Chocolate, caramel, and citrus dominate the new flavours of supermarket hot cross buns this year as retailers look to entice shoppers with innovative seasonal products.
Desserts and other baked goods, including apple crumble, lemon drizzle cake, and tiramisu, have also served as inspiration for the Easter fan favourite. Several retailers have opted to enhance the flavour of the dough with cocoa, caramel, and more with a couple even adding toppings for texture.
Cheese hot cross buns are also settling in as an Easter staple for some consumers with many retailers bringing back the savoury versions for Easter 2025, although they lack the fiery chilli kick which was embraced across ranges last year.
Here, British Baker unpacks the latest hot cross bun flavours unveiled by supermarkets:
Asda
Asda has a 13-strong line-up of hot cross buns for 2025 with three new additions to its range, including ‘first-to-market’ Tiramisu Hot Cross Buns (£1.43 per four-pack). Part of its Exceptional own label range, the buns embrace the trend for taking the Italian dessert into new formats. They combine a coffee flavoured bun with Belgian dark chocolate chips and velvety mascarpone cheese.
Also hitting the shelves are Exceptional Raspberry & White Chocolate Hot Cross Buns and Exceptional Caramel Fudge Hot Cross Buns (both £1.43 per four-pack). The former sees raspberry flavoured buns combined with Belgian white chocolate chunks, before finishing with fruity, raspberry-flavoured cranberries and freeze-dried raspberries. The fudge variants, meanwhile, see caramel-flavoured buns layered with caramel fudge and salted caramel fudge pieces with a sprinkling of Cornish sea salt for balance.
“We’re so excited to launch this year’s range of Hot Cross Buns, including our first-to-market Tiramisu flavour,” said Asda product developer for hot cross buns, James Howat. “Inspired by a rise in Italian influences, we also wanted to tap into those retro flavours we all know and love, and our three new hot cross buns for 2025 take our customers on a trip down memory lane.”
Other highlights of Asda’s seasonal range include Exceptional Extra Fruity Hot Cross Buns (£1.43 per four pack down from £1.80 on Rollback), Exceptional Triple Chocolate Hot Cross Buns (£1.43 per four-pack), and Exceptional Apple and Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns (was £1.80 now £1.43 per four pack on Rollback). The retailer has also brought back its Vegan Society-approved Free From Hot Cross Buns (£1 per four-pack) as well as the Free From Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns (£2.48 for a pack of four) and Free From Apple & Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns (£2.48 for a pack of four).
The Co-op
The Co-op is looking to deliver sugar, spice, and all things nice with its seasonal bun line-up.
New to its shelves for 2025 are Chocolate & Salted Caramel Hot Cross Buns and Apple Crumble Hot Cross Buns (both £2 per four-pack). The chocolate buns are filled with rich dark chocolate and salted caramel flavour fudge pieces while the apple version sees sweetly spiced buns loaded with sultanas, semi-candied Bramley apple pieces, Bramley apple compote, and a cinnamon crumble topping.
Continuing with the fruity theme, The Co-op has also brought back its Lemon & Blueberry Hot Cross Buns packed fill of sweet blueberries, plump soaked raisins, and currants with Sicilian lemon for an added zing. Also part of the premium own-label Irresistible line-up are its classic Hot Cross Buns boasting generous amounts of sweet, plump, orange-soaked sultanas and currants, with zesty citrus peel and a special blend of mixed spices. Both are £2 per four-pack.
Marks & Spencer
Centre-filled buns, sustainably sourced buns, and millionaire’s buns are among the innovation to hit M&S shelves this Easter as it looks to continue to “break the mould”. “M&S has led the market on hot cross innovation and, due to customer demand, the range increases each year as we introduce new flavours and bring back past favourites,” said M&S product developer Sandy Tchilinguirian.
Its Extremely Lemony Curd Filled Hot Cross Buns are already a ‘viral sensation and bestseller’, according to the retailer. They feature candied Sicilian lemon peel and a zingy lemon curd filling.
Embracing demand for something chocolatey are the Mini Millionaire’s Hot Cross Buns – caramel buns packed with salted caramel fudge pieces, dark chocolate, and blond chocolate chips.
Rounding off the new additions are the M&S Collection Hot Cross Buns containing 37.5% fruit. Described as ‘rich and fruity’, they’re packed with M&S Earl Grey Tea soaked Vostizza currants, Chilean flame raisins, Chilean jumbo golden raisins, sweet cranberries, diced apricot, and Italian candied orange peel. The buns are made with a blend of wheat flour & Wildfarmed flour, and finished with a vanilla glaze.
The retailer has also made improvements to many of its returning buns. It claims its Extremely Chocolate Hot Cross Buns are ‘still more chocolatey than any other bun on the high street’ with a quarter of the product being chocolate. They’re made with a dark chocolate dough and studded with milk and dark chocolate chunks. The Blueberry Hot Cross Buns, meanwhile, are bursting with three times more blueberries than ever before alongside Vostizza currants and a hint of cardamom. For shoppers preferring sweet to savoury, the Extremely Cheesy Hot Cross Buns are also returning to shelves alongside the Plant Kitchen Vegan Hot Cross Buns and Made Without Wheat versions.
Morrisons
Strawberry & Clotted Cream and Millionaires are the two new flavours of hot cross buns at Morrisons this year as part of its own label The Best range. The fruity variant is made with clotted cream, cranberries, strawberry pieces, and Belgian white chocolate chunks. The Millionaires buns, meanwhile, feature Belgian milk chocolate chunks and rich fudge pieces.
Several lines are returning including Lemon Drizzle Hot Cross Buns which are made with Sicilian lemon oil, mixed peel, and orange zest as well as Extra Fruity Hot Cross Buns which are packed full of juicy vine fruits, orange zest and spices. Morrisons is also bringing back its Extra Cheesy Hot Cross Buns enriched with tangy Extra Mature Cheddar and Red Leicester, selected for their ‘robust cheesy flavour’. All buns in Morrisons’ The Best range are priced at £1.80 for a pack of four.
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s has added Coffee & Chocolate Chip Hot Cross Buns to its line-up to sit alongside its fruitier options which include marmalade and apple & cinnamon. The new addition is hand crossed and made with a sourdough starter, according to the retailer, with sultanas, dark chocolate chips, and coffee powder added to the dough (£1.80 per four-pack).
Also new to the range are a duo of gluten-free options – Free From Apple & Cinnamon and Free From Extra Fruity. The latter is made with orange soaked sultanas, raisins, and currants, with orange peel while the apple & cinnamon ones have candied apple, spiced Bramley apple compote and cinnamon in. Both cost £3 for a four-pack.
Sainsbury’s is also bringing back the Orange Marmalade Hot Cross Buns (£1.80 per four-pack) which feature sultanas, candied orange peel, marmalade, and citrus zest. Other flavours include Apple & Cinnamon, Triple Berry, Chocolate & Salted Caramel, Cinnamon & Brown Sugar, and Lemon & White Chocolate.
Tesco
Tesco is looking to add some vibrancy to the hot cross bun market with three new flavours for its Finest range for Easter 2025 – rhubarb & custard, lemon & blueberry, and St Clements.
The Rhubarb & Custard Hot Cross Buns offer a reimagined version of the nostalgia treat and pair tangy rhubarb puree and pieces with vanilla flavouring, cream, and sultanas. The buns have a pink hue and a yellow cross on top to add to the nostalgia. The Lemon & Blueberry Hot Cross Buns are made with sweetened blueberries, currants, and zesty lemon peel to deliver a sweet citrusy flavour. The St Clements Hot Cross Buns, meanwhile, are made from delicately sweetened dough with orange-soaked sultanas, raisins, candied orange, and lemon peel.
Alongside new additions, there are several flavoured varieties returning to Tesco shelves including Apple & Cinnamon, Extra Fruity, Strawberries & Clotted Cream, Salted Caramel & Chocolate, and Triple Chocolate as well as the savoury Cheddar & Red Leicester.
All Tesco Finest hot cross buns are £1.80 per four-pack or two packs for £3 for Clubcard holders.
Also part of the Finest range are the Free From Chocolate Orange Hot Cross Buns (£3 per four-pack), which are packed with dark chocolate chips and orange peel. Its standard Free From Hot Cross Buns are £2 per four-pack.
Waitrose
Warming stem ginger balanced with sweet apricot – these are the new flavours Waitrose is bringing to the hot cross bun market. Its No.1 Apricot & Stem Ginger Hot Cross Buns (£3 per four-pack) are made with sourdough starter, lightly spiced, and bursting with apricot pieces and stem ginger. Waitrose even suggests kicking the flavours up a notch by serving them with its Spanish Apricot & Ginger Preserve.
“We are seeing an increasingly popular culinary trend towards adventurous fruit and flavour combinations, with customers looking for more variety to provide the taste and quality cues they are after,” explains Serena Jackson, partner & seasonal bakery product developer at Waitrose.
Another highlight of the retailer’s range are the Belgian Chocolate Hot Cross Buns. Also made with a sourdough starter, they’re enriched with cocoa and studded with chunks of Belgian chocolate.
It has brought back fruity fan favourites too with Apple & Cinnamon, St Clements, White Chocolate & Lemon, and Blueberry among the variants available alongside classic and free-from options.
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