Sure you could get your hot cross buns by their lonesome, even in a half dozen. But why would you, when there’s a 30-bun version? Alongside their usual six-packs, popular Manly super-deli Norma’s has rolled out the Hot Cross Bun Wheel, $68, with 30 mini buns, baked in house, designed to be torn apart at the table. Available in original with spiced fruit and as a chocolate version made with Belgian Callebaut chocolate chips, it’s your Easter brunch sorted (add on the optional whipped butter and thank us later). 74-78 The Corso, Manly; normasdeli.com

The ever-popular hot cross buns at Andrew McConnell’s Morning Market are back, perfect orbs of dough flavoured with cardamom, allspice and a lick of pastis and brandy, with dried apricots, sultanas and currants all soaked in spices and citrus for three days before being folded in and baked. Available until April 8 at both Melbourne stores – get them while they’re hot. 59 Gertrude St, Fitzroy and 579 High St, Prahran; morning.market

The equally creative offshoot of Gelato Messina, Shadow Baking, is back with the Hot X Scrolls. Part pain au raisin, part hot cross bun, the whorled laminated dough with its shattering crust is filled with vanilla custard and dried fruit. For chocolate obsessives, the chocolate version swaps out the candied fruit for lashings of dark chocolate. Pre-order for collection on April 5 from the HQ in Marrickville, Sydney, and April 6 from Darlinghurst in Sydney and Glenelg in Adelaide. Marrickville and Darlinghurst, Sydney, and Glenelg, Adelaide; shadowbaking.com

Humble by name, but mighty in craft, Humble Bakery has intensified its quest to nail the perfect hot cross bun with a fluffy, spiced dough, plumped raisins, sultanas, apricots and cranberries and a sticky glaze so glossy you can see your face in it. Rock up just after 7am weekdays and 8am weekends to get them literally while they’re hot, with the bakery crews pulling them out of the ovens daily until April 6. If you miss out on pre-orders, the Surry Hills store is baking all Easter long weekend, from 8am to 1pm. Shop 2, 50 Holt Street, Surry Hills, 16-20 Loftus Lane, Circular Quay and Shop 1/333 Kent St, Sydney; humblesydney.com.

Who are we to argue with the Baking Association of Australia, which has recognised this bakery many times in their ‘best in Australia‘ honour rolls, including their hot cross buns. At Belair in the Adelaide foothills, this family-run South Australian bakery takes its craft very seriously, and this year has spent months reviving, and perfecting, the recipe that won it the title of ‘Australia’s best hot cross bun’ in 2023. Visit to see if they’d win your vote, and don’t forget their award-winning sausage rolls and custard slice while you’re there. Shop 4/10 Main Rd, Belair; bananaboogiebakery.com

Baker Bleu has brought back its classic spiced hot cross buns, perfectly chewy and filled with plump fruit, plus its popular spin-off sour cherry & dark chocolate buns, now on offer at all Melbourne locations and at the Sydney outpost in Double Bay. New this year at Double Bay, and at Cremorne and South Yarra in Melbourne, is an iced hot cross bun latte and iced cherry choc drink, plus an exclusive hot cross bun soft serve at South Yarra. Various locations; bakerbleu.com.au

Tiara Sucipto and the team at Parramatta Road bakery Pantry Story have lived up to their reputation for creating fantastical bakes this Easter, with the Hot Cross Sofa Croissant. A croissant loaf meets hot cross bun meets sofa (?), the shape is inspired by the joy of sitting down and slowing down at Easter. It might look fun, but its seriously decadent, with a filling of chocolate brownie, hazelnut ganache and chocolate ganache. Double down and pick up one of their cult Asian-inspired pies, and earn that stint on the sofa. 336 Parramatta Rd, Stanmore; pantrystory.com.au

Tokyo Lamington has brought back their now-signature Easter switch-up, the Hot Cross Lamington, and the Lamington Hot Cross Bun. For the former, spiced sponge encases cream dotted with fruit, with the whole thing dipped in cinnamon white chocolate and topped with a white choc cross. The latter takes a classic hot cross bun, coats it with chocolate and sprinkles coconut on top for good measure. This year, Tokyo Lamington has also expanded their range with a grown-up collaboration with Benriach distillery. The Scotch Cross Bun keeps things classic, with a sticky Scotch whisky glaze, while the The Scotch Caramel Easter Lamington goes all-out with chocolate sponge, filled with choc mouse, caramel whisky whip and a coating of dark chocolate. Newtown and Marrickville, Sydney, and Carlton, Melbourne; tokyolamington.com

Successful Sydney bakery Sonoma might top its Not Cross Buns with a non-traditional ‘S’, but its delivery is textbook. Soft and tear-apart, the buns are filled with plump raisins, cranberries, apricots and candied orange, and finished off with a sweet, sticky glaze infused with Sonoma coffee and spices. Sonoma recommends taking them up a notch by creating an ice cream sandwich, with a dollop of ice cream drizzled in Sonoma’s Salted Caramel Sauce. Various locations; sonomabakery.com

The ‘not-hot’ cross bun (AKA the hot cross doughnut) is back at gelateria Pidapipó, baked daily at The Fitzroy Laboratorio. The hot-cross-bun-flavoured dough is studded with dried fig, and filled with custard on one side and still more fig on the other, and dolloped with almond gelato and spiced caramel sauce. The team is also cracking on with house-made chocolate eggs, available at all four Pidapipó locations. Fitzroy, Melbourne CBD, Windsor and Carlton; pidapipo.com

Although it might have expanded into a full service French-Italian restaurant, Doughcraft hasn’t forgotten its roots as a boutique bakery. So of course, it’s marked Easter with its annual drop of hot cross bun goodness. As well as a classic fluffy fruit-filled bun and a chocolate spin-off, the bakers are embracing their Italian influences with a Kinder Bueno version, with a gooey, soft centre. 181 Mary St, Brisbane City; doughcraftbne.com

If a babka and a bun had a baby, it would look like this creation from Bondi-born bakery Lox in a Box. Based on the ever-popular babka loaf, the hand-twisted creation is made with the traditional sweet yeasted dough, studded with juicy fruit and braided before baking, then topped with a glossy glaze and a non-traditional cross. For the lead-up and over Easter, Lox in a Box will also be serving wedges in house, toasted and served with a generous wodge of butter and plum compote. Babcia would approve, maybe… Bondi, Marrickville, and Coogee; loxinabox.com.au

Another contender for the choc/cherry HCB crown, Cobb Lane is baking up the popular hot cross bun combo again this year, with chunks of rich chocolate and sour cherry, as well as the traditional fluffy buns filled with juicy raisins and spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Their recommendation? Eat with lashings of Pepe Saya cultured butter. If you buy a six-pack, they’ll throw some in for you. Various locations (with the new CBD Cobb Lane opening soon); cobblane.com.au

You may think turning your back on tradition is sinful, but you’d be wrong. Baker D. Chirico’s dark chocolate and hazelnut buns are almost good enough to make us forget the conventional HCB. They are a perfectly festive balance of spice, nuttiness and decadent gooey chocolate. Of course, traditionalists can still tuck into the signature spiced hot cross buns. 18 Longland Street, Newstead, Brisbane and 178 Faraday St, Carlton, Melbourne; bakerdchirico.com.au.

To Be Frank traditional hot cross buns are a mini masterwork, aromatic with cinnamon and nutmeg and filled with organic sultanas, currants and orange candied in house. But we’re a bit besotted by their saffron, lemon and currant buns, with the saffron giving a delicate golden glow. A new addition by the popular baker, which is this year expanding into the CBD, is the the Hot “Cross”ant with delicate, flaky laminated pastry encasing a spiced fruit cream. Various locations; tobefrankbakery.com.au