Quirky hot cross buns to try this Easter

Creative, flavourful twists on the classic Easter bake, from tiramisu and stem ginger to a cheesy sharing-size treat

Chocolate hot cross buns on a white cake stand.
'Bun-based arms race': supermarkets are battling it out for the best hot cross bun with a twist
(Image credit: Alamy / Milleflore Images)

"Few things spark as much impassioned debate as the humble hot cross bun", said Saskia Kemsley in London's The Standard. Easter treat or year-round staple? Toasted or untoasted? And, perhaps the biggest dispute of all: should a hot cross bun ever be filled with anything other than spices and sultanas?

Hot cross buns have been "gracing British tables" since the 14th century, when a monk at St Albans Abbey is said to have whipped up the very first batch to distribute to the poor on Good Friday. Today's buns are a "far cry" from these "austere origins", with supermarkets going to inventive lengths to outdo each other in the annual "bun-based arms race". Here are some of this year's best-tasting quirky takes on the Easter classic.

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Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.