Exact date Greggs festive bake is back in shops along with fan favourite item finally returning to menus

GREGGS has revealed the exact date it will bring back two of its festive favourite baked goods.

Customers will be able to get hold of the Festive Bake from Thursday, November 7.

The Greggs Xmas staple is made up of a crumb-topped pastry filled with pieces of chicken, sage, onion stuffing, and sweetcure bacon, covered in a creamy sage and cranberry sauce.

The announcement came during the launch of Greggs' first-ever Christmas advert featuring Nigella Lawson.

In a move that’s also expected to delight vegans and veggies across the UK, the Vegan Festive Bake is also set to return after a hiatus from the menu last year. 

The Christmas Lunch Baguette will be returning to the menu alongside the much-loved Festive Bakes.

This is filled with chicken breast and sage and onion stuffing, with a dash of onion gravy, sweetcure bacon, and cheese, finished with a cranberry and onion relish.

The all-new Festive Flatbread will also be launching – a soft and warm flatbread stuffed with sage & onion style chicken mayo, sweetcure bacon and a tangy cranberry and red onion relish.

For customers looking for a Christmassy sweet treat, the brand-new Toffee Fudge Muffin and Chocolate and Hazelnut Flavour Doughnut will be making an appearance.

The toffee flavour muffin contains toffee pieces and is topped with a swirl of toffee flavour frosting. 

The Chocolate and Hazelnut Flavour Doughnut is packed with a chocolate and hazelnut flavour filling, then topped with white chocolate flavour icing and pieces of honeycomb coated in milk chocolate.

Greggs isn't just for savoury or sweet snacks.

The chain is also adding several hot drinks to its menu.

Mint Hot Chocolate and Mint Mocha are making a comeback.

The hot chocolate is a festive twist with delicious mint-flavoured syrup, a cream topping and a sprinkle of chocolate to finish.

The Mint Mocha is made with freshly ground espresso, steamed milk, hot chocolate, and mint-flavoured syrup with sweetener, and it is finished with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.

FIRST CHRISTMAS ADVERT

Greggs unveiled its first-ever Christmas advert last night, and it sees celebrity chef Nigella Lawson try the bakery's festive menu.

Customers have taken to social media to share their views on the 60-second clip.

One person said on X: "Possibly the best advert ever created".

Another said: "Nigella elevates Greggs to ANOTHER level".

"Fabulous! Nobody does Christmas as beautiful as you do, Nigella! You make the festive season feel warm, cozy and special," said a third.

However, a fourth joked: "Somehow, I can't see the goddess queuing for any of that."

The advert is set to an instrumental version of Carol of the Bells - a well-known Christmas carol.

It opens with Nigella returning home to a London townhouse decorated with a traditional Christmas tree decked in Greggs baubles.

In a scene lit by fairy lights, she notes that Christmas is her “favourite time of year” before tucking into a Greggs Festive Bake.

Describing the return of the eagerly anticipated festive favourite, Nigella describes it as a "rapturous riot of flavour" with a "succulent filling".

The advert parodies Nigella's famed use of superlatives, which viewers of her popular cooking shows will be familiar with.

The camera then pans over a table filled with Greggs goodies as Nigella narrates the items being showcased.

She describes "sweet mince pies, aromatic gingerbread lattes and gorgeous Christmas baguettes".

Eagle-eyed viewers will also spot a fan favourite item making an appearance on the festive spread - the Vegan Festive Bake.

The advert confirms that the savoury treat will be returning after customers were left fuming when it was removed from menus last year.

The film ends with Nigella preparing to sip a gingerbread latte while telling viewers: "The Gregg's Christmas menu is back. Bag some joy."

OTHER FESTIVE MENUS

M&S revealed its new Christmas menu last week.

It features double-wrapped pigs in blankets with gravy and a s'mores milkshake.

The festive items, set to hit M&S from November 6, also include a range of sandwiches, snacks and sweat treats.

The pigs in blankets, which come with a side of gravy for dipping, will set customers back a modest £2.50.

The s'mores milkshake, which is flavoured with "toasted marshmallow syrup" for a taste of the fireside, comes at a steeper £4.

The indulgent drink comes with whipped cream, biscuit crumbs, chocolate sauce and marshmallows - much like the £4.10 s'mores hot chocolate.

Meanwhile, a favourite from last year's menu is set to return, the £7.50 Turkey and Ham Hock Toastie, which also comes in a gluten free version.

The festive sarnie, which was a hit on social media, is getting an indulgent upgrade - with extra turkey and a cheesy bechamel sauce.

A brand-new cheeseboard toastie has been added to the mix for £6.50, with Barbers cheddar, Emmental, and Red Leicester, as well as a Christmas port and onion chutney and three cheese bechamel.

If sarnies aren't your thing, you can also try the new Chicken Schnitzel with Roasties - served with cranberry sauce and mayonnaise for £9.95.

Starbucks also revealed its new Christmas menu last week.

The chain has brought back fan favourites alongside new sweet treats.

Returning to the menu is the toffee nut latte, which starts from £4.35 for a tall size.

It's made with toffee nut flavour syrup and steamed milk, and is finished with whipped cream and toffee nut flavour sprinkles.

The caramel waffle latte and gingerbread latte has also made a comeback and is priced at £4.35.

All of these Christmas favourites are available hot, iced, or as a Frappuccino blended beverage.

Fans of the eggnog latte will be thrilled to learn that the drink has returned, with prices starting at £4.40.

It can be bought either hot or iced.

Hungry shoppers can pair their festive drink with the Polar Bear Cake Pop.

It features a vanilla-flavoured sponge with digestive biscuit crumb, as well as chocolate icing and frosting to create the adorable face of a polar bear.

Meanwhile, rival coffee chain Costa has unveiled nine new items and a returning favourite that it will be adding to its Christmas menu.