Recipe: Who Says Hot Cross Buns Are Just for Easter?
- Words by Peppermint
Whoever decided hot cross buns could only be enjoyed at Easter, had another thing coming. And while store-bought always does the trick to curb our cravings, there’s not much better than indulging in a fresh bun, straight from the oven when the chocolate stash runs dry. *Wipes away drool.*
We feel for our gluten-free friends though so to ensure no one misses out this long weekend (and beyond), our wonderful friends over at the much-loved Nodo have given us their hot cross buns recipe so you can indulge in their famous treats wherever you are! Full disclosure: you won’t be able to eat just one.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 10
500g (3 1/4 cups) Nodo plain flour
40g (1/4 cup) Rapadura sugar
10g (2 tsp) xanthan gum
5g (1 tsp) salt
1 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp psyllium
400ml (1.5 cups) milk
100ml (1/2 cup) water
1 large egg
70g (1/3 cup) butter
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp all spice
2 tsp ginger
260g soaked dried fruit (we love dried blueberries!)
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 185 degrees celsius.
Activate the yeast by mixing the yeast and warm milk together in a small bowl.
In a separate bowl, soak the psyllium in the water and set aside to thicken.
Weigh the flour, xanthan gum, sugar and salt, adding them to a large bowl and mixing slightly.
Once the yeast and psyllium have thickened, add them to a kitchen aid with the dry ingredients, also combining the soft butter and egg.
Fit the mixer with a hook attachment, and mix the ingredients on first speed for three minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure there are no dry ingredients at the bottom of the bowl. Mix further on second speed for three to four minutes.
Add the spices and mix the dough for another three to four minutes.
Scrape the sides once more, adding in the soaked blueberries, including any juice.
Mix the dough on first speed until the fruit has dispersed properly.
Remove from the bowl and transfer to a lightly greased baking tray.
Allow the dough to rest in the fridge for an hour at least – the longer the better.
Transfer the rested dough onto a lightly floured bench (we use rice flour here).
Cut and shape the dough – into portions of roughly 75g.
Place portions onto a greased baking tray, crossing the buns with the crossing mix (see recipe below).
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
Coat with glazing mix to finish (recipe below).
CROSS MIXTURE
Ingredients
1/2 cup Nodo plain flour
4-5 tbsp water
Method
Mix flour and water together until you reach a smooth consistency. Place mixture into a piping bag and pipe onto hot cross buns.
GLAZE
Ingredients
1/3 cup hot water
2 tbsp sugar
Method
Add both ingredients together and stir until sugar has dissolved then brush over the freshly baked hot cross buns.
CHOCOLATE HOT CROSS BUN VERSION
Simply replace 85g flour with cocoa, replace the dried fruit with chocolate chips and replace ginger with cardamon. Yum!
A big thanks to our friends at Nodo for this amazing recipe!
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Look, I don’t want to make anyone panic but IT’S DECEMBER!!! If you’re planning to give homemade gifts, you’re going to have to act fast. …
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This is a much-loved staple, created for Issue 50 in 2021. We love seeing the #PeppermintPaddingtonTop continually popping up in our feeds!
How stunning is our model Elon MelaninGoddessEfon – she told us it was one of the first times she had been asked to come to a shoot with her natural hair. 🌻
We worked with South African patternmaker Sarah Steenkamp of @FrenchNavyNow_ to create this wardrobe essential – the perfect puff-sleeve blouse. Raglan sleeves make it the ultimate beginner sew, plus the gorgeous back buttons let you add your own personal twist.
Pattern via the link in bio! 🪡
Photos: @KelleySheenan
Fabric: @Spoonflower
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“In the 1940’s, Norwegians made and wore red pointed hats with a tassel as a form of visual protest against Nazi occupation of their country. Within two years, the Nazis made these protest hats illegal and punishable by law to wear, make, or distribute. As purveyors of traditional craft, we felt it appropriate to revisit this design.”
Crafters have often been at the heart of many protest movements, often serving as a powerful means of political expression. @NeedleAndSkein, a yarn store in Minnesota, are helping to mobilise the craftivists of the world with a ‘Melt The Ice’ knitting pattern created by @Yarn_Cult (with a crochet pattern too), as a way of peaceful protest.
The proceeds from the $5 pattern will go to local immigrant aid organisations – or you can donate without buying the pattern.
Raise those needles, folks – art and craft can change the world. 🧶
Link in bio for the pattern.
Images: @Gather_Fiber @NeedleAndSkein @a2ina2 @KyraGiggles Sandi.204 @WhatTracyMakes AllieKnitsAway Auntabwi2
#MeltTheIce #Craftivism #Knitting #CraftForChange
TWO WEEKS TO GO! 🤩
"The most important shift is moving from volume-led buying to value-led curation – choosing fewer, better products with strong ethics, considered production and meaningful stories. Retailers have real influence here: what you buy signals what you stand for. At Life Instyle, this means using the event to discover and invest in small-scale, planet-considerate brands that align with your values and your customer’s conscience. Consumers don’t need more things; they need better things, and retailers play a key role in selecting, contextualising, and championing why those products matter."
Only two more weeks until @Life_Instyle – Australia`s leading boutique retail trade show. If you own a store, don`t miss this event! Connect with designers, source exquisite – and mindful – products, and see firsthand why this is Australia’s go-to trade show for creatives and retailers alike. And it`s free! ✨️
Life Instyle – Sydney/Eora Country
14-17 February 2026
ICC, Darling Harbour
Photos: @Samsette
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Calling all sewists! 📞
Have you made the Peppermint Waratah Wrap Dress yet? Call *1800 I NEED THIS NOW to get making!
This gorgeous green number was modelled (and made) by the fabulous Lisa of @Tricky.Pockets 🙌🏼
If you need a nudge, @ePrintOnline are offering Peppermint sewists a huge 🌟 30% off ALL A0 printing 🌟 when you purchase the Special Release Waratah Wrap Dress pattern – how generous is that?!
Head to the link in bio now 📞
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8 Things to Know About January 26 - from @ClothingTheGaps:
Before you celebrate, take the time to learn the truth. January 26 is not a day of unity it’s a Day of Mourning and Survival for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
It marks the beginning of invasion, dispossession, and ongoing colonial violence. It’s time for truth-telling, not whitewashed history.
Stand in solidarity. Learn. Reflect. Act.
✊🏽 Blog written by Yorta Yorta woman Taneshia Atkinson.
🔗 Link in bio of @ClothingTheGaps to read the full blog
#ChangeTheDate #InvasionDay #SurvivalDay #AlwaysWasAlwaysWillBe #ClothingTheGaps
As the world careens towards AI seeping into our feeds, finds and even friend-zones, it`s becoming increasingly hard to ignore.
We just wanted to say that here at Peppermint, we are choosing to not print or publish AI-generated art, photos, words, videos or content.
Merriam-Webster’s human editors chose `slop` as the 2025 Word of the Year – they define it as “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” The problem is, as AI increases in quality, it`s becoming more and more difficult to ascertain what`s real and what`s not.
Let`s be clear here, AI absolutely has its place in science, in climate modelling, in medical breakthroughs, in many places... but not in replacing the work of artists, writers and creatives.
Can we guarantee that everything we publish is AI-free? Honestly, not really. We know we are not using it to create content, but we are also relying on the artists, makers and contributors we work with, as well as our advertisers, to supply imagery, artwork or words created by humans. AI features are also creeping into programs and apps too, making it difficult to navigate. But we will do our best to avoid it and make a stand for the artists and creatives who have had their work stolen and used to train AI machines, and those who are now losing work as they are replaced by this energy-sapping, environment-destroying magic wand.
Could using it help our productivity and bottom line? Sure. And as a small business in a difficult landscape, that`s a hard one to turn down. We know other publishers who use AI to write stories, create recipes, produce photo shoots... but this one is important to us.
`Touch grass` was also a Merriam-Webster Word of the Year. We`ll happily stick with that as a theme, thanks very much. 🌿
