The “Hot Cross Buns” are traditional sweets, eaten on Good Friday. They are small pieces of spicy cakes, also called buns, made with different kind of fruits (currants, raisins, or candied citrus fruits) and decorated with a white cross.

“Hot cross buns” is also a street cry, a short lyric called by street-sellers in the open-air markets while trying to sell their products, mostly practiced around the 19th century.

The song was first published in the “Christmas Box” London, 1798. However, the song appeared earlier as a street cry. The “Poor Robin’s Almanack for 1733” published the following lyrics:

“Good Friday come this month, the old woman runs
With one or two a penny hot cross buns”

“Hot Cross Buns” Lyrics

Hot cross buns!
Hot cross buns!
One ha’ penny, two ha’ penny,
Hot cross buns!
If you have no daughters,
Give them to your sons
One ha’ penny,
Two ha’ penny,
Hot Cross Buns!