From snacking on chocolate Easter eggs to hot cross buns for breakfast, the Easter period is packed with delicious treats. Which is why we held the Good Food Easter Taste Awards 2026, designed to find the very best supermarket hot cross buns, chocolate eggs, Easter desserts and simnel cake for you to enjoy.
We invited nine supermarkets to submit their best Easter treats across 13 categories. Packaging was removed and judges tasted all items blind. Comments and a score out of 10 were submitted for each product in the category via anonymous online judging forms. The entire judging process was overseen by an independent adjudicator.
This year, the team tested more than 100 different products to find favourites in each category. Please note that some of these products are only available to buy in-store and not online.
The best supermarket chocolate Easter eggs 2026
Best milk chocolate egg
Winner: Aldi Moser Roth Millionaire Overload Egg
- Available from Aldi (£8.49, in-store)
This dramatic filled half-egg is a super-indulgent Easter treat. There’s a lot going inside to channel the flavours of millionaire’s shortbread: a generous layer of sweet caramel and plenty of crunchy, buttery shortbread pieces inside a super-thick milk chocolate shell – which is sprayed gold for a little extra Easter glitz.
Best dark chocolate egg
Winner: Tesco Finest Free From Seville Orange & Dark Chocolate Egg
Fans of chocolate orange will enjoy this egg. The smooth dark chocolate is thin with a good snap and a gentle orange flavour that isn’t overpowering or artificially sweet. The appearance is simple with a subtle orange speckle, for a grown-up egg.
Best alternative flavour egg
Winner: Waitrose No.1 The Chocolate Almond Croissant
- Available from Waitrose (£15, in-store from 16 Feb)
This new egg for 2026 was a big hit with all our judges and will make a memorable Easter talking point. The fun croissant shape has a smart nutty glaze on one side, but it more than delivers in taste as well as appearance. The ultra-thick blonde chocolate has a heavy dose of almond extract in, along with crunchy pieces of almond, to deliver maximum almond croissant vibes. We kept going back for more.
Best novelty shape egg
Winner: Waitrose Lulu Guinness Milk Chocolate Lips
- Available from Waitrose (£15, in-store from 16 Feb)
These smooth milk chocolate lips are rich and fruity, with a dark-milk flavour that isn’t too sweet, and a good snap to the thin chocolate. The fun design would make a good gift.
Runner up: Lidl Deluxe Golden Chocolate Croissant
- Available from Lidl (£9.99)
Croissant-shaped Easter chocolates seem to be a growing trend, and we have a soft spot for this one. The golden chocolate is creamy and rich and melts well on the palate.
Best chocolate bunny
Winner: Aldi Specially Selected Milk Chocolate Baby Bunny
- Available from Aldi (99p)
A dupe of a well-known chocolate bunny at Easter and one that you can’t go wrong with at under £1. It is sweet and creamy so milk chocolate fans will happily enjoy – good for kids and adults alike.
The best supermarket hot cross buns 2026
For the full list of winning buns and cakes, including highly commended products, visit our best hot cross buns page.
Best traditional hot cross buns
Winner: Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Fruity Hot Cross Buns
These classic hot cross buns have a glossy golden appearance with an attractive shiny top. The fluffy white buns are filled with a generous amount of juicy fruit and a touch of orange zest to balance out the sweetness. We taste tested these plain, but can imagine they’d toast brilliantly.
Best alternative hot cross buns
Winner: Aldi Village Bakery Mighty Cheesy Hot Cross Buns
- Available from Aldi (£1.29, in-store in March)
Our top pick for a savoury hot cross bun. These have a mild cheese flavour reminiscent of a cheese toastie. They would be great toasted with lots of butter.
Runner up: Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Carrot Cake Hot Cross Buns
The carrot cake flavour in these buns are subtle, for a gentle twist on a classic hot cross bun. They are made with roasted carrots but the highlight is the balanced level of warm spicing and good fluffy texture.
Best chocolate hot cross buns
Winner: Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Double Chocolate and Sour Cherry Hot Cross Buns
There is a lot going on in these decadent hot cross buns: you’ll find pieces of cherry, dried cranberries, candied peel, dark and white chocolate chips all inside a chocolate bun. The buns have shiny tops and a plump, squidgy texture. Some judges found the cherry flavour erred on artificial, so definitely one for those with a sweet tooth to enjoy.
Best free-from hot cross buns
Winner: Co-op Free From Hot Cross Buns
- Available from Co-op (£2.25, in store)
A classic fruited hot cross bun with a pleasant texture that would be best toasted.
The best supermarket Easter desserts 2026
Best simnel cake
Winner: Waitrose No.1 Hand-Finished Simnel Cake
This classic simnel cake has a pretty design with a smart fluted edge to the evenly toasted marzipan top. It’s a generous size with a good level of spicing and lovely extra-squidgy texture. The cake is generously spiced and the marzipan gives good depth of almond flavour.
Best alternative Easter cake
Winner: Waitrose No.1 Millionaire’s Panetton-Egg
Who says panettone has to be just for Christmas? This Italian treat has been given an Easter makeover by Waitrose in this fun large egg-shaped panettone, topped with chocolate and chocolate chips for a celebratory centrepiece. It is fluffy and light inside with swirls of caramel sauce throughout.
This review was last updated in February 2026. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.
