Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns Recipe

baked and iced hot cross buns in a baking pan

Meaningful Eats

Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns Recipe

15 buns

These gluten-free hot cross buns feature spiced yeast dough, currants, and orange icing. They’re EASY-TO-MAKE with a secret ingredient – gluten-free bread flour! Try them for Easter this year!

NOTE: You have to use gluten-free bread flour for the proper results. Gluten-free measure-for-measure flour will not work.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 1 30

Cook Time 45

Total Time 2 15

Author Erin Collins

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

4 ½ cups (680g) King Arthur Gluten-Free Bread Flour
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Wet Ingredients

1 cup (240ml) water warm
1 cup (240ml) whole milk warm
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons (85g) butter melted
3/4 cup (110g) currants, or 1 cup raisins

Egg wash

1 egg
1 tablespoon water

For the Icing

2 cups (240g) powdered sugar, sifted
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons milk or orange juice

Instructions

Make the Dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the gluten-free flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom and cloves. Mix to evenly combine.
With the mixer running on low, slowly add the water, milk, orange juice, eggs and melted butter. Turn the speed up to medium and mix for 3 minutes until very smooth. The dough will resemble thick cookie dough. This is normal! Stir in the currants.
Use an oiled spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes. (Refrigerating the dough makes it easier to roll out.)

Shape the Rolls

Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Lightly flour a surface with gluten-free flour. You’ll make 15 rolls with the dough (5 rows of 3 in the pan.) Measure out ~100 grams of dough (about ¼ cup). I like to measure all 15 dough portions before shaping them. Pat the dough down until it’s a ¼ inch thick circle.
Note: This dough is much stickier than regular dough. Sprinkle with a little more gluten-free bread flour if the dough seems too sticky, but try not to add too much. You want to be able to work with the dough, but adding too much flour will result in dry rolls.
Fold the 4 edges of the circle up and pinch together. Turn the dough seam-side down and use the palm and heel of your hand to rotate into an even ball of dough.
Place in the prepared baking dish and repeat with the rest of the dough pieces.
Cover the shaped rolls with plastic wrap and let rise for 45-60 minutes.

Bake the Rolls

Preheat the oven to 350F.
Whisk together the egg and water for the egg wash. Brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash.
Bake the rolls for 35-45 minutes or until starting to turn golden-brown on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes while you prepare the icing.

Make the Icing

Place the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Add the vanilla extract and 1 Tablespoon of milk. Use a fork to whisk until combined. It will be too thick to fully mix. Add only enough extra milk to make a very very thick icing. I only add about 1-2 more Tablespoons of milk.
Scoop the icing into a ziploc bag and snip the end. Pipe crosses over top of the buns. Enjoy!

Notes

Gluten-Free Bread Flour

This gluten-free bread flour really is the secret ingredient for fluffy, bready gluten-free hot cross buns. Made with gluten-free wheat starch to give baked goods incredible taste and texture, it’s ideal for classic yeasted recipes. Unfortunately other flour blends like gluten-free 1:1 baking flour won’t yield the same results.

Gluten-free bread flour is made with gluten-free wheat starch. Note that it is NOT suitable for people with an actual wheat allergy. I have to avoid gluten (the protein in wheat) for celiac disease and can eat gluten-free bread flour no problem.

Dairy-Free: Use your dairy-free milk of choice and dairy-free butter in the dough.

Nutrition