Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf

This Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf is moist, fruity and subtly spiced. It’s easy to make and perfect for Easter! Plus it’s yeast-free and no-knead!

Why you’ll love this Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf:

• it’s undetectably vegan and gluten-free
• it’s super moist
• it’s fragrant and fruity
• it’s perfectly sweet
• it’s warmly spiced
• it’s made in one bowl
• it’s yeast-free
• there’s no kneading and no proving time required
• it’s refined sugar free
• it’s perfect for Easter
• it’s great for breakfast, brunch, dessert or a snack!

How to make this Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf

Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.

• Mix together all the ingredients in a glass mixing bowl.

Tip: Use a box grater to grate the apples.

• Transfer the mixture to a one-pound loaf tin.

Tip: Line the tin with greased baking paper to make the loaf easier to remove afterwards.

How to make the cross on this Hot Cross Bun Loaf:

• Mix together the flour and the water in a small bowl until you get a smooth, fairly thick paste.

Tip: Add the water a tiny bit at a time so you don’t add too much.

• Transfer the mixture into a piping bag with a round nozzle.
• Pipe the flour paste in a vertical line down the length of the loaf and then do three horizontal lines at even intervals.

• Bake in oven for around 45 minutes.
• Once out the oven, transfer to a cooling rack.

• Mix together the apricot jam and hot water.

Tip: The water is just to thin out the jam, so don’t use too much!

• Use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to evenly brush the jam mixture all over the top surface of the loaf.

• Leave to cool and dry completely before slicing.

How long does this Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf keep for?

This loaf keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days – best reheated in the toaster!

Substitutions you can make to this recipe:

• you can use any type of oil: coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil
• you can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, cashew milk, oat milk etc
• you can use any type of liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc
• you can substitute the ground almonds (almond meal) with ground walnuts
• for a nut-free version: substitute the ground almonds (almond meal/almond flour) with ground sunflower seeds 
• you can use plain flour, wholemeal (whole wheat) flour or spelt flour instead of the gluten-free flour if you’re not gluten-free
• you can substitute the cinnamon with mixed spice (or a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves)
• you can substitute the orange zest with orange extract
• you can substitute the raisins/sultanas with any other dried fruit (dried cranberries, chopped dates, chopped prunes, dried mango, dried pineapple, dried papaya etc)
• you can substitute the raisins/sultanas with chocolate chips!

More gluten-free vegan bread recipes:

• Gluten-Free Vegan Chickpea Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Blueberry Banana Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Irish Soda Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Almond Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Oat Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Dinner Rolls
• Gluten-Free Vegan Seeded Buckwheat Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Cornbread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Coconut Flour Bread
• Gluten-Free Vegan Walnut Bread

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf

This Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf is moist, fruity and subtly spiced. It’s easy to make and perfect for Easter! Plus it’s yeast-free and no-knead!

3.84 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: British

Keyword: gluten-free hot cross bun, vegan easter recipe, vegan hot cross bun

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 10 slices

Calories: 267kcal

Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

• 60 g (1/4 cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
• 6 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar *(ensure gluten-free if necessary
)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (or sub 1 teaspoon orange extract)
• 2 medium-sized apples , cored and grated
• 75 g (1/2 cup) raisins or sultanas (or sub any other dried fruit)
• 200 ml (4/5 cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) ground almonds (almond meal) **
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
• 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

For the cross (optional):

• 3 tablespoons gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
• 2 tablespoons water (add it a bit at a time so you don’t add too much!)

To decorate (optional):

• 1 teaspoon apricot jam
• Tiny splash hot water (just to thin out the jam, don’t use too much!)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Place the coconut oil in a separate large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil)
• Once melted, add the maple syrup to the same bowl along with the vinegar, cinnamon, orange zest, grated apples, raisins, almond milk and ground almonds
• Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and mix well
• Transfer the mixture into a loaf tin lined with greased baking paper (I used a one-pound loaf tin)

For the cross:

• Mix together the flour and the water in a small bowl until you get a smooth, fairly thick paste (add the water a tiny bit at a time so you don’t add too much)
• Transfer the mixture into a piping bag with a round nozzle
• Pipe the flour paste in a vertical line down the length of the loaf and then do three horizontal lines at even intervals
• Bake in oven for around 45 minutes until risen and golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean
• Once out the oven, transfer to a wire rack to cool

To decorate:

• As soon as you’ve transferred the loaf to a wire rack, mix together the apricot jam and hot water – the water is just to thin out the jam, so don’t use too much!
• Use a pastry brush or the back of a spoon to evenly brush the jam mixture all over the top surface of the loaf
• Leave to cool and dry completely before slicing
• Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days – best reheated in the toaster!

Notes

*The acidity of the vinegar is essential as it reacts with the alkaline bicarbonate of soda (baking soda). If you don’t have vinegar, substitute it with 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

**You can alternatively use almond flour

Tip: Leave to cool and dry completely before slicing.

Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days – best reheated in the toaster!

Nutrition Facts

Gluten-Free Vegan Hot Cross Bun Loaf

Amount Per Serving

Calories 267 Calories from Fat 126

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 14g 22%

Saturated Fat 5g 25%

Sodium 57mg 2%

Potassium 148mg 4%

Total Carbohydrates 34g 11%

Dietary Fiber 4g 16%

Sugars 12g

Protein 5g 10%

Vitamin A 0.4%

Vitamin C 3.5%

Calcium 9.4%

Iron 7.6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Made the recipe?Tag @rhiansrecipes on instagram and use the hashtag #rhiansrecipes!

Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you click through and purchase any of the products, a small percentage will come to me, with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.