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Paleo-ish Hot Cross Buns (and I survived a cleanse!)

The best Hot Cross Bun recipe ever! Actually. And they're gluten-, egg-, dairy-free to boot! All the flavour of this Easter classic but allergen-free for the whole family!
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The best Hot Cross Bun recipe ever!  Actually.  And they’re gluten-, egg-, dairy-free to boot!  All the flavour of this Easter classic but allergen-free for the whole family!

  • Author: Amelia
  • Prep Time: 25-30 mins
  • Cook Time: 19-20 mins
  • Total Time: 52 minute
  • Yield: 24 buns 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 tbsp dry yeast
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk
  • 1/4 cup canola/melted coconut oil
  • 3 tbsp lard
  • 3 tbsp Nutiva Buttery Coconut Oil
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp mace
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 4 1/2 cups arrowroot starch
  • 2 2/3 cups oat flour
  • 3/4 cup quinoa flour
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1/4 cup chick pea flour
  • 1/4 cup potato flour
  • 4 tsp xantham gum
  • 2 tbsp + 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 cup dried currants
  • 1 cup candied citron/orange peel
  • ‘Egg’ wash made with ~ 1/2 tsp agave syrup and ~ 1 tsp water
  • Icing made from 3/4 cup icing sugar and 4-6 tsp full fat coconut milk

Instructions

  1. Proof the yeast (in your stand mixer bowl or a large mix bowl) by first dissolving the 2 tbsp of the brown sugar in 1 cup of warm water.  Set aside until yeast is puffy.
  2. Meanwhile mix the coconut milk, remaining water, canola/melted coconut oil in a bowl (or a measuring cup)
  3. Melt the lard and Nutiva Buttery Coconut oil in a pot.  Set aside to cool.
  4. Mix the remaining brown sugar, spices, and salt in a small bowl.  Set aside.
  5. Mix the flours, xantham gum, baking powder in a larger bowl.  Set aside.
  6. Finally, mix the dried currants and candied citron/orange peel in a bowl with 1 tbsp of the flour mix in another small bowl.  Set aside.
  7. When the yeast has proofed, slowly whisk in the coconut oil/water mixture followed by the lard/buttery coconut oil mixture.
  8. Slowly whisk in the sugar and spice mix.
  9. Whisk in ~ 4 cups of the flour mix one at a time until you have a thick pancake-batter-like dough.  At this point, you can either put the bowl in your stand mixer or switch to mixing the dough with your hands.
  10. Continue adding flour 1/2 cup at a time until you have a relatively soft but stand-alone dough ball.
  11. Add your dried currants and candied citron/orange peel mix.  If you need a bit more flour to hold the dough together at this point, add it ~ 1-2 tbsp at a time.
  12. Scoop your dough ball out onto a floured work surface and roll the dough ball through enough flour to make sure it doesn’t stick (i.e. a light layer of flour).  Divide the dough into quarters, and form into longish rolls (taking care not to squish too much air out of them).
  13. Cut each roll into 12 pieces.  Form each piece into a small roll, making sure to dip each cut end in a bit of flour first to make sure they don’t stick to your hands.  I form the dough into rolls by taking the edges of the dough and pulling them to the centre.  Continue pulling the corners into the middle until you have an upside dome/roll in your palm.
  14. Place the rolls on greased cookie sheets, leaving ~ 1 cm around each bun.
  15. Let buns rise ~ 20 mins in a warm place, covered with saran wrap.
  16. Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Using a sharp paring knife, cut a cross in the top of the buns.  Again, take care not to squish the buns too much in this process.   Let the buns rise for another 10-15 mins, until you see the crosses spread a bit.
  17. Just before putting the buns in the oven, make your ‘egg’ wash and brush it lightly on the tops of your buns.
  18. Bake buns for 15-17 mins, until the bottoms are a nice golden brown, and they make a hollow ‘thunk’ when you tap the bottoms.
  19. Crank the heat up to 425°F and put the buns back in for another 1-2 mins to brown the tops.
  20. Let the buns cool for about 15 mins.
  21. Using a chopstick, mix your icing sugar and coconut milk 1 tsp at a time until you have icing that is thick enough that it would stay on the bun, but thin enough that it drips slowly off the chopstick when you hover it over the icing.
  22. Use the chopstick to drizzle the icing in the crosses of your buns.
  23. Enjoy! (Preferably with cream cheese, and/or butter, and/or jam)

Notes

If you can’t find the Nutiva Buttery Coconut Oil, you can either use another 3 tbsp of lard, or 3 tbsp of regular coconut oil.

Allergen notes:

  • I described this bread as being gluten-free.  Oat flour is technically gluten-free but, as I’ve mentioned before, oats are often grown in fields beside wheat and can become cross-contaminated.  SO…people with severe gluten intolerances/allergies may have trouble with regular oat flour if they don’t get certified gluten-free oat flour like Only Oats Pure Whole Grain Oat Flour or Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Whole Grain Oat Flour
  • I should also mention that baking powder contains corn starch.  It’s not enough to irritate my system, but for those who are severely allergic/intolerant to corn should consider adding 1/4 tsp of baking soda to the dry ingredients instead of the baking powder AND add 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar to the wet ingredients before mixing.
  • A (potentially) little-known fact is that icing sugar is made with corn starch as well.  So…those who are severely intolerant/allergic to corn can refer to my Icing Sugar recipe.
  • Finally, candied citron/orange peel are made with corn syrup (corn is everywhere folks!).  So, again, those who are severely intollerant/allergic can simply omit the candied citron/orange peel.

Find it online: https://www.paleo-ish.ca/paleo-ish-hot-cross-buns/