Traditional hot cross buns made gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-free with no fuss! These slightly sweet and spiced buns with their iconic cross and raisins will be your family’s new go-to recipe for the Easter and Lenten season!
Okay, confession time. You know how I love to re-create my favorite traditional foods to be gluten-free, but hot cross buns are totally new! I can’t recall a time ever having them, but I know they are such a Lent/Easter classic. I’ve always WANTED to have a hot cross bun, but they just never made an appearance in my childhood. I did some research into their history. These buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday, mark the end of Lent, and are an Easter season staple for many Christians.
MY LATEST VIDEOSConsidering I grew up Catholic and celebrated Lent/Easter, I’m not sure why I never had them (probably the whole non-baking thing). Since I’m not religious now and I’m gluten-free, seems like the perfect time to finally make them, eh? Haha! But really, hot cross buns can be eaten anytime of year and by any one! Who would pass up a spiced sweet bun? A crazy person, that’s who!
Now, I want to take a step back down memory lane, which I’d started to talk about on Monday. Easter traditions! Easter was actually a big deal in my house growing up. A few days before, we would color hard-boiled eggs (the authentic vinegar and dye tablet way! SO FUN!). We would decorate them with wax crayons, the dye, stickers, etc. My brother and I would make an “egg” to give to each other (my mom, dad, him, and me) on Easter morning. Then, the “Easter Bunny” (my mom) would hide plastic eggs full of candy, money, little trinkets throughout the house on Easter Eve, which was also why we left him/her a plate of carrots and cookies!
When I said hid, I mean, HID and A LOT! Props to my mom for being such a trooper throughout my childhood with these kind of things. Keeping our fantasies and child innocence alive and well. She hid a lot of those eggs in every inch of the house, even sneaking around in our bedrooms once we were asleep. In the morning, my brother and I would wake up super early (just like Christmas), and take our big bunny baskets (with light up noses!) to fill with eggs as we hunted around the house. We never were able to find all the eggs in one shot. We would still be finding them weeks later (she was that good!)
Of course, once we got most of the eggs, it was time to open our Easter baskets! Like the stockings of Christmas morning, these baskets were just as good! Full of presents, PEEPS!, other candy, and general love! Haha! I loved Peeps and when I got the big packages, I would open the plastic right away so I could allow them to get stale (same with the peeps that would be stuffed individually in some of the Easter eggs we found. The staler the better!
I have such great Easter morning memories. Always a sunny, bright, Sunday morning (although I never liked being dragged to Church after the fun was over!). Another funny story about our plastic eggs. I mentioned we got money in some of them. After we opened out baskets, my brother and I would go through all the eggs to see what we got and make a pile and count up the money we received. One year my brother put all of his money in one massive clear plastic egg. He kept adding to it other the next few weeks, the money he got from relatives and his birthday which was later in the month.
After those few weeks, once my brother had enough money to buy some video game he wanted, my mom was going to drive us to Toys R Us so he could buy it. He brought the entire egg full of money as is and somehow the egg was left on the back of the bumper of our truck. (I don’t know why he put it there?). But as my mom pulled out of the driveway and into the street, that poor plastic egg fell off the bumper and shattered in the street with over $100 in it. The coins and dollar bills scattered and blew. However, we were oblivious and only realized what must have happened once we got all the way to the store and the egg was not in my brother’s possession. We raced all the way back home to see if the egg was simply in the driveway, but we so tragically saw bits of shattered green and white plastic in the road, along with a few quarters and dimes.
Remember how I said my mom was such a trooper? Well, she literally held up traffic and ran back and forth from our driveway to the road, trying to pick up as many coins as she could. This woman deserves a medal for what she’s down for her family. The craziness! I think she was able to collect about $20 from the road. All the dollar bills blew away though. Lucky for my brother, my dad’s friend heard about this tragic story and ended up giving my brother money to go buy the game he wanted. Easter miracle? Believe me, my childhood was never with a dull moment! Needless to say, we kept our money in the plastic eggs after that!
Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns
- 1 Packet of Active Dry Yeast
- ¾ Cup Warm Water
- ½ Cup Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour
- ½ Cup Sorghum Flour
- ½ Cup Amaranth Flour
- ¼ Cup Arrowroot Starch
- ¼ Cup Tapioca Starch
- 1 TB Psyllium Husk Powder
- 1 Tsp Xantham Gum
- ½ Tsp Baking Powder
- ½ Tsp Cinnamon
- ¼ Tsp Nutmeg
- ¼ Tsp Allspice
- ⅓ Cup Granular Erythritol
- ¼ Cup Unsweetened Raisins
- Unsweetened Almond Milk (for brushing)
- For the Glaze:
- 2 TB Powdered Erythritol
- 1 TB Tapioca Starch
- 2 Tsp Water
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Heat the water in the microwave for about 60 seconds until it is warm to the touch, then mix in the yeast and let it proof.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients for the buns except the raisins. Whisk to combine. Now add the proofed yeast and water to the mixing bowl, mix, add the raisins, and then knead with your hands for a few minutes to activate the yeast.
- Now divide the dough into 6 flattened balls and place them in an oiled cast iron skillet (or baking sheet).
- Cover the skillet and set in a warm place for 45-60 minutes to allow the buns to rise.
- Once risen, brush the buns with some almond milk, smooth them out, and cut an X (cross) on the top of each bun.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove and let cool.
- To make the cross glaze, simply combine all glaze ingredients, stir, and then lightly drizzle in the crosses of each bun.
- Serve warm with some coconut butter or nut butter!
Traditions, stories, and memories they make are the most important things in life. The love and laughs, the simple joy that plastic eggs full of Peeps and coins can bring. I don’t know what my life will be like once I’m “grown up”, I don’t plan on having kids, but if I did, these traditions and activities are what I’d hope to carry on and create memories with. These are the moments and funny stories that I want to remember always. That’s why I also love sharing them here on the blog along with the recipes that stem from these stories. Food and family traditions and stories are so entwined and they make each other even more special and beautiful! Cooking is love!
So tell me:
+ How does your family celebrate Easter (if you do)?
+ Have you ever had hot cross buns? They’re rather delicious warm and “buttered up” with coconut or nut butter!
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I wonder how many of these I could eat in one sitting….will have to try!
Hahaha, let me know 😉
Perfect for Easter brunch!
Yes! Thank you!
They turned out amazing!
Thank you!
These are so fun! Perfect for the upcoming holiday.
Exactly!
I thought hot cross buns were a British thing, shows how little I know about them haha! These look yummy! 😀
They started as a Christian thing over in Europe, but of course the US has them now!
They look amazing!
Thank you!
Hi Rebecca! Like you, I have never had hot cross buns. I’ve always heard of them but have never had them They sure do look good. We think that my husband had a gluten intolerance. I have not made any type of gluten-free bread products yet but when I do, I know where to come to get recipes :-).
Thank you for sharing your childhood memories of your mom. I am a mom and hope that my children will be able to share some of those good memories.
As for Easter, we celebrate (what we sometimes refer to Resurrection Sunday) by waking up early and thinking on THAT most wonderful day that Jesus defeated death and rose from the grave. We also (when we can) get new outfits, or at least something new, to wear to church. We usually give our kids a gift also. This year I plan to make a special lunch for our family.
I hope you have a most wonderful Easter.
I think you should bake these then! You can start a great new tradition (gluten-free)!
That sounds like a lovely way to celebrate you’re beliefs!
Oh how yummy, these look delicious. I love hot cross buns.. perfect for Easter
Yes! Thank you Dahn!
What a cute story about your bltother! I’m glad it had a happy ending 🙂 MY mom liked to make frosted buns for Easter morning, but hot cross buns were never part of our tradition. Maybe next year I’ll finally make some 🙂
Haha!
Well any nice warm baked good is perfect for Easter 😉
These buns sounds delicious! Very warm and comforting. Good for Easter =)
“which was also why we left him/her a plate of carrots and cookies!”
Hahaha. That’s too funny. Your family sounds awesome. I love the Easter Miracle story.
Haha, thank you Kimmy!
It is an “Easter Miracle” story 😉 My crazy family!
Oh wow, these look great. I must try these out at the weekend 🙂
Yes, yes! For the holiday!
these look delicious.
Thanks!
I don’t think I’ve ever had hot cross buns, but I don’t think I can have the “usual” kind anymore now that I’ve seen these!!
Yea, well don’t worry, these are better 😉 Haha!
Your Hot Cross Buns will be perfect for this week!
Yes they will!
OMG! these look amazing!! I’ve never had hot cross buns, but we will for sure have to try these! They look delish!
Let me know if you do!!! I know you’ll love them!
These look really good!
Thank you!
Of course, I’ve heard of hot cross buns but I’ve never seen them. I think we all know the nursery rhyme “Hot cross buns, Hot Cross Buns, See How They Run, See How They Run…” Oh, I think I’m messing up two nursery rhymes, Hot cross buns and Three Blind Mice. LOL perhaps we don’t all know the nursery rhymes, insinuating myself. But I know there’s a nursery rhyme in here somewhere.
As always when I come here, I learn something new. And not just that I can’t remember my nursery rhymes. These Hot Cross Buns look fantastic. I had no idea what they even looked like, and these look super yummy!
Hahaha! Yes the song! I didn’t mention it because I don’t know how it actually goes either 😛
Well I hope you can make some soon!
ooh those look yummy! I’ve just started to make my own bread products because we all need more bread in our lives!
Right! Who could pass up a classic hot cross bun either!
Wow, you have a fantastic array of so many different flours in there. I love hot cross buns. I think we made a gluten free version for Christmas. <333 YUMM!
Fantastic! Thank you, Emily!!
These look so delicious!
Thank you! xo
What a good recipe. I did not know about Sorghum Flour. I have a breakfast cereal make from Sorghum and it is delicious, so I will have to look for the flour. With all those good spices these buns have to taste good.
It is such a lovely flour for GF baking!
I haven’t had hot crossed buns since I was a kid. I used to love them but totally forgot about them. Thank you for the reminder!!
Well I know what you need to bake this week! 😉
I love hot cross buns, even though we don’t celebrate Easter. When I was a kid my grandmother did, so that’s where the bun memories come from. These look beautiful <3
At least you’ve had them before! Haha! I’m so late! Thank you!
I’ve never had hot crossed buns before, but yours certainly look tasty! I’d happily eat them at any occasion.
I hope can make them soon, Hannah!!
I love your journey to finally making these! It’s so funny how ironic things like that happen all the time. I don’t think I’ve ever had a hot cross bun myself actually. Amazing job recreating the recipe Rebecca! I’m intrigued by the tapioca starch in the icing, can’t wait to try that!
Thank you Lucie! You would adore hot cross buns!!!
I added the starch to make the icing whiter and thicker since I only use erythritol!
Vow Rebecca, these look really great! I love hot cross buns, but have never tried gluten-free version, definitely will have a go:)
Thank you dear!! They are delicious little buns 😉
I have never had a hot cross bun!!! CRAZY! I am for sure making them this year!
Not crazy!! But do it!
Wow, your mom was a TOTALLY AWESOME Easter Bunny! That was so nice of your dad’s friend to help out with the tragically scattered money. I’ve always wanted to try hot cross buns too! Yours came out so cute! 😀
Haha, she is a rockstar!
Make some buns, stat!!
Hi Rebecca,
Hot crossed buns were something my Mother used to make every Easter when I was a child but of course they were made with plain wheat flour because that’s all we had at that time. So these bring back fond memories and they look delicious. Pinned & twitted.
O well I hope you can make these to enjoy once again!
I love hot cross buns! I shall be making some but not quite yet or there won’t be any left for Easter!
Hahahaha, good call 😉
What a yummy idea! These look delicious!
Thanks, Annmarie!
I grew up Catholic as well and for some reason have also never had a single hot cross bun in my life. I’m happy to see you made a healthier, gluten-free version of them though. I might just have to make these 😉 Pinning!
Ah, than I think you have a duty to make some this year! Haha! Thank you Vanessa 🙂
YUM!! Gluten free hot cross buns?!? YES please!! These look amazing! Hope that you have a great weekend!
xoxo Cailee!!
Thank you sweet! I hope you do too (and bake some buns!!!)
OMG YUM!! Thanks so much for sharing this Rebecca! They are beautiful and perfect for Easter! Love it!
O, thank you so much dear!!
I love hot cross buns and these look great Rebecca!
Thank you!
I’ve never had hot cross buns either, I guess it’s just not a thing here in Austria 😉 We do make a sweet bread though for easter, but it’s more the size of a loaf of bread and different from those buns. Easter was such a fun time as a kid – I grew up Catholic as well…in the morning we would go to a little chapel in the neighborhood to get the food blessed for the easter meal and then in the afternoon the Easter bunny came 😉 We have a garden, so the nests were usually hidden around and the older I got, the more difficult my parents hid the gifts (like up in trees…). Even long after I didn’t believe in the Easter bunny my parents still hid some chocolate and little gifts in the garden – ah, fun memories!
Ah those sounds like glorious memories!!! My mom still gets us a few gifts and she was hiding eggs for a very long time 😉 No shame!
I also grew up Catholic but had no idea hot cross buns was a Christian tradition. So cool! I learned something today – yay!! These look soooooo nummies!
Which means now with that new found knowledge you must bake some buns!!!
These look scrumptious! I love the slightly sweet component you added here, too. Need to add them to my list!
Yes! You’ll love these classic buns!
These look delish! Can’t wait to try them out!
Thank you! Enjoy!
I recently found out that I’m gluten intolerant and it’s not that easy to find delicious recipes to try…. However, I believe I found the right spot! ;)) even though I’m not celebrating Easter, I’ll definitely include this yummy recipe into my recipe book (I would rather call it Pinterest recipe book).
Haha, well I hope you enjoy these!
I’ve never had a hot cross bun! I totally want to try these now!
Do it!!! You won’t be disappointed!
Wow, hot cross buns yum!
Hot cross buns totally remind me of my younger days when my gran used to get freshly baked hot cross buns which were sold at her church and bring them for my little brother and I. Good, fond memories!
Well don’e on this superb gluten free recipe. 🙂
Aw, such perfect memories!!! Do you bake them, yourself, now?
Wonderful ! can’t wait to share these so many little ones I know are Gluten free! (: And this is sure to brighten up many an Easter.
I hope they bring some warm smiles!
Nice to see an alternative to traditional hot cross buns for vegans and those who are gluten intolerant. Excellent.
Thanks Jacqueline!
I’ve always heard the song but I’ve never tried these before! Now must be the perfect time!
Hahaha! Yes! And you should bake them while listening to the song!
The 12 year old in me wants to giggle every time I see the title “Hot Cross BUNS”…but really though, these are gorgeous! I kind of just want to lick that frosting right in those cross cracks…MMMMM. I’ve never had these before but I bet they are delicious!
Haha! Well any time BUN is involved, I feel a little silly too 😉
We had very similar Easter traditions it seems. My mom ended up numbering the eggs she hid one year and keeping a list on a sheet of paper of where each one was hidden…..this, of course, after we found eggs with candy inside like a whole year after Easter once. 🙂 And, oh my gosh, your mom rocks! I can picture here darting through traffic Frogger style…I hope your brother was appreciative. 🙂
By the way, these hot cross buns look great. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten one – traditional or not – but I think I should certainly start!
Haha, that’s quite a system!
I know! All for some stupid quarters and dimes!!! And shards of sad plastic egg :O
I think you should too! I know I’m glad I did 😉
These look AMAZING! Yay for holiday recipes everyone can enjoy!
Mmmhm, you know it!
Those look so good,
Thanks!
these are adorable and look so yummy!!
Thank you, Sarah!
These are adorable, Recbecca!! Pinned 🙂
Thank you Aimee!
They look delicious!!
I’ve actually never tried the gluten-full hot cross buns, so won’t be able to compare, but they look amazing and I can’t wait to try then =)
Haha, well I never did either so…let’s all just say these are best 😉
These look fantastic! I love making Hot Cross Buns this time of year – nice to have a new recipe to try!
~jules
They are fun to make and so delish!
I have to confess… I’ve never had a hot cross bun! We don’t do anything for Easter, but I would celebrate with these for sure!
Haha, well you were not alone!!! I feel like they are so iconic, yet most people never end up trying them!
Such a sweet story. Thank you for sharing it. It brought back so many joyous memories of Easter morning in my house when my kids where little. Oh, how many hours I spent at Toys R Us! 🙂
Those buns are the prettiest that I’ve seen on the web this season. Well done!
Haha, I loved going there!!! I don’t even remember buying much though :/ (It was an expensive store!)
Woohoo! Thank you Linda!
These look like they deserve a spot on my Easter menu for sure!
I hope so 😉
These are so fun! I’ve never made hot cross buns before but have wanted to. Love your gluten free version.
Totally give them a try!
Love the photography of this post! I’m not gluten-free but tried some gluten-free cookies for the first time the other day and honestly couldn’t tell the difference.
If you know how to bake, you won’t! Gluten-free flours are fantastic and these are so many amazing combos. They taste better than boring old wheat anyway!
I can’t believe I have never had these before. They look fabulous!!
Thank you!!! I know!! I’m glad I finally got around to it!
I grew up Catholic too and never had hot cross buns. Crazy! Yours look delicious. Pinning so I can give them a try!
They seem to have been forgotten in the modern age! Haha! But totally worth trying!
yummy! these look delicious! ♥
Thank you!
Where have these been all my life too!?! Sweet, soft, spiced, glaze filled, with raisins, like seriously they were made for me and yet I’ve never had one either 😮 Less peeps, more hot cross buns please Easter bunny! I am incredibly impressed by how perfectly soft and fluffy these look! And the fact that they are actually yeasted and everything, you are a gf baking pro! Stale peeps were actually pretty good, but I liked them super fresh too. Come on its, a sugar covered marshmallow, it’s never going be bad. But these, these look like they would be incredible fresh and warm from the oven <3
I’m so proud of my baking. I mean…I can’t stop now! I wasted so many years of NO baking!!!! Now….I can’t stop, won’t stop! (I think it was your fruity influence!)
I don’t like the fresh, they have to be stale! Hahahaha! It’s just not the same!!
Yes!! These have to be eaten nice and warm and preferable right form the oven!
You’re mom is awesome! I love reading your stories from your childhood. We do celebrate Easter, we just paint and decorate wooden and paper mâché eggs instead of actual eggs. The kids love crafting and then “hunting” for them! We were not religious growing up and I’m still not so hot cross buns were never a thing in our house, but these sure look yummy!
Thank you Melissa! Haha! I love telling these stories!!
Vegan celebrations are way better anyway 😉
I’m totally reversed haha, but might as well still make them even though I’m not religious!
These look yummy! My Mom used to make hot cross buns at Easter. I have to watch gluten now also since I have Crohn’s disease. Good recipe!
Well I hope you give these a try! They won’t disappoint!
Yum! All your breads look awesome and I have extra love for breads studded with raisins 🙂
Studs of raisins bring happiness 😉
These look delicious and I love how allergy friendly they are!
Thank you! 🙂
I love hot cross buns, these look like a great healthier version! I’d love to try them!
Thank you Kelly!
I am so impressed with all the gluten free and vegan recipes I see. These buns look great and provide real inspiration that I can add more and more vegan recipes into my diet and lose nothing.
There is nothing to lose!
You know, it seems silly, but I’ve never had a hot cross bun in my whole life. This is definitely something that needs to be remedied!
Haha, well you were not alone in that!
Sometimes I feel like you and I are on the same wavelength . . . I’m in the midst of testing GF hot cross buns as well in preparation for some Easter excitement. Yours look awesome!
Well they are a must!!!
I’m a huge fan of hot cross buns and I must say you are genius to come up with a pretty delectable looking GF version! They have the perfect rise, Rebecca – well done!
Thank you!! Haha! First shot at them was a success!
I have a favorite recipe for hot cross buns which I have been making for years – finding an appropriate one for friends that are on a gluten-free diet was not easy. These really look good!
Thank you Meeta!
My son has removed gluten from his diet recently to see if he is allergic. He loves bread and these look delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
This is a great recipe for him then!
I don’t celebrate easter, but I like hot cross bun and sometimes made them at home just for brunch sometimes. Your gluten free version seems great!
They are a great brunch option!
I am so excited to start making hot cross buns and this is a great alternative for gluten free people.
I’m glad I finally made them!
i don’t celebrate Easter but i do like learning about the history/traditions..you mom seriously is a TROOPER!!!!!
Haha, she’s the best!