The Sunday Times Hot Cross Bun Taste Test

The Sunday Times Hot Cross Bun taste test — a tradition upheld for nearly two decades — was founded by the late consumer journalist Isabel Jones. Each Easter and Christmas, she convened a panel and broadcast a live, on-air tasting on local radio. The idea, borrowed from the British consumer Which? magazine, was simple but rigorous: test, compare, and call it as it is.

Preparing for this year’s tasting ahead of Easter 2026, it was striking how far the humble hot cross bun has drifted from its origins. Once a spiced, fruit-studded loaf with roots stretching back to pagan ritual and later Christian symbolism, it has become something else entirely — a vehicle for invention, indulgence and, increasingly, commercial excess.

To be fair, the classics remain. Traditional buns still hold their place on bakery shelves. But they now sit alongside an ever-expanding cast of variations: chocolate-studded buns, fruitless “naked” versions, and richly flavoured interpretations filled with caramel, nuts or Biscoff spread. There are even versions that flirt with dessert — milk tart-filled buns that seem designed less for reflection and more for gratification. South Africans, it seems, are more than willing to queue for them.

This year’s tasting panel brought together a characteristically opinionated and well-qualified group: baker and hot cross bun purist Jenny Kay; passionate cook and cookery school owner Janet Kohler, who hosted us in her expansive kitchen; chef Ukhonaye, now Joburg-based and known for his sharp palate; food writer and climate change expert Sbu Mkwanazi and his wife, wine specialist Mpho; foodie and appliance expert Rudo Marasiro, and cookbook authority Alex Bouche.

We invited the five major retailers to submit their entries. Woolworths declined, so we sourced their selection independently from their Cresta store in Johannesburg to ensure a fair comparison.

In keeping with the spirit of the exercise, nothing went to waste: the remaining buns were delivered to a shelter in Rosebank, where they were received with considerable enthusiasm — an early Easter treat, and perhaps the most fitting end to a day devoted to excess.

1. TRADITIONAL HOT CROSS BUNS

Winner

Checkers 6 Traditional Hot Cross Buns R36.99

COMMENTS:

• Deliciously soft centre, rich flavour, spicy like my wife, and tastes way better than it looks. — Sbu Mkwanazi
• No glaze, yet fresh and soft with generous fruit and distinctive spicy taste. It tastes better than it looks. — Jenny Kay
• No shiny glaze, yet very fresh with lots of fruit and a good amount of cinnamon. — Janet Kohler

Second

Woolworths 6 Traditional Hot Cross Buns R42.99

Third

Spar 6 Hot Cross Buns R39.99

Fourth

Food Lover’s Market 6 Traditional Hot Cross Buns R22.99

Fifth

Pick n Pay Traditional Hot Cross Buns R39.99

2. EXTRA SPICY HOT CROSS BUNS

Food Lover’s Market does not have extra spicy hot cross buns in their range

Winner

Checkers 6 Extra Spicy Hot Cross Buns R36.99

COMMENTS:

• They look wrinkly, but that’s a good thing. The bun is soft and pillowy and full of flavour. — Mpho Mkwanazi
• Great amount of fruit although it’s squishy and perhaps has too much nutmeg? — Chef Ukhonaye
• Like the flavours, smells nice, but there’s no glaze. The raisins taste great. — Rudo Marasiro

Second

Woolworths 6 Extra Spicy Hot Cross Buns R42.99

Third

Pick n Pay Extra Spicy Hot Cross Buns R39.99

Fourth

Spar Extra Spicy Hot Cross Buns R39.99

3. FRUIT-FREE HOT CROSS BUNS

Winner

Food Lover’s Market 6 Fruit-Free Hot Cross Buns R22.99

COMMENTS:

• Lots of glaze although the bun has a soggy bottom. Sweet taste and soft texture. — Jenny Kay
• Amazing glaze, though the shapes are inconsistent, but the best of the fruitless category. — Sbu Mkwanazi
• Spicy with lots of delicious glaze. — Janet Kohler

Second

Pick n Pay 6 Raisin-Free Hot Cross Buns R34.99

Third

Spar 6 Raisin-Free Hot Cross Buns R31.99

Fourth

Woolworths 6 Fruit-Free Hot Cross Buns R41.99

Fifth

Checkers 6 Fruit-Free Hot Cross Buns R32.99

4. CHOCOLATE HOT CROSS BUNS

Winner

Pick n Pay 6 Choc Hot Cross Buns R38.99

COMMENTS:

• No glaze but lovely and soft. Good balanced spice. I enjoyed the chocolate but they could have been more generous with it. — Chef Ukhonaye
• I like the distinctive brown cross, interesting. The buns are really tasty. — Mpho Mkwanazi
• Tastes delicious. Soft with the right amount of chocolate as well as the right amount of spice. Looks good too, but they left off the glaze. — Rudo Marasiro

Second

A tie between Food Lover’s Market 6 Choc Chip Hot Cross Buns R26.99, and Spar 6 Chocolate-Flavoured Hot Cross Buns R39.99

Third

Checkers Forage and Feast 4 Triple Chocolate Hot Cross Buns R49.99

Fourth

Woolworths 6 Chocolate Hot Cross Buns R52.99

5. FLAVOURED HOT CROSS BUNS

Winner

Spar 6 Caramel & Chocolate Hot Cross Buns R39.99

COMMENTS:

• Yummy and fresh. Nicely filled with chocolate but a bit short on caramel. — Janet Kohler
• Chocolate and caramel taste good together. They’ve used the right amount. They taste a bit doughy but they look very nice. — Rudo Marasiro
• They have a great flavour and there’s a good amount of chocolate though they’d benefit from more caramel. — Chef Ukhonaye

Second

Woolworths 4 Condensed Milk & Lemon-Filled Hot Cross Buns R59.99

Third

Checkers Forage and Feast 4 Caramel & Pecan Nut Hot Cross Buns R49.99

Fourth

Food Lover’s Market 6 Milk Tart Hot Cross Buns R29.99

Fifth

Woolworths 4 Hot Cross Buns Filled with Biscoff Spread R59.99

Sixth

Food Lover’s Market 6 Hot Cross Buns with Biscoff Spread R39.99