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    Home » Recipes » Gluten-Free

    Hot Cross Balls

    Published: Mar 25, 2016 · Modified: Feb 18, 2020 by Kate Hackworthy · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Jump to Recipe

    These hot cross balls are a quick, healthy snack with all of the Easter flavours of hot cross buns. They're vegan and gluten-free.

    Hot cross balls on a vintage plate on a wooden table.

    SPRING

    Spring winds are rapidly approaching, blowing gentler and more perfumed. Winter retreats at pace, spent, worn and tired of its melancholy.

    A few yellow petals appear at the end of a spindly shoot; buds form with curious perseverance; small dots of colour speckle woodlands, fields and hedgerows with promise of longer days and milder afternoons.

    As stews give way to salads and roots give way to leaves, the extra hours of light give us time back, time to stop, breathe and wake up from our winter haze.

    Putting icing onto bliss balls.

    Hot Cross Buns

    Easter heralds spring in a flurry of chocolate and hot cross buns.

    Those fluffy, cakey buns. I do love them, with their light spices and plump raisins. 

    Their jaunty crosses blur the lines between meals - are they breakfast, snack, dessert? Nobody quite knows, so we consume them at will. Perhaps toasted with butter, straight from the tray, cold, warm, or, for the real rebels among us, with *gasp* jam.

    But however you eat them, they are best eaten mindfully, watching the buds form anew and the gentle winds blow through the trees as they work furiously to produce the year's coat of foliage.

    The faster nature works to wake up and stretch from its slumber, the more I want to slow down and watch.

    Bliss balls on a table next to a jar of raisins and a jar of oats.

    Hot Cross Balls

    This year seems to have brought about considerable creativity in the hot cross bun world.

    Supermarket shelves are heaving with unusual flavours... St Clements, Bramley apple, stem ginger, Earl Grey and mandarin, cranberry.

    I welcome the unusual with open arms (but then, I put kale in cupcakes, so I would).

    For these hot cross balls, I've turned the flavours of the traditional hot cross bun into energy bites.

    Small, portable, adorable-looking little balls of cinnamon and raisins.

    Take them for a slow walk past bluebells and grape hyacinths, nettles and wild garlic. T

    ake them for a walk through woodland and urban jungle.

    Just take them for a walk. Bring an umbrella.

    A plate full of bliss balls with icing crosses on them.

    Easter Recipes

    Looking for other Easter recipes? Try these!

    Hot Cross Bun Ice Cream Sandwiches
    Italian Easter Braided Bread
    Carrot Pizza
    Carrot Soda Bread

    Adieu, winter. Adieu.

    Get the recipe!

    Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out for you!
    Leave a comment and star rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #veggiedesserts. I love seeing your recreations of my vegetarian and vegan recipes.

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    Hot cross balls on a vintage plate on a wooden table.

    Hot Cross Balls

    Kate Hackworthy | Veggie Desserts
    These hot cross balls are very easy to make - just tip all of the ball ingredients into a blender or food processor, then roll into balls. They are refined sugar-free if you exclude the coconut oil crosses, but the crosses give them that traditional Easter look.
    5 from 4 votes
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    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8
    Calories 191 kcal

    Equipment

    • food processor

    Ingredients
     

    • ⅔ cup (60g) oats (gluten-free if required)
    • ⅔ cup (60g) almond meal (ground almonds)
    • 6 dates stones removed
    • ½ cup (60g) raisins
    • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
    • 1 teaspoon orange zest
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    For the cross topping

    • 2 tablespoon coconut oil solid - put in the fridge to set if necessary
    • 6 tablespoon powdered icing sugar

    Instructions
     

    • Whizz the porridge oats in a food processor until a fine crumb is formed.
    • Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until well combined and it forms a sticky meal.
    • Roll into balls and refrigerate until ready to eat.
    • For the topping, cream the coconut oil with an electric mixer until smooth, then beat in the powdered icing sugar.
    • Pipe in crosses on the hot cross balls.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 191kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 3mgPotassium: 134mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.

    Tried this recipe?Mention @kateveggiedesserts or tag #veggiedesserts! I love seeing your recreations.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dan

      April 14, 2018 at 1:14 pm

      5 stars
      So easy and taste like hot cross buns, but healthier!

      Reply
    2. Choclette

      March 30, 2017 at 4:13 pm

      What delectable prose. You've made me feel all wistful for the springs of my youth, when I seemed to have time to enjoy them. Love your take on Hot Cross Buns too. The more I make energy balls, the more I realise how fabulous they are.

      Reply
    3. Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs

      March 27, 2017 at 4:07 pm

      How cute are these 😀 they look delish!

      Reply
    4. qualitypoint

      March 28, 2016 at 8:47 am

      Looking so beautiful!!!

      Reply
    5. Sally

      March 28, 2016 at 3:46 am

      Such a delicious idea at the time that seems completely dedicated to chocolate. The little crosses on the top are so sweet. Your description of spring brought a lump to my throat

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        March 29, 2016 at 4:53 pm

        Oh Sally, what a lovely thing for you to say! You've made my day :))))

        Reply
    6. Chris @thinlyspread

      March 27, 2016 at 9:30 am

      Eek! Perfect! Hoorah!

      Reply
    7. Kat

      March 26, 2016 at 1:55 pm

      I love these! They look beautiful and are healthy to boot. Would be a great snack anytime of year without the cross decoration I reckon. Thanks for entering into Treat Petite!

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        March 29, 2016 at 4:54 pm

        Indeed! I'll definitely be making them again and again (without the crosses!)

        Reply
    8. kellie anderson

      March 26, 2016 at 10:48 am

      These are ADORABLE!! Such a clever idea. I am bummed I didn't think of it 😉

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        March 29, 2016 at 4:52 pm

        Ha ha, Kellie! We often have a bit of recipe hive-mind, but it must have passed us by for this! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Jan

      March 26, 2016 at 10:38 am

      Oh wow these are so cute!

      Reply
    10. Margot

      March 25, 2016 at 9:17 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a great idea. I must admit I have never been a fan of hot cross buns but those balls look very tempting! 🙂

      Reply
    11. Lucy @ BakingQueen74

      March 25, 2016 at 8:05 pm

      Wow these look and sound delicious! Will have to try them and am sure my kids will love them too especially with their hot crosses.

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        March 29, 2016 at 4:52 pm

        My son LOVED them, Lucy. I hope yours do too. 🙂

        Reply
    12. Savory Spicerack

      March 25, 2016 at 3:46 pm

      This is so cute! I love the hot cross bun recipes I am coming across right now! Pinned!

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        March 29, 2016 at 4:49 pm

        I know, there are so many!

        Reply
    13. Amanda

      March 25, 2016 at 3:26 pm

      These are adorable and what a unique twist! I love anything with dates in them, so delicious.

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        March 29, 2016 at 4:49 pm

        Thanks Amanda! I adore dates as well.

        Reply
    14. foodhuntersguide

      March 25, 2016 at 3:03 pm

      what a super cute idea

      Reply
    15. shannon kennedy

      March 25, 2016 at 3:00 pm

      These are so cute and look quite nice!

      Reply
    16. Georgina Ingham | Culinary Travels

      March 25, 2016 at 2:56 pm

      What an amazing idea for a recipe. A really healthy sweet treat.

      Reply
    17. Rosie

      March 25, 2016 at 2:42 pm

      These look yummy and relatively low in sugar and fast acting carbs. I usually end up disappointed with yummy looking recipes online which are then too high in sugar (pre-diabetic person problems...) Not this time though...I can actually save this for a rainy day.

      Reply
      • Kate Hackworthy

        March 29, 2016 at 4:50 pm

        I hope you enjoy them, Rosie - and that you are okay.

        Reply
    18. Tania Sheff

      March 25, 2016 at 2:35 pm

      I love these tasty and cute Hot Cross Buns! Pinned for later!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kate, a journalist, author and multi-award-winning food blogger. I hope you enjoy my vegetarian and vegan recipes. About Me

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    Popular recipes

    • The BEST Easy Red Lentil Dahl
    • Easy Naan Bread Recipe (yeast-free)
    • Mini Baked Potatoes
    • Easy Lentil Soup

    Healthy Recipes

    • Butternut Squash Salad
    • Easy Healthy Cabbage Soup
    • Easy Vegan Ramen (15 minutes)
    • Rajma Masala (Kidney Bean Curry)

    My cookbook

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    Check out my Veggie Desserts Cookbook, full of tasty desserts with vegetables!

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