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The Sweetest Way to Use Up Leftover Hot Cross Buns

After the long weekend lunch has wrapped up and the chocolate eggs have been hunted down, there’s often a small pile of slightly stale buns sitting on the kitchen bench. And while they’re still perfectly good, they’re also the perfect excuse to turn leftovers into something even better.

Enter the ultimate Easter afterparty dessert – the leftover hot cross bun pudding. Like this one by influencer Lisa Holmen. Think of it as the cosy love child of hot cross buns and a classic bread and butter pudding: soft buns layered with butter and jam, soaked in a vanilla-spiced custard, then baked until golden and comforting. Raspberries bring a bright pop of fruit, while white chocolate melts through the custard for little pockets of sweetness that make every spoonful feel a bit special.

It’s the kind of recipe that feels effortlessly generous – simple to throw together, yet guaranteed to disappear quickly when placed on the table. Baked in a Pyrex Cook N Serve casserole dish, it goes straight from oven to table, making it perfect for relaxed Easter entertaining, family lunches or even a cosy afternoon treat once the celebrations wind down.

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 Hot Cross Buns
  • 50g unsalted butter, softened
  • 75g raspberry jam
  • 125g fresh raspberries
  • 50g white chocolate pastilles
  • 4 eggs
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 450ml milk
  • 300ml thickened cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • ½ tsp cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 160C fan force. Lightly Grease a 3L Pyrex Cook N Serve Casserole Dish.

2. Cut the buns in half and spread generously with butter followed by a layer of jam. Place the buns back together and arrange in the prepared pan. 

3. To make the custard, whisk the egg, milk, cream, sugar, vanilla essence and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl Pour the custard mix evenly over the buns 

and set aside for 10 – 15 minutes, this will allow the custard to soak into the buns. 

4. Sprinkle with raspberries and white chocolate pastilles. Place the lid on the Pyrex dish then place the dish in a large roasting pan. Fill the pan halfway 

with boiling water so it comes halfway up the dish. 

5. Cook for 40 minutes or until custard sets. Serve warm.  

Marie-Antoinette Issa: Meet Marie-Antoinette Issa, the Beauty & Lifestyle Editor steering the lifestyle content across The Carousel, Women Love Tech, and Women Love Wellness. With an impressive career spanning top-tier women's magazines and digital giants, she has written for everything from Cosmopolitan and Cleo to The Huffington Post, Daily Mail, and Concrete Playground. Whether she’s uncovering the latest in wellness for I Quit Sugar or tracking down the best of city life for The Urban List, Marie-Antoinette delivers polished, trend-driven insights that connect deeply with modern women. She is also a travel writer on Women Love Travel.