These vegan hot cross buns have all the classic flavors: sweet cinnamon, cozy spices, and juicy raisins. All without any dairy or eggs. And so much better than the store-bought ones! Soft, lightly golden, and with a little cinnamon honey butter, they’re perfect for Easter brunch or any occasion!
I always find store-bought hot cross buns either too dry, too sweet, or just too doughy. So, I love to bake them at home around Easter. My recipe is vegan, easy, and fills the kitchen with an aroma that’s just irresistibly delicious! And if you’re in the mood for indulgence, make a whole other batch of chocolate hot cross buns!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Once you try these, you’ll never need another hot cross bun recipe again. Vegan or not!
Nothing says spring like a batch of warm, fluffy buns fresh from the oven. Just try them slathered with butter, and you'll be hooked!
They’re easy to make. Simple ingredients and step-by-step instructions make the recipe totally doable.
Traditionally made for Easter, but honestly, they’re so good they’re great for any occasion.
Hot Cross Buns Recipe Ingredients
Flour: A mix of all-purpose and whole wheat flour gives these buns the perfect balance of softness and a little heartiness. You can use just all-purpose or whole wheat flour, too.
Yeast makes the dough rise into soft, fluffy buns. I prefer dried active yeast, but instant yeast works just as well. Irrespective of which one you use, always test it before adding to the ingredients.
Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove powder are the perfect trio to make these eggless hot cross buns taste like pure comfort.
Oil keeps the vegan hot cross buns tender and moist. Feel free to use sunflower oil, coconut oil, or even softened butter.
Dried fruits: Typically, hot cross bun recipes have raisins and currants. These classic additions add bursts of sweetness. I soaked my dried currants in warm water to make them plump and juicy. You can use orange juice to add more flavor. Just drain them before you mix them in.
Lemon zest for a hint of brightness. It lifts the taste with a fresh, citrusy twist. I highly recommend adding it.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
Flour Paste: The cross in hot buns is piped with a thick paste of flour and water before baking. For a different taste, you can also use cream cheese frosting, lemon icing, or melted white chocolate on the baked buns to make the cross.
Glaze: Most vegan hot cross bun recipes use apricot jam glaze. I prefer maple syrup mixed with warm water. You can also use honey instead.
Addins: Whilst raisins and dried currants are the most popular, you can also add mixed peel or cranberries.
How To Make Vegan Hot Cross Buns
Step 1: Combine water and yeast in a cup, along with a pinch of sugar. Keep aside for 5-7 minutes till frothy.
Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add all-purpose and wholewheat flours, salt, sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, and clove powder. Mix it all well.
Step 3: Add the yeast mixture and oil to the dry ingredients and knead for 2 minutes until all the ingredients come together into a rough, shaggy dough.
Step 4: Mix in the raisins and currants.
Step 5: Knead for another 10 minutes till the dough is smooth, slightly sticky to the touch, and clearing the sides of the bowl.
Step 6: Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with cling wrap, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size.
Step 7: Take the dough out on a lightly floured surface and lightly punch it down. Divide the dough into 9 equal-sized pieces. Cover lightly with a tea towel and place in a draft-free warm place to let the double in size.
Step 8: Make a thick paste with the flour and water. Transfer to a piping bag, snip off the end, and pipe a cross on each of the buns.
Step 9: Bake for about 20 minutes or till the buns are golden brown.
Step 10: Make a glaze with maple syrup and warm water. Brush it over the buns while they are warm.
Transfer the rolls onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, and serve them warm!
Top Tips
- It's best to use a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients. This ensures better and consistent results.
- You can soak the raisins and dried currants in orange juice for 30 minutes, then drain and use. This adds another layer of flavor to the buns.
- Check your yeast before using. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon with a pinch of sugar in 1/2 a cup of warm water. Leave aside for 5-10 minutes. If the mixture gets bubbly and frothy, your yeast is good to use!
- The softer and stickier the dough, the better texture your hot cross buns will have. So add extra flour cautiously, you just enough to get the dough to leave the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Since this dough is quite sticky, its most convenient to use a stand mixer to knead. That said, I have kneaded this dough by hand, too. It does take a bit more time and elbow grease, though!
How To Serve
Freshly baked Easter hot cross buns are best enjoyed warm. Soft, slightly sweet, and full of cozy spices. They are wonderful served for brunch or an afternoon snack! You can slice them in half and spread them with apple butter, strawberry jam, or orange marmalade.
They’re fantastic toasted, with a crisp exterior and a soft, warm center. A pat of butter and a drizzle of honey takes them to the next level! Pair them with a cup of tea, strawberry latte, or hot chocolate.
Recipe FAQS
Before baking these vegan hot cross buns, it’s always a good idea to check if your yeast is active. In a small bowl, stir a pinch of sugar into half a cup of warm water (about 100–110°F). Sprinkle a half teaspoon of yeast and give it a quick stir. Let it sit for 5–10 minutes.
If the yeast is alive, it will start to bubble and foam. No bubbles? The yeast is probably expired and won’t help your dough rise. Time for a fresh batch!
Freshly baked hot cross buns taste best the day they’re made. They’ll stay soft for up to 2 days. Just store them in an airtight container to keep them from drying out. They’ll last longer in the fridge. Warm them up in the microwave or toaster oven.
Hot cross buns freeze beautifully! Store them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container for a month. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature or pop them in the oven for a few minutes.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup All purpose flour
- 1 cup Wholewheat flour
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1 tsp Cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder
- 1/4 tsp Clove powder
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp Dried active yeast
- 3/4 cup Water, lukewarm You may need more
- 3 Tbsp Oil
- 1/4 cup Raisins
- 1/4 cup Dried currants Soaked in warm water then drained
Flour Paste
- 2 tbsp All-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp Water
Glaze
- 1 tbsp Maple syrup
- 2 tsp Hot water
Instructions
- Combine water and yeast in a cup, along with a pinch of sugar. Keep aside for 5-7 minutes till frothy.3/4 cup Water, lukewarm, 2 tsp dried active yeast
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add both the flours, salt, sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, and clove powder.Mix well.1 1/4 cup All-purpose flour, 1 cup Wholewheat flour, 1/4 tsp Salt, 1/4 cup Sugar,1 tsp Cinnamon powder, 1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder, 1/4 tsp Clove powder, Zest of 1 lemon,
- Now add the yeast mixture and oil to the dry ingredients and knead for 2 minutes until all the ingredients come together into a shaggy dough.Mix in the raisins and currants. Knead for another 10 minutes till the dough is smooth, slightly sticky to the touch, and clearing the sides of the bowl.You may need to add some extra flour if the dough is too sticky. 1/4 cup Raisins, 1/4 cup Dried currants
- Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with cling wrap, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size. This will take about 1.5 hours.
- Keep a baking tray ready, lined with baking/parchment paper. Take the dough out on a lightly floured surface and lightly punch it down. Divide the dough into 9 equal-sized pieces.
- Roll each piece into a ball and place on the tray. Make sure there is space between them to rise. Cover lightly with a tea towel and place in a draft-free warm place to let the double in size.
- Preheat your oven to 190 C / 375 f.Make a thick paste with the flour and water. Transfer to a piping bag, snip off the end, and pipe a cross on each of the buns.2 tbsp All-purpose flour, 2 tbsp Water
- Bake for about 20 minutes or till the buns are golden brown. Brush them with the maple syrup glaze while they are hot.
- Transfer the rolls onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes, and serve them warm. Enjoy!
Glaze
- Combine the maple syrup and hot water in a small bowl. Use this glaze to brush on the hot buns.1 tbsp Maple syrup, 2 tsp Hot water
Video
Notes
- It's best to use a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients. This ensures better and consistent results.
- You can soak the raisins and dried currants in orange juice for 30 minutes, then drain and use. This adds another layer of flavor to the buns.
- Check your yeast before using. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon with a pinch of sugar in 1/2 a cup of warm water. Leave aside for 5-10 minutes. If the mixture gets bubbly and frothy, your yeast is good to use!
- The softer and stickier the dough, the better texture your hot cross buns will have. So add extra flour cautiously, you just enough to get the dough to leave the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Since this dough is quite sticky, its most convenient to use a stand mixer to knead. That said, I have kneaded this dough by hand, too. It does take a bit more time and elbow grease though!
Ravina says
Hi Natasha, I tried this recipe for the first time and my buns came out hard. I had instant yeast at home which I soaked in warm water. I also used dried cranberries instead of raisins. I made a mistake where on my second proof I moved the buns from the parchment papers tray to a baking pan. Also maybe I baked it for a bit too long. The inside was soft and nice but the crust was a bit hard. Could you pls advise what I may have done wrong? Thanks so much.
Natasha Minocha says
Hi Ravina, thank you for trying out this recipe. I really appreciate it. So maybe the buns did get baked longer than required. They do get done quite quickly. In case of a hard crust, one trick that works sometimes is either brushing the bread with melted butter as soon as it comes out of the oven or covering it with a slightly damp cloth napkin.
Hope this helped! 🙂
Fowzia says
Will surely try the recipe. How do u get the shiny glaze on the buns?
Natasha Minocha says
Thank you very much! You can brush the buns with melted butter or cream or egg wash before baking. 🙂
pooja kapur says
beautiful bread bun recipe, turned out great. I did not use lemon zest, will try that next time
Natasha Minocha says
Hi Pooja, so happy to hear it turned out well for you! Thanks for stopping by xx
alaiya says
My first time making these and turned out great! Thanks a bunch
Natasha Minocha says
They're really so fun to make! I'm so happy to hear you liked them, Alaiya. Thanks for stopping by xx