Easter hot cross buns 2024: Tried and tested supermarket treats, from Aldi to Lidl

Some are better than others, when it comes to this seasonal bake

Tesco St Clement's hot cross buns

We’ll never understand why the hot cross buns in the classic rhyme were one a penny AND two a penny. Seems like strange pricing.

Anyway, these days, you’ll pay slightly more for supermarket buns. These are a few of our favourite novelty twists on the genre to try this Easter.

Extremely Caramely Hot Cross Buns £1.85 Marks & Spencer www.marksandspencer.com

M&S's Extremely Caramely Hot Cross Buns

M&S sell 11.1 million packs of hot cross buns every year. These plump and shiny raisin-free buns are their newest invention, and they’re really decent, mainly because the little pockets of salted caramel fudge melt when they’re toasted. Our faves.

9/10

St Clement’s Hot Cross Buns £1.60 for four Tesco www.tesco.com

Orange and lemons, said the bells of St Clement’s. Indeed, they’ve really ramped up the peel in these small-ish buns from Tesco. They smell really citrussy, and have plenty of raisins in the mix too. Second place.

Aldi's Banoffee hot cross buns

8/10

Deluxe Very Berry Hot Cross Buns £1.25 for four Lidl www.lidl.co.uk

These have quite a bready and roll-like texture, which at least means they don’t fall apart in the toaster. There are raisins and orange peel in there, as well as a few blueberries and cranberries, for a fruitier taste and scent. Won't scare the horses.

7/10

Lidl's Deluxe Very Berry Hot Cross Buns

Specially Selected Banoffee Hot Cross Buns £1.25 for four Aldi www.aldi.co.uk

Perhaps these are an invention too far. Still, the banana is relatively subtle, and the toffee fudge pieces add a certain je ne sais quoi.

7/10