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–+ servings

Healthy Hot Cross Buns

Naturopath Lauren Glucina
Gluten Free, Vegan Hot Cross Buns. Packed full of fruit and spice. Makes 10 buns. Please note the active prep time excludes the hour required for buns to rise prior to baking.
4.45 from 9 votes
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Baking
Cuisine Gluten free, Vegan
Servings 10
Calories 343 kcal

Ingredients
  

BUNS:

  • 200 g brown rice flour
  • 150 g white rice flour
  • 150 g tapioca starch
  • 1 cup warm nut milk almond/cashew, hemp or oat milk
  • ½ cup pure maple syrup or honey
  • 1 tablespoon active dry gluten free yeast equivalent to 1x 7g sachet
  • 2/3 cup applesauce
  • ¼ cup coconut oil melted
  • 2 tablespoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ginger powder
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon clove powder
  • ½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • Zest of one orange and one lemon
  • 1 cup raisins

CROSS:

  • 2 tablespoons of the brown or white rice flour and enough warm water to mix into a paste

GLAZE:

  • 1 heaped tablespoon coconut sugar dissolved in boiling water

Instructions
 

  • Pre heat oven to 180˚C (356˚F).
  • Mix the warm nut milk (body temperature is warm enough), maple syrup and yeast in a bowl and leave for five minutes.
  • In a large bowl, combine apple sauce and coconut oil. Then add the yeast mixture and whisk well.
  • Add the flour mix, spices, zest and raisins.
  • Kneed into a dough, adding a little water or flour if needed.
  • Dust a board with gluten free flour.
  • Pat dough into a rectangle then divide into 10 equal portions.
  • Shape them further into a bun and arrange them close together in a rectangle again.
  • Cover with a tea towel. Let sit to rise for at least an hour, although, to be honest, there wasn’t a lot of rising action happening (perhaps with a leavening agent?).
  • Mix up the paste for the cross then pipe over the buns.
  • Bake for 15 to 20 mins.
  • Once cooked, brush with the glaze.

Notes

Update: I've since made these again (and again), and have discovered that those sachets of active yeast are just rubbish - they're never fresh - and old yeast won't give you a good rise. Look for the jars of dry active yeast for baking in the supermarket, and check the expiry date. 
When you combine the yeast with the maple and warmed nut milk, it should, over the course of ten minutes, foam up considerably. If it hasn't - again - the yeast is old.
It's also important that the buns have a warm environment in order to rise. If your house is cold, try warming a heat pack (not piping hot), then place the buns (on a tray) on top.
Enjoy!
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcal
Keyword Easter, Healthy Hot Cross Buns
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