Description
Soft, sweet, and spiced just right—these gluten-free hot cross buns are made with fresh U.S. ingredients and are perfect for springtime brunch or a cozy snack. No gluten, no weird textures, just fluffy buns that taste like home.
Ingredients
Dry Mix:
2 ¾ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 blend works great)
1 ½ tsp xanthan gum (skip if your flour already has it)
2 tsp baking powder
1 packet (2 ¼ tsp) active dry yeast
¼ cup organic cane sugar
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp salt
Wet Mix:
¾ cup warm milk (or unsweetened almond milk if going dairy-free)
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (or use avocado oil)
2 large eggs (preferably pasture-raised)
Zest of 1 orange
1 tsp vanilla extract
Add-ins:
½ cup chopped U.S. golden raisins or currants
2 tbsp chopped candied orange peel (optional, but worth it)
For the cross:
¼ cup gluten-free flour
3 tbsp water
Honey glaze:
2 tbsp local honey
1 tbsp warm water
Instructions
Warm up the milk until it’s just cozy—like a hot bath for your finger, not scalding. Stir in 1 tsp of the sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it sit for 8–10 minutes until it’s foamy. If it doesn’t foam, the yeast is a dud. Start again.
In a large bowl, whisk together your gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (if needed), baking powder, remaining sugar, spices, and salt. Don’t skip the spices—they make the buns sing.
In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, orange zest, and vanilla. Pour in the foamy yeast-milk mixture and stir until combined.
Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and stir until it turns into a thick, slightly sticky dough. Fold in your raisins and orange peel.
Tip: If it looks like cookie dough, you’re doing it right. If it’s soup, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it firms up.
Grab a large baking pan (9×13 works fine). Line it with parchment or lightly grease it.
Scoop out 12 even portions of dough with a spoon or lightly floured hands. Roll gently into balls—don’t overthink it. Place them in rows in the pan with a little room between each bun.
Cover with a clean dish towel and let them rise somewhere warm for 45–60 minutes. They won’t double like wheat dough, but they’ll puff up slightly.
Mix the flour and water until you get a thick paste. Scoop it into a zip bag, snip the corner, and pipe a cross over each bun.
If you’re not going for perfect lines, no worries. Homemade always looks a little wonky and that’s part of the charm.
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Bake the buns for 22–26 minutes until the tops are golden brown and your kitchen smells like Easter morning.
As soon as they come out, brush them with your warm honey glaze. This is the move that takes them from “good” to “holy moly, why didn’t I make a double batch?”
Let them cool for 15 minutes before eating… or not. I burn my tongue every time and regret nothing.
Notes
If your gluten-free flour blend already has xanthan gum, skip adding extra.
You can use dairy-free milk and butter to make this recipe completely dairy-free.
Buns are best fresh but can be frozen for up to 2 months—just toast or microwave before serving.
Swap raisins for chopped dates, dried cranberries, or mini chocolate chips if you’d like.
If piping the cross feels like too much work, a powdered sugar glaze added after baking works too.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (includes rise time)
- Cook Time: 24 minutes
- Category: Bread, Brunch, Holiday
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Easter
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bun
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg