Soaked in buttery goodness and infused with sultanas underneath a warm, glossy exterior, hot cross buns are back – no less than three months shy of Easter.

Where will you find the delicious Easter treats? Not over the counter at Peter O'Brien’s Morgan Street bakery, but in aisles one and two of Coles and Woolies.

“We only make hot cross buns in the week of Easter,” Mr O’Brien said. “We don’t see the demand for them this time of year. It must be a different story for the big guys.”

And according to Woolworths, it is a different story.

“Woolworths is very happy to offer our customers our hot cross buns since the week after Christmas,” a spokesman said.

“They go on sale at the same time every year.  We know that our customers love them and they're in high demand right through to Easter. We will sell around 50 million hot cross buns during this period.”

West Wagga Catholic Parish’s Father Thomas Casanova welcomed the supermarkets’ decision to stock the buns because they “taste great” – just give them another name.

“I’d prefer to see them 50 days after Easter as a celebration of all that Easter means and brings,” he said.

A point of interest, Fr Thomas added that dedicated Catholics will fast shortly before Christmas and Easter.