I tried the McDonald’s Easter menu before launch today and a sweet treat is bound to be a fan favourite

McDONALD'S fans are in for a treat today as its main menu is having a shake up, with three all-new items as well as returning favourites.

The fast-food giant's never-before-seen items include a new pie, McFlurry and latte.

The new and returning items will be landing on menus across the UK and Ireland from March 13.

Those with a sweet tooth will no doubt be itching to give the Galaxy Truffle Bunny McFlurry and the Hot Cross Bun Pie a go.

Not only that but hitting menus for the first time is the Hot Cross Bun Latte.

Meanwhile, the McCrispy Deluxe, the Cadbury Creme Egg McFlurry and Halloumi Fries will all also be making a comeback.

If you want to try these additions then don't hang around because they will only be on menus for around six weeks.

The Sun was invited for an exclusive tasting of the new treats and hot drink before the official launch.

Galaxy Truffle Bunny McFlurry

The Truffle Bunny McFlurry combines soft dairy ice cream swirled with pieces of Galaxy Truffle, bunny ears, and white and dark chocolate drops.

It is then topped with Galaxy chocolate sauce. 

The regular Galaxy Chocolate McFlurry, which has been on menus several times before, never did much for me so I was intrigued to see how the addition of the Galaxy Truffle would compare.

I used to love Galaxy Truffles in the Celebrations tub before they were axed in 2011 so it was a nice throwback too.

It was definitely an upgrade. With so many different chocolate toppings it felt really quite indulgent and the Truffle bits in particular offered a nice rich flavour too.

Combined with the sauce and the toppings, there was a tasty mix of textures in each spoonful and I definitely could have finished the whole thing.

I have no doubt the McFlurry will quickly go down as one of the most popular Maccies desserts.

Foodies will be able to get the treat for £2.19 from today.

Hot Cross Bun Pie

The Hot Cross Bun Pie is also new to menus costing £1.99.

It's made up of a crispy cinnamon pastry casing and is filled with a spiced fruit mix and butter-flavour cream filling.

The flavour descriptions initially reminded me of the Festive Pie which Maccies tends to bring out for its Winter menu, which has a mincemeat and custard filling.

But I was quickly proved wrong when I took my first bite.

The outer casing had an inviting crunch to it, and the cinnamon flavour set it apart from any of the other pies Maccies has offered in recent years.

I was a bit worried I wouldn't enjoy the filling as I'm not the biggest fan of spiced fruit but it was pretty tasty, especially when combined with the butter flavour cream filling which really brought the whole thing together.

The sweet treat had all the best elements of a hot cross bun in a warm little package.

Hot Cross Bun Latte

In what appears to be an industry-first, McDonald's has also come out with a Hot Cross Bun Latte.

When I first read the product description for this beverage I was a bit apprehensive, I couldn't imagine how the Easter snack would translate into coffee-drink form.

It certainly looked appealing, blending a classic latte with a sweet and spiced hot cross bun flavour syrup.

The drink is then topped with a thick cinnamon cream and a hot cross bun flavour dusting.  

Upon the first sip, I was surprised at how well the different components complemented each other - each offering a sweet but not too sweet addition.

The classic flavours worked well with the coffee in the latte too.

I particularly enjoyed the cinnamon cream which was thicker than your average squirty cream topping and was a great addition to both the dusting and the syrup.

Fans can grab the Hot Cross Bun Latte for £2.69 from today.

What else is joining the menu?

For those of you who aren't keen on change though there are three returning menu items too.

The beloved Cadbury Creme Egg McFlurry is back again in time for the chocolate season.

It swirls soft dairy ice cream with pieces of Cadbury Dairy Milk and is topped with a Creme Egg sauce.

The sweet treat will set you back £2.19 for a regular and £1.59 for a mini.

Back for only the second time is the McCrispy Deluxe, which first debuted last summer.

The burger is a posh twist on the popular favourite.

It's comprised of a 100% chicken breast fillet in a crunchy coating with hot and spicy mayo, and topped with cheese and bacon.

The burger will cost £5.89 on its own and £7.79 with a side and a drink.

The shake up will also see the return of the chain's halloumi fries for the third year in a row - you can get a pack of four cheese sticks coated in a light batter, served with a rich tomato dip.

They cost £2.79 for a pack, or £7.39 for a sharebox.

Here is the full list of menu items landing in weeks:

• Hot Cross Bun Pie - £1.99 
• Hot Cross Bun Latte - £2.69 
• Galaxy Truffle Bunny McFlurry  - £2.19 
• Galaxy Truffle Bunny Mini McFlurry - £1.59 
• McCrispy Deluxe - £5.89 
• McCrispy Deluxe Medium Meal - £7.79 
• Halloumi Fries - £2.79 
• Halloumi Fries Sharebox - £7.39
• Cadbury Creme Egg McFlurry - £2.19 
• Cadbury Creme Egg Mini McFlurry - £1.59 

What's been axed from the menu?

But as always, what goes on must come off.

McDonald's regularly shakes up its menu offering to give foodies a chance to try new and returning items.

Among the items that have been cut are the KitKat Ruby Chocolate McFlurry and Raspberry and White Chocolate Pie.

The Big Tasty, the Big Tasty with Bacon, and Mozzarella Dippers have now all been axed as well.

As part of the menu shakeup, fans have had to say goodbye to several items which came onto menus on February 7.

• KitKat Ruby Chocolate McFlurry
• KitKat Ruby Chocolate McFlurry mini
• KitKat Milk Chocolate McFlurry
• KitKat Milk Chocolate McFlurry mini
• Raspberry and White Chocolate Pie
• Big Tasty
• Big Tasty with Bacon
• Mozzarella Dippers with a salsa dip
• Mozzarella Dippers sharebox with salsa dip

Big changes to burgers

Meanwhile, McDonald's is making a huge change to its burgers for the first time in decades.

The fast food giant is shaking up how it cooks and prepares classic items like the cheeseburger, Big Mac and Quarter Pounder with cheese.

The changes will be rolled out to all 1,450 restaurants from next week, after being trialled at several sites across the country.

McDonald's said it is the most "significant menu change" in decades.

Elsewhere, fans are only just realising the chain is bringing back a popular game within days - and it's not Monopoly.

How to save money at McDonald's

You might not think it, but you can end up being charged more solely based on the McDonald's restaurant you choose.

Research by The Sun found a Big Mac meal can be up to 30p cheaper at restaurants just two miles apart from each other.

Meanwhile, you can pick up a Big Mac and fries for just £2.99 by filling in a feedback survey found on any old McDonald's receipt.

The receipt should come with a 12-digit code which you can enter into the Food for Thought website alongside your submitted survey.

You'll then receive a five-digit code which is your voucher for the £2.99 offer.

Make sure you check out all the various apps and platforms if you're ordering McDonald's to your home too.

Our research found some can charge up to £1.20 more than others.

How do I find my nearest McDonald's?

If you're planning on taking a trip to McDonald's, you'll want to know where your nearest branch is.

The chain has a restaurant locator tool on its website you can use to find your nearest one - and check what time it opens.

Bear in mind that McDonald's serves breakfast every day until 11am.

After that, the menu switches to the normal menu serving meals such as burgers, chicken nuggets and more.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money@the-sun.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Facebook group to share your tips and stories.