Best supermarket hot cross buns: Traditional recipe remains top

The country's best supermarket hot cross buns have been tasted and voted on and results show traditional is best - as long as it is slathered in butter.

Consumer NZ has released its findings after blind taste-testing 11 different varieties available in supermarkets around the country; from the traditional raisin and spice recipe to the not-so-traditional chocolate kind.

Two supermarket hot cross buns took out first place.

Fresh Choice hot cross buns (half a dozen fo $4.99) and the Countdown traditional hot cross buns (half a dozen for $3.50) were dubbed the "clear crowd-pleasers".

"The winning hot cross buns were described as traditional with a soft texture balanced with spice and fruit that was warmed then slathered with butter."

One taste-tester said the Fresh Choice buns had a good amount of spice and chew.

"A whisky of a hot cross bun," he said.

The traditional buns found at Countdown were cheap but very tasty, the panel said.

"Gentle spice, good texture. It tastes of Easter."

Of the non-traditional hot cross buns featured in the test, the gooey peanut butter choc cross bun from New World (half a dozen for $5.99) did not fare well with taste-testers.

It was said to have an unusual flavour and texture combination.

The other non-traditional offerings available from Countdown - white chocolate and raspberry hot cross buns and chocolate orange hot cross buns - were both criticised by the panel.

The panel was upset that chocolate had been added to the hot cross buns.

Even the brioche hot cross buns introduced a number of years ago remained a no-go, according to the panel of taste-testers.

Consumer NZ's James le Page said: "The panel has spoken. Traditional is the way to go. Without spice, it doesn't taste of Easter. Our advice - get rid of all the imposters!

Category one: The classic

Worst: Pak'nSave - Bakery hot cross fruit spice buns
Second place: New World - Bakery hot cross fruit spice buns
Best:Countdown - traditional hot cross buns, FreshChoice - hot cross buns

Category two: The brioche

Worst: Pak'nSave - Brioche hot cross buns, New World - Brioche hot cross buns
Best: Countdown - Brioche hot cross buns

The wildcards

Worst: New World - Gooey peanut butter choc cross buns, Countdown - White chocolate and raspberry hot cross buns
Second place: Countdown - Chocolate orange hot cross buns
Best: Countdown - Cookie Time cookie smash choc cross buns