The great hot cross bun taste test! We sample 37 Easter treats from supermarkets to see which bake comes out on top

M&S Luxury Fruited Hot Cross Buns

£1.85 for four 

All you could want in a hot cross bun, it was light and not stodgy with delicious berries. Can’t go wrong with these! – Kirsten Murray 

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Tesco Finest St Clements  Hot Cross Buns

£1.60 for four 

Tesco’s twist on the hot cross bun is sensational! The addition of candied peel and extra fruit makes it like a normal hot cross bun, but better, and it’s definitely more exciting.

I will find it hard to see a regular hot cross bun in the same way now. – Eleanor Dye

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Morrison’s Double Chocolate Orange 

£1.25 for four 

They were so enticing, both in smell and appearance, that by the time the first bun had finished toasting I had already eaten the rest of the packet.

When untoasted they had a delicious soft texture, despite me having left the pack open for much of the day. The toasted ones were also delectable but for a slightly different reason: the chocolate orange perfectly melts within the bun and tastes incredible. – Luke Whelan 

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Tesco Finest Cheddar & Red Leicester Hot Cross Bun

£1.65 for four 

These were delicious. Perhaps not the best choice for those after a traditional hot cross bun, but luckily, I’m not one of them. It tasted like a cheesy roll and could even be used as a sandwich bread, but it still tasted great toasted with butter. I’d definitely add to my basket in the future.  – Alanah Kholsa 

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Tesco Finest Triple Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

£1.25 for four 

Traditionalists avert your eyes, there’s a new bun in town that might well take the crown for the most delicious Easter treat this year. While this triple choc affair looks like a hot cross bun, it tastes nothing like one – the cocoa-laced dough and combination of milk and dark choc chips see to that. It’s absolutely delicious though; we tried it toasted with a smidgen of butter and it was as if a pain au chocolate had happily collided with a teacake. Filling, flavoursome and a great alternative to the fruity versions. – Jo Tweedy

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Waitrose Richly Fruited Hot Cross Buns

£1.85 for four

 The ideal hot cross bun for those with a sweet tooth. The fruit in the buns wasn’t overpowering and provided the perfect balance in terms of taste and texture. For those looking for a traditional hot cross bun with added sweetness, these won’t disappoint. – Alanah Kholsa

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Morrison’s Mature Cheddar & Red Leicester 

£1.25 for four 

Delicious! Proper British cheese, fantastic strong taste in a soft bread. Nothing too overpowering, but tasty. I would buy again, and again, and again. Less than 32p a roll? What a bargain!   – Bridie Pearson-Jones

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M&S Gluten-free 

£2.40 for four 

M&S’ delicious gluten-free hot cross buns definitely lived up to the brand’s renowned quality. They boasted a sweet taste and springy dough, filled with mixed vine fruits, orange peel and ground spices. – Rebekah Absalom

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Waitrose No.1 4 Belgian Chocolate Hot Cross Buns

£2.00 for four 

A chocoholic’s heaven. Delicious and not overly sweet, you can tell these are made with dark chocolate. They tasted more like something you’d get in a Parisian bakery than a hot cross bun. Slightly stodgy, but in a good way. For extreme indulgence, add Nutella or another chocolate spread. When toasted, the chocolate chips melt into the bread which is another level of decadence. Although be warned, you might be left with chocolatey fingers – Bridie Pearson-Jones

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Asda Extra Special, Lemon & White Chocolate

£1.40 for four 

This was a very nice hot cross bun, with the tartness of the lemon balancing nicely with the white chocolate. When toasted, the melted chocolate really oozed too, and added to the flavour. – Dan Linstead

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M&S Extremely Caramely Hot Cross Buns

£1.85 for four 

I had never had a caramel hot cross bun before so was intrigued to try this one out. It was a nice change, but I think I prefer the traditional.

The bun itself was light and the caramel was nice and fudgy, but if you got a bit without caramel it was a bit plain. Would probably be best topped with chocolate or Biscoff spread. – Kirsten Murray

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Tesco Finest Apple & Cinnamon

£1.60 for four  

Apple and cinnamon is always going to be a winning combination and these didn’t disappoint. The dough was perfect when toasted – slightly crusty on the outside but sticky and soft on the inside. The spice from the cinnamon was a great complement to the sweet sultanas and candied apple flavour, as well as the salty smothering of butter I put on top. My only qualm is that the flavour felt a touch too Christmassy – but still delightful! – Elmira Tanatarova

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M&S Extremely Cheesy

£.185 for four 

I’m not sure if you can call this a hot cross bun. It is a cheese roll with a cross on.

That said, it is a delicious one. Extremely cheesy is an apt description, there was a strong taste of cheddar that lingers in the mouth beyond the final bite. Creamy, umani, delicious, I wish i could have this all year round. 

Not one for traditionalists but a divine savoury alternative to the classic HCB. Bridie Pearson-Jones

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Coop Richly Fruited 

£1.60 for four 

Best eaten toasted and smothered with butter, these Co-Op hot cross buns are well-worth the premium price point. While less squidgy than some, it’s packed with a variety of fruit and the famous spiced flavour. This bun has proven to be a reliable option for anyone who prefers the original over one of the new flavoured versions that are dominating the market, so I would highly recommend.  – Laura Fox

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Lidl Bramley Apple & Cinnamon

£1.25 for four 

The texture of the apple and cinnamon hot cross buns was slightly stodgy, but the flavours of apple and cinnamon coming through were delicious and weren’t overpowering.

They almost felt a bit Christmassy – but don’t that put you off from having them as a warming snack. – Eleanor Dye

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Sainsbury’s Sticky Toffee

£1.25 for four 

I expected these to be sickly sweet, but it was the perfect amount of salted caramel. 

The texture of the bread was nice too and they had a nice crunch when toasted. Would recommend! – Codie Bullen

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Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Fruity 

£1.25 for four 

These were delicious! Packed with fruit with an extra hint of spice and a sticky, glazed top. They smelt delicious too, from the moment we opened the pack.

I’m not a big fan of all the flavoured buns so I really enjoyed this traditional offering which also went down well with my six-year-old who declared it to be ‘the yummiest I’ve ever had’.

They were perfect toasted with lots of butter and with a big mug of tea. – Joanna Crawely 

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Tesco Finest Salted Caramel & Chocolate

£1.25 for four 

I have been in mourning for the M&S chocolate and salted caramel hot cross buns since they were discontinued last year, so I hoped the Tesco Finest version would be a fitting substitute.

There was a lot riding on this taste test, but I tried to keep all other variables the same – lightly toasted with butter on top and accompanied by a strong builder’s tea.

As I took a bite into the bun, the contrast between the sweet chocolate and caramel, plus the salt from the butter, was a perfect taste combination.

The texture was light and fluffy, although perhaps a little on the doughy side – but as I scoffed down the tasty bun, I didn’t have much time to notice.

Overall I’m pretty pleased with this product and, while it can’t live up to the wildly overblown expectations I had at the beginning of my experiment, it made for a delicious Saturday morning breakfast. – Jessica Taylor

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Waitrose Blueberry Hot Cross Buns with a Hint of Vanilla

£1.85 for four 

Tart blueberries and sweet vanilla make for a delicious taste combination that’s more unique than a plain or fruited hot cross bun. 

However, the flavour was quite weak and could have been stronger, with more blueberries packed in for me personally. 

Although the fruit taste is more subtle than I expected, toasted with butter these made for a tasty Easter treat. – Madison Burgess

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Morrison’s Lemon Drizzle

£1.25 for four 

The Morrisons lemon drizzle hot cross buns were scrumptious.

Soft and sweet with a great lemon flavour, I was impressed with these.

I liked the great balance of fruit to dough because some hot cross buns can have too much fruit – Gina Kalsi

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Coop Blueberry & Lemon 

£1.60 for four 

These Co-op hot cross buns are the perfect balance of sweetness, tanginess and zest. When toasted, the melted butter oozes into the fluffy bread and brings out scrumptiously strong hints of lemon. If you love zingy citrus and bursts of blueberry – especially on muffins or pancakes – these would make for a deliciously light and refreshing Easter breakfast.  – Jowena Riley 

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M&S Extremely Chocolatey 

£1.85 for four 

As a chocolate fan, these surpassed all expectations. However, it is more of a cake than a bun – and didn’t include any fruit.

When toasted, the chocolate chips melted beautifully. I had mine with a bit of butter and it only added to the experience. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, this is the hot cross bun for you! – Joe Adams

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Asda Extra Special Extra Fruity

£1.40 for four 

Delicious, moreish, and very fruity!  Tasty toasted and fresh, this is a great hot cross bun, especially for the price. Perhaps it’s a tiny bit on the dry side, but overall great. – Bridie Pearson-Jones

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Waitrose Gluten-Free

£1.85 for four 

Initially uncertain about the density of the Waitrose gluten-free hot cross buns, I was pleasantly surprised by the perfectly balanced flavour, incorporating delicious orange-soaked sultanas, raisins and currants. 

They have become a new favourite – Rebekah Absalom

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