Fluffy Vegan Hot Cross Buns
My fluffy vegan hot cross buns are so light and have all the spices and zest inside that will fill your belly with warmth and make you smile. Pure comfort baking and a staple in our home at this time of year.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (use the dough hook)
- Shower Cap (to cover to prove the dough)
Angela's Top Tip
Weigh your dry ingredients in grams with a scale for best results!
Ingredients
For the Hot Cross Buns
- 500 grams Bread Flour (just over 4 US cups)
- 75 grams White Sugar (1/3 US cup)
- 2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Nutmeg
- 1 pkt Instant Yeast (8 grams or 2.25 tsp)
- 2 tsp Salt
- 50 grams Melted Plant Based Butter (10 tsp)
- 300 ml Plant Based Milk (Warmed to 110°F)
- Orange Zest (from 1 medium orange)
- 100 grams Apple Sauce (1/2 US cup)
- 200 grams Dried Fruit (1.25 US cups)
- Additional flour for kneading
For the Slurry
- 50 grams All Purpose Flour (2/5 US cup)
- 80 ml Water
For the Glaze
- 125 ml Apricot Jam (Half of a 250ml jar)
- 1 tbsp Water
Instructions
Prep
- Gather all of your equipment and ingredients.
To Make the Dough
- Add 500 grams (just over 4 cups) of strong white (bread) flour, 75 grams (1/3 cup) of white sugar, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of nutmeg and a pack of instant yeast to a mixing bowl. If you have a container of yeast, use 8 grams or 2.25 teaspoons.
- Add 2 teaspoons of salt, 50 grams (10 tsp) of melted plant based butter, 300 ml of warmed plant based milk and some orange zest. I zested one medium oranges. Give everything a good mix together with the dough hook.
- Add in a small container of apple sauce (usually 1/2 cup sized). These are usually between 100 and 113 grams, depending on which brand you purchase, so just dump the whole amount in there.
- Finally, add in 200 grams (1.25 US cups) of dried fruit. You can use any combination that you like. Currants, raisins, sultanas, mixed peel and cranberries all work equally as well in hot cross buns. Stir into the dough.
- Knead for 5 minutes. You will notice the gluten activating and a stringiness appearing in the dough.
First Prove
- Grease a bowl, add the dough and cover with plastic wrap. Top tip - I like to use shower caps for this stage. Prove your dough in a warm place for about 90 minutes until it has doubled in size.
- Turn the dough out on to a floured surface, knock back the air in the dough and give it a quick knead.
Second Prove
- Pop the dough back into the bowl, cover it then prove again for another 30 minutes.
- Turn out onto a floured surface again. This recipe makes 12 hot cross buns so I start by cutting the dough in half, then half again and so on until I end up with 12 pieces of (roughly) the same size.
- To form the buns, take a ball of dough, hold your hand in a C shape and then roll the ball around on the counter. Holding your hand in this manner ensures that you don't press down on the dough and lose any of the puffiness.
Third Prove
- Add the buns to a lined baking tray, leaving space between each one as they will spread. Cover the baking tray with plastic wrap and prove in a warm place for 45 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
To Make the Crosses
- Mix together 50 grams (2/5 US cup) of all purpose flour and 80 ml of water. Stir together to form a pipable mixture. Add the slurry to a piping bag and then pipe over the hot cross buns.
- Bake the hot cross buns at 350°F for 20 to 22 minutes until well risen.
To Make the Glaze
- About 5 minutes before the hot cross buns are baked, make the apricot glaze. In a small microwavable bowl, add 125 ml of apricot jam and 1 tablespoon of water. Mix together then heat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Give it a good stir to create a smooth glaze.
- Immediately brush on the hot cross buns as soon as they come out of the oven.
- And then find yourself a quiet spot to enjoy the fruits of your labour.
Video
Notes
- Yield: This recipe makes 12 hot cross buns that are great to eat straight from the oven. Or if you have willpower and want to enjoy them over the next few days instead, they are wonderful toasted with a bit of jam or butter on them. Although in our house, they are normally gone within an hour of baking.
- Storage: Store any leftover hot cross buns in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Scalability: Please note that US measurements will not increase automatically if you increase the recipe size by 2 or 3 times.
- Nutrition: information is based on 1 bun per serving with 12 buns per recipe. Please note that nutrition information is calculated based on the ingredients in this recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 BunCalories: 296kcalCarbohydrates: 60.9gProtein: 5.4gFat: 4.2gSaturated Fat: 0.6gSodium: 438mgPotassium: 80mgFiber: 3gSugar: 19.4gCalcium: 58mgIron: 3mg
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