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Easter can be a tough time for anyone avoiding sugar and carbs. Let these delicious sugar free Hot Cross Buns keep you from temptation. They taste just like the real thing and my favourite way to enjoy one of these is toasted and served with lashings of butter. While Naturally Sweets Erythritol is feature in this recipe, you could also switch it for xylitol, monk fruit or the stevia blend sweetener.
If you want to check out the newly produced video to see how easy it is to make these, check out
Low Carb Fruit Options for Low Carb Keto Hot Cross Buns
I am looking forward to sharing an Easter brunch with my family and will definitely be enjoying these with a coffee at the end of the meal. They have the delicious, warm cinnamon spice flavor of a traditional hot cross bun. You can choose any additional flavors that will fit in with your lifestyle. If you are trying to reduce your carbs even more you can leave the fruit out of this recipe.
I occasionally still use currants or sultanas but minimise how many are added to keep it low in carbs. FYI – 1/4 cup of sultanas adds about 2 gms of carbs to each hot cross bun. If adding any fruit of choice fits in with your way of eating, then feel free to use in the recipe. You could also switch the fruit for dark chocolate as well to create Chocolate Hot Cross Buns.
I would add about 100 gms/ 3.5 oz of dark chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate for a cheaper choice) and fold them through once you have mixed your dough. Make sure your dough is not warm when you do this or your chocolate could melt.
Baking Without Gluten
For any of you who are new to this lifestyle, you simply cannot make light and fluffy baked products without gluten. I just want to make sure you have the right expectations when you try these. Although these are not exactly the same in texture as a traditional hot cross bun, they are a superb substitute. These buns taste absolutely delicious and are a brilliant low carb version of the original. They have the perfect amount of spice and a delicious moist centre. My favorite way to eat these is toasted and slathered with butter.
Using Yeast and Baking Powder
I have used dry yeast in the recipe to impart that yeasty flavor to the buns but of course you won’t get a full rise from yeast if you aren’t using gluten. The yeast really adds to the traditional ‘yeasty’ flavor of the recipe though so make sure you add it. It also does help the buns rise a little as well. Although unusual to use both baking powder and yeast in a recipe, this to try to get the buns to rise as much as possible.
This recipe will store for up to 3 days but is also great for freezing. Simply defrost quickly in the microwave straight from the freezer and pop in the toaster for a quick breakfast option.
Prep Time:10 minutes
Cook Time:45 minutes
Resting Time:50 minutes
Ingredients
Hot Cross Bun Ingredients
- 240 gms /8.5 oz blanched almond meal or almond flour
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup Erythritol /sweetener of choice. Add to taste if desired.
- 1 tablespoon psyllium husk powder - don't use whole psyllium husk-see notes*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1½ teaspoons mixed spice or ½ tspn each of ground allspice, ground nutmeg and ground ginger and ¼ tspn ground cloves.
- 1 packet dry yeast - 7 gms/1/4 oz
- ¼ cup Sugar Free Dried Blueberries /dried cranberries (or currants/sultanas if they fit with your way of eating).
- 1 tablespoon orange peel zest optional
- 3 large eggs
- 200 mls /7 oz warm water
- 100 gms /3.5 oz melted butter at room temperature
For Glazing and Crosses
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon coconut flour
Instructions
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Mix all dry ingredients so they are well combined in a large mixing bowl, including the dry yeast. Mix though the dried fruit (and the orange peel if using.)
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Beat the 3 eggs for a few minutes with a hand mixer or a whisk until light and fluffy. Add the water and the melted butter to the egg mix and whisk to combine.
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Add wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until well combined. Make sure ingredients are really well blended, using a spatula to knead the dough a little in the bowl. Allow the mixture to sit for about 5 minutes as the coconut flour and psyllium will absorb moisture. Bowl knead roughly once more before shaping.
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Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece and create into your desired hot cross bun shape. Place on a piece of baking paper on a light colored baking tray leaving a gap in between each bun so air can circulate and the dough can expand.
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Cover the tray with a clean cloth or cling wrap and leave in a warm place for another 45 minutes.
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Preheat a fan forced oven to 165 C/330 F.
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Prepare the buns for baking by pressing a blunt instrument into the tops of the buns to create crosses but don't actually cut the dough. Cut out a cross template on a piece of paper or cardboard.
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Beat the egg for the glaze and brush onto the tops of the buns. Using your template and a small sieve, dust a liberal amount of coconut flour onto each bun to create your cross.
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Bake buns for 45-55 minutes or until the buns are cooked on the inside. You may need to cut one in half to check the middle of the bun before removing from the oven.
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If the buns brown too quickly, cover them with aluminium/aluminum foil and turn the oven down a little while they continue to cook.
