I went to the M&S Christmas showcase — one item blew me away

I got an early preview of what’s coming to M&S this Christmas (Picture: Courtney Pochin) Metro journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more It might only be September, but in the food industry, Christmas is already here. Supermarkets have been hosting their festive press previews over the last few weeks, revealing what treats and temptations they’ve cooked up for the holiday season. And last night was, in my opinion, the holy grail of these events: The M&S Christmas Showcase. As Metro’s specialist food writer, I snagged an invite and can confirm there are some pretty fabulous things hitting the shelves very soon. I also managed to chat with everyone’s favourite M&S employee, Kathryn Turner, director of food product development, to uncover her top recommendations. Here’s a closer look at some of the best items I tried on the night, including one that really blew me away… Festive bakery treats I was a big fan of the new Chunked N’ Loaded Malt Cookies (Picture: Courtney Pochin) Brits regularly lose their minds over new M&S bakery cookie flavours, and if you’re someone who can’t get enough, you’ll want to prepare yourself, as three new ones will be joining the line-up soon, including two new Chunked N’ Loaded Cookies (priced at £2 each). First, there’s an autumnal Chunked N’ Loaded Sticky Apple Cookie, studded with candied apple pieces, which will land in shops from October 7. Then, on November 4, a Milk Chocolate, Malt & Caramel cookie will arrive. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Those who prefer the bags of cookies will also be able to get their hands on new Chocolate Cornflake Cookies, which will cost £3.25 for five. I tried the latter two at the event, and the Malt one was the winner for me. It’s like a classic chocolate cookie on steroids, with a sweet and salty flavour, a lovely crunch and a glorious drizzle of milk chocolate on top. My tip is to let the chocolate get a little melty, as it makes the whole experience even more decadent. Lasagne Cups The Lasagne Cups are a festive party treat (Picture: Ocado/M&S) Aside from the roast dinner, one of my favourite elements of Christmas is the party food, and M&S has smashed it with new Lasagne Cups (£7.50). They come in a box of 10, and literally as the name says, it’s a tiny little individual lasagne pastry, and it’s so fun. The cups feature a crisp wheat pastry shell, filled with minced beef ragu that’s been slow-cooked with Chianti red wine and a béchamel sauce made with extra mature cheddar and Parmesan. This is topped with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan, for a nutty, golden finish. The result is a rich, savoury, creamy and flavourful mouthful that’ll have you reaching for another one. S’Mores Iced Cream Cake Frozen desserts are getting a makeover at M&S (Picture: Courtney Pochin) The frozen section gets a bit of a bad rap, but M&S is looking to change that, giving its frozen desserts a major makeover for Christmas 2026. The new range (launching mid-October) is a far cry from a humble Vienetta, with new Iced Cream Cakes in flavours such as Triple Chocolate S’mores and Tiramisu. I tried the S’mores one (£14), which isn’t actually ice cream, but is made with chocolate cake, a Belgian chocolate semifreddo that’s packed full of cream, and finished with a torched marshmallow topping. It’s the ideal dessert for chocolate lovers, and I was surprised how fresh and fluffy it seemed, despite having been frozen. The marshmallow, in particular, was impressively soft. Clemencello This drink blew me away (Picture: Courtney Pochin) This might be controversial, but I’ve never really liked limoncello. It’s a bit too boozy and sharp for my tastes. Clemoncello, however, is a whole other story. This drink blew me away. This zesty new sidekick to the traditional after-dinner digestif will set you back £13 a bottle, and I can see it flying off the shelves. It still packs a boozy punch like limoncello, but the citrusy flavour is softer, so it goes down a little easier when drunk on its own as a liqueur. At the event, bartenders added Triple Sec and Crémant to Clemoncello to create a serious sparkling cocktail, but those who’d prefer a more classic spritz could simply mix it with Crémant and soda water instead. Merry Pizza Pie It’s a twist on the Boxing Day leftover sandwich (Picture: Courtney Pochin) A new Detroit-style pizza will be hitting the chilled aisles on November 11 (£7.50), with festive toppings, including sage & onion pork stuffing, chicken, cranberry sauce, smoked bacon, and plenty of cheese. This isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s a nice twist on the traditional Christmas leftover sarnie you’d have on Boxing Day. The best part? You don’t have to wait to have leftovers, as this can be enjoyed before December 26. In my notes, I wrote that it was cheesy, with a nice cranberry tang, a smokiness from the meat that doesn’t overpower, and a very fluffy base. Decaf Espresso Martini A coffee cocktail without caffeine (Picture: Courtney Pochin) Rumour has it, this is the first decaf pre-made espresso martini can to hit supermarket shelves in the UK, which proved quite a big deal at the event. If you love the cocktail but don’t want the caffeine buzz, this is the drink for you. I’m not the biggest coffee fan, but I absolutely loved The Marksologist Decaf Espresso Martini Cocktail (£3.50), and would never have known it came from a tinnie if I hadn’t watched it be poured into a glass. It feels fancier than it is, if you pour it into a glass (Picture: Courtney Pochin) The drink is lusciously smooth, with a rich and sweet taste that’s balanced out nicely by just the right amount of bitterness from the coffee. It feels a lot fancier than it actually is, definitely one to sip slowly, to really savour and enjoy. Kathryn Turner's top picks... Kathryn Turner has been at M&S since the 1990s, working her way up over the last three decades to become the director of product development at M&S Food. In the last few months, she’s started sharing her expertise on social media, becoming an online sensation and racking up more than 200,000 followers on TikTok, where she shares product news and recommendations. You can bet she’ll be sharing her thoughts on the new festive items soon, but before her video drops, Metro asked her which products were her favourites. ‘It’s like trying to choose a favourite child,’ she joked. But, reader, she did choose. Here’s what she picked: M&S Collection 85% Dark Chocolate Coated Dates (£12.50). Kathryn says she’s trying to get more dates in the Foodhall, so expect to see lots more soon The Marksologist Decaf Espresso Martini Malt products – Malt is one of the hero dessert flavours at M&S this year. As well as the new Malt Balls box (£8), there’s the malt cookie, Malt, Caramel & Milk Chocolate Cookie Pies (£3.50 for 4), and a Topped & Loaded Chocolate Malt Cake (£16) M&S Collection Scallop, King Prawn & Lobster Thermidor En Croute Malt is a big dessert trend at M&S this year, with a new Malt Cake (Picture: Courtney Pochin) Other bits to keep an eye out for There were a few exciting items at the showcase that guests weren’t able to try, but they piqued my interest nonetheless. This included a new Big Six biscuit selection box, which is a revival of a retro St Michael product from the 1950s and will definitely give a box of Fox’s a run for its money this year. M&S says it’s also going to be the only UK supermarket selling a gluten-free yule log, which follows the launch of the gluten-free Colin earlier this year. Colin has also had a festive makeover; for Christmas 2026 he’s a skier. Plus, plenty of decadent desserts, including Mini Sticky Toffee Bites, a Snow Much Fun cake with edible chocolate penguins, and Handmade Chocolate Snowmen. And if you aren’t keen on traditional mince pies, there are some sweet alternatives, including Malt, Caramel & Milk Chocolate Cookie Pies, and Chocolate & Cherry Pies. Rodney the Reindeer Pies have also had a makeover too. It isn’t cheap at £100 (Picture: M&S) For those who want a little bit of everything, M&S is also launching an M&S Foodhall advent calendar. A limited number are available now, but it doesn’t come cheap at £100. 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