THE countdown to Easter has begun – and so has the onslaught of wacky hot cross bun flavours hitting supermarket shelves.
Banoffee, salted caramel, lemon drizzle and white chocolate are amongst the flavours on offer for 2023.
But do these odd-sounding flavours taste as good as they sound?
We asked writer and mum-of-three Lynsey Hope to have a taste and report back.
Lynsey put the wildest flavoured buns from major supermarkets to the test, marking each one out of 10 for value for money and taste.
Here's how they fared:
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M&S Luxury Banoffee Hot Cross Buns
- £2
- 50p each
- Calories: 189
Lynsey says: "There is no mistaking the bold banoffee flavour in these buns inspired by the dessert.
"I loved the distinctive banana notes and the chewy toffee chunks mixed into the dough. The level of sweetness was perfect."
- TASTE: 9/10
- VALUE: 8/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 9/10
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Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Blueberry Hot Cross Buns
- £1.25
- 31.2p each
- Calories: 196
10Lynsey says: "Lovely whiff of blueberries when I opened the packet and I couldn't wait to tuck in.
"They were jampacked with blueberries and the bun itself was soft and fluffy.
"A lower calorie option than some of the other more indulgent flavours but more exciting than a traditional hot cross bun."
- TASTE: 7/10
- VALUE: 7/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 7/10
Asda Extra Special Lemon and White Chocolate Hot Cross Buns
- £1.60
- 40p each
- Calories: 191
Lynsey says: “You’d expect Asda to have a slightly cheaper bun, but these were really yummy and worth their price tag.
"The lemon flavour was lovely and not too overpowering and the subtle white chocolate flavour was lovely.
"They were especially nice when toasted as this made the chunks of chocolate melt – truly delicious.”
- TASTE: 10/10
- VALUE: 7/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 8/10
Morrisons The Best Lemon Drizzle Hot Cross Buns
- £1.25
- 31.2p each
- Calories: 200
Lynsey says: “Two things to love about these – the flavour and the price.
"I loved the citrus aroma that hits you when you the open the packet.
"They have a lovely sticky glaze which really elevated the taste experience.
"Morrisons have been selling these for a few years now and I can see why keep coming back – super delicious and a worthy winner of our ‘odd cross bun’ challenge.”
- TASTE: 10/10
- VALUE: 10/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 10/10
Lidl Bramley Apple and Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns
- £1.39
- 34p each
- Calories: 173
Lynsey says: "Lidl hasn't strayed too far from the classic hot cross bun flavour and have added large chunks of tart apple and cinnamon, which really made these a cut above.
"They were beautifully moist and the apple flavour paired well with the warming spices.
"A nice option for those who like the traditional variety but want to try something new.
"Not bad at all when you consider they are just 34p per bun."
- TASTE: 8/10
- VALUE: 10/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 9/10
Waitrose White Chocolate and Lemon
- £1.45
- 36p each
- Calories: 218
Lynsey says: “I’m genuinely finding it hard to find a bad tasting bun.
"These were really yummy. The bake itself was quite light in colour and the dough was soft and pillowy to eat.
"The white chocolate and lemon flavour was spot on. A little pricey but yummy.”
- TASTE: 7/10
- VALUE: 6/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 6/10
Aldi Specially Selected Salted Caramel Blondie Hot Cross Buns
- £1.25
- 31.2p each
- Calories: 221
Lynsey says: “Quite dark and sticky, these are made with salted caramel fudge and a new flavour from Aldi for 2023.
"Incredibly indulgent and very sweet – you certainly couldn’t eat more than one, but the dough was good and the taste spot on.
"The perfect Easter treat.”
- TASTE: 8/10
- VALUE: 10/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 9/10
M&S Luxury Extremely Chocolatey Hot Cross Buns
- £2
- 50p each
- Calories: 212
Lynsey says: "Chocoholics rejoice. You can now combine your love of chocolate and hot cross buns – these are amazing.
"It's like a chocolate cake that you can put in the toaster and eat warm.
"They were a huge hit with the kids. They look rich and chocolatey and I looked at the packet expecting them to be about 600 calories each – but they're only 212.
"Win win. So much better than I'd even hoped."
- TASTE: 10/10
- VALUE: 7/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 8/10
Tesco Finest Red Velvet Hot Cross Buns
- £1.60
- 40p each
- Calories: 214
Lynsey says: "Inspired by red velvet cupcakes, these ruby red buns have a cream cheese piping and will add a lovely pop of colour to your Easter spread.
"They had lots of chocolate chips mixed through the buttery soft dough, which were delicious and gooey after they melted in the toaster.
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"The cream cheese flavour gave them a delicious savoury edge. I'll definitely be buying more."
- TASTE: 8/10
- VALUE: 7/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 8/10
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