Easter is coming—and that means hot cross bun season is upon us. From the doughy to the sticky, the spicy and the sweet, bakeries around Sydney/Eora are fronting up with the chewy stuff for your long weekend. In this case, that means buttery, fruity goodness with everything from the staple classic to new creations like hot cross bun cinnamon scrolls and chocolatey morsels.
Here are Urban List's picks for the best hot cross buns (and more festive treats) you can score in Sydney this Easter.
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- Our Favourite Hot Cross Buns In Sydney
- The Craziest Hot Cross Buns In Sydney
- The Best Traditional Hot Cross Buns In Sydney
Our Favourite Hot Cross Buns In Sydney
Madame And Yves
343-345 Clovelly Road, Clovelly
Image credit: Madame and Yves | Supplied
Clovelly bakery, gelateria and patisserie Madame And Yves has an Easter lineup of five hot cross bun-inspired treats, including the return of their spiced custard-filled crossover between a hot cross bun and crème brûlée ($8).
There's also a hot cross-kie (a choc chip cookie stuffed with Pistachio Papi, Belgian choc chips and hot cross bun spices, $8), choc cross buns with dark chocolate chips and glazed with a spiced espresso syrup ($5.50), and classic hot cross buns with sultanas, raisins and candied orange peel ($5), which you can get toasted and filled with a scoop of house-made gelato ($10). You can head in store, or order online.
A.P. Bakery
Various locations
Image credit: A.P Bakery | Instagram
A.P. Bakery is once again whipping up delightfully fluffy traditional hot cross buns for Easter. For their HXB, the team toasts and mills spices in-house, and mixes them with orange peel, apricot, currants, and sultanas.
Then, they pop them in the oven and brush them with a brown sugar and cardamom glaze. You'll find them at A.P. House atop Paramount's rooftop, at their tiny shopfront in Newtown, at A.P Place in the CBD, newcomer A.P Bread and Wine in Darlinghurst, and on Saturdays at the Carriageworks Farmers Market.
Good Chemistry At Ace Hotel
47-53 Wentworth Avenue, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Ace Hotel | Jiwon Kim
Whisky and hot cross buns don’t usually go hand in hand, but the HCBs at Ace Hotel with Starward Two-Fold wheat and single malt whisky-soaked fruit will surprise you. The adults-only hot cross bun is masterfully crafted by pastry chef Andy Bowdy (who was behind beloved, now-closed bakery Saga in Enmore), and is available only at Ace Hotel’s laneway cafe, Good Chemistry, from 16–19 April, from 7am until sold out.
Purchase two or more buns to enjoy a free (New) Old Fashioned—the signature serve of Starward's new bottled cocktail—at Ace Hotel’s lobby bar, or buy six buns or more to claim a free 500-mL bottle of (New) Old Fashioned combining their Melbourne-made whisky with orange bitters and wattleseed and demerara syrup.
Humble Bakery
50 Holt Street, Surry Hills and 16 Loftus Street, Sydney
Image credit: Humble Bakery | Website
Humble always nails the classics, and they have you covered for traditional hot cross buns filled decked out with ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, dried fruits, dried apricot, orange peel and honey. You can grab individuals in store from Monday 24 March, and pre-order six packs ($28) online.
The Craziest Hot Cross Buns In Sydney
Sweet Belem
35B New Canterbury Road, Petersham
Image credit: Sweet Belem | Instagram
You know them for their best-in-town pastel de nata (Portuguese tarts), so wait till you hear about what Sweet Belem does with the hot cross buns: expect the classic format, with fluffy dough dotted with port-soaked raisins, but topped with a custard cross ($5.50 each).
The Inner West bakery also does Portuguese treats like Pão de Ló cake, a chocolate hot cross bun ($6) and Portuguese corn bread. These bad boys are available from Monday 24 March in store, or you can pre-order online.
The Depot And Machine Hall
132A Warners Avenue, Bondi Beach and 185 Clarence Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: The Depot | Supplied
Acclaimed Bondi chef and TV host Guy Turland is slinging bright green brûlée matcha hot cross buns this Easter. The HCBs are made with rich matcha, white chocolate and a caramelised brûlée crust, whipped up in an Ankarsrum mixer, with oozing matcha cream or yuzu lemon fillings.
You can buy them individually for $8 or as a four-pack for $25. Grab them at The Depot Bondi and Machine Hall until 20 April.
Lune Croissanterie
115/151 Dunning Avenue, Rosebery and 1 Elizabeth Street, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Lune Croissanterie | Supplied
Lune Croissanterie is hopping on the Easter trend early this year with the introduction of two exclusive menu items. The babies of their signature croissant dough and the traditional HCB, these pastries are a must-have to break that fast.
Lune’s Hot Cross Cruffin is all the goodness you would expect of a classic Hot Cross Bun: dried fruit, candied peel and mixed spice, filled with a brown butter mousseline and finished with a signature cross. For all those anti-fruiters, don’t fret: the choc version is just as decadent, with choc-chip croissant pastry filled with a chocolate mousseline and topped with a cocoa cross. These bad boys will be on the counter until 21 April, with pre-orders open from 4 April.
Miss Sina
132 Illawarra Road, Marrickville
Image credit: Miss Sina | Instagram
For a (kind of) guilt-free sweet treat, Miss Sina’s 100% plant-based hot cross buns are nothing short of extraordinary. They’re handmade, small-batch, vegan and dairy-free.
There’s an OG traditional fruit fave for punters who love the classic version, but there’s also rich triple choc, gooey apple biscoff, crackly crème brûlée and viral pandan custard editions. Find them at Miss Sina in Marrickville from 10am until sold out.
Tuga Pastries
Shop 6, 231 Clovelly Road, Clovelly and 10/112 McEvoy Street, Alexandria
Image credit: Tuga Pastries | Website
Tuga Pastries does seasonal treats that are up to crust, trust us. If you're after standard-sized HCBs, they're serving up two flavours: traditional (with dried fruits, mixed spice and cinnamon, lemon and orange peel, finished with a rich spiced glaze) and hot choc buns packed with mixed spice, cinnamon, and Callebaut dark chocolate. Both go for $28 for a six-pack.
Going big this Easter? Check out The B.I.G Bun: a seven-inch hot cross bun filled with whipped honey butter and topped with spiced glaze, white chocolate nest and speckled eggs ($40).
Mixing up your Easter treats? Check out Tuga's Dubai chocolate babka, blending a sweet braided brioche with dark chocolate sauce, crushed kataifi pastry, pistachio praline, pistachio knafeh, pistachio spread and chocolate shards ($55). You can pre-order the B.I.G. Bun and Dubai chocolate babka online for pick-up between 17 and 21 April, or buy hot cross buns online and in store from Monday 24 March.
Glenorie Bakery
4/930 Old Northern Road, Glenorie
Image credit: Glenorie Bakery | Instagram
It was just a matter of time before the viral Dubai chocolate came to Sydney's hot cross buns. Glenorie Bakery is serving up viral Dubai chocolate hot cross buns this Easter with a melted milk chocolate centre, topped with crunchy knafeh mixed in a pistachio cream.
Grab them in a six-pack for $31 by pre-ordering online by 5pm on Thursday 17 April for pick-up between Friday 18 and Monday 21 April.
The Best Traditional Hot Cross Buns In Sydney
Sonoma Artisanal Bakers
Various locations
Image credit: Sonoma Bakery | Supplied
Sonoma marks its Not Cross Buns with an "S" and strives to keep the magic alive by giving them a super-limited release. Made with raisins, cranberries, apricots and candied orange, glazed in a sticky sugar syrup steeped in spices and Sonoma coffee, these hot cross buns also have a sweetly spiced dough, and are best served loaded up with cultured butter.
You can be conservative and buy just one for $4, or get six for $20 at each Sonoma location in Alexandria, Bondi, Rose Bay, Glebe, Leichhardt, Braddon, Bowral, Terrigal, Menai.
The Grumpy Baker
Various Locations
The Grumpy Baker’s much-loved hot cross buns pay homage to founder Michael Cthurmer’s Israeli heritage, using Jewish challah dough—a braided bread traditionally served on the Jewish Shabbat, which has a rich and spongy flavour.
Baked on-site every morning, the secret to this perfect hot cross bun is an abundance of raisins, choc chips and butter swirled with spice for an extremely moist, fluffy and sticky bun. There's also a choc-chip version, for all you cocoa fiends.
Baker Bleu
2 Guilfoyle Avenue, Double Bay
Image credit: Baker Bleu | Supplied
Bougie Double Bay bakery Baker Bleu is coming through with classic and chocolate and sour cherry hot cross buns in 2025. Their textbook traditional buns are packed with notes of cinnamon, ginger, Australian raisins and fresh orange pulp, topped with a classic white cross, while the chocolate version doesn't skimp on the good stuff. You can buy in store or order six packs online for $30.
Fabbrica Bread Shop
733 Darling Street, Rozelle and 214 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee
Image credit: Fabbrica Bread Shop | Supplied
Neighbourhood fave Fabbrica Bread Shop is keeping things classic with their hot cross buns in 2025. Their chai-spiced buns have hints of ginger and cardamom, and are studded with currants and raisins—perfect for covering in butter and pairing with a coffee. Buy them in store or pre-order online before 15 April 15 for collection between 18t and 20 April.
Brickfields
206 Cleveland Street, Chippendale and 2 Sydney Street, Marrickville
Image credit: Brickfields | Instagram
Go-to bakery for many Sydneysiders, Brickfields is once again offering up its top-notch hot cross buns for Easter. These bready delights come packed with currants, candied orange, apricots and cranberries, plus a whole heap of aromatics like cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom.
You can drop by the bakery's Chippendale and Marrickville locations to pick one up, or pre-order for pick-up via the website until 12 April for $20 for six.
Berkelo
Various locations
Image credit: Berkelo | Instagram
Berkelo's take on hot cross buns are full of fruit, anise myrtle tea and their “secret” blend of spices—and are perfect for toasting and slathering in butter. You can order them for pick-up ($24 for six) or grab one in store in Brookvale, Mosman, Manly or Terrey Hills.
More Of The Best Hot Cross Buns In Sydney
Norma’s
74/78 The Corso, Manly
Image credit: Norma's | Supplied
Norma’s has your Easter morning covered with their limited edition croissant wheel. Designed for gatherings, the whopping 30 mini-bun wheel is baked fresh each morning. The buns are infused with dried fruit and zesty orange peel: warm, citrusy, nostalgic, and best served drowning in butter.
Available for pre-order now with pickup from 11–21 April, at $68 each this is the ideal treat for those hosting a big family brunch this Easter (or a small, very hungry one). Just shopping for one? You can pick up individual traditional or chocolate hot cross buns in store.
Bar Mammoni
Shop/2 Loftus Lane, Sydney CBD
Image credit: Bar Mammoni | Supplied
CBD bakery and cafe Bar Mammoni always nails the seasonal treats, and they're doing three takes on buns this Easter. There's a classic hot cross bun packed with overnight-soaked raisins, sultanas, and candied orange peel, with house-mixed spices of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and cardamom, finished with a cinnamon and star anise glaze ($5 each or $16 for four), and a chocolate hot cross bun that swaps fruit for 58% dark chocolate and cocoa powder, with just a whisper of cinnamon for depth.
For those who lean more towards pastry than bread, there's a hot cross cruffin ($12) with layers of croissant dough piped with milk chocolate and roasted hazelnut praline.
Shadow Baking
243 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst and 1 Rich Street, Marrickville
Image credit: Shadow Baking | Supplied
Brought to you by the team that runs Gelato Messina, Shadow Baking is your one-stop shop for baked goodies this Easter. They’ve joined forces with the legendary New Zealand chocolate makers at Whittakers to create a trio of Easter-inspired pastries.
Swapping HCBs for HCCs (hot cross cookies), Whittaker’s Dark Ghana chocolate is paired with hot cross bun custard in a soft and fudgy cookie. The team have also created an irresistible hokey pokey tart and a must-try coconut block pain suisse, both incorporating Whittaker's delicious choccy range. Find them at the Darlinghurst bakery Wednesdays–Sundays, or at the Marrickville Gelato Messina HQ Thursdays–Sundays.
One More Chocolates
Shop 1/63 New Canterbury Road, Petersham
The master Portuguese chocolatiers are One More Chocolates aren't confining themselves to chocolate eggs and bunnies this Easter—they also do incredible hot cross buns.
Available as traditional (with port wine-soaked fruit and a Tahitian vanilla creme patissiere cross) or triple chocolate (with chunks of couverture chocolate), their buns go for $26 for six—try your luck in store.
Brooklyn Boy Bagels
74 Reservoir Street, Surry Hills and 19 Carrington Road, Marrickville
Image credit: Brooklyn Boy Bagels | Supplied
If you find yourself caught between buns or bagels, Brooklyn Boy has you covered for both in 2025; their hot cross bagels are sweet on top, chewy in the middle and topped with a vanilla-glaze cross ($5.50).
For the traditionalists, they're also doing classic hot cross buns with candied orange and cinnamon, or Belgian milk chocolate hot cross buns, both topped with a vanilla icing cross (both $4 each, or $20 for a six-pack). You can buy in store, or order online.
Organic Bread Bar
Darlinghurst, Paddington, and various markets
Image credit: Organic Bread Bar | Instagram
If slow-fermented, organic sourdough is your speed, then the hot cross buns from Organic Bread Bar are for you. You can stay traditional with apricot and sultana-laden buns, or opt for indulgent double chocolate hot cross buns.
Flour And Stone
53 Riley Street, Woolloomooloo
Everything Nadine Ingram makes is downright delicious—and her hot cross buns are no exception. This Easter, Flour and Stone is peddling Florentine Easter Buns, made with brioche infused with rosemary and cardamom and studded with sherry-soaked currants and rosemary sprigs.
They're then glazed with an egg wash and dusted with a sugar mix of orange zest, rosemary, and cinnamon before baked in the oven.
Black Star Pastry
Various locations
Image credit: Black Star Pastry | Instagram
Everyone knows Easter is all about the chocolate, so Black Star Pastry loads theirs up with 60% dark chocolate (made from sustainably sourced cocoa) in a dense, cushiony dough before being brushed with a lightly spiced glaze and marked with a cocoa cross—and they happen to be vegan, too.
If you're a purist, Black Star Pastry's famed frankincense-glazed buns will also be on offer. You can pick up Black Star's hot cross buns in every store now for $27 for six, or $50 for 12—boxes can also be pre-ordered online.
Mrs Jones The Baker
Various locations
Image credit: Mrs Jones The Baker | Supplied
A Northern Sydney favourite, Mrs Jones The Baker is once again slinging its traditional Easter buns. The hot cross buns in question come with all the good stuff—chewy spiced dough, dried fruit, and sticky glaze. While it does have your standard buns marked with a cross, its more popular ones have grumpy faces, taking on a more imaginative spin. Grab them from bakeries in Freshwater, St Ives, Warringah Mall, Frenchs Forest or Mona Vale.
Wholegreen Bakery
25 McCauley Street, Alexandria, 257 Clarence Street, Sydney CBD and 24 Arden Street, Waverley
Instagram: Wholegreen Bakery | Leigh Griffiths
Coeliacs and gluten-intolerant humans, rejoice: Wholegreen Bakery is here to save the day with its super tasty 100% gluten-free, dairy-free AND vegan hot cross buns. This year, Wholegreen has created two flavours: a traditional dried fruit number and a chocolate hot cross bun that will absolutely hit that Easter chocolate spot.
You can head to any of its locations and grab a single hot cross bun ($3.70) or pick up a four-pack for $11, find them in Harris Farm Markets locations, or order online for delivery.
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Main image credit: Black Star Pastry | Instagram
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