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Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns

Toast and Eat with Butter – or eat by themselves – but enjoy these Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns this Easter!
Course Dessert
Keyword Gluten Free, Hot Cross Buns, Raisins, Sugar, Yeast
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 12

Ingredients

For the buns

  • 3 tsp. Yeast
  • 1 tsp Xanthan Gum
  • 500 g Gluten Free Bread Flour Woolworths variety
  • 100 g Brown Sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon heaped
  • ½ tsp mixed spice
  • 300 ml full cream milk
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 60 g unsalted butter must be unsalted
  • 1 jumbo egg
  • 120 g Raisins

For the Glaze

  • 1/4 cup of either maple syrup apricot jam or honey
  • 3 tbsp. of boiling water

For the crosses

  • 3 tbsp. gluten-free flour
  • 2 tbsp. water

Instructions

  • In a large glass bowl, sift together dry ingredients
  • In a small microwavable jug, add the milk and butter and microwave for a minute or so, or until the butter is melted
  • Add this buttery mixture into the dry ingredients and mix till just combined using a wooden spoon
  • Now add your egg, vinegar and raisins, using the wooden spoon to incorporate all ingredients – do not overmix.
  • Cover bowl with a dish cloth and place in a sunny spot for an hour
  • Preheat oven to 175C and line a baking sheet with baking paper
  • Portion the dough into small buns, making sure not to overwork the dough.
  • Leave the formed buns on a baking pan and move on to make the crosses paste (you don't need to space the buns out too much as they don't expand a lot)
  • Make a paste for the crosses with the ingredients listed above.
  • Now, bake the buns for 15 minutes and then remove briefly and use the paste created above to form the cross over the buns - using either a syringe or drizzling with a spoon
  • Bake for another 5 minutes and then remove to glaze with your preferred glaze mixture. It is easier to use a pastry brush to glaze the buns.
  • Return to oven and bake for another 2 minutes so that the glaze browns slightly. See 'notes' regarding golden brown buns. 
  • Serve immediately with lashings of butter 

Notes

  • You can leave out the raisins if you don't like them. 
  • You can also add a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to your glaze if you like spicy hot cross buns 
  • Be careful not to overwork the dough - and make sure it rises in a warm place 
  • You need to use dairy milk as it adds a protein element to the dough which the yeast needs 
  • You can get Xanthan Gum from Dischem 
  • Baking time can differ based on oven. If your buns aren't looking brown enough, leave in for an extra few minutes or turn the grill on and let the glaze caramelise for two minutes or so