Auckland’s Best Hot Cross Buns For Easter 2026

It’s that time of the year—hot cross bun season. Whether you’re a traditional spiced fruit purist, team chocolate, or partial to a custard cross, bakers are slinging all sorts and we’re here to give you our picks for the Easter season.

In no particular order—here are the best hot cross buns (so far) in Tāmakai Makaurau.

Beabea’s Bakery

160 Garnet Road, Westmere

Image credit: Beabea’s | Supplied

Benny the baker has this recipe that takes three days to make—and with the most fragrant candied orange peel made in-house, and fluffiest bun texture, it’s truly a labour of love. We can confirm Beabea’s are bringing back their buns this year—and they’re worth queuing up for. Come early or you’ll miss out, or try your luck with their online ordering during the last week of Easter.    

Pricing: $4.50 each, or 6 pack for $25

Bossi

10 Commerce Street, Auckland CBD

Image credit: Bossi | Supplied

Deli di Bossi’s take on Hot Cross Buns are back, after selling out repeatedly last year. Made fresh in-house each day and served warm with butter, these are available for dine-in or takeaway. Choose from a traditional hot cross bun with Bossi’s house-made limoncello glaze twist, or their chocolate number—topped with almond frangipane and toasted almonds. 

Pricing: $7 each 

Cazador

854 Dominion Road, Mount Eden

Image credit: Cazador Deli | Supplied (Photography by Emily Raftery Photography @emilyrafteryphotography)

Yes to Cazador caramelised butter (a necessary addition) and sticky bourbon glazed hot cross buns. These buns are available by pre-order only, baked fresh in-house and with a classic spice and citrus rind. Even better, head to their deli to get your hands on a next-level hot cross bacon bunnie. Featuring thick cut, free-range NZ bacon—this is our kind of hot cross bun and bacon buttie crossover. Find a seat outside the deli—these are best enjoyed right away, with a coffee from the deli too. 

Pricing: 6 pack for $30, plus caramelised butter for an additional $12, deli bacon bunnies are $11 each from the deli.

Daily Bread

Various locations

Image credit: Daily Bread | Supplied

Daily Bread’s traditional bun hot cross bun is made with a lievito madre (Italian sourdough starter) that gives the buns that springy and moist crumb. They’re heavy on spice, with fruit soaked in rum and candied citrus peel. For something different, opt for their chocolate and sour cherry number—made with 55% chocolate bits and dried cherries. Both finished with an orange, bay leaf and cardamom glaze, pop them in the toaster and slather with butter. Order them online (nationwide) or across their 11(!) sites throughout Tāmaki Makaurau.

Pricing: 6 pack traditional for $23 or 6 pack cherry chocolate for $25. You can also pre-order catering tray sizes (24 pack) from $85 

Florets

596 Great North Road, Grey Lynn

Image credit: Florets | Supplied

Sourdough fans are no strangers to Florets, sourcing only sustainably-grown and local wholegrain flour in Aotearoa from sourdough whisperer Maya Handley. Having trained and lived in New York for over a decade, Maya and her team are known for their sourdough loaves—and this Easter they’ve got brioche hot cross loaves, slow-fermented with sourdough culture on the menu. With housemade peel, currants, raisins and spices, as well as a lick of cardamom, cinnamon and orange glaze—this is big hot cross bun energy, via mini pull-apart loaves or as a thick slice slathered with butter (get the loaf, you can thank us later).

Pricing: Mini loaves (150g) are $8 and large loaves (1.2kg, approx 10 thick slices) are $25 per loaf. Available from 20th March to 4th April via pre-order by email only.

Fort Greene

327 Karangahape Road, Auckland CBD

Image credit: Fort Greene | Supplied 

From sourdough to viennoiserie (they even have a dedicated humidity and temperature-controlled pastry room), Fort Greene know a thing or two about top tier pastries (we still drool of the iconic lemon meringue croissant cube), and their hot cross bun selection is no exception. Made with a hybrid sourdough technique, plus their own balanced blend of spices, these buns have that signature sourdough flavour along with added digestibility too. We’re on good authority that they will be available every weekend up to Easter—and then everyday during Easter. 

Pricing: $5.75 each or 6 pack for $31.50

Gourmet Gannet Bakery

3 Boundary Road, Catalina Bay, Hobsonville

Image credit: Gourmet Gannet | Supplied

Gourmet Gannet are a fave amongst locals in the area—known for their sourdough and pastries, and a deliciously soft hot cross bun too. While some bakeries are opting for enriched egg-based doughs, they’ve stuck to a traditional yeasted base. They’re also bringing vegan hot cross buns back again this year, so keep an eye out as they are normally offered right before Easter. Having recently opened a bakery and cafe in Mount Eden called Workshop Bread Company last September, you can grab your hot cross buns on that side of town too. 

Pricing: $4 each or 6 pack for $20

Giapo

12 Gore Street, Auckland CBD

Image credit: Giapo | Supplied

Home to their famous ice-cream creations—but did you know Giapo is also gluten-free? Annarosa bakes the gluten-free hot cross buns fresh every morning during Easter as part of their Easter tradition at Giapo—with their own Giapo gluten-free flour blend, along with spices, freshly zested orange, and raisins. Their coeliac-friendly recipe is slow-fermented for a soft, pull-apart crumb. Choose from their custardy O.G., nutella or a dulce de leche cross. Head to Giapo to grab yourself a fresh-out-of-the-oven bun (I highly recommend enjoying your bun with a scoop of 74% Cher’s Chocolate, too). 

Pricing: $6 each or 5 pack for $25 (contact them for pre-orders so you don’t miss out). $11 for gelato and bun combo. 

Hill House Cafe

72 Hillsborough Road, Hillsborough 

Image credit: Hill House Cafe | Supplied

Leading the charge at the Hill House Cafe hot cross bun line-up is their tropical twist on the Hot Cross Bun—the Pani Popo Hot Cross Bun. Inspired by the traditional Samoan dessert, these pani popo-style buns are available daily (until they’re not). We recommend getting in quick for this coconut meets Easter spiced goodness. You can also get their OG Hot Cross Bun, or if you’re a fan of chocolate, their sister cafe Farmhouse Cafe has a triple chocolate hot cross bun going too. 

Pricing: $8.90 each or 6 pack for $44.50 

Ima Cuisine 

53 Fort Street, Downtown, Auckland 

Image credit: Ima Cuisine | Supplied 

Stodgy and moist in the best possible way—Ima Cuisine’s NZ honeyed hot cross buns with those signature baked custard crosses are back, and probably one of the first, with their ovens cranking since mid Feb. Using freshly ground spices every bake, along with delicate Sri Lankan cinnamon, Heilala vanilla from Tonga, and all the necessary fruit additions, the game-changer is the addition of baked custard crosses—piped in half-way during the bake.

Pricing: 6 pack for $42 (with the option to add-on extra buns for additional $7 each)

Knead on Benson

76 Benson Road, Remuera

Image credit: Knead on Benson | Supplied

Drawing inspiration from both panettone and colomba, Knead on Benson’s 48 hour process for their hot cross buns uses a house blend of three different types of NZ flour, a lot more butter than a standard bun recipe, and turning the buns upside down to cool like panettone. The result—flavoursome, tall, and fluffy buns that tear apart like cotton candy. There are three flavours to choose from and trust us—no matter what hot cross bun school you sit in, you’ll want to try them all. From a vanilla and citrus glazed traditional spice flavour with dark rum-infused dried fruit, to Valrhona dark chocolate and candied citrus peel, to a lightly spiced, sticky date-inspired number, complete with butterscotch glaze. Grill them on one side in the pan (so you get the best of both textures) and get the extra butter ready. 

Pricing: $6.50 each, 6 packs for $36 or get all three 6 packs for $100. Nationwide delivery is available as well as click and collect from Knead on Benson and Takapuna Beach Cafe.

Miann 

136 Ponsonby Road, Ponsonby and Arthur Nathan Lobby 37 Galway Street, Britomart

Image credit: Miann | Supplied

Using single-origin chocolate from the Solomon Islands inside their original recipe, Miann’s craft chocolate hot cross buns bring the best of both chocolate and traditional worlds together. Baked in small batches everyday, we recommend pre-ordering so you don’t miss out. They’re soft and fluffy, with a brown sugar and apricot glaze, and complete with a chocolate cross. While you can also get their traditional buns, these chocolate ones are a stand-out, with a depth of chocolate flavour achieved only from single-origin cacao. Pro-tip: Best enjoyed with one of their signature hot chocolates or their a scoop of house-made gelato in the bun.

Pricing: 6 pack for $29.00

Mor Bakery

158 Remuera Road, Remuera

Image credit: Mor | Supplied

I first discovered Mor’s hot cross buns in 2024, lightly scented with fruit soaked in orange juice and Earl Grey tea, along with the warmth of mixed spice and clove. With a great chew and a glossy sheen on the crust, thanks to their house-made apricot glaze and spiced sugar syrup mixture (brushed on right after baking), they’re a solid go-to for traditional-style buns. Along with a fluffy and nutty whipped browned butter that year, it changed the game for any other buttered hot cross bun. Just as I thought it couldn’t reach peak bun and butter situation, last year Mor served them with whipped toasted croissant butter (and house-made apricot jam, if dining in). They’re bringing back the toasted croissant butter this year, available to purchase in-store alongside their bun offerings (and we hear there may be some additional Easter treats in the cards). Their chocolate buns are also available—get in quick, as they will be only in store on the last two Saturdays before Easter. 

Pricing: 6 pack traditional for $24, 6 pack chocolate for $26 (with chocolate only available to pre-order for Saturday 28th March and Saturday 4th April)

Richoux Patisserie

119 Main Highway, Ellerslie

Image credit: Richoux Patisserie | Supplied 

Owner-baker Jason Hay at Richoux Patisserie is a master baker and vegan pastry whisperer. Having been crowned Supreme Winner at the vegan pie awards last year, his cabinets often sell-out of their vegan and non-vegan selections. Richoux Patisserie’s hot cross bun line-up is mostly vegan—with vegan fruit, chocolate, plus custard-filled and biscoff flavours. There’s also non-vegan nutella and pistachio cream-filled flavours in the cards this year. Run, don’t walk.

Pricing: Varies

The Pantry 

Park Hyatt Auckland 99 Halsey Street, Auckland CBD

Image credit: The Pantry at Park Hyatt Auckland | Supplied 

Executive Pastry Chef Callum Liddicoat and his team have brought back the famous hot cross bun wreath at The Pantry. With rum-soaked raisins, currants, sultanas and citrus peel, along with spices cinnamon, cardamom, tonka bean, black pepper and clove to really zhush up the HXB game. The wreath comes with 8 buns baked into a festive ring shape, glazed with citrus-spiced rum.

There’s also not-so-traditional hot cross buns a.k.a. brioche doughnuts with Earl Grey soaked sultanas and caramel custard… but more on that later (see our picks for Best Easter Treats)

Pricing: $29 for wreath (of 8 buns)

The Real Bread Project

103 Mill Road, Helensville

Image credit: The Real Bread Project | Instagram 

Owner-baker Dan from The Real Bread Project has taken the hot cross bun and given it an oat stout twist. He brews his own oat stout, which then goes with his hot cross dough mix, along with sultanas, currant and mixed peel that’s soaked in more stout. The result: light and fluffy, dark and malty, with a rich flavour. It’s a labour of love, with next-level brewing and baking combined into one delicious bun. 

Pricing: 6 pack for $15 

VANIYÉ Patisserie 

1/7 Windsor Street, Parnell and 2/15 Fleming Street, Onehunga

Image credit: VANIYÉ Patisserie | Supplied 

Made the traditional way, along with a rye flour blend, aromatic spices and all the currants, cranberries, sultanas and orange peel. They’re slightly denser with rye, making them the perfect bun for toasting (with butter, of course). Nutty, loaded with fruit and a top pick for a solid traditional hot cross bun. They’ve even created the ultimate Hot Cross Buns Breakfast Box (pictured above), complete with a dozen of these freshly-baked goodies with individually wrapped butter rolls (essential), and a dozen bottles of fresh orange and apple juice. It's the perfect breakfast picnic during the Easter holidays. 

Pre-order two days before pick up date to ensure you get your hands on these.

Pricing: 4 pack for $26, 6 pack for $38, Hot Cross Buns Breakfast Box $129 

Wild Wheat 

Various locations

Image credit: Wild Wheat | Supplied

Wild Wheat’s hot cross bun recipe hasn’t changed in 25 years. As a chef by trade, Wild Wheat owner-baker Andrew had previously worked on tweaking the hot cross bun recipe each year, figuring out how to make it better than the previous year, before winning North Island’s best hot cross buns in 2004, 2005 and again in 2010. It was the 2004 win that led to Wild Wheat’s first retail store in Mount Eden. Since then, they’ve gained a loyal sourdough bakery following, with six stores across Tāmaki Makaurau. At only $3 for one, grab one at your next bakery and coffee run.

Pricing: $3 for one, 6 pack for $18, 12 pack for $33

Main image credit: Knead on Benson | Supplied 

Editor's note: We're continuing to update this list for 2026; please let us know by emailing editornz@theurbanlist.com if we have missed any of your favourite hot cross bun legends. We'll be updating this article regularly closer to Easter.