Making a case for the humble hot cross bun, the ultimate Easter indulgence

The tastiest snack of all

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Australians will devour several kilos worth of hot cross buns at Easter time. Here, Holly Berckelman explains why hot cross buns are the greatest treat of all, this weekend and evermore.

There are a lot of things to celebrate at this time of year. For some it’s the public holidays and days off work; for others, a time of cultural significance worth looking forward to. And for some, it’s a time to make the most of the fantastic culinary opportunities Australia has to offer. Specifically the humble hot cross bun: dish of the season, this year, and every year. 

By virtue of the seasons in the southern hemisphere, prime hot cross bun time perfectly aligns with the Autumn equinox, meaning the start of sweater weather goes hand in hand with the arrival of the best snack of the year. It’s a time for indulgence – feeding the soul with extended time spent with family and friends over the Easter long weekend, and feeding the stomach with HCBs. 

Australians love hot cross buns. And as it turns out, this has not gone unnoticed. Earlier this week, the New York Times published a piece about our obsession with the buns, entitled ‘Hot Cross Buns Are the Pumpkin Spice Latte of Australia.’ 

I’m here to tell you that is not true. Or rather, to shed a bit of light on the bun culture in Australia, and why these tasty delights should never be conflated with the commodified pumpkin spiced latte of our upstairs neighbours. 

When Starbucks opened its first store in Australia in 2000, the coffee connoisseurs of our great country were curious, enthused, and then wildly disappointed. The franchise expanded quickly, to nearly 90 locations in the first eight years, before realising a little too late that there was very little demand for the ventis and grandes they had on offer. 

As a nation that prides itself on our coffee, in both flavour profile and preparation, Starbucks just doesn’t stack up. By very nature, Starbucks is about taking it up a notch – adding more toppings, bigger sizes, and more elaborate renditions of the classics.

The Times article considers a similar commodification of the HCB – hot cross cruffins, the chocolate varieties, lamington interpretations, teas, ice cream, and beyond – and likens them to the pumpkin spice latte mania that takes over American cities and towns each fall. 

But Starbucksian interpretations of the bun will never transform the love of the classic, no matter how much Australians flirt with various renditions. Because at our core, we’re bakery minimalists. We like classics done well – like a perfectly flaky croissant, or a salty vegemite scroll, or a crunchy sourdough loaf – which always beat the hype of a new creation. 

Americans hold out year-round for the decadent addition to their (extremely average) coffee, served in spiced vegetable varieties. Australians wait for the simple things. When a bakery creates a whacky take on an HCB, we’re curious and encouraging, but nothing beats the simple perfection of unaltered fruit and bun. 

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HCB season seems longer and longer every year, and while people bemoan the early arrival of Easter eggs, and shake their fists at the premature placement of Christmas trees, hot cross buns will never experience the same fate. 

I think the key difference comes down to the demographic of consumers. Pumpkin spice lattes are like a drug for the cheugy millennial, a cultural marker for a specific segment of a generation (here’s an overview of ‘cheugy’ if you need one). Meanwhile HCBs are bound neither by generation nor geography. A dish so simple, so free from embellishments, and so limited in supply could never be cheugy.  

Part of this comes down to their versatility. Hot cross bun for breakfast? Perfect. Bite-sized morning or afternoon tea? Ideal. Snack for supper? Nothing better. They are a lifestyle choice of a nation.

While the flavour of HCBs is, of course, the major drawcard, so too is the mindful nature of their consumption. Slicing the pocket-sized bun into petite hemispheres, gently toasting, then slathering them in butter (and a sprinkle of salt if you’re feeling fancy) is the closest to meditation I’ve ever come. Walking into a busy Starbucks, navigating their lengthy menu and vernacular does not come close.  

Pumpkin-spiced purveyors will disagree, preaching the cosy comfort of the sugary coffee, but I reckon the Americans doth protest too much. We know we’ve got a good thing going, and unlike upscaled franchises and trite ‘Trentas’, our simple buns' longevity knows no bounds.

So, this Easter, go forth and indulge. It’s the best time for eating all year, and making the most of HCB season is your duty as an Australian: plain, pimped or otherwise. 

Originally published as Making a case for the humble hot cross bun, the ultimate Easter indulgence