Easter is on the way and the shops are full of hot cross buns - a traditional staple at this time of year.
But which are best which should you add to your trolley and which may you want to leave on the shelves?
Consumer experts Which? asked a panel of tasters to check out hot cross buns from supermarkets across the country in a blind tasting sessions
Which? included eight premium range supermarket own-label hot cross buns in its taste test, conducted in January 2022.
Each hot cross bun was tasted and assessed by 69 people. They rated the taste, texture, aroma and appearance of each product and said what they liked and disliked about each one.
The taste test was blind, so the panellists didn’t know which brand they were trying, and the order they sampled the hot cross buns in was fully rotated to avoid any bias.
The buns were served toasted.
Natalie Hitchins, Which? head of home products and services said: "While they may not be available at one a penny or two a penny, our taste test results show that some of the cheapest hot cross buns in the shops this year are also the tastiest.
"We're all trying to save money where we can, so it's good news ahead of Easter that Aldi's offering, at just 27p a bun, scored highly for flavour, texture and aroma - putting them well ahead of rivals costing around 50% more."
Here is how they performed.
1. Best Buy: Aldi Specially Selected Luxury Fruited Hot Cross Buns – 74%
£1.09 per pack (27p per bun)
Aldi’s affordable buns proved a hit with our panel, receiving high marks for their flavour, texture and aroma.
At just 27p per bun they’re also the cheapest on test.
Available to buy from Aldi.
2. Morrisons The Best Extra Fruity Hot Cross Buns – 73%
£1.50 per pack (38p per bun)
The flavour and texture of these extra fruity hot cross buns were rated on par with our Aldi Best Buy buns, making them a great choice for Morrisons shoppers this Easter.
Our tasters also scored their aroma well and 72% of the panel thought their sweetness was spot on.
Available from Morrisons.
3. M&S 4 Luxury Hot Cross Buns – 73%
£1.65 per pack (41p per bun)
These M&S hot cross buns were among the best-rated for flavour, securing their position as joint-runner up.
However, they are the joint-most expensive hot cross buns on test, so if you live near Aldi you’re better off opting for our cheaper Best Buy instead.
Available from Ocado or M&S (in store only).
Here’s how the rest of the buns were rated:
Co-op Irresistible Richly Fruited Luxury Hot Cross Buns – 72%. Scored highly for flavour and texture - a decent option. £1.50 per pack (38p per bun).
Available from Co-op (in store only).
Asda Extra Special 4 Extra Fruity Hot Cross Buns – 70%. Rated well across the board, but just not quite on par with our top three. £1.50 per pack (38p per bun).
Available from Asda.
Tesco Finest 4 Extra Fruity Hot Cross Buns – 68%. Their appearance didn’t impress our tasters, and more than half didn’t think they were sweet enough. £1.50 per pack (38p per bun).
Available from Tesco.
Sainsbury’s Fruity Hot Cross Buns, Taste the Difference – 66%. Nearly a third of our panel felt these buns lacked a good spiced flavour. Joint-lowest scoring. £1.50 per pack (31p per bun).
Available from Sainsbury's.
Waitrose Richly Fruited Hot Cross Buns – 66%. Expensive and underwhelming vs rivals. Their appearance disappointed and half our tasters thought they were too dry. £1.65 per pack (41p per bun).
Available from Waitrose.
