How to Make Chelsea Buns

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: September 16, 2021 References

Chelsea buns are enjoyed from Britain to New Zealand, and are a classic tea-time treat. But sweet but spiced, with a bit of dried fruit to bring it all together, England's answer to the cinnamon bun is well worth your time.

Ingredients

Classic Chelsea Buns

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 packet instant or active yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3 + 2 tablespoons butter (keep separate)
1 1/2 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup raisins, currants, dried cherries, etc.
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Basic Glaze:

2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons sugar (extra-fine or castor sugar, if possible)

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Making the Buns

You just want the butter to be completely melted -- it helps a lot to cut it into small pieces first. It should be very warm to the touch, but not so warm that you can't put your finger in it. If you leave it on too long and it gets hot, set it aside for a minute or too to cool while you prepare the flour.
2
Whisk together 2 cups of sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, package yeast, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large mixing bowl. You simply want to break up any clumps of flour and ensure that the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture.
- If you don't have instant or quick-acting yeast, just that is okay. Just know that the rises later in the recipe will take a bit longer.
This allows you to more evenly mix in everything, folding the flour slowly into the wet ingredients instead of pouring it all on top and trying to mix it in this way.
4
Combine the dough with a wooden spoon, then knead for 10 minutes. Once everything is well mixed, turn the dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and start kneading. To do so, stand over the dough. Pull up a third of the dough and fold it onto the top of the dough ball. Using the heel of your hand, push down firmly into the center of the dough. Rotate the dough ball a quarter turn and then pull up another third, pressing it down. Repeat for 10 minutes, or until you have a smooth, shiny dough.^{[1]
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- If you have a stand mixer, like a Kitchen-Aid, you can use the dough hook attachment on medium instead of kneading. It should only take 4-5 minutes.
5
Place in a lightly greased bowl, covered, to rise for an hour. A warm spot is best, as this helps promote yeast growth. When done the dough should be about twice as high as it was when you started -- usually 1-2 hours later.
- If you want to eat the buns tomorrow, you can refrigerate this dough to slow the rising process. It will make it about 12 hours in the cold before starting to lose some of its moisture.
A light pat of butter or some non-stick cooking spray will do the job. A square, 9" dish will be big enough for taller buns, but you may want a bigger pan if you're planning on making many smaller buns.
Using a rolling pin, flatten the dough into a rectangle about 1/2" thick. While the exact proportions are up to you, it should be about a foot on it's longest side.
Room temperature butter is perfect. Use a knife to spread the butter evenly on the entire rectangle of dough.
Leave about a 1/4" of space between the edge of the dough and the mixture. While this recipe calls for light brown sugar, you can easily substitute in darker brown sugar for a richer, more molasses-like flavor.
10
Roll the entire dough rectangle up along the long side, leaving you with raw dough roll. You want to roll the longest ends, leaving you with a long, skinny roll of dough. To do so, press one one long side into the countertop to anchor it down. Then roll the other long side towards you, trying to keep it as tight as possible.
- If the dough sticks to your hands, lightly dust them with flour.
If you want bigger, thicker buns you can cut fewer rounds, and if you want more than nine you can cut them smaller. Try not to press down on the roll as you cut. Try to cut through by pushing the blade forward -- through the dough instead of down into it.^{[2]
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12
Set the rolls in your greased dish and let them rise for another 30 minutes. Set them in the dish so that they aren't touching, roughly 1/2" apart. You'll know they are ready to cook when they have risen enough that they're touching when you return to them.
- Make sure, like the last rise, the buns are covered and in a warm place.
- Now is also a good time to pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F.
Once the tops are gorgeous and golden, you can take them out. If the tops aren't quite dark enough, but the fruit is starting to burn, simply cover the entire pan of buns with a sheet of aluminum foil for the last few minutes.^{[3]
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14
Apply your glaze right out of the oven, then eat while still hot. Chelsea buns, like most other quick, risen breads, are best the day they are baked. Be sure to choose your favorite sweet glaze and apply it while they are still hot.^{[4]
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- Don't feel like glazing? Simply dust with powdered sugar and serve!
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Making Icings and Glazes

1
Try a simple, classic royal icing for a traditional treat. All you need is water, icing sugar, and an egg white also known as powdered sugar. You can blend these up into a wonderfully light, but delicious, icing in no time. Simply beat the following together with a wooden spoon until completely blended:
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1 egg white (or powdered egg white equivalent)
- 1/2 teaspoon water.^{[5]
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2
Try out a creamy milk-sugar glaze. This icing has a slightly more intense flavor, taking on notes of toffee if cooked for long enough. To make it, simply warm 2 tablespoons of milk on low heat, mixing in 2 tablespoons of sugar until dissolved. Spread over warm buns immediately with a kitchen brush or the back of a spoon.^{[6]
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- If you have demerara sugar, which is extra large and crunchy, sprinkle it over this glaze for a little punch of crunch and sweetness.^{[7]
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This is more and more common in English bakeries and takes no more than a bit of zest. You can choose either icing recipe listed above this step, simply grating in 1/2 teaspoon of orange or lemon zest to get a light, but decadent, citrus flavor.
If applied early enough, the sugar will likely start to melt slightly, as it is so fine it doesn't need much heat to dissolve. This can lead to a light, simple, and instant glaze without dirtying any other dishes.
5
Glaze them with an improvised glaze of your favorite jam, such as apricot. This sugary, fruity glaze goes incredibly with the bun and dried fruit, especially if added while the buns are still hot. While any jam will work, the slightly tart bite of apricot jam is particularly heavenly.
- If the jam is hard to spread, even over the hot buns, add a splash of water and microwave for 10-15 seconds, until smooth and spreadable.^{[8]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Sampling Variations

1
Try spicing the dough, instead of just the filling. This can lead to a much more nuanced bun, and prevents overly strong bites of spice by more evenly distributing it throughout the entire bun. Remember when spicing to smell your spice mixture before adding -- if it smells good, it will likely taste good, too. To spice the dough, simply whip up your dough like normal, adding the following to the dough after the milk and egg:
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or mixed spice (combine cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, allspice, and/or cardamom).
Remember that you do need some sugar -- at least 1 teaspoon, to help feed the yeast. That said, how much sugar you add is largely up to you. Want more "spiced," less sugary buns? Stick to just a teaspoon. But equally correct are sweeter dessert buns, which can take 2–3 tablespoons (29.6–44.4 ml) of sugar. There are many recipes on the internet, but the basics are easily adjusted to change the exact flavor you want.
Butter leads to denser, but richer, doughs. There are recipes that call for as much as 8 melted tablespoons of butter in the total recipe, 5 in the dough and three for the filling. If you want something just a bit more decadent, try throwing in 1-2 extra tablespoons of butter when warming the milk.^{[9]
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4
Mix up the dried fruit that you use in the center. While currants are the most common fruit for a Chelsea bun, they aren't your only option. Other popular fruits include:
- Raisins
- Craisins
- Sultanas
- Dried apricots (cut small)
- Dried cherries
This may cause them to lose some of their spiral shapes, but it ensures that the fruit doesn't burn, as well. Simply add the dried fruit in after the dough is almost done mixing and bake like normal.^{[10]
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Tips

Jam can be smeared on the dough in place of the sugar and spice (or as well as!).

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Sultanas can also be added to the mixture if liked.

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You can use any flour type but you will need to be familiar with the properties of other flour types than wheat; adjust accordingly.

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