What would trashy news websites moan about if we didn’t have the early resurgence of hot cross buns every year? The weather? The staggering cost of living? Nah, from Christmas ’til Easter (and usually beyond) it’s the hottest topic of conversation. But despite the annual media outrage, we reckon everyone’s kind of glad the mince pie months have lapsed. After all, wouldn’t you rather a nice hot, sticky, honey-gold bun than a cold crumbly mess? So, off the back of the hot cross bun flurry (and whether you’re pro early buns or not), we’ve created a Hot Cross Bun Cocktail that is not only bloody delicious, but also wonderfully complex.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the cocktail, let’s have a squiz at when these cinnamony, nutmeg, and raisiny breads first came about. You’ve heard the old 19th-century nursery rhyme – “Hot cross buns, hot cross buns, one a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns” – but did you know these little honey-hued goodies have been around for much longer? The Saxons ate crossed buns to honour Eostre the goddess of spring and light, while druids were known to celebrate similar events with buns, as were the Phoenicians. And the Greeks and Romans ate their buns marked with crosses in honour of Diana, goddess of the hunt and the moon. You can actually see proof of these little Roman buns in the ruins of Pompeii. So, to sum up, hot cross buns have been popular forever, and their reappearance every year should be something to celebrate. After all, they’ve outlived quite a few trends over the years (remember cronuts?).
Creating a drinkable version of our centuries-old carb was a tall order, but we think we’ve done a pretty good job. This recipe does require you to make a hot cross bun syrup, but fear not, it’s super easy to make. It’s essentially golden syrup, water, orange zest, a cinnamon quill and allspice. The syrup does all the heavy lifting in this cocktail, so it’s important to get the measurements right. The sweet spice of the syrup pairs perfectly with the whiskey, while the addition of egg (or cream, if you’re not an egg-in-cocktails person) mellows the sweetness slightly and gives it a bit of flair.
Keen to have your hot cross bun and drink it too? Get stuck into our recipe and top tips below.
