Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Name: Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 2 eggs, room temperature (or 2 Tbs flaxseed meal steeped in 6 Tbs hot water); 1/3 cup sour cream, dairy or non-dairy (or So Delicious® plain coconut yogurt or coconut Greek style yogurt)*; 1/2 cup milk or vegan milk; 3 Tbs. melted coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil; 6 Tbs. light agave nectar or honey or maple syrup; 1/2 tsp. orange or lemon extract; 2 cups (270 grams) gfJules® All Purpose Gluten Free Flour; 2 Tbs. flaxseed meal (or use 2 Tbs. gfJules® Flour); 1/2 tsp. salt; 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves); 1/2 tsp. allspice; 1 Tbs. freshly grated orange or lemon zest (or use dried orange or lemon peel); 2 1/4 tsp. rapid rise/instant/bread machine yeast -1 packet – (Red Star® Quick Rise Yeast); 1 cup baking raisins (or regular raisins, boiled briefly in water, then well-drained); 1 large egg + 1 Tbs. water (or milk of choice); 1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar; 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 Tbs. milk, dairy or non-dairy (or may use orange juice); 1 tsp. freshly grated orange or lemon zest (or use dried orange or lemon peel); 1/4 tsp. orange or lemon extract

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Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns! One of the foods most associated with the Easter season, but certainly yummy enough to make and enjoy any time of year!

Legend has it that the first Hot Cross Bun was made by a monk in the 12th century. Legend also has it that if you hang a Hot Cross Bun in your kitchen, it will stay fresh all year long and will ensure that all that year’s baking will be delicious!

I don’t know about all that, but I do know that these gluten free Hot Cross Buns sure are tasty!

If you make them a day ahead, be sure to warm them before serving (you know, to make them HOT) and add a fresh drizzle of glaze for the cross to get the full effect.

Oh, and although Queen Elizabeth I ordered that Hot Cross Buns only be made at Easter, Christmas and for burials, this is a recipe you should feel free to make any time of year.

My gluten free hot cross buns recipe is super easy, and can be modified depending on what ingredients you have on hand (I give lots of options). Be sure to start with my gfJules Flour though, to ensure they turn out light and fluffy, not gritty.

While they only take a few minutes to make, since they are yeast breads, allow 1 1/2 hours for rising and baking.

A great thing to whip up before church, set aside to rise, and bake as soon as you get home for a hot, crossed bun experience the whole family will love!

For more Easter recipe ideas, hop on over to my Easter gluten free recipe roundup and my podcast on Easter menu planning!

Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Yield: 8 buns

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns are one of the foods most associated with the Easter season, but certainly yummy enough to make and enjoy any time of year!

Ingredients

Buns:

2 eggs, room temperature (or 2 Tbs flaxseed meal steeped in 6 Tbs hot water)
1/3 cup sour cream, dairy or non-dairy (or So Delicious® plain coconut yogurt or coconut Greek style yogurt)*
1/2 cup milk or vegan milk
3 Tbs. melted coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil
6 Tbs. light agave nectar or honey or maple syrup
1/2 tsp. orange or lemon extract
2 cups (270 grams) gfJules® All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
2 Tbs. flaxseed meal (or use 2 Tbs. gfJules® Flour)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves)
1/2 tsp. allspice
1 Tbs. freshly grated orange or lemon zest (or use dried orange or lemon peel)
2 1/4 tsp. rapid rise/instant/bread machine yeast -1 packet – (Red Star® Quick Rise Yeast)
1 cup baking raisins (or regular raisins, boiled briefly in water, then well-drained)

Egg wash:

1 large egg + 1 Tbs. water (or milk of choice)

Icing:

1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 Tbs. milk, dairy or non-dairy (or may use orange juice)
1 tsp. freshly grated orange or lemon zest (or use dried orange or lemon peel)
1/4 tsp. orange or lemon extract

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, stir the eggs, sour cream, milk, oil, agave and extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients, including quick rise yeast. Slowly stir into the large mixing bowl, using a paddle attachment on a stand mixer, or mixing by hand with a wooden spoon.

Beat for 2 minutes until all ingredients are integrated well, then stir in the raisins.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Scoop batter onto parchment using an ice cream scoop or large spoon. They should form approximately 8 smooth buns (wet a rubber spatula to smooth tops, if necessary). Cut a cross slightly into the top of each bun using a sharp knife (or skip this step for smoother buns, using the glaze to draw the cross once cooled).

Set aside to rise in a warm area for 1 hour (on top of a preheating oven, or in an oven preheated to 200F, then turned off, is a good place to rise the buns). Once risen, brush buns with egg wash or milk of choice.

Preheat oven to 375 F (static) or 350F (convection).

Bake buns for 15 minutes; check for doneness with a toothpick. Remove to cool.

Whisk together the icing ingredients, taking care not to add too much liquid or the icing will drip all the way off the buns.

Once the buns are fully cooled, slowly spoon icing in a line across each cut of the cross on the top of the buns.

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 287Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 7gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 79mgSodium 201mgCarbohydrates 36gFiber 1gSugar 32gProtein 5g

Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.