Best hot cross buns in London bakeries this Easter, from Ottolenghi to Flor

Jochan Embley on the finest doughy delights in the capital
Selling like hot cakes: the buns at Flor Bakery
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Jochan Embley14 April 2022

You can find them in the supermarkets all year round, but as any hot cross bun fanatic will tell you, nothing can beat the doughy delights that come to dominate the shelves in London’s bakeries at Easter time.

But where can you find the very best of them? The balace between sweet, spicy, springy and moist is harder to perfect than you might imagine; not all buns are created equal, in other words.

Here’s our pick of where to find the finest hot cross buns in London, from the classic recipes that need nothing more than a slab of butter to finish them off, to the more out-there options that spice things up while staying true to the oh-so-satisfying spirit of the HCB.

Ottolenghi

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You can always count on Ottolenghi to serve up baked goods with a difference — and so it goes with their hot cross buns. Amping things up with the addition of black pepper, and macerating the dough in rum and rooibos tea, the buns are made using the Japanese tangzhong technique of combining flour and water. All you need to know is that it results in a supremely plump, flavour-packed treat, available at each of the group’s London sites.

W1A, W1B, E1, N1, W1U, W11, SW1, ottolenghi.co.uk

St John

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These buns come from a London institution, and they taste like it — the long-proved, slow-risen technique used to make the buns results in a deep flavour to the dough, elevated by a delicious combo of dried fruit, candied peel and crystallised ginger. Don’t forget the obligatory dollop of fresh butter, either.

EC1, E1, WC2, SE1, stjohnrestaurant.com

Bread Ahead

Borough Market legend Bread Ahead has been peddling its hot cross buns since February, and you can’t blame them; these glazed goodies always fly off the shelves, and often sell out before the day is up. They’ll be on the stall down in SE1 until Good Friday, if you want to see what all the fuss is about, but you can also nab some at any of Bread Ahead’s other four London sites.

SE1, NW3, SW1, HA9, breadahead.com

Jolene/Big Jo

Newington Green bakery and restaurant Jolene, and its sister site Big Jo over on Hornsey Road, are all about ethical ways of making delicious things, with a focus on supporting regenerative food systems. The ethos carries over into their hot cross buns, which is made using naturally farmed flour — it gives them a more complex flavour than their mass-produced counterparts, and they’re better for the environment, too.

Flor

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Once among the highlights of Borough Market, but now relocated in nearby Bermondsey, Flor’s hot cross buns are always rapid sellers. Made using a mix of wheats — Old Kent, Mulika, spelt and rye, for any wheat nerds out there — and enhanced with Flor’s famously good sourdough, the buns are available for both pick-up and local or nationwide delivery.

Spa Terminus, Unit 6, Spa Road, SE16 4RP, flor-bakery.com

Dusty Knuckle

The secret to the spectacularly tasty buns over at Dusty Knuckle is a simple swap: drop milk from the recipe, and use buttermilk instead. That’s what boosts the flavour, and gives these buns their extra-soft texture, apparently, and we’re all too happy to go along with the logic. Find them at either the Dalston or Harringay branch, or at its roving Milkfloat stall (check the schedule here thedustyknuckle.com).

Gail’s

Gail’s bakeries have been popping up all over the capital for the past few years, which means they’re a good place to bear in mind when the HCB cravings come calling and you’re in need of a quick fix. The sweet, spicy and alluringly glazed buns are baked freshly a number of times throughout the day, so you can be sure to avoid any stale disappointments.

Various locations, gailsbread.co.uk

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