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Savoury Sausage Muffins (protein rich)

| Breakfast, Healthy Lunchbox, After School Snacks, Savoury Snacks, Members only

These savoury sausage muffins are a protein-rich, grab-and-go option that work just as well for breakfast, school lunchboxes, or a simple dinner with a side salad. They’re hearty, wholesome, and packed with hidden vegetables so they tick both the nourishing and satisfying boxes. Perfect for busy families or anyone who wants a healthy alternative to…

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Lemon Blueberry Muffins (Grain-free)

| After School Snacks, Baked Sweets, Members only

These grain-free lemon blueberry muffins are light, moist and full of zesty flavour. They’re made with wholesome, real-food ingredients and come together quickly with minimal fuss. Whether you’re after a healthy snack, or a delicious treat with a cup of tea, these muffins are a go-to favourite in our kitchen. Health benefits Almond meal is…

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Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

| Healthy Lunchbox, Baked Sweets, Members only

My hubby loves apple anything so I can’t believe I haven’t added these Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins to the collection sooner. They’re definitely the kind of nourishing treat you’ll feel good about baking again and again. Sweetened with coconut sugar and filled with chunks of juicy apple, they’re made with wholemeal spelt flour for a…

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Vegan Banana Pumpkin Muffins

| Healthy Lunchbox, Baked Sweets, Members only

These vegan banana pumpkin muffins are the perfect balance of naturally sweet and wholesome. The combination of ripe bananas, pureed pumpkin, and warming cinnamon creates a deliciously moist muffin that’s ideal for breakfast, lunchboxes, or an afternoon treat. With simple ingredients and an easy method, this is a great recipe to make ahead and freeze…

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Mango Muffins

| Healthy Lunchbox, After School Snacks, Baked Sweets, Members only

These mango muffins are bursting with chunks of tropical mango goodness, complemented by lime zest and cardamom for a hint of sweet spice. For a satisfying crunch these are topped with macadamias – omit if you need to send in a nut-free lunchbox! They’re easy to make, taste so good and are perfect for a…

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Blueberry Orange Muffins

| Healthy Lunchbox, After School Snacks, Baked Sweets, Members only

These Blueberry Orange Muffins are wonderful citrusy cakes with bursts of blueberries – not only are they pretty to look at but absolutely delicious. They are easy to make and with this basic recipe, the blueberries can be swapped for other berries and the orange swapped for other citrus. Lime and strawberry muffins? Lemon and…

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Protein Rich Vegetable Muffin

| Breakfast, Healthy Lunchbox, After School Snacks, Savoury Snacks, Members only

This grain-free Protein Rich Vegetable Muffin is super quick and easy to make and is a delicious breakfast or snack for the lunchbox. A member recently asked if our infamous Vanilla Bean Cupcakes could become a savoury muffin so that’s exactly what I’ve done here. I hope you love this simple adaptation! I’ve purposely kept…

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Banana Choc Chip Muffins

| Healthy Lunchbox, After School Snacks, Baked Sweets

These Banana Choc Chip Muffins are a go-to for busy weeks, especially when you’ve got ripe bananas to use up. They’re quick to make, the kids can get involved, and they hit that sweet spot between a healthy snack and a little treat. Moist, delicious and dotted with dark choc chips, they’re a guaranteed simple treat or lunch box win.

Plus they are easily adapted to suit many dietary requirements (se below)!

Health benefits

Ripe bananas bring natural sweetness, making it easier to keep added sugars on the lower side. They’re also a great source of potassium and fibre. Spelt flour offers more nutrients and is often easier to digest than regular all-purpose wheat flour, and the eggs and butter contribute to a more sustaining snack with some protein and healthy fats.

Ingredients

This muffin batter comes together with ripe mashed bananas, melted butter, a hint of cinnamon and vanilla, and is folded gently into white spelt flour with baking powder and dark choc chips for little pockets of melty goodness. Coconut sugar or rapadura adds sweetness without the refined stuff.

How to make Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Melt the butter and mix with the sugar, cinnamon, eggs and vanilla. Add the mashed bananas and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and choc chips, then create a well and gently fold through the wet ingredients. Like any muffin, keep the combining of the wet and dry ingredients nice and gentle and you’ll have those light, fluffy, golden topped sweet treats. Spoon into a muffin tin (well greased or lined with muffin cups) and bake until just cooked through (or a toothpick inserted comes out clean). If you own a Thermomix, we’ve included Thermomix instructions too. Cool on a wire rack.

Serving suggestions and how to store

These muffins are lovely warm from the oven or packed into lunch boxes as a ready-made snack. They store well in an airtight container in a cool, dark spot for a couple of days, or you can freeze them for up to a month – just defrost overnight or pop into a lunchbox frozen to thaw by morning tea.

Vary this Banana Choc Chip Muffins to suit

For a gluten-free muffin recipe, use a trusted wholefood based premix gluten-free flour, cassava flour (see notes below) or a combo of almond meal and buckwheat flour. If you’re dairy-free, sub the butter with olive or macadamia oil and choose dairy-free choc chips or cacao nibs. Chia eggs work beautifully as an egg replacement, and you can also swap the choc chips for chopped pecans, walnuts, macadamias or your favourite nut or seed.

For more delicious, healthy muffin recipes, click HERE.

These Banana Choc Chip Muffins are the ultimate lunch box inclusion, especially if it has been the kids that have made them! Ripe bananas are always the best in these muffins as they mash so easily, have a good depth of flavour and are a little bit sweeter!
Print Recipe
4.67 from 3 votes

Banana Choc Chip Muffins

These easy Banana Choc Chip Muffins are soft, fluffy and naturally sweetened with ripe bananas. Perfect for lunch boxes or an after-school snack, they're a kid-approved treat that’s quick to whip up and freezer-friendly too.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Snack
Servings: 10 muffins
Author: Georgia Harding

Ingredients

  • 125 g butter (½ cup), melted
  • 75 g coconut sugar or rapadura (⅓ cup), approximately
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 egg/s
  • 1 tsp vanilla – extract
  • 300 g banana/s – very ripe, mashed well (2 large or 3 small)
  • 200 g white spelt flour (2 cups), approximately
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • ⅓ cup/s dark chocolate chips
Metric – US Customary

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (fan forced). Line muffin trays with cases or squares of parchment paper.
  • Mix together the melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, eggs and vanilla extract.
  • Mash the bananas on a plate and add to the wet mixture, combining thoroughly.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and choc chips. Create a well in the middle of the flour.
  • Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold through gently until all ingredients are combined.
  • Spoon into the muffin cases and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until cooked.
  • Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tray then transfer to a cooling rack until room temperature.

Thermomix method

  • Use the scales of the Thermomix to weigh the flour into a mixing bowl, adding the baking powder and chocolate chips. Make a well in the flour and set aside.
  • Add the butter to the Thermomix bowl and melt 1 minute, 90deg, speed 3.
  • Add the sugar, cinnamon, eggs, vanilla and bananas (cut roughly) and combine 20 seconds, speed 5.
  • Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold through gently until all ingredients are combined.
  • Spoon into the muffin cases and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until cooked.
  • Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tray then transfer to a cooling rack until room temperature.

Store

  • In an airtight container in a cool, dark place for 2-3 days. These also are suitable to freeze.

Notes

Gluten-free

Use a good quality gluten-free premix or cassava flour (Note – we’ve had reports that Lotus organic cassava flour does not work with this recipe – we suspect this brand adds a lot of extra starch to the flour). Our Team uses AKN Organics, Cassava flour from Source Bulk Foods and Otto’s Cassava flour is also a great choice. Other members have made with the Honest to Goodness Cassava flour also with success).
Or sub half almond meal and half buckwheat flour (this is my favourite gluten-free sub for spelt or plain flour).

Dairy-free

Replace the butter with olive oil or macadamia oil and use a dairy-free choc chip or cacao nibs.

Egg-free

Replace the eggs with chia eggs (2 tbsp ground chia seeds plus 6 tbsp water)

Add nuts

You could replace some or all of the choc chips with nuts. I love these with chopped walnuts, pecan nuts or macadamia nuts.
 
 
 
 

What did your family think of these delicious lunchbox treats?! Let me know in the comments below…

Zucchini Cheese Sourdough Muffins

| Breakfast, Healthy Lunchbox, After School Snacks, Savoury Snacks, Sourdough Baking, Members only

These zucchini cheese sourdough muffins are a simple, savoury bake that makes great use of sourdough discard while delivering a soft, fluffy texture and plenty of flavour. With grated zucchini, cheese and subtle savoury notes, they’re perfect for lunchboxes, snacks or a quick meal on the go. They’re easy to prepare and a practical way…

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Spinach Feta Muffins

| Breakfast, Healthy Lunchbox, After School Snacks, Savoury Snacks, Members only

I love Spinach Feta Muffins and this easy to make savoury snack is simply delicious. The muffin in the photo actually has double the amount of spinach (as I had a heap that I needed to use it up). So feel free to improvise and increase or decrease to suit your taste and supplies. Not…

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Orange Choc Chip Muffins (Grain-free)

| After School Snacks, Baked Sweets, Members only

These deliciously moist, grain-free healthy Orange Choc Chip Muffins are a beautiful combination of flavours that my family just loves. Be generous with your orange zest but do avoid the bitter white pith – a microplane grater is best to finely remove the zest from the orange. You can choose whether you use milk chocolate…

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Savoury Hot Cross Buffins

| Breakfast, Healthy Lunchbox, After School Snacks, Savoury Snacks, Members only

These Savoury Hot Cross Buffins are a veggie-packed twist on the classic Easter hot cross buns. Quick and easy to make, they are perfect as a savoury snack or breakfast. Truth be told, it’s just a fun way to present a savoury muffin, but don’t spoil the fun! We all need the occasional ‘theme’ to…

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Vegan Chocolate Muffins

| Healthy Lunchbox, After School Snacks, Baked Sweets

These easy to make delicious Vegan Chocolate Muffins have been developed by request from a Well Nourished Family member. My kids have been very happy with the testing of these. My son even complained when I’d finished testing saying I had to promise I would come back to them.

Perfect for lunchboxes, picnics, parties or any other time that calls for a sweet treat, these are quick to prepare and use all common pantry ingredients.

Health benefits

These vegan muffins are a treat that’s also relatively nutritious, offering fibre from the spelt flour and coconut sugar, which has a lower glycemic index compared to regular sugar. The cacao powder is packed with antioxidants, and the addition of coconut oil provides healthy fats, making these muffins a better alternative to most bakery-style muffins.

Ingredients

The ingredients for this vegan muffin recipe include your choice of plant based milk (almond milk, oat milk, soy milk or cow if you are not vegan), apple cider vinegar, white spelt flour, coconut sugar, cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder), bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), baking powder, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, and hot water or coffee. The coffee adds a ‘richer’ chocolate flavour profile if making for adults.

How to make these vegan chocolate muffins

Preheat the oven and line a muffin tray with cases. In a jug, mix the milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, then add the oil and vanilla to the milk mixture and pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Add hot water or coffee and stir or whisk until just combined. Spoon the batter into the muffin pan lined with muffin cases and bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. You don’t want to overcook these as they can start to crumble. Have a look at the 15-minute mark, then check again every minute or so until they’re just right.

Serving suggestions and how to store

Enjoy warm from the oven or once cooled. These muffins store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or can be refrigerated for a longer shelf life. They can also be stored in the freezer for up to a month.

Vary these Vegan chocolate muffins to suit your dietary needs

For a gluten-free version, replace the spelt flour with an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend or almond meal mixed with arrowroot or tapioca flour. To make them extra indulgent vegan double chocolate muffins, fold in dairy-free dark chocolate chips or add a square of chocolate on top before baking.

You can also make this into a whole vegan chocolate cake if you prefer. You will need to bake for 5-10 minutes longer or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

For more healthy lunchbox recipes, click HERE. Or for more healthy baked sweet treats, click HERE.

By member's request these delicious Vegan Chocolate Muffins are so quick and easy to make and a delicious treat for the whole family.
Print Recipe
4.86 from 14 votes

Vegan Chocolate Muffins

These Vegan Chocolate Muffins are quick and easy to make and super delicious!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Snack
Servings: 10 muffins
Author: Georgia Harding

Ingredients

  • 120 ml milk (of choice) (½ cup)
  • 1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar – or any vinegar
  • 180 g white spelt flour (1½ cups)
  • 120 g coconut sugar (⅔ cup)
  • 40 g cacao powder (½ cup)
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 80 g coconut oil (⅓ cup) melted (or macadamia nut oil)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla essence
  • 120 ml hot water – or hot coffee for an adult twist
Metric – US Customary

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (fan-forced) and line a muffin tray with patty cases or baking paper.
  • In a small jug, mix the milk and apple cider vinegar and allow to sit while you mix the dry ingredients. If you're using a Thermomix 5 seconds, speed 5.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the flour, coconut sugar, cacao powder, bicarb and baking powder. Whisk together until there are no lumpy bits. (I usually just sit a regular mixing bowl on the Thermomix to weigh the dry ingredients).
  • Add the oil and vanilla to the milk and mix, then pour over the dry.
  • Add the hot water (or hot coffee) and then whisk to just combine. If you're using a Thermomix 10 seconds, speed 3 (scraping the sides).
  • Spoon into patty cases or the lined muffin tray.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
  • To avoid crumbling, it’s important not to overcook them. Check at 15 minutes, then continue checking every minute or two until they’re just cooked through.
  • Cool on a wire cooling rack.

Tip

  • If you’re out of muffin cases you can make your own parchment paper liners. Cut 15cm x 15cm squares of parchment paper. Place the paper over an upside-down cup and create a fold at four corners to create a ‘tulip’ shaped muffin case. Press on the base to create a good crease and then place it into your muffin tin. Repeat until the number of desired muffin cases are created – quick and inexpensive!

Ice them

  • THIS chocolate mousse also makes a fabulous chocolate ganache for icing cakes, either just the mousse part or also drizzled with the raspberry sauce. 

Notes

Gluten-free

Replace with an all-purpose gluten-free flour or almond meal plus 2 tbs of arrowroot or tapioca flour. If the mixture is stiff (I find this with some GF pre-mix flours) add 30-40ml more hot water.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins

Fold in chocolate buttons or pieces (regular or dairy-free if required) or even pop a square of chocolate on top.
 
 
 
 

I hope you love these muffins as much as my family did, let me know in the comments below.

Raspberry Choc Chip Muffins

| Healthy Lunchbox, After School Snacks, Baked Sweets, Desserts, Members only

These Raspberry Choc Chip Muffins are bursting with juicy raspberries and a sprinkle of dark chocolate, the perfect combination. These are perfect for picnics, parties, entertaining friends and even a lunchbox treat. Being made with spelt flour, these are a little easier on the digestion and I love the texture that using half wholemeal brings….

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Raspberry Macadamia White Chocolate Muffins

| Baked Sweets, Sourdough Baking, Members only

If you’re after a really digestible muffin (with all the benefits of sourdough baking) then these Raspberry Macadamia White Chocolate Muffins are for you. They are really simple to make, light and fluffy treats that my whole family loves. They are also a great way to use up any discard after feeding your starter. I…

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Bacon Corn Rosemary Muffins

| Breakfast, Healthy Lunchbox, After School Snacks, Savoury Snacks

These bacon corn rosemary muffins are a savoury delight perfect for breakfast, lunchboxes, or as a quick snack. Packed with vegetables, herbs, and the delicious combination of bacon and cheese, they are a wholesome and flavourful option that can easily be made gluten-free or dairy-free.

They are perfect for a breakfast on the go, with soup for lunch or for morning or afternoon tea. My kids also love them in their lunchbox. They can also be frozen which makes them great for batch baking. I always warm my Bacon, Corn, Rosemary Muffins by placing them in my sandwich press (and then slathering with butter because it’s my weakness ha ha)!

Health benefits

These muffins provide a balanced mix of protein, fibre, and essential vitamins. The zucchini and corn offer a boost of vegetables, while the eggs and bacon deliver a good source of protein. Rosemary adds an extra touch of antioxidants, and the gluten-free flour option caters to those with sensitivities.

Ingredients

This recipe uses a simple list of ingredients, including cheddar cheese, red onion, zucchini, corn, and bacon, all combined with flour, eggs, and milk to create a fluffy muffin. With the option to substitute gluten-free or dairy-free alternatives, it can easily be adapted to suit a variety of dietary needs.

How to make bacon corn rosemary muffins

To make these muffins, simply combine most of the cheese, bacon, vegetables, and dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs and milk, fold them into the dry mixture, and divide the batter between patty cases in your muffin tin. Top with the remaining cheese and bacon, and bake until golden and risen. Cool on a wire rack. If you own a Thermomix, we’ve also included Thermomix instructions for this recipe.

Serving suggestions and how to store

These muffins are best enjoyed fresh from the oven, but they also store well. Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days, or freeze them for longer storage. They are easy to reheat (in the oven or a sandwich press), making them a convenient snack or meal on the go.

Vary bacon corn rosemary muffins to suit your dietary needs

This recipe can easily be adjusted for various dietary preferences. For a corn-free version, substitute the corn with grated carrot. If you’re vegetarian, replace the bacon with smoked paprika for a smoky flavour. A dairy-free option is also available by swapping the cheese with nutritional yeast and using a dairy-free milk.

Check out the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit your specific dietary requirements. There are lots of options to suit.

For more delicious, easy to make healthy savoury snack recipes, click HERE.

These Bacon Corn Rosemary Muffins are a delicious, gluten-free savoury snack or even breakfast. They are quick and easy to make & my kids favourite snack.
Print Recipe
4.80 from 10 votes

Bacon Corn Rosemary Muffins

These Bacon Corn Rosemary Muffins are a delicious, gluten-free savoury snack or even breakfast. They are quick and easy to make & my kids favourite snack.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Snack
Servings: 10
Author: Georgia Harding

Ingredients

  • 100 g cheddar cheese -grated
  • 1 red onion/s (small) peeled and very finely diced
  • 120 g zucchini/s (small) grated
  • 1 corn cob/s -kernels removed
  • 2 rasher/s bacon -diced
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves -finely chopped
  • 230 g gluten-free flour (2 cups) or cassava flour*
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • ground black pepper -to taste
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 2 egg/s
  • 180 ml milk (of choice) (¾ cup)

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 200℃/395℉ (fan forced).
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine three quarters of the cheese, the onion, zucchini, corn kernels, half the bacon, rosemary, flour, salt, pepper and baking powder. Mix well.
  • In a jug whisk the eggs and milk. Add to the dried mix and fold in until just incorporated.
  • Divide between ten patty cases, top with the remaining cheese and bacon and bake for 15 minutes or until risen and golden brown.
  • Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Thermomix

  • If using a Thermomix to make these, preheat your oven to 200℃/395℉ (fan forced).
  • Grate the cheese, 5 seconds, speed 6. Set aside three quarters of it in a large mixing bowl. The other quarter in a small bowl.
  • Grate the red onion, 2 seconds, speed 6. Add to the mixing bowl.
  • Grate the zucchini, 5 seconds, speed 4. Add to the mixing bowl.
  • Add the corn, half the bacon (the other half can be set aside with the cheese) and rosemary.
  • Place the bowl on the Thermomix and zero out the scales.
  • Add the flour, salt, pepper, baking powder and fold it all together.
  • Add the eggs and milk to the Thermomix and beat, 5 seconds, speed 4.
  • Fold this through the other ingredients until just combined.
  • Divide between ten patty cases, top with the remaining cheese and bacon and bake for 15 minutes or until risen and golden brown.
  • Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Store

  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

Corn-free

Omit the corn and replace with one small grated carrot.

Vegetarian

Replace the bacon with a teaspoon of smoked paprika.

Dairy-free

Choose a dairy-free milk and replace the cheddar with half a cup of nutritional yeast and an extra teaspoon sea salt.

Another flour

You can replace the gluten-free flour with wholemeal spelt flour if you'd prefer. 

*Important Note

If using cassava flour we have tested with AKN Organics, Cassava flour from Source Bulk Foods, Otto’s Cassava flour or Honest to Goodness Cassava flour. Do NOT use The Lotus organic cassava flour (we suspect this brand adds extra starch to the flour). Also do NOT or sub cassava flour with tapioca flour (they are not the same).

Onion-free

Omit the onion or replace with half a small bulb fennel, very finely diced.
 
 

I hope you and your family love these savoury muffins as much as we do. Let me know and leave a comment below. 

Healthy Hot Cross Buffins

| Breakfast, Healthy Lunchbox, Baked Sweets, Holidays & Entertaining

With Easter approaching, this is my recipe for a Healthy Hot Cross Buns – or Buffins (a cross between a bun and a muffin according to my creative recipe tester). I have purposely chosen to move away from traditional instant yeast leaven buns and create a buffin for two reasons.

Firstly, I have found that single strains of yeast burdens the gut of lots of people. It can contribute to an overgrowth of Candida or other yeast-related issues in the gut. Additionally, excessive intake of yeast-containing products may disrupt the balance of the gut microbiome, potentially leading to inflammation and impairing gut function.

Secondly, I personally just don’t have the time or motivation to knead dough and then wait for it to prove. I like a throw it all in approach and that’s what I’ve done here.

A note…whilst I think these taste on the mark, these aren’t and never will be the doughy, shelf life of many weeks style of hot cross bun gracing our supermarket and bakery shelves in the months leading up to Easter. They are best eaten out of the oven or toasted.

Why store bought Hot Cross Buns are NOT healthy

It really is a struggle not only to find a ‘healthy,’ whole food only hot cross bun but one that isn’t actually damaging to you and especially your kids health. Even ‘fresh’ bakery buns have a long list of ingredients (I counted 29 in a ‘traditional’ supermarket baked bun). Common ingredients include dangerous vegetable oils, excessive amounts of sugar (almost 4 teaspoons per bun), and a cocktail of additives and preservatives. To make matters worse, ALL supermarket brands contain Palm Oil (why you need to avoid Palm Oil here).

If you value your families health, please don’t buy these buns. I have made it as easy as possible for you to make your own with ‘real’ ingredients that your body can identify and thrive with.

Health benefits

Packed with whole grains, this hot cross bun recipe offers fibre and essential nutrients that support digestion and overall health. The use of natural sweeteners and spices like cinnamon not only enhances the flavour but also provides additional health benefits, such as stabilising blood sugar levels and reducing inflammation.

Ingredients

This simple recipe includes wholesome ingredients like wholemeal spelt flour, rice malt syrup (or honey), and butter or ghee. With added spices (I’ve used allspice and cinnamon, but you can use any combination you like), dried fruit, and optional apple crosses, these buns are not only delicious but also versatile enough to suit various dietary preferences. I personally don’t like mixed peel but if you do, feel free to add some (or mix in orange zest). 

How to make Healthy Hot Cross Buffins

Start by mixing the dry ingredients in a bowl while combining the wet ingredients in a blender. Fold the wet mixture into the flour with a wooden spoon until just combined, then spoon into muffin cases. You can add crosses made of dough or julienned apple on top before baking. Once they’re golden and firm, brush with a sweet glaze for that perfect finish! Now you have a quick and easy Good Friday treat ready in the time it takes to drive to the bakery.

Serving suggestions and how to store

Enjoy these hot cross buns fresh from the oven or toasted for a warm treat. They store well in an airtight container or can be frozen for later enjoyment. Pair them with butter or your favourite spread for an extra delicious touch!

Vary these healthy hot cross buns to suit 

To make these buns gluten and grain-free, substitute with buckwheat flour and almond meal. For a dairy-free version, use nut milk and ghee or macadamia oil. If you’re looking for a lower-fructose option, try rice malt syrup and omit the dried fruit, or get creative with chocolate hot cross buns by adding cacao powder and nibs instead! Feel free to mix up the spices with you own favourites (like ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves).

Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit many specific dietary requirements.

For more delicious, healthy and easy to make wholefood treats, click HERE.

Healthy Hot cross buns
Print Recipe
4.94 from 32 votes

Hot Cross Buffins

Because I'm too lazy to wait for buns to prove (plus yeast makes me feel awful) I made these 'buffins' - a cross between a bun and a muffin for Easter. They are SO much nicer than any bun I think and a whole lot healthier too. 
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Servings: 6 buffins

Ingredients

  • 200 g wholemeal spelt flour (1½ cups) or if you'd prefer, white spelt will give a more commercial result
  • 125 ml milk (of choice) (½ cup)
  • 85 g rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup (¼ cup)
  • 60 g butter, ghee or macadamia oil (¼ cup) melted
  • 1 egg/s
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp mixed spice -or allspice
  • ½ tsp vanilla -powder, extract or essence
  • 80 g currants (½ cup) or sultanas or raisins (or a mixture) preferably preservative and vegetable oil free

For the glaze (optional)

  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tsp water

Pastry crosses (also optional)

  • 2 tbsp wholemeal spelt flour
  • water

Apple crosses (recommended)

  • 1 apple/s -julienne (personally, I’m too lazy for crosses as they don’t improve the flavour at all). My recipe testers mum suggested cutting strips of apple for the crosses which I absolutely love and it tastes better too. Your call!

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 160℃/320℉ (fan-forced).
  • Place your flour in a big bowl and make a well in the middle.
  • In a blender, food processor or by hand, beat your milk, sweetener, butter, egg, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, acid, cinnamon, mixed spice and vanilla for about a minute until well combined and a little frothy (Thermomix melt your butter, 1 minute, temp 80, speed 4, then add the milk, sweetener, egg, rising agents, spices and mix 1 min, speed 5). 
  • Gently mix in your dried fruit (Thermomix reverse blade, 10 seconds, speed 2).
  • Add this to the flour and fold through gently until just combined. Don’t over mix it.
  • For the crosses, mix 2 tablespoons of flour with enough water to form a dough. Roll it into little sausages to lay over the buns in a cross. This is a great job for the kids.
  • Alternatively, julienne apple to make quick, easy, delicious crosses. 
  • Spoon into the muffin cases and place your cross.
  • For the glaze, mix all ingredients together. 
  • Bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through (firm to touch in the middle). Brush over the glaze whilst hot.
  • Enjoy hot out of the oven or to reheat, toasted in a sandwich press.

Store

  • Can be frozen in an airtight bag or container.

Notes

Gluten and grain-free

Substitute the flour with 130 grams of buckwheat (or sprouted buckwheat) flour and 70 grams of almond meal. They may need an additional 5-10 minutes in the oven too.

Dairy-free

Substitute the butter with melted ghee or macadamia nut oil. Replace the milk with an unsweetened nut milk or coconut milk (I have only recipe tested the coconut milk and macadamia nut oil at this stage).

Low-fructose

Choose rice malt syrup as your sweetener and omit the dried fruit or replace with cacao nibs.

Chocolate hot cross buns

Add 1 tablespoon of cacao powder to the wet mix and replace the dried fruit with approximately 50g of cacao nibs. If you tolerate fructose, you might like to replace the fruit with chocolate chips.

Jam glaze

You can always replace the glaze with apricot jam.
 

Would love your feedback so please post a comment below (or even better rate this recipe).

"They are just wonderful. The apple cross worked fabulously! I was only reading the ingredients of the supermarket ones the other day and was overwhelmed by all the nasty stuff in them!" Sally