Vegan Hot Cross Buns

Vegan hot cross buns are soft, sweet, spiced bread baked to golden brown perfection and then glazed with sticky simple syrup. Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday is one of my favorite parts of a Guyanese Easter.

Vegan Hot Cross Buns

A few years ago, someone commented on my old Cross Buns recipe saying that it really shouldn’t have eggs because Cross Buns are typically eaten on Good Friday, a day when most people eat vegan meals. I thought about it for a while and realized that I could still make my cross buns recipe delicious without eggs. I tried it and was successful and from that point on I started excluding eggs from my cross buns.

Then recently I thought, why not just go ahead and make it vegan, and so I did. I promise you that it still has the most amazing texture and taste without any animal product. I make mine with blended mixed fruits and it is always a winner.

Why You’ll Love This Hot Cross Buns Recipe

• An Easter Tradition: I can’t imagine an Easter in Guyana without hot cross buns so celebrate the holiday with a batch.
• Amazing Texture: These buns have mouthwatering flavor but I love how incredibly soft they are. The outer crust is lightly crisp and coated with a sticky, sweet glaze but just beneath the surface is light, fluffy bread.
• Egg & Dairy-Free: Everyone should be able to indulge, regardless of dietary restrictions so these vegan hot cross buns are perfect for serving to nearly everyone.

What are Hot Cross Buns?

Cross buns are spiced buns typically made with currants or raisins. They are adorned with a cross, to signify the crucifix. They are usually eaten on Good Friday.

Differences between this Vegan Hot Cross recipe and my original Cross Buns Recipe:

• The old recipe includes eggs, butter or shortening, and milk. To make this recipe vegan, I left the eggs out, substituted the butter for coconut oil, and swapped the milk for water.
• In my old recipe, I also used mixed fruits I had soaking in wine. I used raisins and prunes soaked in some pineapple juice for this recipe and then blended to a smooth paste.
• Finally, in this Vegan Hot Cross Buns recipe, I am using my hands to knead the dough instead of my stand mixer which makes this recipe accessible to everyone.

Ingredients for Guyanese Cross Buns

These cross buns have the same texture and the same delicious flavor with fewer ingredients.

• Flour: This is the foundation of the bread. You’ll need additional flour for dusting.
• Instant or rapid rising yeast: The dough rises faster without having to dissolve in liquid.
• Coconut oil: Use this to enrich the dough, instead of butter.
• Warm water: This helps the sugar dissolve.
• Brown sugar: This sweetens the bread.
• Salt: This ingredient enhances the overall flavor of the buns and regulates the yeast activity.
• Spices: Use ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg
• Pineapple or apple juice: Adds sweetness and fruity notes, enhancing the flavor of the dried fruit paste.
• Dried fruit: Prunes and raisins (washed) enhance the sweetness of the bunds and add a slightly chewy texture.

Simple Syrup topping

• Water
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla essence

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Vegan Hot Cross Buns

Combine Dry Ingredients

Combine flour, yeast, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Following that, add coconut oil, rubbing it into the dry ingredients. Then form a well in the center.

Make Fruit Paste

Mix brown sugar with warm water until dissolved and then set it aside.

Blend raisins, prunes, and pineapple juice into a smooth paste.

Combine the sugar and water mixture with the blended dried fruit paste in the mixing bowl. Mix well to form a soft dough; add more flour if sticky.

Knead Dough & Allow to Rise

Knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth; place in a greased bowl to rise for 45 minutes. Turn the risen dough onto a floured surface, knead briefly, and separate a small piece. Divide the remaining dough into 9 pieces, and knead them into balls. Create crosses on top of the buns with dough strips. Then let it rise for 30 minutes.

Bake & Glaze Hot Cross Buns

Once the buns have risen, bake them at 350°F for 25 minutes. As they bake, prepare a simple syrup topping by boiling water, sugar, and vanilla essence. Brush them on freshly baked buns just after baking. Enjoy your vegan hot cross buns warm!

Video Tutorial for Vegan Hot Cross Buns:

Storage

Store vegan hot cross buns in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months and thaw them overnight in the fridge the day before you plan to serve them.

Tips for the Best Vegan Hot Cross Buns

• If the dough becomes too sticky, add more flour until it is manageable. But not too much, so the dough remains soft.
• Save time by making the dough in advance. Cover the formed buns with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge until you’re ready to bake them the next day.
• Allow the buns to cool for at least 10 minutes before applying the glaze and digging in. The buns will continue to cook, even after they;re removed from the oven.

Substitutions for the Vegan Hot Cross Buns

• You can swap the coconut oil for other kinds of fat or oil. You can keep it vegan or use dairy butter if you choose
• Use coconut milk instead of water for a rich coconut flavor
• Swap the mixed fruits for currants or just raisins. Be sure to soak them first.
• Instead of simple syrup, brush the top with maple syrup, or fruit jam. Apricot jam or marmalade works well here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Vegan Hot Cross Buns

Althea Brown

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Vegan hot cross buns are soft, sweet, spiced bread baked to golden brown perfection and then glazed with sticky simple syrup. Hot Cross Buns on Good Friday is one of my favorite parts of a Guyanese Easter.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!

Prep Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 9 Buns

Calories 338

Course Bread

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Equipment

• ▢
  2 Large mix bowls
• ▢
  Baking Sheet

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 cups flour plus 1/2 cup for dusting
• ▢ 1 tablespoon instant or rapid rising yeast
• ▢ 1/4 cup coconut oil
• ▢ 1 1/4 cup warm water
• ▢ 1/4 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ 1/4 cup pineapple or apple juice
• ▢ 8 prunes
• ▢ 1/4 cup raisins washed

Simple Syrup topping

• ▢ 1/2 cup water
• ▢ 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Instructions 

• Combine flour, yeast, salt, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg in a large mixing bowl and mix together well
• Next add coconut oil and rub into the dry ingredients with your finger tips
• Then form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and set aside
• Next, mix together the brown sugar and 1 1/4 cup of warm water until the sugar dissolves and set aside
• Then add the raisins, prunes and pineapple juice to a blender and blend until a smooth paste forms
• Next add the sugar and water mixture, followed by the blended dried fruit paste to the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients
• Mix together well combining the wet and dry ingredients to form a soft dough
• You may add a bit more flour to the dough if it is sticky
• Then knead for 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes a smooth ball
• Place the smooth dough ball into a clean and greased mixing bowl, cover with a damp paper towel and set aside in a warm place to allow the dough to rise
• Let the dough rise for 45 minutes or until it doubles in size then turn onto a floured surface and knead for 1 to 2 minutes
• Then separate a small piece of dough, about the size of a tennis ball and set aside
• Next divide the remaining dough into 9 equal pieces
• Knead each of the 9 dough pieces into a tight, round and smooth dough ball or bun
• For the cross element on top of the bun, using your rolling pin roll the tennis ball size piece of dough you set aside earlier into a flat disk
• Then cut the disk into 18 strips, 2 strips per bun
• Next, place the two strips over each bun to make a cross, tucking the ends of the cross under the buns
• Repeat until all 9 buns have crosses
• Then place all of the buns on a greased baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel
• Let rise for 30 minutes before baking
• While dough is rising, preheat your oven to 350 °F
• When you are ready to bake (after the dough rested for 30 minutes) place the cross buns uncovered into the oven and bake for 25 minutes

Making the syrup

• While the cross buns are baking, make the simple syrup topping by combining ½ cup water, ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence in a small saucepan on medium heat
• Stir until the sugar crystals dissolve, then bring the solution to a boil
• Continue to boil until the solution reduces to ½ the amount. This should take no more that 5 minutes
• Remove from the heat and set aside.
  

Finishing Touches

• Remove the cross buns from the oven after 25 minutes and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes
• Then brush the top of the cross buns with the simple syrup
• Enjoy your cross buns warm or hot if you like

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 6gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.5gSodium: 72mgPotassium: 180mgFiber: 3gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 70IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 3mg

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The information listed in the recipe card is an estimate provided by an online nutrition tool. The tool evaluates ingredient names and amounts then makes calculations based on the number of servings listed for the recipe. It is provided as a general guideline and not as a precise calculation. For precise nutrition information please feel free to add the ingredients to your preferred nutrition calculator or consult a doctor or licensed nutritionist.

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