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 a bit different. Serve warm with jam and butter.
Equipment
- Stand Mixer (use the dough hook)
Ingredients
For the Hot Cross Buns
- 250 grams All Purpose Flour (2 US cups)
- 38 grams White Sugar (3 tbsp)
- 1/2 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 spoon250 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!
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