Baking in a winter wonderland: top trends for Christmas 2025

As the trees shed their autumnal cloaks, and the blushing red hues of holly berries emerge, thoughts turn to the festive culinary delights that lay ahead this Christmas season.

This is undoubtedly helped by the onslaught of new products unveiled as the NPD elves at bakeries have been going full throttle preparing the latest festive offerings – both sweet and savoury.

This work remains as important as ever to help meet demand for limited-edition or seasonal products, especially from younger shoppers. A Mintel report from July 2025 stated that 58% of UK sweet bakery shoppers found the new items appealing, a figure that rose to 79% when surveying 25 to 34-year-olds.

“For bakers, this creates a clear opportunity to refresh festive favourites with a twist, experiment with flavour profiles or introduce eye-catching new colourways to capture their customers attention,” comments Miriam Bernhart, head of global strategic marketing at CSM Ingredients.

So, what bakery trends have been harnessed to drive Santa’s sleigh of innovation this year? 

A winter tan

You may associate Christmas with colours of white, red, green, and gold, but perhaps not brown.

However, Dan Jones, marketing manager at British Bakels, contends that it is ‘brown flavours’ such as caramel and coffee that remain top sellers and are appearing in a range of formats from cakes to pastries.

As such, retailers continue to lean on caramel to supply some added indulgence for their sweet bakery treats. Both Waitrose’ Sticky Toffee Yule Lodge and Tesco’s Salted Banoffee Cascading Star are sold with a caramel sauce to pour on top, for instance.

Sainsbury’s is also singing to the caramel choir with its Carol-Mel Mince Pies featuring a layer of spiced caramel sauce, and Caramel Custard & Mince Pie Tarts topped with muscovado caramel custard and crumbly flapjack.

Finsbury Food Group innovation manager Ross Lowrey-Heywood says he’s seen “a lot of North American flavours coming through”, with maple and pecan pairing with classic Christmas flavours such as gingerbread, cinnamon, and spiced orange. Co-op’s executive innovation chef Dai Llewellyn struck upon the match of gingerbread & maple as the company’s hero flavour of the 2025 Christmas season, implementing it in mince pies, sponge puddings, and a celebration cake.

The sweetness of maple can also be combined with salty flavours – such as in Tesco’s Maple Bacon Sausage Roll Wreath.

Buon Natale!

Italian bakery and desserts are a key theme throughout the Christmas 2025 ranges announced by the big retailers, notes Jacqui Passmore, marketing lead West EU & AMEAP at Dawn Foods.

She points to the sweet lines at Waitrose that “reflect the indulgence, romance and handcrafting of Italian bakery” with offerings such as Cranberry & Orange Florentines, Tiramisu Torte and made in Italy Sicilian Orange Nocciolato Panettone.

“The desire for experimentation and experience-led eating is driving some real innovation in the marketplace,” she adds.

Elsewhere, Morrisons has created a Limoncello Panettone under it’s The Best Signature Collection range, which is infused with limoncello syrup and studded with candied citron peel. And Asda has gone for crystalised ginger and chocolate sauce inside its new panettone, topped with dark chocolate and dark & white chocolate sprinkles.

Cannoli, tiramisu, and amaretti are also to feature heavily this Christmas, according to Passmore. Aldi, for example, has unveiled a Pistachio Tiramisu that gets extra festive with a finishing of gold glitter.

“It is clear that while there is still a place for traditional British bakes at Christmas, the desire for experimentation and experience-led eating is driving some real innovation in the marketplace with the premium bakes and desserts for which Italy is famous, a key selling proposition,” says Passmore.

Lowrey-Heywood at Finsbury makes the prediction that “indulgent hybrid formats are going to be huge”, suggesting the likes of panettone inspired Victoria sponge, mince pie brownies, or even ‘pain au mince pies’. “Here we will see both playfulness and premiumisation coming through,” he adds.

Feast your mince pies on this

The mince pie remains a popular format that consistently offers opportunities to incorporate new flavours and textures.

Asda joins Sainsbury’s and Co-op in jumping aboard the caramel trend train, creating new Florentine Topped Caramel Mince Pies on its Exceptional range.

More twists on the classic recipe come from Henley Bridge development chef Izzy Cohen, who points to “mincemeat with orange and choc chips; apple and cinnamon; and gingerbread pastry with crystallised ginger pieces mixed in with the mincemeat” as potential upgrades.

Alcohol is still a key ingredient for mince pies, with Lowrey-Heywood at Finsbury noting how he’s seeing “mincemeat soaked in rum rather than traditional brandy to appeal to a wider and younger audience, or even sloe gin mince pies with a spiced orange crust to create an extra special festive snacking moment”.

Therefore, Tesco has appealed to all demographics in its launch of Rum & Raisin Mince Pies and Brandy Butter Mince Pies, which is finished with a swirl of sweet brandy buttercream.

Meanwhile, Asda has heralded a ‘chilling twist’ in its festive offering this year – Whipped Cream Mince Pies are made from puff pastry filled with mincemeat and a layer of lightly aerated British cream. Then there’s Aldi’s new The Ultimate Mini Mince Pie Selection, which is a nine-pack spanning three flavours of Pistachio & Whisky; Frangipane; and Chocolate & Hazelnut.

“For those who thought that we had reached the limits of mince pie innovation, Waitrose’s golden limoncello and brandy buttercream mince pies are an inspired new take on a traditional British festive favourite,” comments Dawn’s Passmore. The former are filled with mincemeat made with golden raisins, golden cherries and apricots, finished with a generous splash of zesty limoncello; while the latter has Amarena cherry mincemeat with a splash of Cognac plus brandy buttercream on top.

May your bakes be merry and bright

Do you consider yourself a ’90s kid? Then you’ll likely receive a nostalgic buzz from the 2025 trend in ‘kitchmas’, which sees products topped with sprinkles of vibrant hues like green, pink, and blue – as was all the rage three decades ago.

Asda has dialled up some of its desserts to tap into this colourful trend. These include the Candy Cane Yule Log, Candy Cane Cake Cubes, and Wreath Cake, which are all scattered with pink and white sugar decorations.

“This nod to nostalgia will also be seen with Christmas cakes, mince pies, celebration cakes and festive cupcakes making the most of the ‘Cutesy’ toppings trend,” asserts Bernhart at CSM Ingredients, who thinks penguins will be the biggest animal character in bakery (and not just in chocolate biscuits).

To achieve that ‘wow factor’, Rainbow Dust UK sales manager Kyle Rodgers recommends tools and ingredients that add drama and shine. This could be achieved quite simply through use of sparkle dust on mince pies but could require much greater skill and time such as crafting flamboyant flowers or holly sprays to sit atop Christmas puddings. These visual enhancements “allow bakers to deliver desserts that are not only delicious but also unforgettable in presentation”, adds Rodgers.

We wish you a berry Christmas

“The use of sour berry notes, such as cranberries and cherries, is the perfect way to offset Christmas’ rich and indulgent flavours,” says Finsbury’s Lowrey-Heywood.

Morrisons agrees, unveiling a Black Forest Profiterlog, a Winter Berry Topped Baked Cheesecake, and a Butternut Squash, Chestnut & Cranberry Wreath among its new for 2025 Christmas lines.

Asda has also delved into Black Forest territory with a yule log containing Morello cherry and fresh cream rolled with chocolate sponge, finished with chocolate fudge, dark chocolate shavings, and red lustre.

Meanwhile, raspberries and their popular pairing partner, pistachio, appear in Aldi’s new yule log which also features Belgian white chocolate.

Then there’s the No.1 Pistachio & Cherry Stollen Wreath at Waitrose, which is packed with cranberries, glacé and sour cherries, and dipped in cherry brandy. Pistachio marzipan hides inside – something a bit different to the usual pastes and creams made with the verdant nut.

Berries even make it into sourdough this year. Co-op crams cranberries (along with French brie) in its new sourdough bloomer, crafted over 39 hours using a 15-year-old starter dough.

On the go ho ho

The Christmas sandwich is now its own seasonal event, with innovation being essential to stand out, highlights Finsbury’s Lowrey-Heywood. “We’ve seen movement beyond the traditional turkey-cranberry model into formats like stuffing melts, festive wraps, and even Christmas toasties featuring luxurious condiments like truffle mayo,” he says.

Co-op has put truffle mayo in its Beef Wellington Inspired Sandwich, along with British topside roast beef, braised red cabbage, sage & onion mayo, stuffing, mushroom duxelles, and baby leaf spinach inside malted bread.

The bread carriers used for sandwiches are leaning into luxury too, with brioche rolls and sourdough elevating the traditional turkey sandwich. “This lends itself well as people are happy to treat themselves during the festive period, gearing them up for Christmas and brightening up bleak mid-winter days,” adds Lowrey-Heywood.

Waitrose has added to this year’s Turkey Curry buffet (Bridget Jones’ mum would approve) with its new festive sandwich comprising turkey in a lightly spiced curry sauce layered with crumbled onion and cranberry bhajis.

On the wraps side, Co-op has scored another UK market first with its Turkey Double Dip ‘n’ Dunk Wrap that comes with little pots of both sage & onion gravy and rosemary, thyme & garlic crumb.

There’s a single gravy dip with the new Yorkshire Pudding Wrap from Aldi, which is filled with British turkey, pork sausage and bacon, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.

Season’s free-froms

The rise in flexitarians and lifestyle-led dietary choices have supported more inclusive Christmas ranges that appeal to a broader audience of consumers. Although the expectation now is that they taste just as good as their standard counterparts.

Demand is growing for plant-based festive sandwiches that are a bit more special, finds Henley Bridge’s Cohen. “Falafel with chestnuts and spiced cranberry in a wrap will work well,” she says.

Meanwhile Lowrey-Heywood at Finsbury thinks the subcategory provide endless opportunities, noting how shoppers are “no longer limited to the nut-roast related products of yore”.

An example is Co-op’s new Festive Onion Bhaji Sandwich, which includes sage & onion bhaji combined with Christmas spiced slaw, cranberry chutney, apricot & mango chutney, and spinach on oatmeal bread. The retailer also has vegan-friendly bao buns under its Irresistible range that each contain a crispy vegetable fritter served with a sweet soy sauce to dunk into.

Plant-based spans bakery mains as well, like Aldi’s No-Beef Wellington that goes in heavy on the mushroom duxelles, or its Rainbow Vegetable Parcels with seasoned layers of broccoli, spinach, roasted butternut squash, and braised red cabbage. Morrisons own brand Plant Revolution has a Wellington made with chestnut and oyster mushrooms, caramelised onion, and pine nuts.

Then there’s Tesco’s No-Beef Bourguignon Pies – puff pastry filled with vegan beef-style strips, baby pearl onions, carrots, and chestnut mushrooms in a red wine & cognac sauce, topped with a puff pastry holly leaf and green sprinkle.

Considerations made for gluten free consumers include the Free From Festive Chicken & Trimmings Sandwich from Tesco that offers a full Christmas dinner in a gluten-free seeded bread. M&S has launched Butternut Squash & Barber’s Cheddar Tarts under its Made Without Wheat collection, while Waitrose continues its keen eye on Free From bakery in crafting a gluten-free sweet treat trio including Cranberry & Orange Blondies, Salted Caramel Hazelnut Brownies, and Cranberry & Sicilian Orange Shortbread.

Venturing out

The ongoing cost-of-living crisis and inflationary pressures has consumers still concerned about their finances and more mindful about where they spend. Despite eating out being in decline by 3% [BBC report from August 2025], visits to coffee shops are up 4%.

“This year’s festive season is set to reflect that balance with shoppers seeking classic Christmas bakes alongside exciting new products/eating occasions and decoration that offer value, comfort, and a sense of seasonal indulgent celebration at the same time,” comments Bernhart at CSM Ingredients.

She also suggests bakers can make the most of on-the-go customers via ‘hole in the wall’ style takeaway outlets that are open throughout the day serving indulgent mince pies, festive flavoured and topped doughnuts, Christmas cupcakes or savoury snacks.

Grab-and-go options need to deliver big festive flavours in convenient formats, reckons Finsbury’s Lowrey-Heywood, who expects to see more breakfast-focused lines like spiced buns or gingerbread muffins and hand-held indulgent bakes like mini tiffin and artisanal brownie bites in seasonal flavours.

“Out-of-home operators are leaning into coffee-shop culture with more premium bakery treats that pair well with festive drinks,” he says, adding that sweet pastries, filled doughnuts and branded collaborations with well-known seasonal flavours are on the rise.

From pastry-wrapped and berry-laced options, and twists on Italian and British classics, to vibrantly decorated and free-from delights, baked goods are set to fly off the shelves like reindeer this Christmas.