Vegan Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Light and fluffy vegan hot cross buns studded with melting chocolate chunks and decorated with a chocolate cross – these are the chocolate-lovers dream! Delicious warm from the oven or toasted under the grill, they’re naturally vegan, dairy-free and nut-free. They are easy to make in a few simple steps and make the kitchen smell divine.

Easter time comes around and all we think about is chocolate so why not add in chocolate to another much-loved Easter treat, the hot cross bun. I don’t bake with yeast often enough as I always worry about temperatures and rising agents, but this recipe is pretty fail-proof and I have always been so impressed with the rise. It’s a simple dough but one that really gives a gorgeously soft baked bun and I just wish I made these every day. I actually crave them!

Vegan Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

I am so happy to finally be sharing the recipe for these Vegan Chocolate Hot Cross Buns as you all went crazy for then on my Instagram stories for a couple of weeks ago. Once again, these were shot with Divine Chocolate, but you can use any flavour chocolate – just pick one that you all like. Fold in the chocolate chips after the dough has doubled in size during its first rise, roll into buns and then leave to rise for a second time. Bake until golden and soft and decorate with a chocolate cross. The ultimate chocolate hot cross bun.

I’ve kept the classic hot cross bun flavour with cinnamon and mixed spice, meaning the kitchen smells amazing as these buns bake. Serve them warm or cold with vegan butter, jam, chocolate spread or nut butter. Or enjoy them on their own with a cup of tea – they are special enough to not need anything on top. As they are homemade without any preservatives, these are best eaten the same day or the day after. If you’re anything like me, they won’t last long anyway! That said, feel free to double this recipe to make 12 as this is a smaller 6-portion batch.

Vegan Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

Vegan Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

I hope you will love this twist on the classic Easter bake and that the Vegan Chocolate Hot Cross Buns will become part of your family bakes. They come together with simple ingredients, which is great at a time like now when we are semi-isolated (throughout the Coronavirus pandemic in April 2020).

They are light and fluffy, studded with melting chocolate chunks and finished with a delicious chocolate cross. They are easy to make, with minimal fuss and kneading required plus they are pretty impressive to share with friends or family. They are naturally vegan, dairy-free and nut-free and are a delicious twist on the classic.

If you are looking for more Easter bakes, how about my Hot Cross Buns, Carrot Cake Muffins, Hot Cross Bun Granola or Vegan Flapjack M&M Cookies.

Vegan Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

• Servings: 6
• Time: 45 minutes plus 80 minutes proving
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Light and fluffy vegan hot cross buns studded with melting chocolate chunks and decorated with a chocolate cross – these are the chocolate-lovers dream! Delicious warm from the oven or toasted under the grill, they’re naturally vegan, dairy-free and nut-free.

Ingredients

• 150ml plant-based milk
• 7g fast-action yeast
• 3 tbsp (30g) coconut sugar
• 4 tbsp (60g) vegan butter or margarine, melted
• 225g plain flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp mixed spice
• A pinch of salt
• 60g + 30g dark or milk chocolate

Directions

1. Warm the milk until just slightly warm but not hot so to kill off the yeast. Pour into a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar and yeast. Leave for 10 minutes.
2. In a second bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, mixed spice and salt.
3. Pour the yeast mixture over the flour with the melted butter or margarine and mix to form a dough.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for a couple of minutes. Place the dough back in a lightly greased bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
5. Chop 60g of chocolate. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, scatter over the chocolate and knead into the dough. Divide the dough into 6 pieces and roll into balls. Place the buns in a greased oven-proof dish, close together, cover with cling film and leave to rise for 20 minutes in a warm place.
6. Preheat the oven to 170Fan/190*C and bake the buns, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden.
7. Allow to cool fully before melting the 30g chocolate and decorating the buns with chocolate crosses. Best eaten on the same day or the day after.

Vegan Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

I look forward to hearing what you think of these Vegan Chocolate Hot Cross Buns so please let me know in the comments below. tag me in your bakes – I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With chocolate hot cross bun love x