Products

We tested hot cross bun products available in major Australian supermarket chains and bakeries, including Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, IGA and Bakers Delight. Traditional fruit buns and chocolate buns, along with their gluten-free varieties, were tested separately. Price is for the pack size specified and bought in Sydney stores in January 2026 (not on special).

Tasting

Our panel of three experts tasted the hot cross bun samples ‘blind’ (without knowing the brands) in a randomised order. Each bun was tasted fresh (untoasted) and toasted, with scores given for each.

Scores

The experts independently judged all hot cross bun products. The CHOICE Expert Rating, our overall score, is made up fully of our sensory rating. For sensory, 50% of the score represented the toasted bun sample and the other 50% represented the fresh (untoasted) sample.

Here’s a breakdown of the sensory weightings:

• flavour (50%)
• appearance (20%)
• aroma (15%)
• texture (15%)

We recommend traditional and chocolate hot cross buns with a CHOICE Expert Rating of 75% or more, and gluten-free hot cross buns (all varieties) with a score of 70% or more.