Sugar Free Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns
Easter is a good couple of weeks away still, but when has that ever stopped the shops from lining their shelves with sugary goods before Lent has even started?!
If you are finding it hard to resist the yearly display of hot cross buns stuffed full of sugar and dried fruit already, I have the perfect solution for you: my low sugar chocolate orange hot cross buns.
I first attempted low sugar hot cross buns a couple of years ago based on an I Quit Sugar recipe and they were so soft, sweet & delicious that I never looked back. I have tweaked them to our tastes and adapted them until I feel they cannot be improved any further, and they are one of my most popular low sugar recipes, particularly with sugar free skeptics! I love making these and seeing people’s confused faces when I tell them they are extremely low in sugar!
So if you are jonesing for hot cross buns or trying to find something low in sugar and high in flavour to convince the sugar free skeptics in your life, this is the recipe for you.
Soft, fluffy, tasty, sweet and with only about 2 teaspoons (8g) of sugar in the entire batch of buns – that’s less than 1g (less than 1/4 tsp) of sugar per bun – making these practically sugar free!
I hope you guys love these hot cross buns as much as I do. I love a good reminder that being low sugar doesn’t mean missing out. Just a tip though: they go hard quick so eat them the day you make them, or toast them or warm in the microwave before serving for the next couple of days (they never last longer than this – trust me!). They are truly delicious served warm with just butter (salted butter is especially nice), but nut butters or sugar free jam go well on them, too.
A delightful low sugar twist on the classic hot cross bun, these treats contain all of the light, soft, fluffy and tasty flavour & texture with none of the high sugar and preservative content! A perfect treat whether it is Easter or winter! Adapted from this recipe.
- 2 tsp dried yeast
- 1/2 tsp rice syrup*
- 1 1/4 cups (300ml) milk, warmed slightly
- 4 cups (500g) plain all-purpose flour (or use the same amount of wholewheat, light spelt or wholegrain spelt - or a mix)
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp xylitol or erythritol (or use coconut sugar or 2 tbsp rice syrup), optional
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 stick (55g) butter, softened
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- zest of 1 orange
- 1/4 cup (50g) really dark chocolate (85-90% or darker), chopped into "chunks"
- 1/4 cup (30g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp rice syrup
- 2-3 tbsp boiling water
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Mix the yeast and rice syrup in the milk and allow to "bloom" for about 5 mins. Meanwhile, mix the flour with the salt, xylitol and spices, then rub in the butter to incorporate into the flour.
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Pour the milk and yeast mix into the flour with the egg, vanilla and orange zest and mix, then knead until it becomes a smooth dough (this should only take a couple of mins - add more flour or milk if the dough seems to sticky or too dry). Add in the chocolate chunks and knead them into the dough so they are evenly distributed. Cover and leave the dough to rise for about 30-45 mins, until doubled in size.
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Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6. Divide the dough into 12 equal(ish) pieces and roll each into a small ball, then place into a large greased casserole or traybake dish in rows, leaving a very small space between each bun. Leave to rise in a warm place for about another 15 mins.
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Mix the 1/4 cup flour for the crosses with enough water to make a thick paste, about the consistency of a thick American pancake batter (you want it to be soft enough to pipe, but not so liquid that it spills out too quickly, it should drop from the spoon fairly quickly, but not pour off - I find it usually takes about 2-3 tbsp, but you may need to use a little more or less).
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Fill a piping bag or freezer/sandwich bag with the paste and pipe crosses onto the buns, then bake them for about 20 mins, until golden and cooked through.
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Mix the rice syrup with the boiling water and quickly brush over the cooked buns while they are still hot. Allow to cool a little before serving.
*rice syrup is counted in the World Health Organisation's list of "free sugars" so we use it in moderation, but it is our main liquid sweetener because it is the only liquid sweetener that is totally fructose free. I buy this 3-pack a few times a year - it's actually cheaper than buying raw honey or pure maple syrup as well as fructose free!
Hi, is there a substitute for the rice syrup? I can’t find any at my local stores.
Sure Gretchen – you can use honey or maple syrup in place of rice syrup. Rice syrup is fructose-free, but they are all “free sugars” so it all adds up to the same (tiny) amount of sugar. A nice alternative is to use some jam (apricot and marmalade work well). It’s only a small amount, and is usually only 50-60% sugar.