Traditional & Cocoa Hot Cross Buns
Easter is simply the greatest season. Amazing food, masses of chocolate and no obligatory present buying duties. Hot cross buns are one of my favourite Easter foods and with a lot of shops supplying accidently vegan Hot Cross buns, they’re always stocked up at The Hungry Herbivores kitchen during the Easter period. However, nothing can beat a homemade hot cross bun. Freshly baked dough with a sweet orange glaze – perfect. Just envision this hot cross bun circle being pulled out of the oven straight onto your table, steaming and scrummy, waiting to be cut in half and melt your marg.
The two separate flavours not only look super tasty, but is ready to satisfy the taste buds of your guests. Chocolate lovers and those with a taste for tradition will be very pleased. These gorgeous buns are low in fat and sugars, so don’t start feeling guilty about consuming a dozen or so…
I’ve never been too successful breads, but these bad boys have worked for me every time without fail. Plus the nicely spiced, fluffy buns are much more satisfying than bread, maybe because of my sweet tooth…
So pull up your sleeves and get kneading! Let me know how it goes! Don’t forget to subscribe & check out our other social media pages too
- 3 cups plain flour
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ginger
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- ½ (heaped) cup currants
- Zest of one Orange
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 7g sachet of dried active yeast
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil (melted) or rapeseed
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- 3 cups plain flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ginger
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- ½ (heaped) cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 7g sachet of dried active yeast
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil (melted) or rapeseed
- ⅓ cup orange juice
- 6 Tbsp Plain Flour
- 5 Tbsp Water
- 4 Tbsp Orange Juice
- 4 Tbsp Sugar
- Line a large round pizza tray/baking pan with parchment paper.
- Heat your milk for both of your buns to a tepid temperature and divide into two separate bowls/jugs (1 cup each). Pour in your yeast and sugar, mixing to combine. Set aside while you prepare your other ingredients.
- In two large bowls, place the dry ingredients for the traditional buns in one bowl (flour, spices, salt, currants, orange zest) and mix, and the dry ingredients for the Cocoa buns in the other (flour, cocoa, spices, salt, choc chips).
- Once the yeast mixture has become very frothy, create a well in the middle of one bowl, pour in the mixture along with the orange juice and coconut oil. Mix together with a spatula until it has come together (you could need a splash of water or orange juice if its too floury/tough, or if its too wet add more flour.) Transfer onto a floured surface and continue kneading for about 5 minutes. Place into an oiled bowl and cover for about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled.
- Repeat this for the other dough and begin pre heating your oven at 375F/190C/Gas Mark 5.
- After an hour, turn out the doughs and knead again for another 5 minutes.
- Break off 90g (3oz) of dough one by one and roll into balls and place into the lined tray (alternating the traditional and cocoa buns.) Cover again and let rest for 10 mins.
- Mix together your flour and water until there are no lumps, and transfer to a piping bag. Draw crosses on each bun with the mixture.
- Place your buns in the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes.
- Just before you buns come out of the oven, combine your orange juice and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Let the mixture boil for about 5 minutes - it should reduce to a thin syrup.
- When your bun are removed from the oven, brush each bun with the syrup and leave to cool on a wire rack
Easter foods are the best foods. I mean come on, cocoa hot cross buns? Does it really get any better than that? I think not.
I really don’t think it does Karly! Let me know if you try them out. I’ve genuinely eaten 5 today… ops..
Wonderful recipe.I like this and I think this is very delicious.
I am going to make this recipe for my family and husband
Thanks for sharing
Thank you! I hope you do. Let me know how it goes