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Easter is often all about the chocolate, but for me it’s all about the Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns. They are the heroes of Easter baking – a spiced, soft, sweet bun, packed with fruit and marked with a cross. And being gluten free shouldn’t mean missing out on all the fun!
The BEST Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns in Town!
- Why choose THIS recipe? Not only does this easy hot cross buns recipe have 60+ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ reviews, it’s also my favourite Easter bake so I’ve made it loads! Traditionally, hot cross buns are eaten on Good Friday to mark the end of Lent. But to be honest, I’d happily eat these all year round!
- Flour of choice: I recommend using the FREEE Gluten Free Bread Flour if you can. Plain gluten free flour works too but the tapioca starch in the bread flour really helps with the texture of these hot cross buns.
- Updated for April 2025: I first published this hot cross buns recipe in 2021 so I thought it deserved a little love. I’ve added some step-by-step photos alongside the recipe video below. And if you love these, check out my Salted Caramel Hot Cross Buns variation next. They’re SO good!
Table of Contents
Don’t just take my word for it…
Nicolette left a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review and said: “Amazing! These taste divine and are not difficult to make.”
Taylor made them and commented: “Made 30 of these for easter today and they were a HUGE hit, no one even asked/noticed if they were GF. thank you!!”
Lynne also left a review to say: “I’m so proud of these. I’ve been trying lots of recipes that have failed yours was so easy and worked so well”
Ingredients and Substitutions
There’s a printable recipe card below for these easy gluten free hot cross buns with the full quantities. But here are the main ingredients and ideas for any swaps.
- Milk: I use full-fat milk, but any milk should work. I’ve not tried this with dairy free milk but it should work with something like almond, soya or gluten free oat milk.
- Butter: Use a vegan margarine for a dairy-free version.
- Egg
- Vegetable Oil: A neutral oil is best to not affect the flavour of the buns.
- Gluten Free White Bread Flour: I recommend this FREEE white bread flour for the best texture. A plain gluten free flour would also work but the texture with the gluten free bread flour is better. You can use plain flour for the cross on top though.
- Yeast: Not all yeast is gluten free so always double check. I use the Allinson’s quick yeast or the FREEE gluten free yeast from the free from aisle.
- Xanthan Gum: Don’t skip this, even if the flour you use contains it. It’s essential for being able to shape the dough and have a good end texture.
- Sugar
- Mixed Spice: This is a mixture of spices, in the UK you can buy it premixed. It contains a mixture of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, coriander nutmeg and sometimes mace.
- Orange: You can use a lemon if you prefer
- Mixed fruit and peel: I tend to use a mixed bag which contains candied lemon and orange peel alongside raisins, currants and sultanas.
- Apricot Jam: To glaze your hot cross buns.
How to Make Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns
There’s a printable recipe card below with the method. But here are some step-by-step photos to show you how easy this gluten free hot cross buns are to make.
Add the milk and butter to a small saucepan and place on a low heat. Heat through until the butter has completely melted.
Remove from the heat and set to one side to cool for 10-15 mins – you want it to be WARM (around 40’C – similar to your body temperature) when you add it to the mixture, not hot.
Add the egg and vegetable oil to a mug and whisk lightly. Add gluten free flour, yeast, xanthan gum, sugar, salt, mixed spice and orange zest to a large mixing bowl.
Stir a couple of times with a wooden spoon to mix the dry ingredients together and then add the mixed fruit and peel.
When the milk is warm (but not hot) pour it into the dry ingredients along with the oil and egg. Beat together until it starts to come together into a sticky dough.
Line a tray with baking paper. Flour your hands and break off 120g of the dough mixture. Roll into a ball and place on the baking tray. Repeat until you have 10 balls of dough.
Cover the dough loosely with oiled clingfilm and place in a warm, draft-free spot to prove for around one hour. The dough should puff up and indent when pushed gently, like below:
When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 200’C / Fan 180’C / Gas Mark 6. Lightly brush each piece of dough with beaten egg.
To make the hot cross bun topping, add the plain gluten free flour to a small bowl and gradually add water, 1 teaspoon at-a-time, mixing well until it forms a thick, smooth paste.
Spoon into a piping bag with a small hole cut off the tip. Pipe crosses onto the tops of the buns.
Bake the hot cross buns for 20-25 minutes until golden on top. Remove from the oven.
Microwave the apricot jam for 20-30 seconds and then brush on top of the hot cross buns while they are still hot. Leave to cool for at least 30 minutes until eating.
Recipe Tip
I recommend purchasing a food thermometer to get your milk to 40C. If it’s too hot, it will kill the yeast and your hot cross buns won’t rise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some FAQs about this easy hot cross buns. If you can’t find the answer to your question here or in the post above, please comment and I’ll try answer!
Hot cross buns are a sweet and spicy bun, which have dried fruit in and a white cross on top. They are eaten at Easter-time, at the end of Lent, because traditionally you gave up dairy during this time. The hot cross bun dough is made with milk and butter to celebrate being able to eat this again.
These hot cross buns are best eaten on the day of baking. If keeping for long, store in an airtight container. I’d recommend toasting them if eating them to eat.
Yes! These gluten free hot cross buns freeze really well. Simply defrost the buns, slice them in half and toast to eat.
More Gluten Free Easter Recipes
If you like this gluten free hot cross buns recipe then make sure you check out these other gluten free Easter baking recipes too…
- Gluten Free Simnel Cake
- Carrot Cake Cupcakes
- Creme Egg Brownies
- Gluten Free Carrot Cake
- Salted Caramel Hot Cross Buns
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Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 ml milk, I used full-fat
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 500 g gluten free white bread flour
- 14 g dried quick yeast
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 80 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- Zest of 1 orange
- 175 g mixed fruit and peel
For the topping:
- 1 egg, beaten, to glaze
- 2 tbsp plain gluten free flour
- Cold water
- 1 tbsp apricot jam
Instructions
- Add the milk and butter to a small saucepan and place on a low heat. Heat through until the butter has completely melted. Remove from the heat and set to one side to cool for 10-15 mins – you want it to be WARM (around 40’C – similar to your body temperature) when you add it to the mixture. If it’s too hot it will kill the yeast and your buns will not rise.
- Add the egg and vegetable oil to a mug and whisk lightly.
- Add gluten free flour, yeast, xanthan gum, sugar, salt, mixed spice and orange zest to a large mixing bowl. Stir a couple of times with a wooden spoon to mix the dry ingredients together and then add the mixed fruit and peel.
- When the milk is warm (but not hot) pour it into the dry ingredients along with the oil and egg. Using the wooden spoon, beat together until it starts to come together. It should form a thick and sticky dough.
- Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Flour your hands and break off 120g of the dough mixture. Roll into a ball and place on the baking tray. Repeat until you have 10 balls of dough, approx 2cm apart from each other.
- Cover the dough loosely with oiled clingfilm and place in a warm, draft-free spot to prove for around one hour. The dough should puff up and indent when pushed gently.
- When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 200’C / Fan 180’C / Gas Mark 6. Lightly brush each piece of dough with beaten egg.
- Add the plain gluten free flour to a small bowl and gradually add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, mixing well until it forms a thick, smooth paste. Spoon into a piping bag with a small hole cut off the tip. Pipe crosses onto the tops of the buns.
- Bake the hot cross buns for 20-25 minutes until golden on top. Remove from the oven. Microwave the apricot jam for 20-30 seconds and then brush on top of the hot cross buns while they are still hot. Leave to cool for at least 30 minutes until eating.
Video
Notes
- Storing and Freezing: These hot cross buns are best eaten on the day of baking – I’d recommend toasting them if eating them after that. These will keep well in an airtight container for up to three days and also freeze well.
- Weighing Scales vs Cups: I get asked a lot for cup measurements but when it comes to baking gluten free bread, I beg you, please buy some cheap scales and use the metric measurements. Converting this to cups is never accurate!
- Step-by-Step Photos: If you prefer a visual aid, check out the post above for photos to guide you through how this recipe should look at each stage. There’s also a video tutorial in this recipe card.
- Like this Recipe? It would mean SO much to me if you could leave a 5* rating and a little comment sharing how much you loved this Gluten Free Hot Cross Buns! It really helps to support my website and get my recipes out there to everyone who needs them! xx
Nutrition
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Can i use Psyllium in exchange for xanthan gum?
Is there an American measurement version of this recipe?
I only use grams as I find with baking this is a lot more accurate and I’d advise using these rather than trying to convert. Digital scales can be bought pretty cheap 🙂
Hi, I am going to try your recipe as the one I tried wasn’t a success. I forgot the Xantham gum in the white white bread flour blend I made and it was too wet.
Do you have a recipe for the white bread flour blend you use?
Amazing! These taste divine and are not difficult to make.
Made these twice, the first time I forgot to add xanthum gum and they were more like rock cakes and very dry! The second time I followed the recipe to a tee but they were still heavier than I expected although they tasted good.