Sydney’s Hottest Hot Cross Buns
In Sydney, food is a whole culture. And when it comes to hot cross buns, tradition is no longer the full story. Each year, Easter sparks a creative arms race across the city’s bakeries, where pastry chefs trade in nostalgia for invention, and the humble bun becomes a canvas for innovation.
Here’s your curated guide to Sydney’s standout hot cross buns, from time-tested essentials to bold reinterpretations.
Surprising supermarket winners
Look, we know you’re here for the fancy bakery options but we’ve got news for you: the artisan wave hasn’t pushed supermarkets out of the game, it’s just forced them to raise the bar.
Coles swept the 2025 blind tastings by CHOICE, taking top honours for both traditional fruit and chocolate buns. The consistency and clarity of their spice blend surprised even the critics. If you’re getting your HCB fix on a budget, start here.
In 2026, Woolworths is getting attention for its limited-release Mud Cake Filled Hot Cross Buns: buns with molten chocolate ganache cores that blur the line between Easter tradition and indulgent dessert. A viral hit. A sugar rush. A new benchmark in mass-market creativity
Refined classics
Not all buns are created equal. And for the purists, Sydney still delivers. These bakeries double down on precision: fine-tuned spice ratios, fermentation for structure, fruit for depth.
A.P. Bakery (multiple locations across Sydney)
This is the city’s control group, the yardstick against which others are measured. Their commitment to slow fermentation and in-house roasted spices (cardamom, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg) gives their buns complexity without chaos. The brown sugar-orange glaze adds sweetness, structure and shine.
Good Chemistry at the Ace Hotel (Sydney City)
Last year they were serving up single-malt-whisky-soaked fruit hot cross bun, created by pastry chef Andy Bowdy (of now-closed bakery Saga in Enmore). No word yet on their reappearance in 2026, but we’re waiting with bated breath.
Fabbrica Bread Shop (Rozelle)
This spot offers a chai-spiced variation that balances familiarity with flair. Infused with syrup and studded with currants and raisins, it’s a bun that lands between comfort and sophistication. Warm. Aromatic. Built for butter.
Sonoma Bakery (multiple locations across Sydney)
Sonoma rewrites the classic with a quiet provocation: no cross. Their “Not Cross Buns” wear a piped “S” in homage to the brand, not the tradition. Tangzhong starter technique adds pillowy longevity. The fruit? Plump. The coffee-spiced glaze? Subtle and unforgettable.
Baker Bleu (Double Bay, Cremorne)
This bakery delivers two standouts: one pure traditional, the other boldly modern. The sour cherry and dark chocolate bun is a masterclass in contrast: tart, bitter, tender, rich. This is Easter for the discerning palate.
Humble Bakery (Surry Hills, CBD)
Humble earns cult status by balancing technique and imagination. Their classic is reliably generous with fruit and spice. But their ice cream sandwich version? A straight-up mic drop. Proof that the bun can go beyond breakfast and into dessert territory with ease.
Fearless reinventions
This is where Sydney shines; not just replicating history, but remixing it. In 2026, Easter’s most interesting offerings blur lines between pastry, patisserie and pure invention.
Sweet Belem (Petersham)
This neighbourhood hot spot brings a distinctly Portuguese perspective. Known for their pastel de nata, they now present a custard-topped hot cross bun, retaining the soul of the original but layered with texture, richness and nostalgia-shifting detail.
The Depot (Bondi)
We expect the Depot to continue to bring the heat. Last year’s white chocolate matcha brûlée buns with caramelised crusts went viral. Expect their 2026 release to drop with the same buzz and vanish just as fast. Chef Guy Turland’s approach is less about trend-chasing and more about pushing technique to the limit.
Lune Croissanterie (CBD, Rosebery)
This Melbourne cult bakery is where lamination meets legacy. Their hot cross cruffins turn croissant dough into a delivery system for spice, citrus peel and invention. They’re flaky, fragrant and architecturally beautiful, more art than breakfast.
Want to bake hot cross buns at scale this Easter? Suprima’s hot cross bun dough makes it easy – just thaw, proof, pipe, and bake. A simple, reliable way to serve fresh buns fast while saving on time, labour, and costs.
Sydney’s best hot cross buns
What we’re seeing across Sydney’s bun scene is less a seasonal tradition, more a masterclass in how creativity and culture intersect. Go out and enjoy some of Sydney’s best hot cross buns this year.
Author: Marshall Thurlow is the Director and Founder of Orion Marketing Pty Ltd. He is a digital marketer with expertise in SEO, website design, content marketing and project management.
