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These easy Tender Vegan Apple Tea Fruit Buns combine tea-soaked dried fruit, apple sauce, coconut oil, and demerara sugar for tender, golden buns with crisp, sweet tops.
Tender Vegan Apple Tea Fruit Buns combine plump tea-soaked fruit with tender apple sauce flavored dough. The demerara topping adds just the right little crunch.
Additional Information
- Can I store these? Yes. Once completely cooled, store the buns in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days. They’re best within the first couple of days when the outside still has a little texture.
- Can I refrigerate them? You can, but I wouldn’t make the fridge the first choice. Refrigeration can make baked goods lose some of their softness. If you do refrigerate them, bring them back to room temperature before serving.
- Do I have to use rooibos tea? No. The rooibos gives the fruit a gentle flavour, but another strong tea can be used.
- Why do I have to drain the fruit? Because the leftover tea adds uncontrolled liquid. Too much liquid can turn the dough sticky and affect how the buns hold their shape.
- Do I need to shape the buns? No. Rough heaps are exactly what you want. Don’t spend time making them perfect.
- How do I know when they’re baked? Look for a golden-brown colour, some rise, and a firm surface. They should no longer look wet or doughy in the centre.
- Why rotate the trays? It helps the buns bake more evenly, especially if your oven has hotter areas
Ingredient substitutions
- Coconut oil: A plant-based baking fat can be used, although the flavour and texture may change slightly.
- Rooibos tea: Use a stronger tea instead. Black tea would work particularly well.
- Mixed dried fruit: Raisins, sultanas, currants or a combination can be used.
- Apple sauce: Unsweetened apple sauce is ideal. A thick homemade apple purée can also work.
- Demerara sugar: Another coarse brown sugar can be used, although you’ll lose some of the crunchy topping.
- Self-raising flour: If you need to use plain flour, the leavening would need to be adjusted rather than simply swapping it gram for gram.
Why You Will Love and Enjoy These Apple Tea Fruit Buns
- They’re so easy. No mixer, no complicated shaping and no perfectly formed dough required.
- The tea-soaked fruit adds something extra. It plumps the dried fruit and gives every bite a little more flavour.
- Apple sauce keeps the centres tender. You get soft, lightly sweet buns without using eggs or dairy.
Tender Vegan Apple Tea Fruit Buns
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 depending on size 1x
- Category: Cake Cupcakes Cookies and Tarts
- Method: Easy baking
- Diet: VeganDiet
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 460g self-raising flour
- 20 ml – 4 tsp baking powder
- 230g coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 170g demerara sugar, soft brown sugar
- 170g mixed dried fruit
- 250 ml – 1 cup extra strong tea (Rooibos), for soaking the fruit
- 10 ml – 2 tsp ground or milled flaxseed
- 30 ml – 6 tsp tepid water
- 40 ml – 3 heaped Tbsp apple sauce
- Extra demerara sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Make 1 cup of extra-strong tea. I like using 2 red rooibos tea bags, but any strong tea you enjoy will work. While the tea is hot, pour it over 170g mixed dried fruit and leave it to soak while you get everything else ready.
- Mix 2 tsp ground or milled flaxseed with 6 tsp tepid water in a small cup. Stir and leave it for about 5 to 10 minutes until it thickens.
- Preheat the oven to 400⁰F (200⁰C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together 460g self-raising flour and 4 tsp baking powder.
- The extra baking powder gives these little buns a bit more lift, so don’t skip it if you want them nicely risen.
- Add 230g melted and slightly cooled coconut oil to the flour mixture.
- Stir it through until the mixture looks evenly moistened. If your coconut oil is solid, melt it gently first and let it cool a little before adding it.
- Drain the soaked 170g mixed dried fruit really well. You don’t want the leftover tea going into the dough because it can make the mixture too wet.
- Add the drained fruit and 170g demerara sugar to the flour mixture and stir well.
- Add the thickened 2 tsp ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tsp tepid water and 3 heaped Tbsp apple sauce.
- Stir everything together until you have a moist but firm dough. It should hold together without being runny or overly sticky.
- Divide the dough into 24 roughly equal heaps and place them on the prepared baking sheets.
- Don’t roll them into neat balls. Just scoop and drop them onto the trays, keeping a little space between each one. Overhandling the dough can make the buns heavier.
- Sprinkle the tops generously with extra demerara sugar.
- Bake at 400⁰F (200⁰C) for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. They’re ready when they’ve risen, look golden brown, and feel firm on top.
- Transfer the buns to a wire rack and let them cool. They’ll firm up a little more as they cool, although I won’t blame you for trying one while it’s still warm.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Esme Slabs: SA Tasty Recipes – Saffas Daily Recipes and EsmeSalon Homemade Recipes
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I’d take roughly shaped fruit buns over perfectly formed ones any day. Which side are you on?
Tender Vegan Apple Tea Fruit Buns are easy to mix, quick to bake and full of tender dried fruit, gentle apple flavour and crunchy demerara sugar. The tea soaked fruit adds an unexpected touch, while the rough shaping keeps the recipe relaxed and practical. A warm bun with a cup of tea is reason enough to put these on the baking list today.
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