Many years ago, I asked Ben this question.
‘If you could have one day where you could eat gluten without getting sick, what would you eat?’
He replied, ‘Croissants! And maybe a Danish! Oh, and hot cross buns because they smell so good.’
Gluten-free pastry is a pain in the ass, but I knew I could make gluten-free hot cross buns without too much trouble. God bless the genius who invented gluten-free flour. I don’t know what I would have done without it over the last decade living with a coeliac.
If you’re hosting Easter this weekend or you want to make an Easter-themed treat for your favourite gluten-free person, these gluten-free hot cross buns are a total winner. They’re dense (as most gluten-free things are!) but they’re crispy on top and soft in the middle. They’re also spectacular spread with lots of butter straight from the oven. Is there anything more delightful than freshly baked treats? I think not.
I made these for the first time a few years ago and make a batch every year for Ben because he loves them so much. Most hot cross bun recipes are fairly similar so I used a combination of a few different recipes and added my own mix of dried fruit and spices. Here’s my gluten-free hot cross buns recipe.
- 700 g gluten-free plain flour
- 300g sugar
- 150g sultanas
- 150g of finely chopped ginger
- 600ml warm water
- 3 x 7gm packets of dry yeast
- Big pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon of allspice
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla essence
- For the crosses
- ½ cup gluten-free flour
- ½ cup caster sugar
- Milk
- Place dry yeast in a jug and add hot water. Wait at least 10 minutes for the yeast to activate. Mix all remaining dry ingredients in a bowl. Once yeast is ready pour into dry ingredients and mix well. Mixture should be a little bit runny, if it’s not just add a little extra water.
- Line a large, deep baking pan with baking paper and pour the mixture into the pan. Using a spatula, smooth the mixture so that it sits flat. The cooked tray will be cut into buns when after it’s baked!
- In a separate bowl combine the caster sugar and flour, then (very) slowly pour in milk and stir until it forms a thick paste. Using a zip lock bag with the corner cut out, pipe the icing in a checkered design on top of the buns.
- Bake in a 220 degree oven for about 25 minutes until they’re golden brown. Slice them up into buns and eat them fresh or toasted.
I have to time the making of these perfectly so we’re seeing enough people I can give them the extras. Otherwise, we end up eating a dozen between us over the course of the Easter weekend, and then we end up with hot crossbun regret. Not fun.
I’ll be making these on Good Friday. I rarely take the day off on public holidays, but Good Friday is such a serious public holiday for some reason. My gym is closed (and they only ever close on Christmas Day), and all the supermarkets have very reduced operating hours. I feel as if Good Friday is trying to tell me something there. ‘Calm the frick down, make some fancy Easter treats, and binge-watch something on Netflix!’
Okay, Good Friday! You’re on. I’m not religious at all, but sometimes you’ve just got to go with it, right?
I have very tentative plans this weekend for a few catch-ups, but other than that, I’m thrilled to have a chilled weekend at home. Last weekend was pretty epic, so I’m very keen to sit with cups of tea on my couch and potter around. I do have a family Easter Sunday lunch at my cousin’s house, which will be lovely!
What are your plans for the Easter long weekend? Do you celebrate Easter at all?
Have you ever made gluten-free hot cross buns? How did you go? Awesome? Or kitchen disaster?
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