With Easter just around the corner, we here at the SDC are waiting with bated breath to see what kind of indulgent treats will be making their way onto the shelves of our local supermarkets and bakeries. A crucial part of the Easter season is undoubtedly sweet and delicious hot cross buns.

What makes hot cross buns truly special is their unique blend of flavours. Sweet, spicy, and fragrant, the combination of spices, fruit and raisins that form the classic hot cross bun recipe has captivated the taste buds of Australians for decades.

And what would Easter be if we didn't have a few surprises? This year, Coles has got the ball rolling with three flavours of the always-appreciated Easter treat that are sure to tickle the palate.

Hot cross buns are a traditional Easter treat. Credit: Pexels.

The most talked-about of these is undoubtedly the limited edition Coles Special Burger Sauce Buns. Just imagine the taste of your favourite burger, combined with the zesty, spicy flavour of a hot cross bun!

The savoury treat also comes with diced pickles and a layer of cheese on top.

We previously covered a story about this new flavour and while this savoury twist on hot cross buns seems to be intriguing, many found it to be a little 'far-fetched' compared to its sweet counterparts.

Coles Special Burger Sauce Buns have been the talk of the town due to their unique-yet-intriguing flavour combination. Credit: Coles.

Speaking of sweets, if you're one of iur members who agree with us that hot cross buns and savoury ingredients just don't go together, there's no reason to fret – in addition to the Burger Sauce buns, there are two other flavours that are sure to make your sweet tooth jump up and down with joy!

Our second favourite of the collection is Coles Carrot Cake Hot Cross Buns – the perfect combination of two Easter favourites! These fluffy buns are sweetened with carrots and then finished with a generous layer of cream cheese inside.

This hot cross bun variant combined two Easter treats in one. Credit: Coles.

Finally, you won’t want to miss the limited edition Coles Red Velvet Hot Cross Buns. These delicious morsels also come with a dollop of dreamy cream cheese frosting to really take them to the next level.

The buns feature a generous amount of cream cheese frosting. Credit: Coles.

If this sounds like Easter heaven to you, you can start stocking up on these delightfully unique buns now! They are now available for purchase at $6 per pack-of-4, for a limited-time only.

Coles Bakery’s General Manager, Kate Roff, said that the retailer is always looking for ways to excite customers with quality and innovative products.

She remarked: 'Each year we try to tap into new flavour trends to give customers a fun, modern twist on a hot cross bun, as with our new Coles Special Burger Sauce Hot Cross Buns.'

'Based on the phenomenal success of our limited-edition VEGEMITE hot cross buns, savoury hot cross buns are the new craze!'

'Our bakery team have spent months fine-tuning and taste-testing these new hot cross buns to ensure the flavour is just right - and the results certainly speak for themselves! We’re confident our customers will love them.'

Key Takeaways

• Coles has released three new flavours of hot cross buns: Special Burger Sauce, Red Velvet and Carrot Cake.
• The Special Burger Sauce buns are filled with diced pickles and topped with cheesy goodness.
• The Red Velvet buns are filled with a sweet cream cheese frosting.
• The Carrot Cake buns have a hidden centre of cream cheese for added indulgence.

Looking for something unique to do with your hot cross buns? You HAVE to try this hot cross bun pudding recipe. The Red Velvet flavour would be perfect for this!

Ingredients
2 Coles Bakery Chocolate Hot Cross Buns, split (can substitute)
4 Coles Finest Indulgent Traditional Fruit Hot Cross Buns, split (can substitute)
40g butter, softened
1/2 cup (160g) blueberry or raspberry jam
6 Coles Australian Free Range Eggs
1 1/2 cups (375ml) milk
3/4 cup (185ml) thickened cream
1/3 cup (70g) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
125g fresh or frozen raspberries
125g fresh or frozen blueberries

Method

Step 1
Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease an 8-cup (2L) ovenproof dish.

Step 2
Spread the cut side of each bun half with butter. Spread the bun bases with the jam. Arrange the bun bases, jam-side up, and the bun tops, cross-side up, in the prepared pan.

Step 3
Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Pour evenly over the buns. Set aside for 10 mins to soak.

Step 4
Sprinkle with the raspberries and blueberries. Bake for 30-40 mins or until just set. Set aside for 10 mins to stand before serving.

Enjoy!

So, there you have it, folks! Are you looking forward to trying these buns? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

 

[Staffordshire Whippet]

It all rather gets away from the original Good Friday penance-breakfast of ashes shaped like a cross on plain bread, eh?
No 'market' in actual religious observance.

 

[Staffordshire Whippet]

Still, even with all the crass commercialisation of Easter, there's quite a catch-up to get to the ridiculous levels of St Valentine's day....

 

[Ricci]

Call them what you will but Hot Cross Buns they're not! Hot cross Buns are traditional, having been around since the 1300's. Don't mess with them, call these new concoctions something else or else the tradition will die. Don't try to fix what ain't broken!

 

[Annox]

These buns should just be called what they really are and stop putting a cross on them. Why can't they just call them a sweet or savoury bun. It is very disrespectful to the religious meaning of hot cross buns.

 

[Thecheesequeen]

My taste runs to savoury, but making hot cross buns savoury is an abomination.

 

[Annna]

Call them what you will but Hot Cross Buns they're not! Hot cross Buns are traditional, having been around since the 1300's. Don't mess with them, call these new concoctions something else or else the tradition will die. Don't try to fix what ain't broken!

I agree, they can and should introduce any flavours they choose.

While inventing these new flavours, they should dedicate some of their efforts in to concocting a new, distinct name for this new, nothing-to-do-with Easter bun.

By calling them Hot Cross Buns, Coles is obviously associating these things with Easter and is thereby changing Easter that is traditionally a Christian religious festival, an occasion deserving respect. It, just as other religious festivals the world over should not be redesigned for the 21st Century.

 

[ElleJay]

I just bought some blueberry and white chocolate hot cross buns from Baker's Delight. I do love traditional hot cross buns, but I have food intolerances and can't have sultanas or apples. So I am really looking forward to trying one of these with my morning coffee!

 

[Rosalie30]

Some of these new flavours are stomach-churning!

 

[Vicki.E.]

I find it annoying and disrespectful to have Hot Cross Buns for sale for months before Easter, near me they were available before 2022 was over!
I know some people love to eat them all year round but why not bake them without the cross and call them 'Fruit Buns' and then add the cross when Easter is here, it is all about profit and greed and distracts from the real meaning of what the HCB is all about.

 

[relljube]

If Coles Woolies et al kidnapped the holy days associated with Moslem/Jewish etc faiths, there would be no end of complaints by the PC police! Enough already - leave the Christian faith alone.

As for the various "flavours" introduced by Coles - what an abomination to our taste buds! Anything for the quick buck!

 

[Annna]

If Coles Woolies et al kidnapped the holy days associated with Moslem/Jewish etc faiths, there would be no end of complaints by the PC police! Enough already - leave the Christian faith alone.

As for the various "flavours" introduced by Coles - what an abomination to our taste buds! Anything for the quick buck!

Agreed.

 

[Annna]

Coles and Woolworths, don't put a cross on the top and call them Fruit Buns or any name you want.

Then sell them year round, easy.

 

[Ladyjay]

I cant think of anything worse tasting,
Keep it tradional,