Easy Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns
How to make easy gluten-free hot cross buns with down-to-earth ingredients. Sweet cinnamon dough with currants and a frosted cross on top.
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Servings: 12
Calories: 229kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Hot Cross Buns
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour*
- 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum*
- 1 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon orange zest optional
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup dried currants
- 1 egg white beaten
Frosting
- 1 tablespoon salted butter melted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Hot Cross Buns
- In a small sauce pan, warm the buttermilk. Do not boil! It only needs to be warm enough to activate the yeast.
- Remove the buttermilk from the heat, and add the yeast. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, cream of tartar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Cream together the sugar, butter, and orange zest.
- Blend in the eggs.
- Alternate adding both the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
- Continue to mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is smooth.
- Add the currants to the dough and mix until they're evenly dispersed throughout the dough.
- Cover the dough and allow to rest for about 1 hour. It won't rise much.
- Add parchment paper to a rimmed baking sheet. Divide the dough into 12 equal parts.
- Working on a lightly floured surface, shape each part into a ball and place it on the baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between each bun.
- Cover and let rise in a warm location until almost doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- When the buns have risen, pre-heat the oven to 375ºF.
- With a sharp knife, slash a cross in the top of each bun, about 1/4" deep.
- Brush each bun with the egg white.
- Bake at 375ºF for about 30 minutes, 'til the tops of the buns are golden brown.
- Once baked, transfer the buns to a wire cooling rack.
Frosting
- During the last 15 minutes of bake time, prepare the glaze by mixing the butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk together in a small bowl.
- Once cooled, use a pastry bag to pipe the glaze over the slashed crosses in the buns.
- That's it! Now it's time to serve and enjoy.
Notes
*I make this recipe with Authentic Foods Classical Blend gluten-free flour. Time and time again, it has consistently given me the best results. Keep in mind, different gluten-free flours can give different results.
*Some gluten-free flours already contain xanthan gum, so be sure to check the ingredients in your flour before adding more. Too much xanthan gum or baking powder can give off a soapy flavor.
How should I store them, and how long will they last?
GF hot cross buns are best stored in an airtight container on the counter, and it's best to eat them within 2 days. If stored any longer, they'll become stale hot cross bricks.
Once cooled, you can also freeze them in an airtight container or freezer bag for around 2-3 months. Be sure to let them cool before moving to the deep freeze, though.
Nutrition
Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 164mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 214IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
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