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Hot cross cookies

Name: Hot cross cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: Makes 18-20
Ingredients: 120g butter, softened; 230g light muscovado sugar; 1 medium free-range egg, beaten; Finely grated zest ½ orange, plus 2 tbsp juice; 250g self-raising flour; ½ tsp fine salt; 2 tsp mixed spice; 120g mixed dried fruit; 75g dark chocolate, melted in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (the water not touching the bowl) or in short blasts in a microwave; You’ll also need; 2 baking sheets lined with compostable baking paper; Piping bag fitted with a 3mm plain nozzle

By: Sophie Austen-Smith
Former deputy food editor, delicious.

Published: 9 Mar 21
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Add these hot cross cookies to your Easter baking repertoire: scented with mixed spice and studded with dark chocolate, they’re another excuse to eat chocolate at Easter.

Cooking with kids over the Easter holidays? Check out our spring lamb cupcakes, or Martha Collison’s coconut macaroon nests.

Easy
March 2021

Test kitchen approved

Makes 18-20
Hands-on time 15 min, oven time 10-12 min, plus chilling and cooling

Add these hot cross cookies to your Easter baking repertoire: scented with mixed spice and studded with dark chocolate, they’re another excuse to eat chocolate at Easter.

Cooking with kids over the Easter holidays? Check out our spring lamb cupcakes, or Martha Collison’s coconut macaroon nests.

Nutrition: Per Cookie (for 20)

Calories: 177kcals
Fat: 6.5g (3.9g saturated)
Protein: 2g
Carbohydrates: 27.3g (17.9g sugars)
Fibre: 0.8g
Salt: 0.4g

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Ingredients

120g butter, softened
230g light muscovado sugar
1 medium free-range egg, beaten
Finely grated zest ½ orange, plus 2 tbsp juice
250g self-raising flour
½ tsp fine salt
2 tsp mixed spice
120g mixed dried fruit
75g dark chocolate, melted in a bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (the water not touching the bowl) or in short blasts in a microwave

You’ll also need

2 baking sheets lined with compostable baking paper
Piping bag fitted with a 3mm plain nozzle

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Method

Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat using a wooden spoon or electric mixer until pale and well combined (about 3 minutes). Whisk in the egg, orange zest and juice until smooth.
Sift together the flour, salt and mixed spice onto the butter mixture, then fold in using a spatula until smooth. Fold in the mixed dried fruit. Using a dessert spoon, scoop out 18-20 balls and space well apart on the prepared baking sheets. Chill the balls for 30 minutes (see Make Ahead).
Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are golden and puffed, then allow to cool in the tin on a wire rack.

Once the cookies have cooled, scrape the melted dark chocolate into the piping bag and pipe a cross over each, then allow to set before eating.

Recipe from March 2021 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 177kcals
Fat: 6.5g (3.9g saturated)
Protein: 2g
Carbohydrates: 27.3g (17.9g sugars)
Fibre: 0.8g
Salt: 0.4g

delicious. tips

Once they’re shaped and chilled, open-freeze the cookies for an hour or so, then transfer to a food bag and freeze for up to 1 month. To cook from frozen add an extra 2-3 minutes to the baking time.