Keto Easter Hot Cross Buns

Hot cross buns are a traditional Easter food, typically eaten on Good Friday. They are slightly sweet, spiced, super soft, and recognized by the cross on top. This traditional bread has many variations in spices and flavorings. Flavored with cinnamon and orange zest, this Keto-friendly version is nothing short of delicious. It is prepared using a yeasted low-carb dough and finished with a sweet glaze for the cross.

What is this Keto-friendly bread made of?

This Keto bread mainly uses almond flour. A little bit of whey protein isolate is added to lighten the dough a bit. You cannot switch the almond flour for more protein powder, but the opposite is possible. An essential ingredient in this recipe is psyllium husk powder. It is responsible for the "bread texture" and helps hold everything together. The sour cream, eggs, and butter are responsible for their moist texture. The orange zest, cinnamon, and raisins are added for sweetness and spice.

What other spices/additions can you add to this Keto Easter bread recipe?

Like with many Keto Easter recipes, you can customize this recipe to fit the version you grew up eating. Other than cinnamon and orange zest, many versions contain nutmeg, allspice, and sometimes cardamom. As for additives, you can replace the raisins with currants, chopped apricots, chopped prunes, or a mixture of all. You can also add chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, or almonds to the dough.

What does the cross consist of?

Traditionally, the cross is a paste prepared from wheat flour and water that is added before baking. Then once the buns are cooked, they are dipped in a sweet glaze. Since this recipe is Keto-friendly and cannot include flour, we have compromised and prepared a sweet glaze made from powdered erythritol and water to compensate for both elements. If you prefer the crosses to be savory, you can make a paste out of coconut flour and water, and pipe it on top of the buns after they are baked and cooled.

Should you be worried about the sugar in the dough?

While it is a no-no to add sugar to any low-carb recipe, this recipe is an exception. The yeast will feed on the sugar and produce carbon dioxide, aka the bubbles that cause bread and baked goods to rise. So basically, the yeast will activate by consuming the sugar, leaving you none.