Gluten Free Easter Ideas


Fun family Easter gatherings are great for creating memories.  Going gluten free doesn’t mean these amazing memory making times can’t be enjoyed by everyone.
 
Here’s our top gluten free ideas to make your Easter just a little bit more special.

  1. Gluten Free Easter Eggs of course!Easter eggs are one of the most common foods associated with Easter; whether they be hard boiled or chocolate. Hard boiled eggs are naturally gluten free so you can always have fun decorating them with the kids. Chocolate Easter egg hunts however can sometimes be a little more testing.   If you aren’t in control of the hunt, just make sure you have a special stash of eggs you can swap into baskets so the gf kids don’t miss out. GF Pantry stocks a large range of eggs every Easter including specialty eggs for allergens and different diets.  For extra fun you can make your own chocolate eggs. Melt white or brown chocolate melts, then careful cover the inside of the moulds with the hot liquid chocolate and place them together as they set.  For a surprise, add in some candy coated chocolate buttons or another favourite gluten free treat.
  1. Gluten Free Hot Cross buns – Available premade or make your own.  The crosses are a symbol of crucifixion, so in days of old, these were traditionally eaten on Good Friday. These days they are available for weeks before Easter.   If you want to make your own, check out our recipe below. 
  1. Gluten Free Easter breads – There are so many different Greek and other traditional easter breads that it’s hard to cover them all. Try using a crusty bread mix to make your own version.  Add sugar, sultanas, chocolate baking buttons, food dyes or whatever it is that makes your bread special.  The mix can be braided, twisted and plaited, then egg, milk or sugar glazed; whatever it is that your special traditional bread requires.  Just adapt these very easy to use bread mixes
  1. Gluten Free Tiramisu – Nothing says Easter family get together like a good tiramisu! The Schar Savoiardi gluten free sponge finger biscuits are perfect for gluten free tiramisu. There’s an easy recipe on the pack, or you can simply adapt your own special family recipe, substituting traditional fingers with these gf ones.
  1. Gluten Free Easter biscuits – Grab some Easter cookie cutters and make Easter sugar cookies. For a delicious non spreading biscuit recipe perfect for decorating, see our blog on gluten free sugar cookies, or you can simply use Leda Arrowroot biscuits that are already shaped like an egg.  Cover with royal icing and decorate using your own special Easter decorations.
  1. Gluten Free Easter themed cakes. Simply make your own delicious gluten free cakes, ice and decorate with a few quick Easter decorations.  Pretzels dipped in melted chocolate are great for choc coated nests with little eggs.  Chocolate coated sticks are perfect as edging around cakes or fences for little chicks.  Chocolate hearts show love.  Have a browse through the GF Pantry confectionery section and use your creativity in any way that works.  There’s always something new to try on top of a cake.

 
And most of all at Easter, enjoy yourself!   Whatever you do and whatever you eat; may it be rejuvenating and nourishing to the body and soul.
 
Gluten Free Hot Cross buns

Bun Ingredients
Well and Good Crusty Bread Mix  inc. dry yeast
¼ cup icing sugar
25g butter
120g sultanas
¼ tsp mixed spice
1 tbsp cinnamon
500ml of warm water
Extra gluten free flour to use when kneading
Vegetable oil for brushing bun tops

Cross Ingredients
½ cup of gluten free self raising flour
½ cup of warm water
 
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 220°C. 
Combine sugar, butter, yeast and sultanas with warm water and mix well before adding the mixed spices, cinnamon and Well and Good crusty bread mix.  Stir with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are well combined. Let the dough sit in a warm spot for 20 minutes.
Lightly dust your bench with flour and gently knead the dough until elastic (approx. 2 minutes)
Roll in to small round balls and place on a baking papered tray, before generously brushing with water to prevent cracking. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave in the warm spot for a further 40 minutes.
Whilst your buns are proving, make the cross mixture.  Mix self raising flour and water then spoon into a piping bag. 
When the dough is ready to bake, brush each bun with a little vegetable oil.  Pipe a cross on top and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, depending on your oven.
 
Delicious Hot Cross Buns!  Perfect with butter and jam, or for singing nursery rhymes about!