Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns
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You won't miss out this Easter if you make these light and fluffy Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns which are sweetly spiced and juicy with plump fruit. Use a homemade gluten-free flour blend and a little psyllium husk to add great bounce and moisture to the recipe (but no xanthan gum is needed). They are simply delicious fresh with a slick of salted butter.
Jump to:
- What are Hot Cross Buns?
- Watch the Video
- Why You'll Love This Gluten-Free Hot Cross Bun recipe
- Ingredients and Notes
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to make Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns
- Expert Tips
- Shop the recipe
- FAQs
- What can you do with leftover Hot Cross Buns?
- More Gluten-Free Easter Recipes You'll Love
- Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns
Is it even Easter until you've enjoyed your first Hot Cross Bun of the year? There is something rather special about enjoying these sweet spiced buns just once a year and making your own gluten-free version is not as tricky as you might think. It’s definitely an occasion recipe though as you’ll need to build in time to proof your dough but all the work around it is very straightforward.
If you find gluten-free bread dough a little intimidating, especially an enriched dough which this is, then don’t worry I’ll take you through the process giving tips every step of the way, including:
- How to turn psyllium husk into a quick gel that will give a superior bouncy texture to your buns.
- The best flours to use and some substitution guidelines if you have dietary restrictions.
- A foolproof way of proofing your dough so it rises easily.
- How to get that essential white cross onto your buns.
- Making your buns look extra pretty using an egg wash before baking and an orange glaze whilst they are warm for that appetising shininess.
Plus step-by-step images and a recipe video to build your confidence.
No special equipment is needed (although if you do have a stand mixer then you'll appreciate it as this dough is sticky!!).
So, let’s get Easter started!!
What are Hot Cross Buns?
Hot Cross Buns are sweetly spiced buns studded with currants and recognisable for their white cross baked onto the surface of the bun. Traditionally Hot Cross Buns are eaten as part of Easter celebrations on Good Friday and are made with an enriched dough which means butter, eggs and milk are included for a deliciously rich flavour and a soft texture.
Watch the Video
Sometimes it helps to see a visual of what I'm talking about. So watch the video to see what it looks like to make your Hot Cross Buns perfectly first time.
Why You'll Love This Gluten-Free Hot Cross Bun recipe
- These are very traditional Hot Cross Buns and if you grew up with these at Easter then you will not be disappointed by these delicious gluten-free versions. They are soft, sweetly spiced and gorgeous fresh on the day of baking or just as good toasted the next day slathered in salted butter.
- Well balanced spice blend which gives a lovely warmth and depth.
- Plump, evenly distributed dried fruit which give a lovely burst of sweetness in every bite.
- It's made with dry active yeast which is so easy to use. Follow my tips for the best way to proof your buns.
- Unique gluten-free flour blend of oat flour, chickpea flour and sweet rice flour which gives the best fluffy light texture.
- Well formed cross. I think the best results come from using sweet rice flour to make the cross which gives a lovely chewy contrast to the top of your buns.
- No xanthan gum.
Ingredients and Notes
Active Dry Yeast. This yeast is easy to use but requires activation by dissolving in warm liquid before incorporating into recipes. If it has been hanging around your larder for a while then you should check it’s still viable by dissolving it in warm water with a pinch of sugar, and if it becomes foamy and doubles in volume within 5-10 minutes, it is still good to use.
Milk. Use whole milk or a plant based milk if you prefer.
Brown sugar. Gives lovely gentle molasses flavour, moisture and a slight sweetness to our buns.
Psyllium husk. This is a common ingredient used in gluten-free baking as a binder and texturiser, mimicking the elastic properties of gluten found in traditional wheat flour. To use in recipes, it is typically mixed with water to form a gel-like substance before incorporating it into the recipe. This psyllium gel is used here to help bind the ingredients together, improve the texture, and add some elasticity to the dough. This recipe was tested with whole psyllium husk (not the powder).
Oat flour. This wholegrain flour has a mild, buttery flavour and is useful in gluten-free baking for its ability to add moisture and texture to baked goods. It’s used here for fluffiness and flavour. That toasted butterscotch taste is a great backdrop for the recipe. Make sure it is certified gluten-free.
Chickpea flour (gram flour, besan, garbanzo bean flour). This is a protein packed flour which is highly versatile. It adds great structure to gluten-free bakes and has a distinctive nutty flavour and dense texture. The flavour though isn’t overpowering here and is used to give stability to our flour blend so the buns hold together.
Sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour). This is a delicate white starchy flour which is useful in gluten-free baking because of its ability to create soft and elastic baked goods. It gives good results within the flour blend because it helps bind the mix together so the buns have a little bounce and are not dry and crumbly.
Butter. Unsalted is the best choice here. Make sure it is at cold from the fridge.
Baking powder. It may sound strange using baking powder in a yeast - based recipe but for gluten-free baking it's a little tip on adding some extra oven spring and lightness to your bake. A lot of baking powders now are double action meaning that they start reacting in the mixing bowl and then are activated again when introduced to heat and after a bit of testing I have found that it does make a difference if you add it into a gluten free baking recipe.
Salt. I like to use kosher salt in my baking as it has a round gentle flavour. Using salt in your baked goods lifts and sharpens all the other flavours.
Spices. These buns are flavoured with mixed spice (if you can find it then use this easy mixed spice recipe), cinnamon and nutmeg.
Orange. The zest is used to flavour the dough and the juice is used to create the glaze for brushing over the finished buns.
Lemon zest. Make sure these citrus fruits are unwaxed and organic otherwise you need to scrub off the wax.
Eggs. This recipe uses medium size, about 60g each with shell (50g each without shell). These are often classified as large eggs in the US. I recommend weighing your eggs to ensure the correct amount.
Dried fruit. You can really use whatever you have to hand. Traditionally the fruit inside a Hot Cross Buns will include a mix of either currants, sultanas or mixed peel. However the world is your oyster and you can add in any dried fruit you desire. In this recipe I have used currants, sultanas and dried cranberries for the juicy tang (and fresh orange and lemon zest for the citrus kick).
Oil. Just a little oil is used to soften the flour mixture which is used for the crosses. Use whichever flavourless oil you have to hand - vegetable oil, groundnut oil or mild olive oil all work fine.
White sugar. Just a little white sugar (granulated is fine) is used to create the orange glaze for brushing over the finished buns.
Variations and Substitutions
Gluten-free flours. I don't recommending using an all purpose flour blend here (like Bob's Red Mill or Doves) as this recipe has been developed to create the perfect texture and consistency for the buns using the flours suggested. However, there are substitutions for the individual flours which I can recommend:
- Oat flour. You can substitute for sorghum flour.
- Chickpea flour. You can substitute for defatted almond flour (this is not the same as regular almond flour as it has some of the fat removed).
- Sweet rice flour. You can substitute for cassava flour.
Dried fruit. Why not try adding raisins or dried apricots, dried blueberries, dried sour cherries or dried apple pieces.
Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns. Remove the dried fruit and add in 200g dark chocolate chips instead. This is a glorious twist which my kids adore.
Orange and Cranberry. Swap out the lemon zest for zest of another orange and use just dried cranberries.
Apple and Cinnamon. Use dried apple instead of the currants and cranberries (keep the sultanas) and just use 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg instead of the other spices.
How to make Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns
For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post.
Mix the flours:
- Whisk the flours together in a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl).
- Add unsalted butter and rub into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Stir in salt, cinnamon, mixed spice, nutmeg, and lemon and orange zest until well combined.
Activate the yeast:
- Warm the milk to 100-115°F / 38-46°C.
- Pour the warm milk into a medium-sized glass bowl and stir in the yeast and brown sugar.
- Rest for 15 minutes until the surface becomes thick and bubbly.
Create psyllium gel:
Stir water and psyllium husk together in a large bowl until combined.
Allow to stand for 2-4 minutes until it forms a gel.
Prepare the dough:
- Mix together the yeast mixture, psyllium gel, and eggs until well combined.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix for 20-30 seconds.
- Add dried fruit and continue to mix until the ingredients form a cohesive but sticky dough.
Prove the dough:
Cover the dough ball with a piece of cling film (or tea towel) and rest in a damp and warm place for 1 hour.
Shape the dough and prove again:
- Tear off 12 equal portions of the dough and shape each into a smooth ball.
- Place each ball onto a lightly greased baking tray.
- Cover and let it prove for a final 40 minutes until they increase in size.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan assisted / gas mark 4 / 350°F.
Egg wash:
Whisk the egg together with the whole milk.
Make the crosses:
- Mix sweet rice flour with milk and oil to form a smooth pipeable thick paste.
- Spoon the cross paste into a small piping bag.
Bake the buns:
- Brush each bun with the egg wash.
- Pipe crosses onto the top of each bun.
- Bake for 25 minutes in the middle shelf of the oven.
- Remove the buns from the oven when they are golden brown and place them on a cooling rack.
Glaze the buns:
- Heat orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan until bubbling and the sugar has dissolved.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the glaze over each hot cross bun.
- Allow the buns to cool to room temperature before serving.
Expert Tips
Activating the yeast. To activate the yeast effectively, dissolve it in warm milk with the sugar which helps feed the yeast, allow it to sit for 15 minutes until a thick layer of foam forms on top and it froths and rises in size. Try not to let your activated yeast sit for too much longer or it will start to deflate and won’t work as well.
Cold butter. Use the butter direct from the fridge. I will grate or peel the butter into the bowl (standing on digital scales so you can measure as you go) as this way it is added in thin pieces which makes it easier to rub into the flour.
Dried fruit. If the dried fruit has been hanging around your larder for too long and is looking a little dry then plump up again by mixing in a couple of tablespoons of orange juice and sit for 1 hour to re-hydrate.
Sticky dough. Since this is an enriched dough it is quite sticky and so I do recommend using a stand mixer rather than mixing by hand with a wooden spoon, it will be less messy.
If you are concerned about the stickiness of the dough then don't worry as the dough will smooth out when you are rolling them into their bun shapes.
Proving the dough. For the best dough rise, place in a clean glass bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel or cling film (plastic wrap) and leave it in a warm and slightly damp spot until it doubles in size (1 hour). My favourite way which has never failed me is to place the covered dough in the oven on the middle shelf with a tray of just boiled water placed on the bottom of the oven to create a warm, steamy atmosphere that helps the yeast do its job and make the dough rise even faster.
Shaping the buns. Take the risen dough and tear off 90-95g (use a digital scale to weigh the balls so they are really accurate in size. Roll the dough on a clean work surface using lightly floured hands, cupping the dough lightly with your palm to get a really even and smooth ball.
Egg wash application. When applying the egg wash, do so carefully as you don't want the wash to drip and pool between the buns otherwise you'll have a scrambled egg floor between the row of buns.
Making the cross. Traditionally the white crosses on the top of the Hot Cross Buns are made from pastry but here we use the more modern technique of using flour which is much quicker. The cross paste should be thick and smooth just about pourable. If it’s too runny then add a bit more flour. If it won’t pipe as it’s too thick then add a splash more milk. Once you have made the flour paste you can pour it into a piping bag - you can either fit it with a small round tip or just snip off the end of the bag. If you don't have a piping bag you can use a food bag.
Glazing your buns. Do not skip the glazing when the baked buns are removed from the oven. It is what makes them look so shiny and inviting and gives a lovely sweetness. I recommend a simple syrup of white sugar and the orange juice from the orange you zested earlier. Heat until the sugar has dissolved then brush this orange syrup over the Hot Cross Buns once they are baked and still warm.
Allow to cool. There is nothing wrong with ripping a baked bun from its friends the second they come out of the oven and slathering warm with butter. However, if you can resist then you will find the texture improves (like all gluten-free bread) when they cool to room temperature.
Shop the recipe
- Gluten-free-oat flour
- Gluten-free sweet rice flour
- Gram flour
- Dried quick yeast
- Digital scales
- Silicone pastry brush
- Aluminium baking tin 8” x 12” x 2” (20.32 x 30.48 x 5.08 cm)
FAQs
Use any baking tin sized 8” x 12” x 2” (20.32 x 30.48 x 5.08 cm). Lightly grease with a little baking spray or oil. I like aluminium tins for their even baking.
The buns are best enjoyed fresh on the day of baking. However, they are very delicious toasted for the next couple of days. You can store the buns in an airtight container (but preferably tin rather than plastic as plastic will keep the buns too moist) and then keep in a cool dark place.
You can freeze Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns on the day they are baked once they have cooled. Flash freeze for four hours on a baking tray before transferring to a freezer bag. To defrost, remove the buns from the freezer bag and place on a rack overnight to completely thaw.
This recipe has only been tested with eggs and dairy ingredients. I would need to test the recipe with plant based alternatives before I can make suggestions to swaps you could make.
What can you do with leftover Hot Cross Buns?
Hot Cross Bread and Butter Pudding. Use this Gluten-Free Bread and Butter Pudding recipe and just replace the bread with sliced hot cross buns (although you won't need the extra dried fruit).
Hot Cross Bun Waffles. Half the buns and dip the halves in a little waffle mixture (or just a simple batter of 1 banana + 1 egg) and place in your waffle iron for 5 minutes. These are incredible on Easter morning with a drizzle of honey.
Hot Cross Bun Trifle. Layer sliced hot cross buns at the bottom of a trifle dish, spread with raspberry jam then drizzle with sherry or orange juice. Add heaps of crushed raspberries then add a thick layer of custard then whipped double cream, dotting some more fresh raspberries and toasted flaked almonds over the top. Chill the trifle in the refrigerator for a few hours to allow the custard to set and the flavours to meld together before serving.
Hot Cross Bun French Toast. Slice your buns in half and dip them into a mixture of beaten eggs, milk, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Fry the soaked buns in a buttered skillet or frying pan until golden brown and serve with maple syrup and a sprinkle of icing sugar.
And some quick ideas...
- Halve the bun and stuff with bacon for the ultimate bacon roll! (amazing, especially with extra marmalade!)
- Use the buns as a base for an ice cream sundae.
- Turn them into breadcrumbs and use for a crumble topping.
More Gluten-Free Easter Recipes You'll Love
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Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
- 7 g active dried yeast
- 200 ml whole milk
- 50 g light brown sugar
- 20 g psyllium husk - not ground
- 200 ml water
- 200 g oat flour
- 150 g chickpea flour
- 130 g sweet rice flour
- 50 g unsalted butter - cold, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
- ¼ teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
- zest 1 lemon
- zest 1 orange
- 2 eggs - medium
- 80 g sultanas
- 60 g currants
- 40 g dried cranberries
Crosses
- 40 g sweet rice flour
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 30-35 ml milk - (2 – 2½ tablespoons)
Egg wash
- 1 egg - medium
- 1 teaspoon whole milk
Glaze
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
Instructions
Activate the yeast
- Warm the milk to between 100-115 F / 38-46C. Then pour into a medium sized glass bowl and stir in the yeast and brown sugar.
- Rest for 15 minutes until the surface is looking thick and bubbly.
Create psyllium gel
- Stir the water and psyllium husk together in a medium sized mixing bowl until combined.
- Allow to stand for 2-4 minutes until it forms a gel.
Prepare the dough
- Whisk the flours together in a large mixing bowl.
- Add in the unsalted butter then rub together between your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Stir in baking powder, salt, cinnamon, mixed spice, nutmeg and the lemon and orange zest until well combined. Save the orange juice for making the glaze at the end.
- Mix together the yeast mixture, psyllium gel and eggs
- in a large mixing bowl (or preferably bowl of a stand mixer) until well combined.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix to combine into a stiff sticky dough. Add the dried fruit when the dough is just mixed but still has a little loose flour.
- Continue to mix for a minute or two so the ingredients form a cohesive but sticky dough and the fruit is evenly incorporated.
Prove the dough
- Place the dough ball in a clean mixing bowl and cover with a tea towel or with cling film. Rest in a warm and damp place* for 1 hour to prove.
- Remove the tea towel/cling film and tear off 12 equal portions of the dough (90-95g each). Take each portion and place on clean work surface, cup your hand over the dough and move it in a circular motion on the work surface to shape it into a smooth ball.
- Place each ball, evenly spaced apart, onto a lightly greased baking tray (8” x 12” x 2”).
- Cover again with a tea towel or cling film and place somewhere warm and damp to prove for a final 40 minutes until they have increased in size.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan assisted / gas mark 4 / 350°F.
Egg wash
- Whisk the egg together with the whole milk.
Make the crosses
- To prepare the crosses mix the sweet rice flour in a small bowl with the oil and slowly stir in the milk until the mixture is a thick smooth pipeable paste.
- Spoon the flour paste into a small piping bag, or food bag with the tip snipped off.
Bake the buns
- Brush each bun with the egg wash using a pastry brush.
- Pipe crosses onto the top of each bun.
- Place the Hot Cross Buns in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until they are golden brown.
- Immediately remove the buns from the baking tin and place them on a cooling rack whilst you prepare the glaze.
Glaze the buns
- Juice the orange and heat it in a small saucepan with the sugar until bubbling and the sugar has dissolved.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the glaze over each Hot Cross Bun.
- Serve warm or cooled, split in half with a slick of salted butter.
Video
Notes
- Oat flour.You can substitute for sorghum flour.
- Chickpea flour. You can substitute for defatted almond flour (this is not the same as regular almond flour as it has some of the fat removed).
- Sweet rice flour. You can substitute for cassava flour.
I found the eggs. It is amazing what one can't see even when they look.
You left out the eggs in the final copy of the recipe. Thankfully you mention up above how many.
Another!! stellar recipe Georgina.. I was baking them when some neighbour's stopped by(not GF) and ended up sending half home with them.. I may make another batch for Sunday brunch. I had to substitute the garbanzo flour (none to be had in my small town) with 100 gr of brown rice flour and 50 gr arrowroot starch. They seem just fine, in fact quite delicious! You are definitely my go to GF baking site. Thank you
Rather fiddly to make and didn’t rise as much as hoped.
Hi Carol, thank you so much for leaving your feedback. I'd love to know a bit more about what made the recipe fiddly as this is the exact opposite of my intention. That way I can perhaps give a better explanation or simplify in my method. Also, in terms of rising - did your hot cross buns rise the same as the photos in the post and the recipe video or did your buns look different? This way I can know whether it's an issue with the method of proofing or the recipe itself. I appreciate it!!
Hi, am a little confused, as to whether to defrost in the fridge or on the counter..Thanks.
It depends how warm your kitchen is. In the UK it's fine to defrost on the counter.
Hi!
I can’t eat tree nuts, so I am wondering what I can substitute for the almonds? Would sunflower meal work? Or flax?
I loved your gluten free Irish Soda bread.
This recipe was tested with almond flour (as opposed to almond meal) which means it is defatted and as such much higher in protein. You could substitute for defatted sunflower seed flour which has a similar protein content and so will create a similar structure. The flavour though will be quite different as it will have the flavour of sunflower seeds - not a bad thing at all - just different.
Great to have measurement conversion to US but the oven degrees need to be switched to US as well. Love your web site!!
Really…. I’m sorry but how lazy are some of you ..not at all hard to convert measurements or temps ..especially as we all use these electronic devices that can do everything… type In convert temps ..ps I have typed this with a smile on my face. Not in anger..
The lovely people who supply us with all this free information do a lot,of work for us..surely we can help them out occasionally by helping ourselves…I live in Australia and iam constantly converting measurement and temps from US & British..super easy to do..
Hi Georgina
I baked these tonight but Murphy's Law prevailed! Tasted great but didn't rise and were more like rock buns. Not sure what went wrong: maybe yeast was off or didn't activate or maybe I killed it! The dough was a bit more moist and sticky than I expected but I went with it any way. My oven played up and the 'buns' didn't brown on top but if I had left them longer they would have burnt on the bottom.
Nothing wrong with your recipe - other factors went awry. I will have keep trying until I get it right.
It could be the yeast, I'm not sure. I'm happy you liked the flavour though!
I made these buns for Easter, although I followed the recipe they were a bit crumbly more like a cake bun than a bread bun. That said, they were absolutely delicious, so much nicer than shop bought, and the family loved them. Quickly scoffed and not even the crumbs left! Thank you.
Thank you for your feedback Annie!
Hello Georgina, thank you for the recipe. Nice and simple and a good result. One to do all year round without the crosses methinks. The dough was pretty sticky but became much easier to handle once I'd lightly oiled my hands with refined olive oil. Simnel tomorrow.
That's lovely to hear Penny - thank you for the feedback!!
Hi Georgina,
I've just put a few of these in the oven but not sure how they'll turn out.. I substituted coconut flour for almond flour and added a bit more milk but they didn't really raise, though I left them more then 2 hours. Should the dough be much bigger in size or is it more about resting it before putting in the oven?
Thanks for the receipe though, it smells great and fingers crossed it works out!
Hi Naoise, I'd love to know how they turned out in the end. They do rise but only a little.
To be honest they weren't great.. Very crumbly and hard. Taste is good but consistency not! Maybe I didn't put enough liquid. Is there much difference between sweet rice flour and rice flour? I can't get the sweet one anywhere here in Poland!
Hi Naoise, that must be incredibly disappointing for you. Yes there is a big difference in sweet rice flour and regular rice flour. Sweet rice flour is a starchy flour so it's that flour which will be holding the buns together and giving it the soft structure. Regular rice flour is a whole grain flour which needs a starch to be used with it when baking. Sweet rice flour is often called glutinous rice flour and can be found in Asian supermarkets if that helps. There is more information on the two flours here: sweet rice flour, rice flour.
Hi Georgina, can I substitute oat flour with white rice or brown rice flour and almond flour with almond meal? I also have corn (yellow) and buckwheat flour in my pantry to use. Thank you.
Hi Monica, white rice flour and brown rice flour wouldn't be my preferred choice here as they can be a little gritty. (Oat flour is a much softer flour). I would prefer to substitute it with sorghum flour but actually if you have buckwheat you could try that. My advice if you are going to substitute almond meal is to try and process it down a little finer. Put it in the food processor with a little of the muscovado sugar from the recipe (this will help avoid the almond meal releasing its oils) and pulse together until the almond meal is very fine.
Hi Georgina,
Instead of the sorghum/millet mix could I substitute a standed gluten free flour like Dove's Farm. I can't use oat flour and I don't have the others and can't easily get them.
Thank you.
Hi Anna, I'm afraid not. A standard gluten-free flour just wouldn't produce the same results. This flour mix has the exact ratio of starchy flours and wholegrain flours which will give the buns a good structure and flavour. You can substitute the oat flour but the sweet rice flour and almond flour (or ground almonds in a pinch) are essential.
What do you suggest for egg substitute here? I’m so happy to find another baker using sweet rice flour etc instead of gums!
Hi Debbie, I have only baked these using eggs. Another reader tried using Bob's Red Mill egg replacer and said they baked up a treat!
Thank you for a great recipe!! I am currently vegan as well so I used refined coconut oil instead of butter, cashew milk instead of whole milk, Bob's red mill egg replacer instead of eggs, coconut sugar instead of sugar and an extra tsp of baking powder for extra rise. It came out great, and was very delicious with a vegan orange custard sauce I made. I can't wait to make it again after I make the mixed peel recipe, thanks again :).
You are welcome! The orange custard sauce sounds lovely!!
Made these for my (non GF) family today, with my daughter, and they were delicious. The yeast didn't rise much but eaten warm with butter they were lovely. Much nicer than shop bought GF buns. I'm going to attempt to recreate the chocolate orange ones on Friday...
This blog is such a revelation. I'm so excited about the bakes I've yet to try. I hope you write a recipe book one day!
That's great! I'm so happy your family enjoyed them. Yes, we're doing the chocolate orange ones on Friday too!!
Hi Georgina, I just made these but they are all cracked and didnt brown at all. Any ideas where I'm going wrong? Thanks
Hi Claire. These hot cross buns can crack a little which you can see from my photos so don't despair you are not doing anything wrong. To try and avoid as much crackage when you roll the dough into balls they need to be as smooth as possible so roll them really well. I'm not sure why they didn't brown, were they cooked through okay? The glaze really helps the look of them but if they weren't cooked then that would be a different problem with the oven temperature not being quite right.
Hi Gerogina thanks for the feedback. They were in fact delicious and cooked through and looked much better with the glaze. Strangely though the crosses didn't integrate but just sat on top. I wonder if I didn't use enough yeast or maybe incorporated too much flour when rolling out? I'll definitely try them again. Thanks a lot. Your GF recipes are brill. It's so hard to find no gum recipes online.
Hi Claire, you are most welcome! The crosses don't sink into the hot cross buns like some you can get. You can push them in more once you have piped them if you like. And thank you!!