Vegan Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns
Soft, fluffy hot cross buns studded with melty chocolate chips, laced with cinnamon for a soul warming treat perfect for the occasion
Servings: 12 buns
Ingredients
Bread Dough
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed* ,+ 6 tbsp water
- 65 g vegan butter ,melted
- 300 mL plant based milk ,soy or oat is best
- 1½ tsp instant yeast ,or 2 tsp active yeast
- 525 g (4¼ cup) bread flour* ,sifted
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 200 g chopped chocolate ,or mini chocolate chips
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp all spice
- ¼ tsp salt
Cross Mixture
- 45 g all purpose flour
- 45 mL water
- 10 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
Glaze
- 60 mL water
- 50 g granulated sugar
- pinch of cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
Bread Dough
- In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed with 6 tbsp of water and set aside for around 5 minutes to thicken.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, pour in the flour and sugar. If using instant yeast, add it in this flour mixture.
- In a large measuring cup, mix the butter and milk together. If using active yeast, sprinkle it over the liquid and wait a few minutes for the yeast to activate and begin foaming.
- Pour the milk mixture and flax eggs into the flour and use the mixer to incorporate everything. Continue kneading until the dough starts to come together and pull away from the sides of the bowl. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to proof for 1 hour. (See blog post for kneading by hand)
- After the 1 hour, punch the dough, plop it back in the bowl of the stand mixer and add in the spices and salt. Knead until everything is incorporated. Transfer back to the lightly greased bowl, cover with a tea towel and proof for another hour.
- After the 2nd proof, punch the dough and begin shaping into buns. Divide the dough into 12-15 portions. To create a bun, fold the corners of the dough into itself to tighten the back side. Flip the dough over so the seam side is down, form your hand into a C and use the curve of your hand to roll the ball, creating a tight smooth surface. Place the shaped buns into a 9x13in pan and cover with a tea towel to proof for one final hour.
- 30 minutes into the last proof, preheat your oven to 392℉ (200℃) and make your cross mixture.
Cross Mix
- Add all the ingredients in a bowl until a smooth thick paste is formed. Transfer the paste into a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip (I used Wilton 12).
- When the dough is done proofing, pipe a cross into each dough. Place the buns in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through for even browning.
Glaze
- Combine all the glaze ingredients in a small pot placed on medium heat. Heat the mixture until the sugar is fully dissolved and a runny almost clear syrup has formed. If using a cinnamon stick/bark, remove after syrup is off the heat.
- Let the baked buns cool for around 10 minutes then brush each bun with the glaze. Wait for a few minutes for the glaze to set, serve the buns warm and enjoy!
Notes
*The bread flour can be substituted with the same amount of all purpose flour. Although, texture will be slightly less fluffy.
*For instructions on how to knead by hand, check the blog post for more details.
*For visuals on creating the bun shape, I linked a video in the blog post that you should check out.
*The buns are best eaten the day they are made but will last up to a week or up to one month when frozen.
Recipe adapted from School Night Vegan