With Easter approaching, many Brits will be indulging in a classic hot cross bun or two, and Mirror writer Niamh decided to do the ultimate taste test to see whether Asda, Aldi, Waitrose, M&S, Tesco and Sainsbury’s takes the crown for the best bake
As Easter approaches, people will be ready to dive into their chocolate eggs, but the humble hot cross bun is not to be forgotten.
As soon as hot cross buns appear on the shelves, you know Easter is coming. The spiced buns have been a staple in the UK since the 13th century, and have evolved over the years. While you can still get your hands on the classic bun, featuring a spiced dough, cross and orange icing, there are many variations to be had.
Because we are overwhelmed with choice, I decided to put them to the test and see which supermarket holds the crown this Easter – and threw in a few fun unorthodox flavours for good measure. The supermarkets I chose were Asda, Aldi, Waitrose, M&S, Tesco and Sainsbury’s and with my butter at the ready – and a hungry stomach – it was time to get down to it, and there was one surprising clear winner.
Aldi
Speciality Selected x 4 – 99p
We were off to a really good start with these absolutely delicious and classic hot cross buns. They were really moist, light, not too big and have a lot of flavour. I’d devour these both toasted or untoasted – and for the price, you can’t go wrong.
5/5
Speciality Selected Banoffee x 4 – 99p
These are a brand new flavour so of course I had to pick them up. I do like banoffee, so I was intrigued by how these would taste. They also have small pieces of toffee fudge in them. From the first bite, the strong banana flavour hit me – it was undeniably banoffee with its telltale sweetness. I think this was due to the toffee, but still delicious and great if you have a sweet tooth – but I’d say it was more like a cake than a hot cross bun.
4/5
Asda
The Bakery x 4 – £1.30
These were huge! Definitely the biggest out of them all, so I was happy with the price. However, this is where my excitement ended. There were a lot of fruits and currants in them which made them tasty, but I think because they were so big it did dry them out quite a bit. I would say you would have to toast them to enjoy them properly as they are too dry not to toast and lather in butter.
1/5
Waitrose
Richly Fruited x 4 – £1.85
For the price, I was expecting big things. They were the most expensive of them all and I was hoping they would be good. They were definitely rich with fruit but I was sad they weren’t as good as I had hoped. The fruit was tasty and overall I enjoyed them, but they just didn’t have that wow factor – and they were also a little dry. Toasting these is a must.
3/5
Tesco
Tesco Finest Salted Caramel x 4- £1.60
From the first bite, the strong caramel hits, and they are absolutely oozing with sticky caramel. The sweet dough is very moist and packed with dark chocolate chips and toffee pieces which made them very more-ish. They felt like a real treat but they are very, very sweet. So if you’re after a real treat this easter and something different to regular hot cross buns these are the ones to go for. I’m not sure if they would work being toasted, however.
4/5
Tesco Finest Apple and Cinnamon x 4- £1.60
Like the salted caramel, these were also extremely sweet. The strong taste of caramel came through instantly followed by a hint of cinnamon. The dough was very moist and you could easily eat them without the need to toast them.
4/5
Tesco hot cross buns x 6 – 99p
Just like the flavoured ones, these were absolutely delicious. Again, the dough was soft and moist. They were just the right size with a good amount of fruit. They are very sticky but could be enjoyed either toasted or not. I was very pleased with these and for 99p you get six, so they are the cheapest yet the tastiest. By far my favourite as well as the best value for money.
5/5
Marks & Spencer
Luxury Fruited x 4 – £1.85
These were very light and packed with currants. They were sweet but not too overpowering – however I felt they were a little dry and after being blown away by Tesco, they just didn’t impress me. I feel like everyone expects M&S to hold the crown, but for me, it just didn’t do it.
2/5
Extremely Cheesy x 4 – £1.85
These really intrigued me as when I think of hot cross buns, I automatically think of sweet rather than savoury. So from my first bite, I realised they were very, very cheesy. They were packed with cheese, which given that they are called ‘extremely cheesy’, the flavour is so strong really do have to be an avid lover. It wasn’t like a hot cross bun at all, and reminded me more of a scone, but with a soft dough. However, they weren’t dry like the regular ones. They’re a good savoury snack.
3/5
Sainsbury’s
Taste The Difference x 4 – £1.25
For the more premium range at Sainsbury’s, I have to admit I was a little disappointed in these. I hate to say it, but they almost tasted a little stale. There was a generous amount of fruit as the currents were huge, however, I felt it almost took over from the sweet taste of the bun as all I kept eating were huge pieces of fruit which made it quite chewy.
1/4
The best hot cross bun
Overall, it was quite a close tie between Tesco and Aldi. They taste almost identical, but I think for value for money, Tesco is offering six for 99p whereas Aldi are four for 99p. I did enjoy the fun flavours but I think I will stick with the classic humble hot cross bun as you can’t really beat it.
Do you have a story to share? Email [email protected]
