Best Supermarket Hot Cross Buns for Easter 2026, Taste-Tested

Hot cross buns are one of the few foods in the British calendar that genuinely signal a season. You know Easter is close when spiced, glossy buns start lining the supermarket shelves. But the category has expanded dramatically: alongside the traditional fruited bun, 2026's supermarket ranges now include pistachio, sourdough, filled lemon curd, and savoury cheese variations, and choosing between them without guidance is a genuine headache.

A hands-on taste test across price tiers and flavour twists cuts through the noise. The results are equally useful whether you're stocking your own Easter table or showing up to someone else's with something better than a bottle of prosecco. For gifters wanting to bring a freshly baked seasonal treat as a hostess gift or to add to a thoughtful Easter food-centric present, the rankings below give you a shortlist you can trust.

1. Gail's six hot cross buns

The overall best in the test, Gail's six-pack earns the top position outright, beating every other entry across price tiers and flavour categories. It carries the best overall label with no caveats attached. If you're bringing a gift to someone with strong opinions about baked goods, this is the one that settles the argument before it starts.

2. M&S luxury hot cross buns

The classic pick of the test, and the safe bet if you want the definitive supermarket version of a traditional hot cross bun. M&S luxury hot cross buns land in the upper tier of the rankings and represent the gold standard for anyone who wants something reliably excellent without veering into novelty territory. When in doubt, reach for these.

3. M&S extremely lemony curd filled hot cross buns

The most surprising entry in the test, and named the best filled hot cross bun in the guide. "M&S has blessed us with a new addition to its Easter range with its extremely lemony curd filled hot cross buns," the tasting notes read. Designed to be eaten cold rather than toasted, these are "fluffy and brioche-like, with a dough enriched with lemon juice, oil, candied peel, and injected with a lemon curd in its centre." Tearing one open reveals "a decent amount of filling that's pleasingly zingy and sharp, contrasting the bun." The flavour is "quite a far cry from most imaginations of the hot cross bun, but one that's playful, yummy and fun, especially if you're a fan of the citrus fruit." Tuck a pack into an Easter hamper for the lemon dessert devotee in your life.

4. Waitrose free from hot cross buns

Ranked fourth in the full guide, Waitrose's free from hot cross buns are the top-rated option for anyone avoiding gluten. A fourth-place overall finish places them above several standard buns in the test, which is a meaningful result beyond the free-from category alone. If you're catering to dietary restrictions at Easter, this is the pick the guide recommends.

5. Aldi specially selected luxury fruited hot cross buns

The best budget hot cross bun in the test, and the most impressive value result of the whole ranking. Despite carrying the word "luxury" in the name, these come in at just £1.19 per pack, working out to 30p per bun. "The buns are thick and puffed up with that nostalgic sticky top," the tasting notes describe, and cutting one in half reveals it to be "visibly packed-full of sultanas and currants, which work to add a lovely sweetness, while the mixed peel adds a deeper, richer flavour." The guide calls them "an excellent value choice to stock up on this Easter," and at that price, it's hard to argue. For a casual hostess gift or bulk Easter table prep, a pack alongside a generous portion of good salted butter does exactly what you need it to do.

6. Asda exceptional cherry Bakewell hot cross buns

Ranked ninth in the guide and priced at just 35p per bun, this is one of the cheapest entries tested and one of the more creative flavour twists in the lineup. The tester found the buns "visually very enticing with a thick and fluffy dough," and noted that "opening the packet, there's a sweet cherry Bakewell flavour, which only heightens once in the toaster." The almond note is "quite subtle and balanced, far from being sickly," with red glace cherry pieces and morello cherry jam worked through the dough. The one mild criticism: "I just wanted more of the pieces." At 35p each, it's an accessible option for anyone who wants a flavoured bun without the premium price, and it rewards a minute in the toaster in a way most others in this guide don't.

7. Tesco finest Cheddar and Red Leicester hot cross buns

Ranked tenth in the guide, this is the most unconventional entry in the test: a savoury bun made with Cheddar and Red Leicester that sits well outside the traditional sweet category. The guide's scope deliberately includes savoury cheese as one of five flavour twists it set out to test, alongside classic raisin, pistachio, filled lemon curd, and specialty sourdough. Whether it earns a place on a cheeseboard or serves as a creative bread-roll alternative at Easter lunch, it represents the outer edge of what the hot cross bun category is becoming, and for anyone bored of the conventional bun, it's at least worth seeking out.

The spread across this year's test, from a 30p Aldi stalwart to an M&S lemon curd creation designed to be eaten straight from the fridge, reflects how seriously supermarkets are now treating Easter baking. Gail's may hold the crown, but the real story is that the gap between the best artisan pick and a budget supermarket pack has never been narrower.