Best hot cross buns: London bakeries fuelling Easter 2022

In this foodie metropolis, you can sample the best of just about anything edible that’s ever been created – and hot cross buns are no exception. Swerve the supermarkets this Good Friday and instead place an order with one of the city’s best bakeries for a current-dotted, cross-topped bun that’s a cut above.

Spring-To-Go, Notting Hill

Spring-To-Go, the lockdown deli offering from Skye Gyngell's team, is bidding us farewell this weekend, but not before throwing a closing party. Head on over to the Ledbury Road store to shop home-grown goodness from Heckfield Home Farm and Fern Verrow Farm, plus Spring’s juicy take on hot cross buns.

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Flor

Flor, Bermondsey

Over at Flor, head of bread and pastry Helen Evans has spent the past few weeks perfecting the bakery’s signature hot cross buns (pictured), made with 100% British-grown wheat, and flavoured with Flor sourdough plus their special house spice blend.

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St. John's, various locations

Then there’s St. John’s hearty, rustic buns that are long-proved, slow-risen and devilishly good with a dollop of butter.

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Ottolenghi, various locations

Ottolenghi collaborator and baker extraordinaire Verena Lochmuller has her own spin on the age-old Easter treats, which are available at all Ottolenghi delis in London. Expect more fruit, zest and spice than the average bun.

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Jolene, Newington Green & Big Jolene, Finsbury Park

Hackney favourite Jolene and sister branch Big Joe are also baking buns on site. These ones are made with gut-friendly Wildfarmed flour – known for its natural farming methods – and pride themselves on being fragrant and nutty.

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Crosstown Doughnuts

Crosstown Doughnuts, various locations

While not strictly a hot cross bun, we couldn’t close this list without calling out Crosstown’s limited edition Hot Cross Bun doughnuts. These vegan rounds of deliciousness come filled with a creamy cinnamon custard, glazed with Seville orange and topped with slivers of candied orange peel. A teatime treat for sweet-toothed souls.

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