Hot Cross Cookies

A soft, chewy cookie inspired by classic hot cross buns — packed with warming spices, orange zest, sultanas, and finished with a white chocolate cross.

Published

Hot Cross Cookies

At a glance

Prep
15m – 45m
Bake
12m – 15m
Serves
12-18

Ingredients

  • Cookie dough

  • For the cross

Instructions

Preheat oven

  1. Preheat to 180°C (160°C fan). Line a baking tray with parchment.

Combine dry ingredients, chocolate and sultanas

  1. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, and mixed spice. Stir the sultanas, dark chocolate, and white chocolate into the flour mixture, coating them lightly.

Cream butter and sugars

  1. In a separate bowl, beat the butter, caster sugar, and light brown sugar until soft and fluffy.

Add wet ingredients

  1. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and orange zest until fully combined.

Combine

  1. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined into a dough.

Shape

  1. Scoop portions of dough (about 2 tbsp each), quickly roll into a ball and place onto the tray, spacing them well apart.

Bake

  1. Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden at the edges but still soft in the centre. Allow to cool on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Pipe the crosses

  1. Melt the remaining white chocolate. Once cookies are completely cool, pipe a cross over each one.

Notes

  • For thicker cookies, chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking.
  • The cookies may look slightly underbaked in the centre — this keeps them soft and chewy.
  • Orange zest adds the classic hot cross flavour, so don’t skip it.
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
  • I lost my piping bag and the chocolate wasn't fully melted so my crosses look a bit rough, super tasty still 😘