From buttery brioche buns to bagel hybrids and chocolate twists, here’s where to find Sydney’s most irresistible Easter treats this year.
Easter in Sydney means one thing: hot cross bun season has officially arrived. Bakeries across the city are pulling trays of pillowy, spice-filled buns from the oven daily, while others are putting playful spins on the Easter classic with chocolate custard fillings, bagel hybrids and even hot cross bun–inspired chocolate blocks.
Whether you’re a purist who sticks to the traditional fruit-studded bun or you’re keen to try something a little more creative, these are the best hot cross buns in Sydney to track down before Easter Monday. From buttery brioche buns at Loulou Bistro, Boulangerie & Traiteur to cult favourites at Humble Bakery, here’s where to get your fix in 2026.
Loulou
This Easter, Loulou Bistro, Boulangerie & Traiteur is leaning into indulgence with its Heart Hot Cross Buns, made from a rich brioche dough that uses a decadent 500 grams of butter per kilo of flour. The result? A bun that’s impossibly light, fluffy and buttery. Alongside the traditional fruit-spiced version, there are two new flavours this year: a chocolate bun packed with chocolate chips and a chocolate hazelnut custard-filled bun for those craving something extra indulgent. Available until April 6 at Loulou Milsons Point, Petit Loulou and the new Café Loulou, with prices starting at $4 for a classic bun.
Messina x Shadow Baking
Leave it to Gelato Messina to give the Easter classic a playful twist. This year the cult gelato brand is serving up Hot X Scrolls, a cross between a hot cross bun and a sticky cinnamon-style scroll. Available in classic fruit or dark chocolate, the soft, spiced scrolls are baked fresh and sold individually for $7.90 or in boxes of six for $39 (which can be pre-ordered online for easy pick-up). If you’re visiting the Marrickville flagship, also known as Messinaville, you can take things one step further: have your scroll warmed up and topped with a scoop of gelato, because if anyone knows how to turn Easter indulgence up a notch, it’s Messina. Available now until April 6th at their Sydney stores in Darlinghurst and Marrickville.
Brooklyn Boy Bagels
If you’re torn between a bagel run and a hot cross bun, Brooklyn Boy Bagels has solved the dilemma. Their Hot Cross Bagel combines the chewy, golden texture of a New York–style bagel with the warm spices of a traditional Easter bun, finished with the brand’s signature vanilla-glaze cross. For traditionalists, the Classic Hot Cross Bun is fragrant with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and studded with sultanas, cranberries, and candied orange. Feeling adventurous? The Red Velvet Hot Cross Bun adds cocoa and a hint of spice for a colourful twist. Available from March 13, with buns from $3.50 and bagels from $5.40.
Rollers Bakehouse
If you like your Easter treats with a side of creativity, Rollers Bakehouse is rewriting the hot cross bun rulebook this year. Leading the lineup is The Spiced Pillow, a croissant–hot cross bun hybrid that leans fully into indulgence, with flaky layers, a spiced cream filling and a delicate laminated cross finished with milk icing. For something more traditional, their classic hot cross bun delivers on all the nostalgic notes, with a soft, fragrant dough packed with raisins and sultanas. And making a much-anticipated return, the cult-favourite Pink Buns bring a playful twist, baked and glazed in-house and finished with the bakery’s signature pink cross.
Sonoma
A longtime Sydney favourite, Sonoma Bakery is bringing back its cult Not Cross Buns for another Easter season. Instead of the traditional cross, each bun is stamped with the bakery’s signature ‘S’, while inside you’ll find a generous mix of raisins, cranberries, apricots and candied orange bound together with warming spices. New for 2026 is the Choc Not Cross Bun, a soft, fudgy take studded with rich Valrhona dark chocolate. Both versions are finished with Sonoma’s glossy spiced glaze infused with cinnamon, orange zest and a hint of espresso.
Humble Bakery
Few bakeries take hot cross buns as seriously as Humble Bakery. Their classic buns are baked fresh each morning and flavoured with freshly ground cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, creating a deeply aromatic dough studded with raisins, sultanas, apricots, cranberries and orange peel. The best part? They come straight from the oven each morning, meaning they’re actually hot when you buy them. Pick one up from 7am weekdays or 8am weekends, with buns priced at $5.50 each or $30 for a six-pack, available until Easter Monday.
Norma’s Deli
Back just in time for Easter entertaining, Norma’s Deli is bringing back its cult-favourite Hot Cross Bun Wheel — and it’s every bit as crowd-pleasing as you’d expect. Designed as a centrepiece for the table, each wheel is made up of 30 freshly baked mini buns, pulled apart and perfect for sharing. There are two versions to choose from this year: a classic fruit-studded wheel, spiced and packed with dried fruit and orange peel, and a chocolate iteration enriched with Belgian Callebaut chocolate chips for a more indulgent take. Available to pre-order here.
Pana Organic
Not technically a bun, but still worth the Easter hype, Pana Organic has released a Hot Cross Bun chocolate block as part of its limited-edition seasonal range. The plant-based chocolate captures the nostalgic flavour of the Easter classic with warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and cardamom, alongside dried fruit folded through smooth chocolate. The result is a modern, indulgent twist on the traditional treat, perfect for those who prefer their Easter sweets in chocolate form. Available nationwide for $13 while stocks last.
