It’s that time of year again, where the smell of spiced buns is prominent and the eternal debate looms: to toast or not to toast hot cross buns!
PS Whether you’re team #toasted or team #untoasted, as long as you’ve savoured at least one heavenly hot cross bun this season, you’re winning in our books!
If you’ve ever attempted to make hot cross buns from scratch, you’ll know the struggle is real. So that’s why we decided to look at hot cross buns from some of our favourite grocery stores. However, for those who are looking for a challenge this year, we also decided to throw homemade hot cross buns into the works.
Note: to keep things fair, the homemade hot cross buns were baked on the same day all the store-bought samples were purchased. All hot cross buns were purchased on 24 March 2024 and the taste test was conducted on 25 March 2024.
The results
Our takeaway: if you are planning on making hot cross buns from scratch, they really are best enjoyed on the day that they come out the oven! They don’t have any preservatives in them, so their freshness won’t last as long as store-bought.
Also, if you don’t have the burning desire to make hot cross buns (the yeasted type are a serious labour of love), opting for store-bought convenience is a great way to go. They are generally of a good standard, especially if you’re looking for buns with a bit of longevity.
All hot cross buns were tasted blind, and without any butter to steal the spotlight. But let’s be real, whether toasted or not, hot cross buns are always best served with a generous slather of salted butter!
1. SPAR Hot Cross Buns
Simply put, these buns really stole the show! From the smell to the taste and texture, they were utter perfection and brought the comforting bready spice (and raisins).
Here’s what some of the tasters had to say: “This was my favourite; had the perfect consistency, flavour, fluff and density,” and “This sample was the best out of all. It is fresh, moist and delicious,” and lastly, “So soft and fluffy, plus a good amount of raisins – I’m happy!”
At R23.99 for a bundle of six, these winning buns also win on the affordability front.
The buns were made at an in-house bakery at Vredehoek SPAR in Cape Town and some SPAR bakeries’ recipes may differ slightly.
2. Woolworths Traditional Hot Cross Buns
Taking the silver medal, these buns brought the raisins and citrus peel but fell a tad short on the warming spices department.
Here is what tasters had to say: “This was underwhelming as it didn’t have enough spice, but had hints of ginger and clove at the end, along with a citrusy aftertaste,” and “It has a unique taste – gingery citrus flavour; it was soft and had a healthy finish. Good overall,” and lastly, “No spice initially but has a bit of a ‘cloveiness’ that creeps up at the end. You can really taste the citrus peel, which I really liked. Lots of raisins, but they look like they have been chopped? Not sure if that’s because it’s ‘easier’ to eat or for budget reasons?”
Priced at R39.99 for six, these are the premium option among our contenders.
3. Checkers Traditional Hot Cross Buns
Although this bun had a good fluffy texture to it, tasters found it to be a little dry. Had the hot cross buns been toasted, though, this wouldn’t have been a problem at all!
Here is what tasters had to say: “This sample was quite dry although fluffy,” and “The sample is fluffy, soft to the touch and has delicious crunchy raisins to top it off,” and lastly, “Looks like it has a nice amount of raisins. The bun was a little dry, but it did have a nice look to it. It was still soft.”
At R29.99 for a bundle of six, these buns strike a balance between quality and affordability.
4. Homemade hot cross buns
This homemade contender divided our tasting team. Some praised the sweet apricot glaze, while others found it a bit too much. But, hey, at least it looked pretty!
Here is what tasters had to say: “I really disliked this one because the glaze was too sweet, it was dry and it lacked flavour,” and “It has a gorgeous glaze and a rich raisin taste. Well spiced and tasty,” and lastly, “I liked this one because you could taste the butter that was used to make it, it was nicely spiced, and the apricot glaze added a nice sweetness. Could have been a bit fresher, though. It also had a really nice appearance to it.”
5. Food Lover’s Market The Hoppery Traditional Hot Cross Buns
While visually appealing with a fluffy texture, these buns unfortunately fell short on the spice front. Some tasters also noted a hint of dryness.
Here is what tasters had to say: “This was so dry, had no spice and lacked overall flavour in the sample. I think the colour of this sample pays ode to how it tastes: dull,” and “It is under-spiced and has an unappealing light shade, but the buttery flavour and softness redeems it somewhat,” and “Nice and fluffy. You can see the raisins and citrus peel but no spice at all. But quite enjoyable still.”
Priced at a wallet-friendly R19.99, these buns offer a budget-friendly option.
The buns were purchased from the Stellenbosch branch and some stores may differ slightly.
6. OK Traditional Hot Cross Buns
Dry and underwhelming, these buns failed to impress our discerning tasters.
Here is what tasters had to say: “A bit dry and quite under-spiced overall,” and “The sample is a little dry and has an overpowering raisin taste. I give it an average rating,” and lastly, “Not much raisins, not much spice. Yeasty and dry.”
At R25.99 for six, these buns left much to be desired.
7. Pick n Pay Traditional Hot Cross Buns
Unfortunately, this sample also missed the mark, with tasters noting an overpowering yeasty flavour.
Here’s what tasters had to say: “It has a sour taste to it. I’m assuming too much yeast in this one,” and “It does not have the best taste – too yeasty and dry,” and lastly, “I found this to be a little yeasty and sour. It’s not spicy, but you can taste the citrus peel.”
Priced at R35.99 for a bundle of six, they also come in at more of a premium price.
Prices correct at time of publishing. Food24 is not affiliated with any retailer or specific branch, and products may differ from store to store.
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– All tasters tasted and scored all samples. Each individual taster’s preference impacts the score they give.
– The samples were tested without packaging and were not easily identifiable.
– The samples were not labelled and were tasted in random order.
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