An unlikely contender has taken out the title of Choice’s best hot cross bun for 2026

This year Choice taste tested 15 buns from Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and Bakers Delight, including gluten-free, traditional fruit, and chocolate varieties.

Woolworths Bakery Chocolate Hot Cross Buns made with Cadbury Milk Chocolate Chips received an overall score of 95 per cent to take out the top spot in the chocolate bun category. It was one of the highest scores in Choice’s 10-year history of hot cross bun taste tests.

The judges, including Tokyo Lamington owner Eddie Stewart, pastry chef Ian Huntley, and food consultant Brigid Treloar, blind tested the buns, scoring each one on flavour, aroma, texture and appearance.

Speaking with The Guardian Ms Treloar said the winning chocolate bun looked, tasted and smelled like chocolate. What’s more, she said, it was unusual to get the full trifecta of sensory qualities where the strong chocolate taste successfully carried through both toasted and untoasted versions.

“Usually the outside appearance will be a good indication of what the inside is like,” she said, adding a lower dome indicated a denser and drier interior.

While being tested each of the hot cross buns were eaten fresh from the packet, and then were toasted to see how this affected the flavour and crunch.

Perhaps most surprising was the Woolworths Bakery Chocolate Hot Cross Buns came out on top despite only containing 19 per cent cent chocolate, compared to Coles Bakery Choc Chip Hot Cross Bun – which was named runner-up – containing 25 per cent chocolate.

When it came to the traditional varieties it was Coles Finest Luxurious Fruit Hot Cross Buns that was named in the top spot for the second year running.

Ms Treloar said the buns came in with a score of 85 per cent that was due to their dried fruit content, which also included more than sultanas, as well as the strong spice smell.

“If you don’t have that spice coming through there’s not much differentiating a bread roll with fruit and a bread roll without fruit,” she said.

The runner-up in the traditional category was the Woolworths Bakery Traditional Fruit Hot Cross Bun, which scored 73 per cent.