Gluten-Free Hot Cross Buns with Cashew Cream Cheeze Icing

In a large bowl, whisk together the warm milk, sugar, and yeast.

Let sit for 5 minutes.In a separate dish, mix together the flax and the water.

Let sit for a few minutes.

Add the flour, zest, juice, applesauce/oil, and spices to the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or can stir by hand).

Add the milk and yeast mixture and the flax slurry.

Mix at medium speed for about 3 minutes or until the batter is nice and airy.

Drain your dried fruit and gently mix it into the batter.Coat the inside of a bowl with baking spray or oil. Scrap the dough out into the bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, scoop out mounds of dough (about 28 in total), so that they are separate rolls, but just touching. With wet hands, smooth out the tops a little, and brush with a little non-dairy milk alternative.Take a 9×13-inch pan and fill it halfway with water, and place it on your bottom rack in the oven. Preheat your oven to 400°F.Once the oven is pre-heated, slide the roll pan into the oven on the rack above the water, and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Let cool completely before icing.In a blender, puree the cashews with the yogurt, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth.

Pour the mixture into a bowl, and whisk in powdered sugar until you get the right consistency and taste for a slightly thick, but still pourable glaze (about 2 cups).With a piping bag of a plastic baggie with a bottom corner snipped (very small cut), pipe the glaze in one line across the length of the whole pan, then one across the width. Repeat until you have a cross pattern on each of them.