were in need of a little update.
You’ll find hot cross buns in supermarkets all across the UK. The traditional hot cross bun is filled with dried fruit and mixed spice, but in recent years, new flavours have appeared and become equally popular choices.
We’re talking chocolate hot cross buns, some with cocoa powder in the dough and others with chocolate chips added. I have a recipe for Vegan Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns.
Red velvet is another flavour I’ve come across, along with apple and cinnamon, and caramelised white chocolate and fudge.
All these sweet hot cross buns are great, but you can also get savoury hot cross buns, with many, including one of my favourite ingredients. Cheese.
These Double Cheese Hot Cross Buns consist of a simple dough that’s flavoured with cayenne pepper and grated mature Cheddar cheese. The cross-topping is usually made by mixing flour and water, but mine is made by mixing together grated Pecorino cheese, flour and water. The cheese adds that extra salty, cheesy deliciousness to each hot cross bun!
Right before baking, I sprinkled the tops of each HCB with even more Pecorino – if you’re not vegetarian, then you can use Parmesan instead.
Serve your cheesy hot cross buns with a liberal amount of salted butter. I made my own chive butter, by mixing softened butter with chopped chives from the garden and a little bit of black pepper.
Also, why not fill your savoury hot cross bun with some crispy bacon – I love vegetarian bacon and think this would pair wonderfully for brunch/lunch. Or spread with butter, followed by your favourite chutney and some extra cheese.
The recipe is time-consuming, but there’s no better feeling than eating a batch of homemade bread you’ve baked right in your own kitchen.
Double Cheese Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
Hot Cross Bun Dough:
- 250 ml milk
- 50 g butter (salted or unsalted)
- 500 g strong white bread flour
- 14 g dried yeast 2 x standard 7g packets
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 medium or large egg
- 150 g mature Cheddar coarsely or finely grated
Cheese Cross Topping:
- 5 tablespoons finely grated Pecorino Cheddar can be substituted
- 5 tablespoons plain flour
- 5 tablespoons water
Cheese Topping:
- 25 g Cheddar or Pecorino grated
Instructions
- In a small pan, heat your milk and butter until the butter has melted and the milk is just warm to the touch - you don't want the milk boiling hot.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your bread flour, yeast (to one corner), salt (to the opposite corner to the yeast) and the cayenne pepper (if using). Give these ingredients a good stir so they're evenly mixed.
- Now add the warmed milk/butter mixture, along with the beaten egg and stir until a soft dough comes together.
- Knead by hand or in a stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook attachment for 8-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.
- Cover the bowl and leave the dough somewhere warm for 2 hours or until it's doubled in size.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, mix the grated Cheddar into the dough by hand. Divide it equally into 12 pieces (I weigh for accuracy and each dough piece weighs roughly approx. 80g) and roll each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Place the balls of dough on a large, lightly greased baking tray, leaving space for them to rise. Leave for the dough to rise for another hour, or until the dough has risen and joined up.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C Fan / 400°F / Gas Mark 6. Make the cheesy cross topping by mixing the grated cheese, flour and water gently until it's just come together - try not to over mix this, otherwise it becomes tough when baked.
- Transfer the cheesy cross topping to a piping bag, snip the end a little just to make a small hole. Pipe a line across the top of the buns and then pipe another line the opposite way, so each bun is topped with a cross. I went over the top of each line again to use up the majority of my mixture - don't worry if you don't use it all.
- Sprinkle over the grated cheese and then bake the buns for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden - mine took 25 minutes. Allow to cool and then serve with plenty of butter!
Vegan Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns
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I love the savory twist on this 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
You can’t go wrong with some cheesy soft bread slathered in butter 🙂
I know, cheese and carbs we’re always a match made in heaven! 🙂
Oh yes! 🙂
I first had a hot cross bun when I was vacationing in Australia. This cheesy version sounds amazing, and I’d love to eat a few right now! 🙂
Hi Eva- the cheese version is totally different on so many levels, I prefer it because I love savoury foods! 🙂
Those are gorgeous Jess, have never seen a savory hot cross bun, love this!
Thanks Suzanne! I’d never seen a savoury hot cross bun before I found this recipe either! But it’s so good, I definitely prefer these to the traditional hot cross bun! 🙂
These Buns look great! I think I need one or two right now 🙂
Thanks Dani! I could’ve eaten more, but I had to restrain myself! 🙂
I love me some cheesy bread! These are perfect for Easter.
Thank you Natalie! Cheesy bread is an all-time favourite!
Yummy yummy yummy and extremely delicious x
Thanks Dimple! They were so good! x
Lovely 🙂
Thank you Elaine! 🙂
OMG, you seem to have been reading my mind! I’ve never made these but this Easter was going to be the time! First time I see these buns made with cheese, now I can’t make up my mind; the plain ones or the whatjessicabakednext cheese ones? 😉
We’ll see…
Besos
Hi Rosa! You’ll love hot cross buns, both sweet and savoury versions. I love these because, I don’t really like any kind of dried fruit. Whatever recipe you choose, you’ll love hot cross buns! Looking forward to your recipe! 🙂 x
These look incredible – I love a good savory biscuit! Perfect for breakfasts and afternoon snacks!
Thanks Lisa- savoury biscuits are always so good! I could eat these anytime of day..:)
I keep meaning to try making hot cross buns but always forget or run out of time for easter! Love the savory spin with the cheese!
Thanks Ashley! 🙂
Thanks for sharing- glad you like the recipe!
Oh I love these! They look delicious with all that cheese!
Thank you- can’t beat lots of cheese! 🙂
ooo savory hot cross buns. great idea! cheese is the best on anything x
Thanks Trisha! X
This is perfect for Easter! I will absolutely have to make these! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much! Really recommend the recipe- so good and every single one has been devoured! 🙂
I bet!
You always come up with such great ideas, Jess! Love this one and pinning!
Thank you Helen! 🙂
These look amazing Jess! I’m very into Easter traditions and I love this for mine!
Thanks Jess! 🙂
You’ve got some serious bread baking skills going on over here! These look delicious!
Thanks Chris! 🙂
They look delicious!
Thank you Jacqui!
I was not aware of hot cross buns before last weekend when I made some. I’m posting them tomorrow!! Love that you made these with cheese!! I can’t wait to try.
Thanks Zainab! It think Hot Cross Buns are more popular in countries like the UK, Australia etc… Really looking forward to your recipe, I bet it’ll be fab! And, yeah the cheese was a really good addition to this traditional recipe!
My friend JUST told me to make hot cross buns!! I’m totally trying your variety though – it looks so much better than the real thing. That cheesy cross is amazing!
Hi Cate! I really recommend this cheese version, so tasty and perfect warm and toasted! Let me know if you do try the recipe!
I do not like hot cross buns, but this is something else! You never cease to amaze me, Jess! x Mel
Thank you Mel! 🙂 x Glad you like the recipe!
I kinda love that you put that huge pat of butter on that piece in the first picture, Jess. That’s about how I prefer my butter to bun ratio! 😉
Haha, thanks Patty! Love a lot of butter- the only way to eat bread in my opinion! 🙂
Exactly!!
I love this savory version! Anything baked with cheese gets my vote!
Thanks Lulu! 🙂
I never thought about savory hot cross buns – love the cheese addition.
Thank you 🙂
Like the idea of cheesy cross buns…they sure look great…love it!
Hope you are having a great week Jess 😀
Thanks Juliana! Cheesy hot cross buns are my new fav Easter recipe! Hope you’ve had a great week so far! 🙂
I love buns and bread. That’s one of my biggest weaknesses. These look delicious.
Thanks Kathy!
I don’t think you can ever go wrong with bread + cheese. Oh, and of course butter! 🙂 These buns look delicious, Jessica!
Thanks Ashley!
Every Easter, I tell myself I want to try making hot cross buns. Yours look like they’re from a store–so perfect. I’ve never seen them with cheese, but sounds like a great idea!
Thank you so much Tiffany!
Cheese hot cross buns sound awesome! I’d eat them any day of the year, not only at Easter! 🙂
Will give these a go over the weekend, thanks for sharing a great recipe!
Great- hope you enjoy!
Very original Jess, these look wonderful – have a good weekend! 🙂
Thanks Jo! Have a great weekend too! 🙂
Beautiful! This is what I love about blogging! There are so many creative people like you who introduce us to such unique creations! These look scrumptious!
Thank you Julianna! 🙂
I’d never thought of savory hot cross buns, but girl, do they look awesome! I need to make these asap : )
Thank you Consuelo! Have a great weekend! 🙂
Savory hot cross buns sound like a great idea. Look so yum, love them! 🙂
Thank you!
Cheesy hot cross buns sound amazing! What a great idea – they look so so good! Wish I had a few right now 🙂
Haha, thank you Kelly! I could so eat one right now as well- so good! 🙂
Hot cross buns
One a penny
Two a penny
Hot cross buns
Cheese hot cross is The Lord of the hot cross buns!
Yummy :).
Thank you! Cheese hot cross buns are amazing, you must try the recipe! 🙂
I had a sweet version at an Italian bakery recently, but this savor take looks even more rich and delicious. I will be giving these a try with the rainy week we have ahead 🙂
Thank you! I love hot cross sweet or savoury, but these cheese ones are so good! 🙂
I think I’m gonna try this one for easter! It looks delicious!
Thank you!
Oh yay I love that you made them cheesy. Also very cool how you baked the X on top.
Thanks Erin! 🙂