How do YOU eat your hot cross buns? Shoppers divided over how to serve the iconic Easter treat – as 55% of people say they DUNK them in hot chocolate
- Hot cross buns are wildly popular among Australian families over Easter
- But it seems everyone likes to eat their hot cross buns differently
- Supermarket giant Woolworths looked at how foodies enjoy their Easter treats
- The report found the nation is divided on how to eat a hot cross bun
Hot cross buns are wildly popular among Australian families over Easter.
But it seems everyone likes to eat their hot cross buns differently. Do you prefer toasted or fresh? Do you dunk? What’s your favourite spread?
Supermarket giant Woolworths has crunched down the numbers using key insights, sales data and 2019 trends to see how foodies enjoy the iconic treat.
The report found shoppers are divided on how to eat their hot cross bun, with 43 per cent of Australians preferring toast while 57 per cent liked to eat it fresh.
Hot cross buns are wildly popular among Australian families over Easter. But it seems everyone likes to eat their hot cross buns differently – some prefer to have them with ice cream
Millennials, aged between 25 to 34, are most likely to ‘dip’ or dunk their hot cross bun in drinks such as hot chocolate (55 per cent), tea and coffee. Surprisingly, 12 per cent of dippers will even dunk their bun in juice.
While traditional hot cross buns with raisins are most popular, millennials are looking for flavour innovation, with 70 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds opting for favours such as white choc and raspberry hot cross buns.
Foodies preferred toppings ranging from traditional butter to cream cheese, ice cream and even melting Easter eggs on top.
‘Whether we’re debating enjoying our hot cross buns fresh or toasted, exploring new flavours, pairing it with interesting toppings or some even dipping their hot cross buns in juice, it’s clear Aussies really love this Easter treat and we’re enjoying it in so many new ways,’ Woolworths bakery manager Andy Thomas.
Australians reported feeling ‘nostalgic’ about hot cross buns and over a third remember eating one for the first time.
Surprisingly, millennials, aged between 25 to 34, are most likely to ‘dip’ or dunk their hot cross bun in drinks such as hot chocolate (55 per cent), tea and coffee
Foodies preferred toppings ranging from traditional butter to cream cheese, ice cream and even melting Easter eggs on top
Eight out of 10 people will be tucking into hot cross buns this year.
The report also found that chocolate is most likely to be leftover after Easter, followed by meat and hot cross buns.
Meanwhile nine out of 10 people are choosing to make use of their leftovers, with 60 per cent saying they would consider turning it into bread or butter pudding, while 60 per cent used it to make rocky road.
‘Reducing food waste is also important to our customers and it’s fantastic to see that so many of them plan to make use of their leftovers. It’s important to remember that when using leftovers, half the job is already done for us,’ Mr Thomas said.
‘We love seeing our customers turn into bakers themselves to give their leftovers a makeover by making bread and butter pudding or rocky road.
‘We’re proud to have some of the best bakers in the country, baking fresh on a daily basis so you can enjoy these Easter favourites hot out of the oven.’
The supermarket chain said it’s expected to sell more than 72 million hot cross buns over Easter and around 25 million chocolate eggs.