White Chocolate Cranberry Hot Cross Buns

Create the perfect brunch treat with these vegan white chocolate and cranberry hot cross buns. Packed with flavour, this small batch recipe is a modern twist on traditional hot cross buns, for those times when you want to try something different. Serve warm with jam and butter.

Why I Made This

Hot Cross Buns are a firm favourite in our home, particularly at Easter, although we eat them throughout the year as a breakfast treat. This recipe evolved from my traditional hot cross bun recipe as I swapped the spices and dried fruit to create a sweeter flavour profile. And it does not disappoint! I hope you will love this modern twist as much as we do.

Why You Need To Make These

If you love home comforts and baking from scratch, this recipe is for you. Easy to make with only 15 minutes of hands-on time. Plus it is free from most major allergens and we all know how hard it is to find allergy-safe Easter treats. This small batch makes 6 buns and can be easily scaled up if you want more.

Ingredients and Substitutions

This is a vegan, nut free, soy free recipe with an easy gluten free option. For more recipe tips, check out the FAQ or jump straight to the recipe if you prefer.

For the Hot Cross Buns

Dry Ingredients

Flour: all-purpose flour works wonderfully in this recipe. Sub with your preferred 1-to-1 Gluten Free baking blend for gluten-free buns. No other substitutions are required.

White Sugar: for sweetness and to activate the yeast.

Yeast: I used dried instant yeast.

Salt: the salt helps to strengthen the gluten and create a fluffy texture in the buns.

Dried Fruit: I’m using dried cranberries for this recipe to add tartness and a touch of sweetness.

Chocolate: vegan white chocolate chips add a creaminess to the dough and pair so well with the cranberries.

Wet Ingredients

Butter: I recommend using unsalted plant based butter as we are adding salt to the recipe. Melt the butter before starting the recipe and sub with dairy butter if you are not following dietary restrictions.

Milk (Warmed to 110°F): use your preferred plant based milk. Warm milk helps with the activation of the yeast. Use dairy milk if you are not dairy-free or vegan.

Apple Sauce: used as the egg replacement to add moisture to the buns and also bind the ingredients together. Sub with 1 egg if you are not egg-free or vegan.  

For the Toppings

Did you know the crosses on hot cross buns are traditionally made from flour and water? The slurry melts into the bun during baking leaving the distinctive but subtle cross design. If you want to mix things up, pipe a cross on with icing or melted white chocolate once the buns have cooled after baking.

For the Cross

All purpose flour and water are used to pipe the cross on top of the buns. Use your preferred GF flour if required.

For the Glaze

Add shine to the buns with a warm apricot jam glaze. This finishes off the buns perfectly.

How to Make Hot Cross Buns

While this seems like a long recipe, the actual hands-on time is fairly short, with most of the time spent waiting for the dough to work its magic. If you are using your oven to prove (or proof) your dough, turn it on first. Melt the butter and warm the milk to 110F. Top tip: I used the microwave in 10-second intervals to prep these ingredients. And now we’re ready.

To Make the Dough

In a stand mixer bowl, add the flour, white sugar, yeast, salt, melted butter and warmed milk. If you have a container of yeast, use 4 grams or a heaped teaspoon. Give everything a good mix together with the dough hook. If you are not using a stand mixer, ensure everything is combined with a wooden spoon.

Add the apple sauce, dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. Stir everything together with the dough hook then turn up the speed to knead the dough for 5 minutes. Don’t worry if some cranberries or chocolate chips keep falling out of the dough. We will be re-kneading them in later.

First Prove

Grease a large bowl, add the dough and then cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Prove your dough in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until it has doubled in size.

After proving, turn the dough out onto a floured surface, knock back the air in the dough and give it a quick knead to ensure everything is fully incorporated.

Cut up the dough into 6 pieces. You can either eyeball this or use a scale to weigh them. Shape into rough circles then place on the parchment-lined baking pan.

Second Prove

Cover the buns with plastic wrap or a tea towel then prove again for 30 minutes. With 5 minutes left, preheat your oven to 350F. Top tip: if you are using your oven to prove your dough, take it out with 5 minutes left and keep it covered.

To Make the Cross

Mix 2 tbsp of all purpose flour and 2 tbsp of water together to form a pipable slurry. Scoop the mixture into a piping bag or a ziploc bag, cut off the end and then pipe a cross over the hot cross bun.

Bake the hot cross buns at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly golden and well risen.

To Make the Glaze

5 minutes before the hot cross buns are finished, it’s time to prep the apricot jam. Add the apricot jam to a small microwavable bowl, then heat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Give it a good stir to create a smooth glaze and let it sit while the buns finish baking.

Immediately brush the glaze on the hot cross buns as soon as they come out of the oven. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

I recommend slicing the buns in half and adding butter and jam. Perfect for brunch or even a nice afternoon treat with a cup of tea (or coffee).

Storage and Freezing

Store any leftover white chocolate cranberry hot cross buns at room temperature in an airtight container or wrap them in foil for 3-4 days. I highly recommend reheating the buns or slicing them in half and toasting then serve with butter and jam. 

To freeze any leftover buns, wrap them individually in plastic wrap then place them in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Allow to defrost at room temperature then slice and toast to reheat.

Hot Cross Buns FAQs

More Easter Favourites

Prefer traditional hot cross buns? Check out these recipes:

• Giant Hot Cross Bun loaf (perfect for slicing and toasting) (Vegan)
• Traditional Hot Cross Buns (Vegan)

And for more Easter treats, I highly recommend these treats:

• Easter Chocolate Donuts (Vegan)
• Ultimate Carrot Cake (Dairy Free)
• Easter Jelly Bean Bark (Vegan)

I hope you’ll enjoy this bake. And if you do, please leave a 5-star rating and comment to let me know. I love hearing from you. Happy Baking!

White Chocolate Cranberry Hot Cross Buns

5 from 5 votes

Bake Angel

Create the perfect brunch treat with these vegan white chocolate and cranberry hot cross buns. Packed with flavour, this small batch recipe is a modern twist on traditional hot cross buns, for those times when you want to try something a bit different. Serve warm with jam and butter.

Makes: 6 Buns

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Bake: 20 minutes mins

Proving Time 2 hours hrs

Total: 2 hours hrs 35 minutes mins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Equipment

• ▢
  Stand Mixer (use the dough hook)
• ▢
  Plastic Wrap
• ▢
  Cookie Baking Pan
• ▢
  Parchment Paper
• ▢
  Piping Bag
• ▢
  Pastry Brush

Angela’s Top Tip

Weigh your dry ingredients in grams with a scale for best results!

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the Hot Cross Buns

• ▢ 250 grams All Purpose Flour (2 US cups)
• ▢ 38 grams White Sugar (3 tbsp)
• ▢ ½ pkt Instant Yeast (4 grams or 1 tsp)
• ▢ 1 tsp Salt
• ▢ 25 grams Melted Plant Based Butter (2 tbsp)
• ▢ 150 ml Plant Based Milk (Warmed to 110°F)
• ▢ 50 grams Apple Sauce (1/4 US cup)
• ▢ 100 grams Dried Cranberries (2/3 US cups)
• ▢ 50 grams Vegan White Chocolate Chips (1/4 Cup)
• ▢ Additional flour for kneading

For the Slurry

• ▢ 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour
• ▢ 2 tbsp Water

For the Glaze

• ▢ 1 tbsp Apricot Jam

Instructions

 

Prep

• Gather all of your equipment and ingredients. If you are using your oven to prove (or proof) your dough, turn it on first. Melt the butter and warm the milk to 110F. Top tip: I used the microwave in 10 second intervals to prep these ingredients.

To Make the Dough

• In a stand mixer bowl, add the flour, white sugar, yeast, salt, melted butter and warmed milk. If you have a container of yeast, use 4 grams or a heaped teaspoon. Give everything a good mix together with the dough hook. If you are not using a stand mixer, ensure everything is combined with a wooden spoon
  250 grams All Purpose Flour, 38 grams White Sugar, 1/2 pkt Instant Yeast, 1 tsp Salt, 25 grams Melted Plant Based Butter, 150 ml Plant Based Milk
• Add the apple sauce, dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. Stir everything together with the dough hook then turn up the speed to knead the dough for 5 minutes. Don't worry if some of the cranberries or chocolate chips keep falling out of the dough. We will be re-kneading them in later.
  50 grams Apple Sauce, 100 grams Dried Cranberries, 50 grams Vegan White Chocolate Chips

First Prove

• Grease a large bowl, add the dough and then cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Prove your dough in a warm place for 60-90 minutes or until it has doubled in size.
• After proving, turn the dough out onto a floured surface, knock back the air in the dough and give it a quick knead to ensure everything is fully incorporated.
  Additional flour for kneading
• Cut up the dough into 6 pieces. You can either eyeball this or use a scale to weigh them. Shape into rough circles then place on the parchment-lined baking pan.

Second Prove

• Cover the buns with plastic wrap or a tea towel then prove again for 30 minutes. With 5 minutes left, preheat your oven to 350F (note: if you are using your oven to prove your dough, take it out with 5 minutes left and keep it covered.)

To Make the Cross

• Mix together 2 tbsp of all purpose flour and 2 tbsp of water. Stir together to form a pipable slurry. Scoop into a piping bag or a ziploc bag, cut off the end and then pipe a cross over the hot cross bun.
  2 tbsp All Purpose Flour, 2 tbsp Water
• Bake the hot cross buns at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes until lightly golden and well risen.

To Make the Glaze

• About 5 minutes before the hot cross buns are finished, warm up the apricot jam. In a small microwavable bowl, add the apricot jam then heat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Give it a good stir to create a smooth glaze and let it sit while the buns finish baking.
  1 tbsp Apricot Jam
• Immediately brush the glaze on the hot cross buns as soon as they come out of the oven. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

• Yield: This recipe makes 6 hot cross buns. If you want to turn it into a loaf, shape it into a loaf shape before proving for the second time. After proving, bake for 30-35 minutes. 
• Gluten Free: sub the all purpose flour with your preferred gluten free 1-to-1 blend. 
• Storage: Store any leftover hot cross buns room temperature in an airtight container or wrap in foil for 3-4 days. I highly recommend toasting the slices and spread with butter and jam. 
• Freezing: To freeze any leftover buns, individually wrap in plastic wrap then place them in an airtight container for 2-3 months. 
• Other Options: If you prefer traditional hot cross buns, check out my hot cross buns recipe which makes 12 buns.
• US Cups: Please note that US measurements will not increase automatically if you increase the recipe size by 2 or 3 times. 
• And finally: I hope you’ll enjoy this bake. And if you do, please leave a 5-star rating and comment to let me know. I love hearing from you. Happy Baking!

Did you make this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think – leave a review below. Sharing on socials? Tag me @itsbakeangel and use #makeitwithbakeangel!