This year, I wanted to try new baking as part of our Easter dinner in lockdown with my husband. I have extra time, and it would help the day seem more celebratory if special never-before-have-I-made comfort food were involved. I decided to give cross buns a try. It seemed like a perfect Easter dessert to add with pot roast (can’t stomach ham too well, either).
Related true story: In 1993 I started taking piano lessons. “Hot Cross Buns” was one of the first songs I learned. Since there wasn’t a picture in the book and I hadn’t grown up eating them, I just assumed it was a silly song about angry dinner rolls.
Anyway, after doing some research of recipes on Pinterest, and finding my pantry devoid of yeast (which almost every recipe called for), I modified my roll/scone recipe for a simple cross bun. It baked up well and the cinnamon-spice combination is mouthwatering. Traditional cross bun eaters take note, though. This is a simple recipe from someone who did not grow up eating cross buns (see story above) and who is missing a couple key ingredients from her pantry. 🤷🏼♀️ One addition that I would recommend is orange zest or extract, especially in the glaze. These would also taste good with dried cranberries and dried cherries. 😋
Cross Buns
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 c. Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 baking flour in the blue bag
- 1/2 c. White rice flour
- 1 c. Sweet Sorghum flour
- 1/2 c. Sugar
- 4 TBS Arrowroot starch
- 1 heaping TBS Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger
- 1/4 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp. Allspice
- 1 scant c. Coconut cream (let sit in can on counter a few days before opening and scoop thick part only off top)
- 3/4 c. “Coconut Cream Water” (mix the remaining cream and coconut liquid back together. You can also ise this for the glaze
- Glaze: 2 TBS. coconut water whisked with 2/3 c. Powdered sugar
- Icing for cross: 1-2 TBS. coconut water whisked with 1 c. Powdered sugar
Directions
- Preheat oven to 390 F.
- Whisk together dry ingredients.
- Stir in coconut cream and coconut cream water. Stir or mix with hands. If the batter is too sticky, add a dusting of flour.
- Roll dough into smooth balls and place on cookie sheet. I made 13 buns with this recipe.
- Bake 20-25 minutes, until roll are firm to the touch. Let cool 5-10 minutes before glazing.
- Mix glaze and brush over rolls. Allow it to harden completely before adding the icing cross. These can be reheated (10-15 seconds) without damaging the glaze or icing.
- Enjoy!
thoughts and songs 