Just like chocolate eggs, hot cross buns are an established part of our Easter menu. And there has been a surge in popularity for the Easter staple in recent years with sales at Tesco up by a fifth (20%) in 2021, while sales of its Finest Hot Cross Bun range were up by 30%.
In fact, they are so popular, the supermarket chain is set to open the UK's first every hot cross bun café in London this year. The Hot Cross Bun Café will offer an experience all centred around the classic Easter treat. From brunch and afternoon tea to a fine dining experience.. Read more here.
The buns were originally baked to mark the end of the Christian season of Lent and different parts of the delicacy have a certain meaning, including the cross representing the crucifixion of Jesus, and the spices inside signifying the spices used to embalm him at his burial and may also include orange peel to reflect the bitterness of his time on the Cross.
Read more: I compared baked beans and now I am switching
One theory is that they orginated in St Albans, England, in 1361 when Brother Thomas Rodcliffe, a 14th-century monk at St Albans Abbey, developed a similar recipe called an 'Alban Bun' and distributed the bun to the local poor on Good Friday
As well as the traditional buns that have been around for years, many of the big supermarket chains are now offering different flavours - even savoury - as they shake up the seasonal market. The London venue will be serving up Hot Cross Bangers and Smash and Hot Cross Bun Steak Tartare. They've even reinvented the classic cocktail, with a Hot Cross Bun Espresso Martini available.
We decided to have a look at the traditional hot cross buns that the supermarkets have on offer to find out what is the best for 2022, looking at which offer best value for money, which ones have the lowest sugar, and what we would recommend to buy.
After visiting five different stores in South Wales on March 17, Aldi and Marks & Spencer stood out as having really gone to town with their ranges for 2022, with different flavours of hot cross buns, including some savoury options.
Aldi's packs start from 65p for a pack of four traditional buns from its Essential range, but they also have a vast range of different choices flavours rhubarb and custard ( £1.19 for six), salted caramel and Belgian chocolate ( 99p reduced from £1.99), apple and cinnamon ( 99p ) and savoury cheese and onion ( £1.99 ).
But it is Marks & Spencer has the biggest range, including, wait for it, ones flavoured with Marmite (you will either love them or hate them). There are also luxury fruited, extremely chocolately, gluten free, blueberry and extremely cheesy. The packs of four are two for £2.50 , or £1.65 each.
Take a look here at how we found some of the more traditional buns on offer:
Aldi
Cost: 65p
Ingredients : 11% dried fruit, 1% mixed peel.
Health rating: 2.3g for fat, 8.9g sugar, 2.4g fibre and 0.50g salt
Verdict: "There is not much fruit in this and it tasted a more like a bread roll than a hot cross bun but they were still a good size, tasted nice and were fresh. Very good value for money, just not as much flavour as some of the others and would definitely benefit from more fruit.
"They did have, however, the lowest sugar count of all the buns we tried and had one of the lowest for sugar contents. Bought on March 17, they had a best before date of March 22."
Sainsbury's
Cost: £1 for six
Ingredients : 25% moistened mix fruit, 2% orange and lemon peel, ground mixed spice of cinnamon, coriander, clove and nutmeg.
Health rating: 3.8g fat, 1.5g saturates, 12g sugars and 0.3g salt.
Verdict: "They are a good size, and six for £1 is very good value for money. There was enough fruit , but not masses, and the spice flavours were quite overpowering and definitely the strongest of any of the hot cross buns tried.
"They were fresh and toasted well. Bought on March 17 and the best before date was March 20, although it does say that they are suitable for home freezing."
Morrisons
Cost: £1 for four
Ingredients: 22% sultanas, 6% raisins, 6% currants and doesn't give percentages of spices and orange zest but they are in there.
Health rating: 3.4g fat. 1.3g saturates, 14.3g sugars, 0.4g salt
Verdict: "These hot cross buns are called the 'Best' and have been recommended by the Good Housekeeping Institute, so they have a lot to live up to before you even open the pack. They are described as being "extra fruity, deliciously buttery with juicy fruits, orange zest and spices".
"To be fair, they are exactly what a hot cross bun should be, the right mix of fruit and spices in a soft dough with a nice glaze on top. They cut and toasted well and definitely had more depth of flavour than some of the others. This was probably 'the best' that we tested and would definitely go back for more. There is not masses of choice of other flavours in store, but they did have lemon drizzle flavour and apple and cinnamon to choose from (£1 for a pack of four). They were bought on March 17 and had a best before of March 18."
Marks and Spencer
Cost: Packs of four are two for £2.50 , or £1.65 each.
Ingredients : 33% moistened vine fruits, 2% mixed orange and lemon peel, cinnamon and ground coriander seeds.
Health rating: 3.1g fat, 1.2g saturates, 19.3g sugars. 0.29g salt.
Verdict: "These had one of the highest percentage of mixed fruit, and that definitely came through in the flavour which is described as being 'luxury fruited'. The pack says they are 'rich and aromatic, packed full of juicy fruits, mixed peel and a unique blend of warming spices' and you would not take them up on this description. They are really tasty with a good glaze (which has used unsalted butter) but they are also the most with the highest content of sugar, and they were quite crumbly and not as easy to toast as some of the others. Bought on March 17, the best before date was March 21."
Tesco
Cost: £1 for six
Ingredients: 25% moistened mixed fruits, 2% mixed orange and lemon peel
Health rating: 1.5g of fat. 0.5g saturates, 12.3g of sugars, 0.32g of salt.
Verdict: "They are slightly smaller than some of the rest, but there are six in the pack for £1, which is good value for money. The dough is a nice flavour with a good mix of spice and their claims of them being 'richly fruited' are correct. They were fresh, cut nice and toasted.
"The glaze on the top was not as rich as some of the others, but they have one of the lowest sugar counts of all the buns so you can't complain. All-in-all, I would be happy if this was served up on Easter morning. Bought on March 17, the best before date was March 20."
Overall verdict
"Despite having slight hot cross bun hangover from trying the different samples, it is not enough to put me off the Easter treat. The Morrison's range is very bold calling itself 'The Best', but it actually was with strong flavours and just the right mix of all the must-have ingredients for the perfect hot cross bun. It did, however, have one of the biggest sugar counts.
"The Aldi essential rage is extremely cheap at 65p. and while it would benefit from more fruit content it does have one the lowest sugar count and one of the ones with the lowest salt. It was interesting to see all the different flavours that are on offer, but I think it will have to be up to someone else to try out the Marks & Spencer's Marmite specials."
