Hot Cross Buns
A classic Easter treat, serve this hot cross buns recipe everyone will love.
Hot cross buns are one of those iconic Easter treats that bring back wonderful holiday memories for many people. While there is a bit of effort involved in making them, the satisfaction of biting into your own homemade buns is well worth the time and labour.
While this recipe is, unfortunately, not gluten-free, it is sugar-free, dairy-free, and suitable for ovo-lacto vegetarians. There are gluten-free all-purpose flour blends available on the market; however, I have not tried them with this recipe. If you do, please let me know down in the comments whether you had any success making this substitution.
Ingredients
(Makes 24 servings)
1/2 cup water, warmed to ~ 110°F / 43°C
1 heaping tablespoon active dry yeast (2, 1/4-ounce packages)
1/2 cup Monkfruit sweetener
1 cup plant-based milk, warmed to ~ 110°F / 43°C
1/4 cup plant-based butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup dried currants
1 teaspoon avocado oil
Egg Wash:
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon water
Lemon Icing:
1, 1/2 cups Monkfruit baking sweetener, sifted
1, 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons plant-based milk
Directions
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the warm water. Sprinkle in the yeast and about 1 tablespoon of the sweetener. Give it a stir then let stand for 10 minutes until it starts to get foamy.
Add in the rest of the sweetener along with the milk, butter, and spices. Using the paddle attachment, begin blending on low speed. Slowly add 3 cups of the flour a little at a time. Once the flour is incorporated, increase the speed to medium and let it beat the dough until it becomes smooth (about 5 minutes).
Add one egg at a time, allowing each to incorporate into the dough before adding the next. Then, add the vanilla and currants along with one more cup of flour and mix until these are incorporated.
Continue sprinkling in the rest of the flour, a little at a time, just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixer bowl.
Spread some flour into a flat surface then turn out the dough. Knead the dough until it is it smooth and has a lot of elasticity (about 5 minutes).
In a large bowl, spread the oil to grease the sides. Place the ball of dough in the bowl and spread the oil over its surface. Cover with a tea towel and let rest in a warm spot for about 90 minutes or until it has doubled in volume. Punch it down, cover it again, and let stand an additional 10 minutes while you prepare a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Divide the dough equally into 24 pieces then roll each into a ball. Place the balls about 2-inches apart on the sheet pan, then cover and let them rise again for about 30 minutes, or again until they have doubled in size.
About 20 minutes through this final resting stage, preheat the oven to 375 °F / 190°C.
In a small bowl, combine the egg white and water. Mix well and set aside.
Uncover the rolls and brush each with the egg wash before cutting a crisscross, about 1/4-inch deep, into the tops of each roll with a very sharp knife.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the rolls turn a golden brown. Remove frm the oven and let stand on the sheet pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
In a small bowl, combine the sweetener, lemon juice, and milk. Whisk until smooth then transfer the icing into a pastry bag with a small straight tip. Pipe the icing over the crisscross cut on each bun then let stand for 30 minutes. Enjoy!
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
total calories = 154 | total fat = 2.47g | saturated fat = 0.7g | cholesterol = 24.4mg | sodium = 130.39mg | net carbohydrates = 26.94g | dietary fibre = 1.55g | sugars = 4.39g | protein = 5.61g
