Hot Cross Buns are Easter special, but you will want to make these low-carb, protein-rich buns on repeat all year! They are extra fluffy, made with actual yeast, without gluten and dairy, and filled with prebiotic fiber, healthy omega-3 fats, and a lot of protein. Added spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and orange zest make these Hot Cross Buns a real delight!
Ingredients you will need to make Low-Carb Hot Cross Buns:
- Active dry yeast
- A little bit of ground ginger (to help proof the yeast)
- Raw local honey
- Full-fat coconut milk
- Apple cider vinegar
- Warm water
- Blanched almond flour
- Arrowroot flour
- Golden flaxseed meal (Such as Bob’s Red Mill)
- Grass-fed Multi Collagen Protein (such as Ancient Nutrition)
- Whole Psyllium husks (such as Now, also available in Trader Joe’s)
- Allulose or Monk Fruit Sugar
- Xantham gum
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice
- Eggs pasture-raised or omega-3
- Orange zest from organic oranges (in the US sold in Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods Market)
- Nutiva Red Palm oil and Coconut oil shortening
Optional add-ins: chocolate chips, walnuts or pecans, or diced dates
For the icing:
- Powdered Monk fruit sugar or Allulose (you can make powdered sugar by blending regular sugar in a high-speed blender like Nutri Bullet)
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Water
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Low-Carb Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients
For 6 larger buns:
Note: To avoid collapsing after baking, it’s better to bake the buns in a muffin pan for support, otherwise the buns will be wider and thinner like mine.
- 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
- A little bit of ground ginger (to help proof the yeast)
- 1 Tbsp raw local honey
- 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk (I like Trader Joe’s brand)
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/4 cup arrowroot flour
- 3/4 cup golden flaxseed meal (Such as Bob’s Red Mill)
- 5 scoops grass-fed Multi Collagen Protein (such as Ancient Nutrition)
- 2 Tbsp whole Psyllium husks (such as Now, also available in Trader Joe’s)
- 1/3 cup Allulose or Monk Fruit Sugar
- 2 tsp Xantham gum
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Allspice
- 3 Eggs pasture-raised or omega-3 (room temperature)
- 1 Tbsp Orange zest from organic oranges (in the US sold in Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods Market)
- 1/4 cup Nutiva Red Palm oil and Coconut oil shortening
Optional add-ins to mix into the dough: 1/2 cup chocolate chips, walnuts or pecans, or diced dates
For the icing:
- 1/2 cup Powdered Monk fruit sugar or Allulose (you can make powdered sugar by blending regular sugar in a high-speed blender like Nutri Bullet)
- 1/2 tsp real Vanilla extract
- Pinch of Salt
- 2-3 tsp water (or as needed)
Directions
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Add yeast and a dash of ginger to a large bowl, and set aside. Mix honey, warmer water, room-temperature coconut milk, and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. The mixture should be warm to the touch about 105-110°F.
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Pour the warm mixture over the yeast, mix and cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, and allow to rest for 7 minutes. The mixture should be bubbly if it doesn’t start again (too cold water won’t activate the yeast and too hot will kill it)!
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Mix your flours while the yeast is proofing. Add almond flour, arrowroot flour, flaxseed meal, collagen protein, sweetener, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice to a medium bowl and whisk until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.
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Once your yeast is proofed, add in the room-temperature eggs, vinegar, and orange zests. Mix with an electric mixer for a minute or so until fully mixed. Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the shortening. You can use a mixer to mix the dough if you see any streaks of shortening. The dough will become very sticky. Mix in any optional add-in ingredients (pecans, chocolate chips, dates).
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Lightly wet your hands and form the dough into 6 larger balls and place in a muffin pan, cover with a kitchen towel, and place in a warm draft-free space for 1.5-3 hours until the dough has almost doubled in size. The time depends on your altitude, temperature, and humidity. If you don’t see it rising, it likely needs a little more warmth, turn an oven to a minimum for a while and place the dough on the top rack to help with rising.
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly brush the buns with whisked egg. Bake for 10 minutes at 375°F, reduce temperature to 350°F, and bake for further 15-20 minutes. Hot cross buns should be a deep brown when done.
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Allow to cool on the tray for 20 minutes, then remove from the muffin pan and transfer to a rack to cool completely. Don’t cut them before they are completely cooled off!
For the icing
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Whisk thoroughly together the icing ingredients until it forms a thick paste. Transfer the paste into a zip lock bag, cut off the end of the bag with scissors, and pipe a cross shape atop each bun. Serve and enjoy! Note: Keep stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
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Adapted from gnom-gnom.com
Thank you for stopping by! After struggling for more than a decade with digestive issues, I finally unraveled the connection between serious inflammation problems, fatigue, and brain fog. My own healing journey led me to become a certified Integrative Health Coach, that is passionate about helping others find hope and to heal.