Publised on 18/03/2024. Last Updated on 08/07/2024 by Richard
Vegan hot cross buns, sweet, warming and perfect for Easter, packed with fruit and spices. Ideal toasted or oven warmed.
Ah, classic vegan hot cross buns! Just the thought of these delightfully spiced, sweetly fragranced buns makes my kitchen feel like the epicentre of Easter festivities. When I was a kid we used to head to our caravan in Wales every easter and there's nothing like the smell of freshly toasted hot cross buns to bring those cosy memories flooding back!
Imagine those warm, fluffy buns with that perfect balance of spice and sweetness, each bite bursting with sultanas and a hint of orange zest. It's like a cosy hug for your soul, especially when they're fresh out of the oven and slathered in vegan butter. It's a tradition wrapped in nostalgia, with a vegan twist. Oh, and on the slim chance that you bake this recipe and end up with leftovers, why not whip up my vegan hot cross bun bread & butter pudding! It's up there with the best vegan Easter recipes you've ever seen!
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🍞 What Are Hot Cross Buns?
Hot cross buns are a type of sweet, spiced bun traditionally made with raisins, sultanas or currants and marked with a cross on the top. This distinctive cross is made from a paste of flour and water, piped over the buns before they are baked. The buns are famously associated with the Easter season, specifically Good Friday, but may also have pagan roots, with the cross representing the four phases of the moon. Nothing like a bun with a bit of history!
Either way, they're enjoyed in various forms throughout the year and around the world! Nothing like a bun with a little tradition, right??
📝 Vegan Hot Cross Buns Ingredients
To embark on our vegan hot cross bun adventure, we'll need some key ingredients. Remember, the magic is in the mix, so each element plays a crucial role in bringing these buns to life. Here's what you'll need:
Buns:
- Vegan butter or margarine, melted
- Plant milk, unflavoured and unsweetened
- Caster sugar
- Easy bake yeast
- Strong white bread flour
- Fine sea salt
- Sultanas
- Ground cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg
- Orange zest, finely shredded
For the Cross Mixture:
- Plain white flour
- Water
For the Glaze:
- Apricot jam
- Water
🔀 Ingredient Substitutions and Swaps
So you're ready to make some vegan hot cross buns, but you're short on some ingredients? No worries! Here are some swaps I can recommend!
- Vegan Butter: Margarine, coconut oil or even vegetable oil can be a great alternative.
- Plant Milk: Any nut milk or soy milk works wonders. Choose your favourite.
- Caster Sugar: Granulated sugar or even brown sugar for a little caramel vibe.
- Sultanas: Feel free to swap with currants, diced apricots or chopped dates for a twist.
- Ground Spices: Mix and match according to your cupboard's availability. Cardamom makes an interesting guest star.
❓How to Shape Bread Buns and Rolls
This recipe requires you to form your dough into neat little buns! Here's a step-by-step for forming buns from a nicely proofed piece of dough. Don't worry - it's easy peasy!
Divide the Dough: Divide your big ball of dough into small portions. I use a bench scraper to do this but a large knife will work too. Place the rough divided dough on a lightly floured surface.
Stretch the Dough: Starting at the 12 o'clock position, pinch the top of the dough and stretch outwards. Tuck the stretched dough back in to the centre of the ball. Repeat, working your way around the ball of dough, stretching out and tucking back in.
Push Down: Use your index finger to push down gently in the centre of the dough and seal all those tucked pieces in place. Then, flip the ball of dough upside down to reveal a nice smooth top.
Finish Shaping: Place your hands either side of the ball of dough. With your pinky fingers touching the dough, push one hand away from your body and pull the other towards you. This should rotate the ball of dough and tuck the edges under at the same time, producing a nice tight smooth surface on top of the ball of dough.
🫙 How to Make Vegan Hot Cross Buns
1. Prepare the Dough: Combine your dry and wet ingredients, then knead until you've got a nice rough dough.
2. Add the spices: Now it's time to get fruity! Add the sultanas and spices then knead again to combine. Proof the dough until doubled in size.
3. Shape 'Em Up: Divide and roll your dough into buns (see section above for more details) then let them rise again, because we all need a good rest now and then.
4. Cross 'Em: Pipe your flour-water paste in crosses on your buns. Definitely use a piping bag for this. Now it's time to bake!
5. Brush with Glaze: Now all you have to do is brush the buns with the glaze! Don't worry, it's just apricot jam and water!
🤷♀️ Hot Cross Buns FAQs
A: Hot cross buns are sweet and spiced, thanks to the addition of dried fruit (such as currants, raisins, or mixed peel) and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. They're also enriched with milk, butter, and sometimes egg (or vegan alternatives), giving them a soft, tender texture. The most defining feature, however, is the cross on top of each bun, traditionally made from a flour and water paste.
A: To test if instant yeast is alive, dissolve a teaspoon of sugar in a small amount of warm water and sprinkle the yeast on top. Wait 10 minutes; if the mixture foams and bubbles, forming a creamy layer, the yeast is active and good to use.
A: The most commonly used spices include cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Some recipes also call for ground cloves and cardamom, adding depth and complexity to the flavour profile.
And that's it, you're all set for easter! Want more Easter friendly recipes? Why not whip up my spring veg creamy pasta, my blueberry lemon cake or my rum and cardamom hot cross buns?? Oh and don’t forget, the perfect bread and butter pudding recipe for using up hot cross buns is right here!
Vegan Hot Cross Buns
Equipment
- Measuring Jug
- stand mixer, or large bowl
- deep baking tray
- Piping Bag
Ingredients
For the Buns
- 40 g vegan butter melted, vegan margarine works well too
- 300 ml plant milk unflavoured and unsweetened, lightly warmed
- 60 g caster sugar
- 2 teaspoon easy bake yeast
- 525 g strong white bread flour
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 250 g sultanas
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoon orange zest finely shredded
For the Cross Mixture
- 80 g plain white flour
- 5 tablespoons water
For the Glaze
- 4 tablespoon apricot jam
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
To Make the Buns
- In a measuring jug, stir together the melted vegan butter, warmed plant milk, and caster sugar. Set aside.40 g vegan butter, 300 ml plant milk, 60 g caster sugar
- Add the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the dough hook, combine the yeast, bread flour and salt. Alternatively, if kneading by hand, do this in a large mixing bowl.2 teaspoon easy bake yeast, 525 g strong white bread flour, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Add the warm plant milk mixture to the flour and knead on medium speed until a rough dough forms. Add the sultanas, spices and orange zest, then knead again for 5 minutes on medium speed or until the dough no longer looks shaggy and stretches easily.250 g sultanas, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 2 tablespoon orange zest
- Alternatively, knead the dough by hand on a clean surface for 10 minutes.
- Place the kneaded dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it rise at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours (mine took 2 hours), or until doubled in size.
- Punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a floured surface. Divide into 12 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball (see the steps in blog post above for a how-to on forming balls of dough).
- Place the balls in a deep baking tray lined dusted lightly with flour, leaving enough space between each for expansion. Cover with a damp cloth and let them rise again for another 1.5-2 hours, or until doubled in size and a finger gently poked into the top of the dough leaves a small dent.
- Preheat your oven to 220 °C (fan).
To Make the Cross Mixture
- Mix the plain white flour with water to create a thick paste. Adjust the consistency if necessary with a little extra water, it should be pipeable.80 g plain white flour, 5 tablespoons water
- Transfer the paste to a piping bag with a small nozzle (or use a plastic bag and snip off a corner). Pipe crosses over the top of each bun.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the buns are golden brown.
To Make the Glaze
- While the buns are baking, gently heat the apricot jam and water in a small saucepan until the jam is melted and the mixture is syrupy.4 tablespoon apricot jam, 1 tablespoon water
- As soon as the buns come out of the oven, brush them with the apricot glaze to give them a shiny finish. Allow the buns to cool on a wire rack before serving. They’re best enjoyed warm or sliced and toasted, with a bit of vegan butter if desired. Alternatively, cool completely, slice and toast then spread with vegan butter.
Cath Mayhew
These worked really well! Very tasty and soft.
Emma
Tasted good but were a bit too browned and hard on the top, next time I would either reduce temperature or time in oven. Although could just be user error as everything else I have made from Richard is always perfect! Thanks for another lovely recipe.
Claire
Oh gosh these were delightful. Thank you Richard!