These gluten-free Hot Cross Buns are made with coconut flour, sultanas, antioxidant-rich goji berries and fresh ginger.
They are infused with the bright flavours of orange and lemon before being finished with a fragrant syrup of apple, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves.
The result is a beautifully moist bun that’s rich in flavour and perfect served warm.
Nothing says Easter quite like the aroma of freshly baked hot cross buns wafting through the kitchen. This gluten-free version is every bit as comforting as the traditional favourite, with a soft, tender crumb, warming spices and bursts of sweet fruit in every bite.
I love baking these on Easter morning and enjoying them straight from the oven with a generous spread of butter or a drizzle of raw honey. They’re equally delicious toasted the next day, making them a wonderful make-ahead recipe for long weekend breakfasts, brunches or sharing with family and friends.
Whether you’re baking for someone following a gluten-free diet or simply looking for a nourishing twist on a much-loved classic, these homemade hot cross buns are sure to become a new Easter tradition.
PrintGluten Free Hot Cross Buns
These gluten-free Hot Cross Buns are made with coconut flour, sultanas, antioxidant-rich goji berries and fresh ginger.
They are infused with the bright flavours of orange and lemon before being finished with a fragrant syrup of apple, vanilla, cinnamon and cloves.
The result is a beautifully moist bun that’s rich in flavour and perfect served warm.
Ingredients
Fruit mix
200 grams sultanas
100 grams fresh ginger, grated
60 grams goji berries
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 orange, juice and zest
1 lemon, zest and juice
Batter
700gm coconut flour
2 sachets yeast
375 milk
100 grams butter
1 egg
Flour paste
1/2 cup GF plain flour or coconut flour
4 to 5 tablespoons water
Syrup
325 grams coconut sugar
1/2 lemon, juice only
375 ml water
2 apples, cored and roughly chopped
1/2 lemon sliced into 5mm slices
1 cinnamon quill
4 cloves
1 vanilla bean, scraped
Instructions
- Combine all fruit mix ingredients and macerate 30 minutes. Meanwhile bring sugar, water and lemon juice in a saucepan until sugar has dissolved. Add apples and lemon slices.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook until lemon and apple are translucent (20-25 minutes). Strain, reserving fruit and syrup separately. When cool enough to handle, dice lemon, combine with apple and set aside.
- Combine macerated fruit with flour and yeast, add cooked, strained apple lemon mixture in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
- Combine milk and butter in a small saucepan, warm over low heat until butter melts and mixture is lukewarm. Whisk in egg, then add milk mixture to flour, stirring to form a soft dough.
- Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes). Place in a lightly buttered bowl, cover and stand in a warm place until doubled in size (30-40 minutes).
Knock back dough, divide into 20 even pieces, then knead each piece into a smooth ball – about the size of a tennis ball. Arrange dough balls in large round, oval or rectangular baking dishes lined with baking paper, leaving 1cm between each for dough to expand. Cover with a tea towel and stand in a warm place until doubled in size (30-40 minutes). - Meanwhile make the flour paste for the crosses. Mix flour and water together in a small bowl until smooth, adding a little more water if paste is too thick. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe flour paste over tops of buns to form crosses.
- Preheat oven to 220 C. Bake for 10 minutes, reduce oven to 200 C. and bake until golden and buns sound hollow when tapped (8-10 minutes).
- Now combine reserved syrup and remaining ground cinnamon in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until syrupy and combined. Brush thickly over hot buns, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Notes
Chef’s Tip: If baking for someone with coeliac disease, choose ingredients labelled gluten-free, particularly dried fruit, ground almonds, spices and marmalade, as these can occasionally be subject to cross-contact during processing.
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