Easter is the season of indulgence – so when it comes to celebrating with a six-pack of buttery buns, we prefer to go gourmet. It’s the time of year when Brisbane’s best bakeries fiercely compete for our custom, dishing out fresh trays of hot cross buns loaded with fruit, spices and other delicious ingredients. We’re not going to say which bakery bun is the definitive choice – we’re more inclined to put together a list of the top picks and let you make the hard decision. Although picking may be difficult, at the end of the day there is no wrong choice when it comes to hot cross buns.
Doughcraft, Albion: Though known by many for its jaw-dropping range of European-style baked goods, cheese and charcuterie, when Easter times roll around Doughcraft tend to bang out some dynamite hot cross buns, and this year is no exception. The multi-faceted bakery is offering its golden, moist and simply delicious hot cross buns freshly baked daily, and while its ingredient mix is a closely guarded secret, the crew promises these buns are made with the finest ingredients and a blend of aromatic spices, carefully crafted to deliver an unforgettable taste. Pre-order yours now to secure a batch before they sell out!
Darvella Patisserie, Bulimba: Oxford Street’s Swiss-inspired bakery Darvella is getting into the Easter spirit with a selection of holiday-themed treats to take home. When it comes to hot cross buns, however, Darvella’s are made with whole nutmeg, citrus zest, cranberries, sultanas, currents, figs and dates.
Agnes Bakery, Fortitude Valley: Superstar baked-goods supplier Agnes Bakery is getting in on the hot cross bun action again this year. These fluffy buns are made with a sourdough starter, rounding out the sweetness of the raisins and laze with a subtle tang. These woodfired beauties will be available across the entire Easter weekend, so make sure you nab a box or two before they disappear.
Sprout Artisan Bakery, Fortitude Valley: If you can tear your eyes away from the cardamom scrolls and custard tarts, you’ll see Sprout’s range of lightly spiced hot cross buns beckoning. These bad boys are larger than most, but that won’t stop us from ordering a whole box. They say there’s nothing better than a classic – Sprout’s hot cross bun is a classic, just remastered.
Nodo, various locations: Look, the Easter Bunny is great, but if they left boxes of Nodo’s gluten-free hot cross buns or hot cross bun-flavoured doughnuts, we’d happily rank it above Santa in the gifting stakes. Until then, we’ll just have to make the journey to get our hands on Nodo’s Easter-inspired goodies ourselves. This year the beloved confection maker is hawking sourdough hot cross buns – with either couverture dark chocolate chips or spiced with dried berries. On the doughnut side of things, folks can sink their teeth into a seasonal lemon and poppyseed donut (that resembles an egg), spiced date gluten-free donuts with milk couverture chocolate, as well as a spiced carrot cake gluten-free donut with vanilla cream cheese and gold leaf. For kids (big and small), you’ll also find that a new chocolate donut has hopped into the range, coated in couverture chocolate and speckled in 100s and 1000s, finished with a chocolate set of ears.
Gerbino’s, Ashgrove: Though Gerbino’s focuses on quintessentially Italian Easter treats like Colomba cake and pastiera napoletana with grains, ricotta and candied fruit, it still makes time to whip up some hearty hot cross buns. The bakery is sticking to the classics, offering one fruit-filled and one chocolate-chip-infused variety.
Flour & Chocolate, Morningside, Northgate and Redcliffe: When it comes to hot cross buns, we know a lot of you don’t like to muck around. If you are seeking a straight-shooting bakery that crafts HCBs of the utmost quality, head to Flour & Chocolate. All locales are selling individual buns as well as packs of six and 12, almost quicker than they can replenish stocks. The traditional variety, which is vegan and jam-packed with plenty of mixed fruit and spices, has been joined by a new triple-chocolate hot cross bun – adding even more decadence to devour.
King Street Bakery, Bowen Hills: There’s a delicate art to making balanced hot cross buns that are delightfully fluffy, lovingly glazed and charmingly rustic. The skilled hands at King Street Bakery make it look easy, as its take on the humble homemade-style hot cross bun scores a tick in each box. The traditional hot cross buns are sharing the coveted cafe cabinet this year with a fleet of new Easter-themed desserts, such as spiced apple mouse cake and Valrhona chocolate eggs. Get in quick before they hop out the door.
Beurre Pastries, Milton: It’s no surprise that a pastry shop named after the French word for ‘butter’ is a haven of heavenly baked goods. Beurre Pastries has gained a reputation for its delicious, experimental creations, and this year the Milton bakery has brought its flair for the untraditional to the humble hot cross bun. This reimagined HCB features a decadent pastry cream of rum-and-orange-soaked raisins, encased in Beurre’s signature pastry shells.
Banjo’s Bakery, various locations: Banjo’s knows the way to our heart with its selection of pies and savoury pastries, but now it’s secured our love forever with its hot cross bun offering. The bakery is serving traditional buns (loaded with sultanas, currants and spice) as well as some chocolate-infused options that’ll have the Easter Bunny jealous.
Brewbakers, Albion: As you make your way past Albion’s popular artisan bakery and cafe, you will be met with a drool-worthy waft of freshly baked loaves, rolls, bagels and pastries. Come Easter time, the bakery delivers a slightly different aroma – one belonging to its beloved sourdough hot cross buns. Due to their popularity it’s a good idea to order ahead so you can skip the brew-queue.
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Banneton Bakery, various locations: Always dependable, Banneton Bakery is once again making hot cross buns a fixture of its offering this Easter. Delightfully springy and loaded with plenty of fruit and spices, Banneton’s buns are available at all locations until they’re snatched up, which is likely to happen pretty quickly.
Lune Croissanterie, Brisbane City and South Brisbane: This award-winning croissanterie rarely keeps it traditional and its HCB is no different. While technically not a bun, Lune Croissanterie has added a hot cross cruffin to its March menu. Featuring the bakehouse’s famous croissant lamination, the HCC is filled with a spiced custard and studded with dried fruit, finished with the classic icing cross.
Jocelyn’s Provisions, various locations: This Brisbane icon is infamous for its salivation-worthy snacks and its handcrafted hot cross buns only surpass this reputation. Jocelyn’s world-class team of bakers have perfected the classic chewy bun balanced by the sweet and spice of plump raisins and fruit or studded with dark and white chocolate buttons. This year, you can also nab the new filled buns – picture a traditional HCB filled with spiced cardamom cream, or a choc-chip HCB boasting chocolate cream inside.
Got a hot tip on some criminally underrated hot cross buns? Drop us a line at [email protected].