Believe it or not, hot cross buns are a controversial topic. Here at Newshub we've been divided over what makes the perfect bun.
Whether you like them packed with sultanas or chocolate, prefer them toasted or fresh, served with lashings of butter, jam or doused in olive oil… everyone has their own preference.
Here's a roundup of the best Hot Cross Buns in New Zealand.
Auckland
Daily Bread - Pt Chev, Grey Lynn, Newmarket, Auckland CBD
Daily Bread's sourdough hot cross buns are soft, springy and so moreish. Their traditional buns are packed with freshly ground spices, orange paste, sultanas, raisins and currants. Delicious fresh and toasted.
Ima Cuisine - Auckland CBD
Ima's hot cross buns are famous for their signature vanilla bean custard cross. Their buns are huge - made with freshly ground spices, plenty of currants and citrus peel - deliciously sweet and buttered up.
Fort Greene - Auckland CBD
Fort Greene's sourdough hot cross buns have the sexiest glaze in town. They're combined with a secret blend of spices, dried fruit and mixed peel. After baking, they are glazed with their home-made apricot jam. Owner Liam reckons they're the "fruitiest buns out there".
Amano - Auckland CBD
Not only do Amano make out-of-this-world pasta, their traditional brioche-inspired buns are packed full of fruit, peel and finished off with a cinnamon citrus glaze.
Pandoro - Auckland and Wellington
Pandoro has used the same traditional recipe for 30 years. Packed with fruit and the perfect balance of spices, these buns contain no artificial ingredients. Try them toasted and smothered with butter.
The Real Bread Project - Helensville
With a rich and dark flavour, The Real Bread Project's hot cross buns are made with house brewed stout. It's packed with soaked sultanas, raisins, candied mixed peel and a blend of spices - finished with a sticky sugar glazed.
Wild Wheat - Mt Eden, Howick, Belmont, Mangere, Mt Albert
Wild Wheat bakery soaks their fruit overnight in spices, vanilla and orange juice. Once baked, the buns are glazed with orange and cinnamon. This year, they've also started making hot cross bun loaves - how's that for elevating Easter morning?
Wellington
Leed Street Bakery - Te Aro
The glossiest hot cross buns in the capital - Leed Street bakery's hot cross buns are 100 percent organic, made using a sourdough base and are packed with sultanas, raisins and tangelos that have been cooked down for four hours.
Arobake - Aro Valley
Arobake's hot cross buns are glazed with a special concoction of rum, apricot jam and brown sugar. Best served toasted with a lot of butter.
Nada Bakery - Johnsonville
Nada Bakery's buns are packed with a selection of spices, an array of sultanas, currants and mixed peel. After baking, they are glazed with a "secret recipe" which includes apricot and citrus infusions of exotic fruits such as Yuzu.
Timaru
U-bake - Timaru (photo)
U-bake took out gold at the Baking Industry Association of New Zealand awards in 2018. Their juicy sultanas are soaked in orange juice and spices before being added to the dough. They're a sell out.
Christchurch
Bellbird Bakery - Woolston
Bellbird Bakery's hot cross buns are deliciously moist and have a long shelf life. They use whole oranges, fresh ginger and they're vegan friendly!
Kidds Cakes & Bakery - St Albans
The Kidds bakers "marinate" sultanas, currants, apricots and cranberries so they are bursting with flavour. They also use a mixture of five different spices.
Divine Cakes - Riccarton
These buns are made with a symphony of mixed fruits and a "special spice blend" which smells incredible when toasted. Best eaten with a slather of butter.
Michael's Bakery - Hillmorton
The buns here are made with lashings of New Zealand butter, jammed packed with fruit "that has been conditioned to maximise their softness" - plus a secret blend of spices.
Artisan by Rangiora Bakery - Rangiora
These buns are flying off the shelf and hardly have time to cool down. A blend of fruits macerated with Seville orange and a special spice blend is mixed in with the dough. After baking, it's glazed with a star anise cinnamon quill, clove, and orange syrup.
