Hot cross buns.

[WildRosie]

Do you have traditional or one of the modern variants? I'm not a big fan but I used to buy the Belgian chocolate variety from Morrison's - excellent toasted and buttered but appalling calorie content.

Are they any good cold or do they have to be toasted or heated ? What are they like with toppings like jam or peanut butter ?

…but how much do you pay for them?

The blonde Salted Caramel M&S are lovley toasted with butter

I make my own. Paul hollywoods recipe. Yum. I prefer toasted

I can't remember what I paid for the Morrison's BCHCBs but it wasn't very much. Probably a quid for four.

DH accidentally bought some chocolate and salted caramel ones. They were disgusting.
Waitrose's richly fruited for me.

We bake our own to a traditional recipe and they’re delicious! We always have them warmed in the oven with plenty of butter.

Never tried toppings. I could see a pistachio cream being nice though.

I like them cold with butter and cheese in the middle (like a sandwich)

I dont really like the ingredients in the traditional ones, so I am quite happy there are more varieties now.
I've been enjoying the tesco finest blueberry ones (toasted, with vanilla ice cream on the side) and the apple and cinnamon ones (toasted plain or with butter).

I think it's all the dried fruit that puts me of HCBs. That's why I'm not keen on scones either but why I do like unfruity HCBs. I think the Belgian chocolate ones I had were also made without cinnamon and whatever other spices are used.

@TheLovleyChebbyMcGee

The blonde Salted Caramel M&S are lovley toasted with butter

These are currently in the house to be eaten!!

I’ve only learnt to tolerate dried fruits in baked goods in the last couple of years. That’s one reason why I like making our own - they taste better, of course, as home made things generally do, but also I can take the fruit content down a bit. Iirc supermarket HCBs are heavy on the raisins (must be cheaper?) as well whereas I much prefer currants.

I always think a plain bun without any dried fruits at all would be perfect for me - I love the mildly spiced bread and don’t think it actually needs anything else. Maybe I should make some this year!

I'm not a fan but I was just in the shop and Cadbury have brought out a hot cross bun chocolate bar which I bought for my mum...she loves a HCB and chocolate so hopefully she'll like.

She's one of the few weirdos who doesn't mind that Cadbury tastes like shite now

I absolutely adore the traditional ones,sliced in half & lightly toasted, with butter melting on each side. Unfortunately I have developed wheat & dairy intolerances. The gluten-free ones are disgusting!

Always original, they need to be very fresh and not toasted with really thick cold butter.

I just ate a Waitrose richly fruited, plan and cold, for breakfast. Yum.

I used to toast them and add butter until I realised that I was just as happy with them plain. Though now I’m wondering why I’ve never warmed them in the oven - bet that’s good.
I find some cheaper ones full of weird ingredients so avoid them.

I find the chocolate etc ones nice, but not nice enough for the fat if you see what I mean, I’d rather have a piece of cake!

If I could get them plain without any dried fruits I’d eat them cold and unadorned too - a bit like a spiced brioche...

I am against raisins hanging around in food where it’s not wanted, as a general rule, but I love hot cross buns. They’re good cold, buttered, unbuttered, cut in half and toasted, or (best option) heated in oven on a baking tray for 5 mins so the outside is crisp and hot, and the inside is all warm and soft.

I suppose the variants might be nice, but I militantly refuse to acknowledge them as hot cross buns - we have to refer to them as “alternative baked goods”.

Can't say I've ever checked the calories but only eat them Easter

I've never had an untoasted HCB! will have to give it a try

Toasted fruited for me with as much cold butter as I can squidge on to it.

Asda had all sorts of weird and wonderful varieties when I was in there yesterday

Okay so I love normal hot cross buns and my mum makes the best ones but! she brought me some shopping the other day (I’m sick, not just a princess I swear!) and she bought me some chocolate and orange hot cross buns from Waitrose as a treat (cute). Expected to hate them, loved them, amazing 10/10, send more now muv.

Has anyone found any decent gluten free ones? I look HCBs but all the GF ones I’ve tried are terrible

@Readytostartagain my sister likes the M&S gluten free ones the most, but I haven't tried them I'm afraid

@WildRosie

I can't remember what I paid for the Morrison's BCHCBs but it wasn't very much. Probably a quid for four.

Surely they always cost ‘one a penny, two a penny’?

That’s the annual joke in our house.

Whenever hot cross buns or their purchase are mentioned we have to shoehorn in that lyric. I’m fact, my very elderly DM now calls them ‘one a pennies’

The M&S gluten free ones are really good. I haven’t eaten a HCB for years but thought I’d give these a try and I’m impressed.
Will try and get some more before they’re all gone from the shelves!