• Rusks, a cherished winter staple in South Africa, have evolved from Dutch twice-baked bread into diverse flavours that reflect the nation’s cultural variety.
• News24 Food’s taste test at its Cape Town office revealed a range of new rusk flavours, with Bakers’ Tennis biscuit rusk emerging as the clear favourite for its perfect balance of sweetness, texture and dunkability.
• Some new flavours, like the limited edition Bar One and blueberry rusks, received mixed reviews; the overall experiment highlights the evolving tastes and preferences in rusk flavours among South Africans.

Rusks are a beloved South African winter staple that is as comforting as a warm hug. But when it comes to flavour opinions, those can be as diverse as our cultures.

The teatime treat of choice has a rich history. Dutch settlers first introduced it to South African palates as a twice-baked preserved bread and a staple for travelling long distances in the 1600s.

News24 Food put together a panel of brave taste testers in the Cape Town office to crunch and munch their way through various new rusk flavours available on supermarket shelves this season. 

From the classic to the adventurous, no flavour was left untested. While some flavours divided our panel, one stood out as the undisputed champion.  

Our discerning panel of rusk tasters rated six new rusk flavours on texture, taste and dunkability. Some rusks left tasters impressed with their unique twists. At the same time, others were good but underwhelmed tasters.

Bakers Tennis Rusks 8.5/10

Price for 450g: R54.99 

Our reviewers unanimously rated the Tennis Rusk by Bakers as the best new flavour. No rusk could compete with its perfect balance of sweetness, texture and nostalgia, which was well-received by reviewers.

One reviewer said, “This is the perfect biscuit to have converted to rusk format. What a brilliant innovation.” 

The Tennis rusk received high praise for its coconut flavour and excellent dunkability. 

“You can dunk confidently without losing a crumb, and it tastes exactly like a Tennis Biscuit.”

You can find Bakers Tennis biscuit rusk in the baked treats aisles of Checkers, Spar, Pick n Pay and Makro.

Pick n Pay limited edition chocolate and caramel rusks 5/10

Price for 400g: R69.99 

The new limited-edition chocolate and caramel Bar One-flavoured rusk was a miss for rusk-loving tasters.

Reviewers found it too dense, lacking in the characteristics of the rich Bar One flavour. Tasters also said that it was not particularly enjoyable when dunked in coffee. Its texture and taste were described as confusing and underwhelming. 

“The rusk is a victim of the Chuckles effect, where the spin-off product is not as good as the original, but the quality of the original builds up your hopes for the spin-off.”

Another reviewer said, “It had a classic texture but more like a hearty chocolate chip biscuit from a tin of Royal Dansk.”

“It has a good crunch, but probably not for coffee dippers with dental sensitivities.”  

Bakers Gingernut Rusk 7/10

Price for 450g: R54.99 

The Gingernut rusk received praise for its comforting ginger flavour.

“I fear that I may have a new addiction,” said one taster. “I’m a big fan of this concept because I love anything with ginger flavours. I could eat these with or without tea. There’s a good balance of spice and sweetness, which goes extremely well with rooibos.” 

Another, however, was not a fan and found the ginger’s punch too strong. “If you’re a fan of ginger, you’ll love it, but it’s too potent for me.” 

One tester added that the rusk would probably only pair well with tea, not coffee.

Woolworths Chai Rusk 8/10

Price for 450g: R69.99 

Woolworths’ chai-flavoured rusk was a star-rated teatime treat praised for its dunkability and delicate infusion of warm, spicy chai flavours. 

It evoked nostalgia and was considered a delicious nibble that paired perfectly with tea.

“A mouthful of this rusk immediately evoked fond childhood memories of eating my gran’s treasured soetkoekies,” a reviewer said. 

However, some noted that it could get messy due to the crumbs. 

“The rusk had a pleasant warmth and balance; they didn’t skimp on the chai flavouring. Each bite, however, resulted in a shower of chai-infused crumbs, making it a rather messy eating experience.” 

Woolworths Chai Rusks.

Bakers Romany Cream Rusk 8/10

Price for 450g: R54.99 

Bakers Romany Cream-flavoured rusk received high scores for its rich chocolate flavour and creamy post-dunk texture. 

“This is the king of rusks. It is not sweet, and they were not skimpy with the cocoa. The dark chocolaty taste perfectly complements the coffee, and the texture is just right.”

One reviewer said that there was some room for improvement. They said a little more coconut in the rusk would better match the original Romany Cream biscuit. 

“It serves its purpose as a chocolatey rusk. I wish the coconut came through a bit more.”

Woolworths Blueberry Rusks 7/10

Price for 500g: R54.99 

The blueberry rusk from Woolworths received mixed reviews from tasters. Some enjoyed the subtle hint and bits of dried blueberry and its creamy texture after the great dunk. 

“This is a nice little dumpy rusk with a yummy blueberry aroma. It soaks up just the right amount of coffee to make it moist like a Woolies muffin. It would go great with tea, too.” 

Others, however, said that the blueberry flavour tasted artificial and was underwhelming for them. 

“It tasted like a standard rusk with a hint of artificial blueberry essence. Its dunkability is its saving grace.” 

Woolworths blueberry rusks. (Supplied/Woolworths)

Did we miss any new rusks you think we should try? Let us know in the comments. 

News24 Food paid for all the items in this review. You can read our full editorial policy here.