These days, Easter promises a whole lot more than just generic choccy eggs and plain hot cross buns. Bakeries, chocolate brands, gelaterias and dessert shops across the city are getting more inventive with each passing year, whipping up all sorts of creative treats worthy of a spot on your own personal Easter hunt. Here, we've rounded up some of the coolest grown-up goodies to seek out, from hot cross bun ice cream sandwiches to Easter-themed high tea experiences. Dig in. Recommended reads: The Best High Teas in Melbourne The Best Bakeries in Melbourne Where to Find the Best Ice Cream and Gelato in Melbourne Hot Cross Cinnamon Scrolls, Hot Cross-ants and Hot Cross Buns at Penny for Pound The last few years have seen Penny for Pound become a hub of activity, as hot cross bun fanatics arrive in droves to stock up on their highly rated goods. Expect the same again this year, as the bakery returns with two premium flavours: a dressed-up classic offering earl-grey soaked raisins, currants and sultanas, and a triple-chocolate bun that packs decadent dark chocolate chunks into every bite. However, Penny for Pound is stepping things up in 2025 with the release of two never-before-seen creations – the hot cross-ant ($8.50) and the hot cross cinnamon scroll ($7.50). The first sees a flaky croissant meet classic hot cross bun flavours with a citrus finish. The latter fuses fluffy dough with spiced brown sugar, cinnamon and plump sultanas before being topped with vanilla sour cream and a cinnamon cross. Find them in-store or pre-order a six-pack of buns for $24. Scotch Cross Bun at KOI Dessert Bar Let the expert sweet-makers at KOI Dessert Bar level up your Easter feast with their Scotch Cross Bun. Made in collaboration with Benriach Distillery – the acclaimed maker of Speyside single malt scotch whisky – these boozy buns blend traditional flavours and aromas with contemporary cake design to create a luxe treat bound to impress the fam. Here, rich vanilla mousse has been infused with autumnal spices like nutmeg and cinnamon, then spiked with currants soaked in Benriach's The Original Ten whisky. Ready to buy? The Scotch Cross Bun is available for $22 at KOI Dessert Bar Melbourne for dine-in or takeaway. Every purchase also comes with a free 50ml bottle of Benriach's finest. Fruit Hot Cross Cruffins and Chocolate Hot Cross Cruffins at Lune Croissantrie First, Lune perfected croissants, so much so that the Australian bakery chain became renowned for its flaky pastries all around the world. Then came cruffins, aka croissant-muffin hybrids. For Easter, the obvious next step was hot cross cruffins, for when you want a hot cross bun, but you're also hankering for a croissant and a muffin. Lune's hot cross cruffins have been popping up annually for years, but 2025's batch is different. This time, they're made using the acclaimed bakery's signature croissant dough. You can also pick between two varieties this year: the OG and chocolate, both for $10.50 each. Can't decide which one? You can get mixed six-packs featuring both for $63. Gelato-Stuffed Easter Eggs at Piccolina Gelateria This Easter, Piccolina Gelateria is marking the occasion with a new line of limited-edition Uovo di Pasqua Easter eggs — because gelato-filled Easter eggs have well and truly become a thing in Melbourne. Available now in-store and online, you'll find three varieties, each hand-crafted, hand-wrapped and presented in a beautiful Piccolina box. Choose from the Milo Egg, featuring a malted chocolate gelato layered with homemade Milo crumb and a soft milk chocolate ganache centre; the Rocky Road, layered with homemade raspberry jellies, raspberry marshmallow and toasted peanuts; and the Golden Gaytime, featuring honeycomb gelato, chocolate malt crumble and caramel ganache. Available at all Piccolina locations for a limited time, these massive creations cost $39 each. Hot Cross Buns at Morning Market If you're looking for something a little fancy this Easter, Andrew McConnell's European-style pantry and provisions outfit, Morning Market, is serving up freshly baked hot cross buns for the very first time. Elevating the traditional recipe, these hot cross buns feature anise-flavoured pastis, brandy, cardamon and allspice, while top-quality dried prunes and apricots are added to the mix. Baked fresh until Saturday, April 19, Morning Market's hot cross buns are available for pre-order and purchase at $4.50 each or $26 for a pack of six. Whether you're nearest to the Fitzroy or Prahran store, trust these Easter treats to give your holiday a lift. Hot Cross Doughnuts, Single-Origin Eggs, Praline Treats and Chocolate Gelato at Pidapipo Most Melbourne eateries that create specials for Easter tend to make one show-stopping treat. But the crew at Pidapipo Laboratorio are given the freedom and resources to dream up all kinds of delicious things year-round. For Easter, Pidapipo has invented the hot cross doughnut ($15) – where hot cross bun dough is fried, then served hot with a scoop of fior di latte gelato and a drizzle of spiced salted caramel sauce. Meanwhile, the team has used its single-origin Dominican Republic cacao to produce bags of mini eggs ($39) and larger options with a surprise inside — wrapped mini chocolate eggs and a cute Pidapipo pin ($32). You can also opt for a wonderfully designed tin, filled with assorted medium eggs and their bestselling praline-filled chocolate ($29). Finally, Pidapipo is celebrating Easter with a trio of indulgent chocolate-focused gelato cones for $10 each. Choose from: peppermint chocolate gelato with white chocolate fudge and dark chocolate shards; white chocolate bacio gelato with Nutella swirl and hazelnut merengue; and malted milk chocolate gelato with caramel swirl, dipped in milk chocolate. All sweets are available at every Pidapipo location, except the hot cross doughnut, which is a Fitzroy Laboratorio exclusive. Hot Cross Bun Cake at Le Yeahllow Le Yeahllow is known for creating some of the most incredible cakes in Melbourne — leaning into the "is it actually cake?" territory. And the crew's Easter special is quintessential Le Yeahllow. The Hot Cross Cake (above) looks like a single or six-pack of hot cross buns, but is in fact a dense and extravagant cake. Slice into this bad boy to find layers of whipped ganache, a chocolate cremeux, chocolate and a hot cross sponge. Punters can either buy a single hot cross bun cake, or packs of six for $85 or nine for $119. Hot Cross Buns at Baker Bleu Baker Bleu, one of the best bakeries in Melbourne, is keeping things simple with its Easter treats this year — because you don't always have to go over the top. The focus is all on the sacred hot cross bun, with two tantalising options set to make your long weekend extra special. The more traditional option features raisin, cinnamon, fresh orange pulp and ginger, perfect for slathering with far too much butter. For something a little more adventurous, they've also got sour cherry and dark chocolate. Available in limited numbers, pre-order a six-pack online for $30. Easter High Tea at Pan Pacific Down at Melbourne's South Wharf, Pan Pacific is serving up its annual special Easter High Tea, which you can book here. The three-tiered spread will include a heap of savoury and sweet options, many with Easter-themed flavours and decorations. Think spiced orange and chocolate chip scones; a frangipane bunny; Easter vol au vent with mushrooms, caramelised onions and three cheeses; and a colourful Cointreau Easter egg. Sessions run daily until Sunday, April 20, with prices starting from $90.