Chelsea Buns

This delightful Chelsea Buns recipe is a classic British pastry, is a soft enriched dough, filled with a luscious combination of cinnamon, sugar, and juicy raisins. With a soft and fluffy texture, these are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a cozy afternoon tea.

Table of Contents

• What are Chelsea Buns?

• Ingredients and substitutions for Chelsea Buns

• How to make Chelsea Buns

• FAQ's for the best Chelsea Buns

What are Chelsea Buns?

Chelsea Buns are classic British pastries filled with a delectable combination of cinnamon, sugar, and raisins. They are known for their soft and fluffy texture, making them a delightful treat for any occasion.

Ingredients and substitutions for Chelsea Buns

• Yeast: Instant yeast doesn’t just help the rolls to rise, but also gives our Chelsea rolls that fluffy bread texture,
• Milk: This helps give our rolls that nice soft crumb and the golden crust. You could substitute with water in equal measure if you prefer.
• Bread flour: This one matters because bread flour has a higher protein which helps to produce the gluten content which we need to give our rolls that firm dough which is easier to shape. If you don’t have any on hand you can substitute all purpose or plain flour in equal measure, however, if you live in the UK…you will notice the difference in texture of your dough - it will feel incredibly soft in your hands and be a little harder to work with.
• Sugar: Superfine or caster sugar in the dough helps to sweeten without flavoring the dough, you could substitute in equal measure with light brown sugar if you prefer. Light brown sugar helps give our filling that incredibly warm center of our rolls so do not recommend substituting with a superfine or caster sugar or a darker sugar which will affect the flavor of your buns.
• Eggs: Adding moisture and binding the dough together, the eggs help with rising as they act as a leavening agent as well as giving our rolls that nice light crumb thanks to the fat from the yolks.
• Butter: We add room temperature butter to the dough once the gluten has begun to form to create a smooth and luscious dough. You could substitute non dairy butter in equal measure, however, I have not tried this .
• Raisins: Traditionally these are made with raisins or currents, however, you could replace with cranberries for a winter twist or scatter over orange zest, if choosing to omit the dried fruit.
• Mixed Spice: A mixture of ground cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves and ginger right in the dough and filling make these warm and this can easily be made at home if you have these ingredients on hand.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make Chelsea Buns:

Yeast dough: Place the yeast and milk in a bowl and allow to dissolve.

1

Shaggy mixture: Once bubbling, add the flour, sugar and spices beat on low with a dough hook, until the mixture resembles a shaggy mixture.

2

Add eggs: Add the eggs and combine until fully combined and repeat until your dough is formed.

Toss the butter in slowly: On a low mixer setting add in 1-2 cubes of the soft butter and incorporate until well combined. Repeat until all the butter is mixed through your dough.

Mix and mix: Beat until the dough looks slightly glossy and is pulling away at your bowl.

Rise: Place the dough into the fridge for it's first rise until doubled in size.

Filling: Combine the filling (except raisins) until smooth.

Roll: Roll your dough out to an equal rectangle ¼ inch thick.

3

Smear: Smear the sugar mix over the dough and toss the raisins over evenly.

4

Roll and shape: Roll into a tight scroll and slice into 12 equal pieces with a sharp knife.

Rise: Place into the greased baking tray with 1 inch gap between each and allow to rise for 1 hour in a warm spot.

Bake: Until golden on top.

5

Sugar syrup: Whilst the babka is cooling, stir the glaze ingredients together until smooth.

Brush: The sweet glaze over the buns whilst warm.

Cool: Set aside to cool completely.

Serve: Serve up and dig in!

FAQ's for the best Chelsea Buns

More rolls recipes you’ll enjoy

Dutch Ginger Rolls

German Cinnamon Rolls

Lemon Rolls

Chelsea Buns

Sylvie Taylor

Soft and fluffy spiced Chelsea Buns with raisins swirled therein make for a perfect warming breakfast or pick me up.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Rising and chilling time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine British

Servings 12

Calories 378 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Dough

• 7 grams / 2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast
• 184 grams / ¾ cup whole milk lukewarm
• 560 grams / 4 cups bread flour
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice see notes
• 6 grams / 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 60 grams / ⅓ cup superfine/caster sugar
• 110 grams / 2 large eggs room temperature
• 80 grams butter cubed and room temperature

Filling

• 65 grams / 2.3 ounces butter softened
• 140 grams / ? cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice see notes
• 100 grams / ? cup raisins or sultanas

Glaze

• 40 grams / 3 tablespoons superfine/caster sugar
• 5 grams / 1 teaspoon water

Instructions

 

Dough

• Place the yeast and milk in a bowl and allow to dissolve for 3 minutes.
• Once bubbling, add the flour, sugar and mixed spice and beat on low until the mixture resembles a shaggy mixture.
• Add the eggs and combine on low speed until fully combined until you form a dough.
• On a low setting with your mixer, add in 1 cube of butter or 2 (if your cubes are small, no more than 5 grams or ? tablespoon of butter at a time) and incorporate until you cannot see any butter remnants in your dough.
• Continue by adding another piece of butter and mixing until it is fully incorporated into your dough.
• Beat for a further 5 minutes until the dough it looks slightly glossy and is pulling away at the sides of your bowl.
• Lightly butter a bowl and place the dough therein, placing in the fridge to rise until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
• Remove from the fridge, lift and allow the dough to fully deflate.
• Cover the bowl and refrigerate for several hours or preferably overnight.
• The next day, place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to an equal rectangle and ¼ inch thickness.

Spiced filling

• Place the butter, sugar and mixed spice in a bowl
• Spoon onto your dough equally and spread out evenly with an offset spatula.
• Sprinkle the raisins or sultanas evenly over the sugar filling.

Assembly and baking

• Slowly and carefully roll your dough from the base of your wide rectangle into a tight scroll.
• Cut into 12 even pieces and place in your baking pan with 1 ½-2 inches gap between each.
• Cover with a clean tea towel and proof in a warm place for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/365F.
• Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown on top.

Sugar glaze

• Whilst baking, place the sugar and water in a small bowl and stir until the sugar mixture is clear.
• Remove the buns from the oven and while still hot, brush the syrup over the buns.
• Set aside to cool completely.
• Serve up with a cup of hot tea.
• Enjoy

Notes

• Bread flour: Bread flour has a higher protein which helps to produce the gluten content which we need to give our rolls that firm dough which is easier to shape. If you don’t have any on hand you can substitute all purpose or plain flour in equal measure, however, if you live in the UK…you will notice the difference in texture of your dough - it will feel incredibly soft in your hands and be a little harder to work with.
• Sugar: Superfine or caster sugar in the dough helps to sweeten without flavoring the dough, you could substitute in equal measure with light brown sugar if you prefer. Light brown sugar helps give our filling that incredibly warm center of our rolls so do not recommend substituting with a superfine or caster sugar or a darker sugar which will affect the flavor of your buns. Icing or confectioner’s sugar in that frosting will help create a melt-in-your-mouth texture that you know and love with your cinnamon rolls.
• Mixed spices: For the 3 teaspoons of mixed spice needed in this recipe you will need 1 ¾ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ? teaspoon ground nutmeg, ? teaspoon ground allspice, ? teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves.
• Raisins: Traditionally these are made with raisins or currents, however, you could replace with cranberries for a winter twist or scatter over orange zest, if choosing to omit the dried fruit.
• Bench scraper: This isn't necessary, however, will make shaping the nice even edges of your dough to give you a perfect rectangle shape.
• Make ahead: These are best served within 48 hours of baking and are best kept in an airtight container when not serving. Warm lightly in a preheated oven set at 100C/212F or microwave when serving.

Recipe by Roamingtaste

Nutrition

Calories: 378kcal

Keyword bread, breakfast, brunch, spice

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