A taste test of 25 novelty hot cross buns has found that Waitrose's milk chocolate and fudge version is among the best, while Iceland's 'luxury' offering was deemed 'disgusting'. The Easter treat, traditionally eaten on Good Friday, now appears in shops as early as January, with supermarkets offering a wide range of non-traditional flavours.
Becca Stock, a food reviewer on TikTok and Instagram, says novelty buns should be viewed as a separate product from traditional spiced buns. Charles Banks, managing director of the food trends agency thefoodpeople, notes that purist outrage only creates publicity, and that families often buy both traditional and chocolate buns, increasing the weight of purchase for retailers.
Waitrose No 1 Belgian chocolate hot cross buns scored 5/10, described as having a sophisticated dark-chocolate flavour similar to a toasted chocolate muffin. Tesco Finest triple chocolate buns scored 4/10, criticised for being too sweet and causing a sticky mess in the toaster. Waitrose milk chocolate and fudge buns scored 7/10, praised for their properly chocolatey taste and delicate milky sweetness at 50p per bun.
Iceland Luxury extremely chocolatey hot cross buns scored 2/10, described as dry with a synthetic cocoa flavour. Lidl Deluxe triple chocolate buns scored 5/10, similar to Tesco's but better value at £1.49 for four. M&S red velvet filled hot cross buns, at £3.50 for four, were noted as being designed for social media appeal.
