Simple Frosted Hot Cross Buns, Any ideas on how to make this better?

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the lukewarm milk, flour, salt, and sugar.
2. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk mixture and let stand for 5 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy.
3. Stir in the melted butter, egg, raisins, walnuts, apricots, orange zest, and vanilla extract.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5-7 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
5. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
6. Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces.
7. Shape the pieces into buns and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Cover the buns with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes, or until the buns have doubled in size.
9. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
10. Bake the buns for 15-20 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
11. While the buns are baking, prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
12. Once the buns are out of the oven, immediately brush the glaze over the tops.
13. Let the buns cool on a wire rack before serving.

Tips:

• For a chewier bun, use bread flour instead of all-purpose flour.
• If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can knead the dough by hand.
• To make the glaze thicker, add more powdered sugar.
• For a different flavor, try using chopped pecans or hazelnuts instead of walnuts.
• If you don’t have raisins, you can use other dried fruit, such as cranberries or dates.
• For a vegan version, use non-dairy milk, butter, and egg replacer.

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I’ve asked Google Gemini the following question, and here’s its response.

Kroger Recipes

Simple Frosted Hot Cross Buns

www.kroger.com/r/simple-frosted-hot-cross-buns-recipe/5c34db6c9da07c6b8383057a

Any ideas on how to make this better?

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