Matcha, texture, and spice: top bakery trends for summer 2025

Summer is the time when bakes go al fresco, ready to be enjoyed at picnics in the park and barbies in the back yard – with sunshine hopefully completing the recipe.

So, what are shoppers going to be stashing in their baskets this summer? Chances are it’ll be green thanks to pleasing hues from matcha and pistachio, have a pleasing texture, or even a little bit spicy.

Turn up the ‘swice’

It’s going to be one long, hot summer – in bakery at least.

“Bold flavours continue to dominate bakery trends, with spices, tropical notes and sour profiles leading the way,” explains Helen Bowyer, commercial director – foodservice at The Compleat Food Group. “Swavoury – a blend of sweet and savoury – remains popular, but the new kid on the block is swicy. This sweet-and-spicy fusion is quickly gaining momentum as consumers seek out unexpected flavour combinations, like hot honey or chilli chocolate.”

Bowyer believes that sweet heat is perfect for giving familiar formats a fresh twist – and that bakers are “already experimenting with creations like hot honey drizzle cakes.”

Big brands are already delivering with the trending flavour combo. Earlier in June McVitie’s expanded its core Jaffa Cakes range with a new Hot Honey variant designed to attract younger consumers.

Elsewhere, Higgidy is also embracing swice with its new-for-summer sweet and savoury Cypriot Halloumi & Hot Honey Rolls featuring mascarpone cheese with honey and red chilli sauce, topped with Aleppo chilli.

Hot Honey is a mainstay at upmarket chain Pizza Pilgrims, while artisan baker Common Breads in London’s Belgravia has been harnessing the hot, sweet stuff to elevate its Lebanese courgette and halloumi manouche flatbreads.

Another way food-to-go operators are buying into ‘swice’ is through drinks. Gail’s new summer menu, for example, includes Strawberry & Darjeeling Iced Tea with Sichuan Pepper to balance sweet and spice and add sophistication.

Perfecting pistachios

Is Dubai Chocolate the final boss of the pistachio trend?

Increased interest in popular Middle Eastern desserts like baklava in recent years has put the ingredient firmly on shoppers’ radars. And now the massive viral popularity of Dubai Chocolate, which has driven a global shortage of pistachio kernels, has sent their popularity stratospheric.

“Flavours like pistachio have been hugely popular this year, driven by the Dubai chocolate craze on social media and the growing availability of pistachio creams in supermarkets,” says Elliot Cantrell, head of NPD at BakeAway. “As with many viral food trends, these flavours are crossing into new categories – and indulgent cookies are one of the most exciting with consumers looking to recreate their own at home. Much like cookies, pastry and pancakes, soft texture and subtle sweetness make it the perfect blank canvas for trending flavours.”

It’s definitely a key part of Gail’s summer menu – with the Pistachio & Raspberry Bun, featuring pistachio frangipane and fresh raspberries, taking centre stage in 2025. Meanwhile, Sainsbury’s summer offer includes a Passionfruit, Raspberry & Pistachio Pavlova while Tesco has rolled out Pistachio & Raspberry Tarts as part of its seasonal range.

Jill Downs, innovation director at Finsbury Food Group, recommends rose or white chocolate as an enhancing accompaniment.

“Raspberry, strawberry, and pistachio are emerging as seasonal front-runners this summer, with pistachio particularly gaining traction when paired with rose or white chocolate,” she says. “These flavour combinations offer both familiarity and a touch of sophistication, making them versatile across both retail and artisan bakery ranges.”

Texture is tantamount

There’s a reason every social media ‘bakefluencer’ worth their salt gives finished bakes an onscreen knife scrape before they slice them. This basic bakery ASMR showcases the sensuous textures that some shoppers value as much as taste.

“TikTok is, without a doubt, a continued driver of the trends that influence the category,” says Samantha Winsor, Lantmännen Unibake UK’s marketing manager.

“Eating is now a multi-sensory experience, and social media has caused a surge in demand for ‘hyper-crunch’, where flavour is no longer enough on its own. Texture counts, with 72% of consumers seeking out foods with diverse textures [Taste Tomorrow, Puratos, From Chewy to Gooey, August 2024] and creators are layering their content with ASMR value by showcasing the sound of the crunch when eating to indicate the item’s texture.”

Winsor explains this trend can be translated to products by combining contrasting textures.

“Danish pastries are a prime example of this trend in action, combining a smooth base with chunky fruit fillings, crisp and flaky pastry,” she adds. “Further enhanced with crunchy toppings such as toasted almonds, biscuit crumb or even meringue pieces [they] deliver satisfaction not just in taste but also in texture and mouthfeel.”

As in the rest of the year, social media trends will have a huge impact on bakery choices this summer. Dawn’s Global Trends research suggests 60% of consumers says social media influences them to buy bakery items.

Artisan bakers have long capitalised on Instagram impact: think Fortitude Bakehouse’s super-sized beignets or Pophams Bakery’s maple-bacon croissants.

But how can more mainstream bakers get in on the act?

Jacqui Passmore, marketing lead West EU & AMEAP at Dawn Foods, recommends adding excitement with limited edition ranges.

“Our advice to customers is not to offer just one summer themed product for example but several limited-edition bakes over the summer sales window,” she says. “While this may seem daunting, the use of ready-to-use frostings, icings, coatings, compounds or flavours and some creative recipes can help bakers to ‘upsell’ a basic cupcake, for example, into a summer-themed bake filled with pick-me-up-appeal.

“Don’t be afraid to try new ideas and work with your bakery ingredients supplier on new recipes and ideas that tap into current trends,” she adds.

Matcha hits both taste and health cues

Charli XCX isn’t the only reason the colour green seemed to be everywhere last year.

Whether in an iced latte or dessert, it’s a functional ingredient that taps into shoppers’ desire for both flavour and health. And it’s growing in popularity.

“Japanese-inspired ingredients are particularly on the rise, driven by a growing appetite for adventurous and globally influenced flavours,” says Compleat’s Bowyer. “One standout is matcha, known for its earthy, slightly bitter profile and its ‘better-for-you’ perception. It’s appearing in infused sponge cakes, alongside other tea-based flavours like Earl Grey and Jasmine.”

Bowyer also tips Sakura (aka Japanese cherry blossom) as an on-trend choice mixing floral notes with a hint of bitterness. Compleat Food Group recently developed a choux pastry using it for YO! – The Cherry Blossom & Raspberry Cream Puff.

In Sussex, independent bakers Flour Pot Bakery has also stepped up to meet the trend with OMGTea Matcha & White Chocolate cookies matching smooth matcha with creamy white chocolate spiked with a sprinkle of sea salt.

‘Picky tea’ translates to perfect picnics

Whether you call it British tapas or picky tea, unstructured eating is a huge summer opportunity, accounting for 29% of all premium savoury snacking [Circana 52we 25/01/25].

With cash-strapped shoppers less likely to be eating out the al fresco focus is likely to be on everyday “elevated experiences,” as Winsor explains.

“This summer, savoury bakery is getting a gourmet upgrade,” she says. “As consumers seek elevated experiences from everyday occasions like picnics, barbecues, and food-to-go missions, we’re seeing a shift toward speciality breads that deliver both flavour and functionality.”

St Pierre, for example, has expanded its range of brioche buns with a spicy chilli variant while Sainsbury’s has added Everything Seasoning Brioche Buns to its range for summer. Tesco, meanwhile, has leaned into on-trend flatbreads and rolls with a Mozarella & Hot Honey Focaccia and Halkidiki Olive Focaccia Paninis. 

Ultimately, the opportunity lies in helping consumers “upgrade their picnic” with bakery items that feel indulgent, fresh, and thoughtfully crafted – whether they’re grabbing lunch on the go or laying out a blanket in the park.

Higgidy is leaning into the opportunity with its new to-go range featuring upgraded favourites like Great British Dinky Sausage Rolls, Hoisin Pulled Mushroom & Spring Onion Rolls. Waitrose is also joining the picnic with its new Feta & Honey Rolls, Sweet Potato Empanadas and ‘Nduja & Red Pepper Frittata, bringing world flavours to the picnic table.

Smaller formats and share appeal are key. “Bite-sized bakes, traybakes, and multi-packs are really having a moment this summer,” Finsbury’s Downs says. “People want treats that are easy to share, grab on the go, or pop into a picnic basket. These formats are perfect for social get-togethers, celebrations, or even as thoughtful little gifts.”