Hot cross buns put to the test! Experts try out the popular Easter treats from supermarkets

With Easter just over a month away, the supermarket shelves are already filling up with delicious hot cross buns ahead of the public holiday.

But with every store offering their own version of the spiced sweet roll, it can be difficult to know which one will taste best.

Consumer organisation Choice has put hot cross buns from the likes of Bakers Delight, Coles, Woolworths and Aldi to the test to find out which one has the best Easter treat.

So which hot cross bun should you be toasting this Easter?

Coles came in third place, with a score of 71 per cent in the tasting – they were praised for having a ‘good, even colour and evenly proportioned cross to dough’ (pictured)

The hot cross bun samples were tasted ‘blind’ and then rated on flavour, appearance, aroma and texture (Bakers Delight pictured)

To test the hot cross buns, Choice enlisted the help of several expert taste testers including a Le Cordon Bleu teacher, a baker and a former food consultant.

The hot cross bun samples were tasted ‘blind’ and then rated on flavour (50 per cent), appearance (20 per cent), aroma (15 per cent) and texture (15 per cent). 

The top hot cross bun came from Bakers Delight.

Their Traditional Fruit Hot Cross Buns, $7.50 for six, were given a score of 78 per cent by the foodies.

You can also buy them individually for $1.50 each. 

‘These have a good size and shape,’ the experts said.

‘Thin cross piping. Good glaze and fruit distribution. Nice and soft. The crumb colour is appealing. Lots of spices in dough giving great flavour.’

In second place was Woolworths’ Traditional Fruit Hot Cross Buns, $3.50 for six, which got 72 per cent in the vote (left), while Coles (right) came third

In second place was Woolworths’ Traditional Fruit Hot Cross Buns, $3.50 for six, which got 72 per cent in the vote.

The judges said Woolies’ hot cross buns had a ‘nice and soft’ texture as well as a ‘good aroma’ and ‘good colour for baked dough’.

Not far behind was Coles’ Traditional Fruit Hot Cross Buns, $3.50 for six, which received 71 per cent in the tasting.

‘These have a good, even colour, and evenly proportioned cross to dough,’ the experts said.

‘There is a moist, soft texture. The sultanas are evenly distributed and plump. Soft fruit gives a good mouthfeel.’

Rounding out the top four were Aldi’s Bakers Life Fruit Hot Cross Buns, $2.99 for six, which also scored 71 per cent (pictured)

Rounding out the top four were Aldi’s Bakers Life Fruit Hot Cross Buns, $2.99 for six, which also scored 71 per cent.

The budget offering were praised for having ‘soft fruit, a good aroma and great cross piping’.

‘Just a good tasting hot cross bun!’ the experts said.

Towards the bottom of the table were Costco Traditional Fruit Hot Cross Buns in fifth place, Brumbys Traditional Fruit Hot Cross Buns in sixth, Coles Gluten-Free Fruit Hot Cross Buns in seventh and Woolworths Free From Gluten Fruit Hot Cross Buns in eighth. 

Chocolate chip hot cross buns were also taste tested this year, with the winner being Bakers Delight Choc Chip Hot Cross Buns, $7.50 for six, with 82 per cent (pictured)

Chocolate chip hot cross buns were also taste tested this year, with the winner being Bakers Delight Choc Chip Hot Cross Buns, $7.50 for six, with 82 per cent.

Coles Chocolate Hot Cross Buns ($3.50 for six) came second with 77 per cent, just beating Woolworths’ Hot Cross Buns with Cadbury Milk Chocolate Chips ($3.50 for six) with 74 per cent.

The taste test was conducted in February 2020, with each tester tasting the buns in a randomised order.  

What did Bakers Delight score?

Bakers Delight buns (pictured) scored an impressive 78 per cent

Score: 78%

Price: $1.25 per bun ($7.50 per 6-pack) 

Comment: ‘Good size and shape. Thin cross piping. Good glaze and fruit distribution. Nice and soft. Crumb colour is appealing. Lots of spices in dough giving great flavour.’

What did Woolworths score?

Woolworths scored 72 per cent and were said to gave a ‘nice soft texture’ (pictured)

Score: 72%

Price: $0.58 per bun ($3.50 per 6-pack)

Comment: ‘Texture is nice and soft. Good colour for baked dough. Good aroma.’

What did Coles score?

Coles scored 71 per cent and were said to have a ‘good, even colour’ (pictured)

Score: 71%

Price: $0.58 per bun ($3.50 per 6-pack) 

Comment: ‘Good, even colour, evenly proportioned cross to dough. Moist, soft texture. Sultanas evenly distributed and plump. Soft fruit gives a good mouthfeel.’

What did Aldi score? 

Aldi’s buns scored 71 per cent and were said to be a ‘good tasting bun’ (pictured)

Score: 71%

Price: $0.50 per bun ($2.99 per 6-pack) 

Comment: ‘Soft fruit. Good aroma. Great cross piping. A good tasting hot cross bun!’