Hot Cross Buns

Hot Cross Buns were the only real tradition I remember about my childhood Easter celebrations. Other details came and went, but hot cross buns were always there.
I went out to get some this weekend and could not find them anywhere! After a friend suggested I make some, I did look at reciepes but it was too late in the evening for a long, yeasty process and I knew I wouldn't have time in the morning for all that.
Plus, I tend to hide from yeast breads. I don't generally have much luck getting it to rise right. And that frustrates me to no end and just wasn't what I wanted Easter to be about.
So I went to bed just a bit sad and then had an idea. I knew there was a whole wheat pizza dough in the freezer. I wondered if I could transform that into buns. So I got up and took it out to thaw overnight.
In the morning I kneeded into the dough some sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. I also kneeded in raisins and currents. I let it rest for a bit and then egg washed them and put them in the over.
I wasn't sure about icing either sice I didn't have powdered sugar. So I put some regular sugar in the food processor with some corn starch and whirled it around until fine. It worked pretty well. Then added vanilla and butter.

Here is how they looked. Honestly though, they just were not right. But it gave me ideas and I think I will try and get them perfected by next Easter. And maybe if I start now I can save up enough money to overnight them to all the family members who were missing them, and missing Grandma who started the tradition. Wouldn't that be a fun Easter surprise?

Here are my loves after the egg hunt at Bubba and Grandma's.