Move over M&S cookies, it’s time for a new bakery superstar to shine

Marks & Spencer has been on a roll with its new launches of late, from its hot cross buns to the ‘sensational’ filled Easter eggs. (We won’t talk about that Dippy Egg Cookie Cup, though…)

And the retailer isn’t pausing to catch its breath, as it’s just unveiled another addition to its in-store bakery – one that’s been hailed as the next iteration of the Chucked N’ Loaded Cookies.

For those unfamiliar with the cookies, they basically broke the internet when they launched, with shoppers going so wild for them that a whopping 70,000 of them were sold on the first day alone. 

So it’s likely that the Foodhalls will see a similar level of demand today as brand new Dunked N’ Loaded Doughnuts hit the shelves.

M&S describes the doughnuts as ‘ultra-indulgent’ with the ‘deepest, gooiest centre on the high street’.

And they’ve boldly gone as far as to proclaim them the ‘must-try treats of the season’. 

There are four flavours to try, including Strawberry & Matcha, Chocolate, Pistachio, and Lemon, and each is made with an enriched ‘ultra-light’ dough, which is said to give a ‘proper melt-in-the-mouth’ experience. 

Here’s what to expect from each one:

Strawberry & Matcha

This doughnut is filled with Kentish strawberry jam and topped with matcha icing and freeze-dried strawberries.

Chocolate

A chocolate dough, packed with rich dark chocolate crème and finished with chocolate curls.

Hey, foodies! Add us as a Preferred Source

At Metro Food, we’re here to bring you all the latest foodie news, delicious recipes, restaurant reviews, and cooking tips. As a loyal reader and a part of our vibrant community, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories

Click here and tick Metro.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.

Pistachio

The pistachio craze continues with this one, featuring pistachio crème, and topped withcaramelised and roasted pistachios and a zingy lemon glaze.

Lemon

And finally, for the citrus lovers, this one is loaded with tangy M&S lemon curd (the same kind you can buy in the Foodhall), and decorated with freeze-dried raspberry pieces.

Each doughnut is priced at £2, and they’ll be available in over 600 Foodhalls up and down the country. Those who can’t decide which one to try will also be able to pick up a mixed 4-pack in selected stores for £6.

Harry Peak, lead product developer for the in-store bakery at M&S Food, said: ‘At M&S, we’re obsessed with creating the kind of sweet treats people can’t help but talk about, rush out to try, and share all over social media. After seeing the unbelievable reaction to our Chunked N’ Loaded cookies last year, which literally broke the internet, we knew our next launch had to be even bigger.

‘When we looked at what was out there already, we couldn’t see any doughnuts on the high street that paired the ultra‑light, melt‑in‑the‑mouth dough that customers love with the kind of bold, modern flavours people get excited about – so we set out to change that with Dunked N’ Loaded.

‘We’ve taken everything shoppers adore about the American‑style bakery trend dominating TikTok and Instagram and pushed it further: a lighter dough, deeper fillings, and bolder flavours and toppings to ensure every bite is a moment of indulgence.’

What did Metro’s specialist food writer think of the new doughnuts?

I’ve always had mixed feelings about doughnuts. They look wonderful, but more often than not, they just don’t hit the spot for me.

However, this new range from M&S proved to be a real game-changer.

I gave all four of the new sweet treats a try and was pretty impressed… the cookies might need to move over, as there’s a new star in the bakery section.

The pistachio doughnut was the standout by far, having the most filling – it’s absolutely stuffed with rich, glossy pistachio crème.

The dough is soft and light, just as M&S promised it would be, and the roasted nuts on top offer a wonderful contrast, bringing some crunch into the mix.

I didn’t pick up on any lemon notes in the icing, but honestly, I didn’t feel it was lacking anything, so I wasn’t too bothered about this.

Overall, this was decadent, doughy, and I’d happily take a dozen. I’m calling it now, this is the one everyone will be racing to get their hands on.

As for the rest, the chocolate doughnut came a close runner-up, with a thick, almost custardy chocolate filling. The only reason it didn’t manage top marks is that it got sickly rather quickly, as it’s basically chocolate, with chocolate, and more chocolate.

The lemon curd option looks the most visually striking and proved a refreshing contrast to the others in terms of flavour, mixing zingy curd with a sugary sweet icing and sharp freeze-dried raspberries.

It certainly packs a punch, but it wasn’t my favourite of the bunch. It did just manage to edge out the strawberry & matcha one, though, which I’ve ranked in last place as it wasn’t anywhere near as exciting as the others.

I couldn’t taste the matcha at all; it was essentially just an iced jam doughnut.

That said, the jam was clearly of a very high quality, so that’s its saving grace.

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.