How do you like your hot cross buns?

Posted 21 March, 2023 Jeremy Rochow

Fruit or fruitless hot cross buns? It’s the age-old question, but now there are other flavours muscling their way into these Easter treats.

Maybe you prefer a gooey toasted choc chip hot cross bun from the bakery, or are you an apple and cinnamon fan? One supermarket chain has started selling brioche hot cross buns, We won’t even mention the popular salty spread that’s being used to create these Easter treats.

Then there are the homemade concoctions. There’s a s’more variety where the hot cross bun is halved and then filled with marshmallows and chocolate before it’s wrapped and thrown in the campfire.

Personally, I don’t mind lathering my hot cross buns in a bit of Nutella on occasion. Other  bakers make bread and butter pudding using their old hot cross buns or dip them in a bit of egg and make a spiced French toast.

Debate continues to rage around whether the traditional fruit variety is best, so we want you to settle the score once and for all. Take our poll below, then scroll down to see some of our favourite South Australian bakeries where you can find delicious hot cross buns.

CJ’s Bakery

Christies Beach

CJ’s bakery in Adelaide’s southern suburbs has ranked highly in the Baking Association of Australia’s national Hot Cross Bun competition, finishing second in 2022 and third in 2023. You’ll find fruit and fruitless varieties at this Christies Beach bakery, and a special vanilla slice-filled hot cross bun.

Banana Boogie

Belair

This year’s winner of the national Hot Cross Bun competition, Banana Boogie sure does produce a mighty good bun, jam-packed with tasty, dried fruit. What’s their secret? Using local ingredients wherever they can to produce a soft, fluffy hot cross bun. If they’re not sold out, you might even find their custard-filled hot cross doughnut.

Dough

Adelaide Central Market

Dough in the Adelaide Central Market is known for its iconic glossy sourdough hot cross buns. To make sure you don’t miss out, call ahead and place an order. You can pick them up from stall 45 or across the road at Dough’s production bakery.

Bakery on O’Connell

North Adelaide

Craving a hot cross bun, but it’s the middle of the night and everything else is closed? Your best bet for a warm, fresh hot cross bun at 2am is in North Adelaide at Bakery on O’Connell. Open 24 hours, this bakery has perfected a vegan hot cross bun that’s bursting with currants and aromatic spices.

The lost loaf

Bowden

The lost loaf artisanal bakery is known for its 36-hour fermented French viennoiserie loaves, but they also make tasty sourdough hot cross buns during the Easter period. These buns have a slight twist on the traditional fruit variety, with the inclusion of dried apricots and figs along with sultanas and currants.