Hot cross cookie

This Easter, the traditional bun gets a makeover. This fun and crumbly cookie version is still full of spice and with the signature cross piped over the top, this is a delectable way to get festive.

Credit: China Squirrel

• makes

  26

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 300 g (2 cups) plain flour
• 1 ½ tsp good quality cocoa powder
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp mixed spice powder
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp salt
• 125g unsalted butter, softened
• 115g (½ cup) caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp freshly grated lemon rind
• 1 tsp freshly grated orange rind
• 1 egg
• 125 g good quality dark chocolate, coarsely grated
• 125 g (¾ cup) currants

Lemon icing

• 230 g (1 ½ cups) pure icing sugar
• 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Chilling time 1 hour

Instructions

Line 3 baking trays with baking paper.

Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, mixed spice, ginger and salt into a medium bowl. Place butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon and orange rinds into a medium mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat until light and creamy, about 4 minutes. Add egg and mix to combine. Stir in grated chocolate and currants then use a clean hand to bring mixture together. Roll heaped tablespoonfuls of cookie mixture into 26 balls then place onto prepared trays, allowing room for spreading. Refrigerate trays of cookies for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 190°C.

Bake cookies in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the top of cookies are just firm to touch and the centre is still slightly soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on trays then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the lemon icing, sift icing sugar into a medium mixing bowl; gradually stir in lemon juice, mixing until a stiff paste forms. Spoon icing into a small plastic snap lock sandwich bag. Use scissors to cut a corner off the bag then pipe crosses onto cookies.

Allow icing to set, about 20 minutes. Store in an air tight container. Eat with 2 days.

Photography, styling and food preparation by China Squirrel. This recipe is from Cookie Scout, our cookie project column. 

For more Easter ideas, from festive baking to slow-cooked lamb, visit our Easter recipe collection here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.