I got a first try of the new M&S hot cross bun flavours — one will be a hit

Easter might still be a few months away, but Marks & Spencer is well and truly swinging into the season with its latest launches.

M&S, which was recently named the UK’s favourite supermarket, is launching some brand new items in its baked goods section this week – new hot cross buns.

As shoppers will know, the retailer’s hot cross buns are iconic, with the OG ones first launching in 1975.

More than 50 years on, the hot cross range has grown with weird and wonderful flavours being introduced, everything from chocolate to cheese, and now two more are joining the line-up.

What are the new hot cross bun flavours at M&S? 

M&S has two brand new hot cross buns launching on February 18: Red Velvet and Apple & Brown Sugar (gluten-free).

The Red Velvet feature a vivid red dough enriched with cocoa powder, with Belgian dark chocolate chips and a smooth white chocolate filling.

They’ll cost £3 for a packet of four, and M&S recommends eating them ‘straight from the pack like a doughnut’.

Meanwhile, the Apple & Brown Sugar ones are part of the supermarket’s Made Without Wheat range, and are gluten-free, priced at £2.80 for four.

The product description reads: ‘Packed full of juicy fruit, soaked in orange juice, candied apple, and a unique spice blend.’

M&S reckons they’re a ‘seasonal sensation’, but how do they actually taste? Metro got an exclusive first try of the new items ahead of the launch.

What did Metro’s specialist food writer think of the new M&S hot cross buns?

I have to start by saying that it’s great to see M&S continuing to add to its gluten-free range, with this latest addition following hot on the heels of the new gluten-free Colin the Caterpillar cake.

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While many supermarkets offer a ‘free from’ bun, there aren’t always different flavour variations available, so this is progress.

The Made Without Apple & Brown Sugar buns smell absolutely incredible, and from a strictly visual perspective, they look identical to their gluten counterparts.

It’s only when you cut into them that you can see subtle differences in terms of texture – they’re a little denser than your standard enriched dough.

In terms of taste, the differences in the dough are much less obvious when the bun is toasted and smothered in butter – eaten this way, it’s absolutely delicious, and you’ll get no complaints from me.

What I also really liked about these buns was that there were generous chunks of fruit dotted inside, with just the right level of spice so as not to be overpowering, plus some sweetness from the slightly sugary apple.

And what of the new filled bun?

Last year, I couldn’t get enough of the Dippy Egg hot cross buns, which were a cocoa bun with a gooey yellow and white chocolate filling. As such, I had very high hopes for Red Velvet ones, hoping they’d fill the hole left behind.

The bun itself is remarkably similar with a rich, chocolatey flavour, but the filling isn’t quite the same as its predecessor. The Dippy Eggs had an almost custard-like quality about them, which I hailed as ‘phenomenal’, whereas this is creamier, almost the consistency of a thin icing.

There’s not a huge amount of filling, which ends up being a blessing in diguise. It’s incredibly sweet, so a little goes a long way.

The dark chocolate chips cut through with some much-needed bitterness, but this is still chocolate, with chocolate, and some more chocolate. If you can eat more than one of these in one sitting, I’d be impressed.

This bun doesn’t quite live up to the Dippy Egg one for me, but I can imagine those with a huge sweet tooth will go absolutely nuts over it when it hits the shelves.

What other hot cross bun flavours do M&S have

There are a total of 11 different hot cross buns being sold at Marks & Spencer, with some fan-favourites returning.

In addition to the two new flavours, the Extremely Lemony Curd Filled Hot Cross Buns are back, with candied Sicilian lemon peel, and a zingly lemon curd filling made with Sicilian lemon juice and oil.

These were a huge hit in 2025, being hailed as ‘unreal’ and an absolute ‘game-changer’ by shoppers.

Heat to Eat Cinn-A-Yum Buns are also available again, which are ‘soft and sweet cinnamon buns, enriched with butter and finished with a drizzle of white icing and cinnamon sugar’.

There are also classic Luxury Fruited Hot Cross Buns (regular and mini size), Collection Two Fruited Hot Cross Buns, Granny Smith Apple Buns, Extremely Cheesy Buns, Extremely Chocolatey Buns, Millionaire’s Mini Hot Cross Buns, and the regular Made Without Buns.

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