Sweet traditions get a twist

For fine food independent retailers, the Christmas cakes and desserts fixture offers an opportunity to combine some of the season’s most familiar flavours with premium ingredients, provenance, visual appeal and a sense of discovery. This year, however, the direction of travel appears to be less about endlessly reinventing festive favourites and more about refining them.

That means retailers can look to traditional recipes, high-quality ingredients and recognisable flavours, while still offering shoppers something distinctive enough to feel special. For Leanne Crowther of A Glorious Mess, one of the defining trends is what she describes as ‘modern nostalgia’. “Consumers still want the flavours and desserts that remind them of Christmas, but they are looking for them to feel more exciting, inspirational and special,” she says.

That is creating opportunities for familiar desserts to be presented in new ways. “We’re seeing that in the resurgence of familiar desserts with a twist – from tiramisu and pavlova to trifle and traditional festive flavours presented in more modern formats.”

Experience matters

Visual appeal is becoming increasingly important within festive desserts, particularly as Christmas entertaining encourages shoppers to think about how food will look as well as taste. “I think the dessert has also become much more of an experience,” says Leanne. “Consumers want something that looks fantastic when it arrives at the table and gives them a reason to say, ‘Wow’.”

For retailers, that makes presentation a selling tool. Products that can provide an immediate visual impact can work particularly well in displays designed to inspire shoppers rather than simply list products. This is also relevant to the growing role of desserts as entertaining solutions. A product that looks impressive while requiring minimal preparation can offer a compelling proposition to busy Christmas hosts.

Premium ingredients justify higher price points

The importance of quality ingredients is also emerging strongly in European festive bakes. Simon Atkins of Red Barn Consulting says the market is moving back towards traditional products made with premium ingredients rather than an ever-expanding number of novelty flavours. “It seems as though the general trend is that people want to go back to traditional options,” he says, describing a move towards traditional panettone with selected flavour variations rather than the huge range seen previously. He highlights the importance of “very good basic ingredients such as eggs and butter”.

The objective, he suggests, is for products to reach a point where shoppers can understand why they cost more. This is particularly relevant in categories such as panettone and stollen, where shoppers may be prepared to spend more but still want reassurance that the product will deliver on quality.

Simplifying a classic

Panettone has experienced a proliferation of flavours in recent years, but Simon believes the category is now pulling back. A few years ago, he recalls, it was “just about every flavour under the sun. Last year, they drew it back a little bit, and this year, it’s drawn back even more”.

Traditional panettone can provide the core proposition, supported by a smaller number of more distinctive variations. Pistachio remains relevant, while toffee apple is identified as a flavour to watch. Simon believes that producers are now recognising the commercial consequences of excessive range proliferation: “I think it diluted sales too much, to be honest,” he says. “It was too much.”

The same return to tradition can be seen in stollen. Simon points towards Dresden Stollen PGI, highlighting its PGI status and traditional heritage. Not only a very traditional product, it is presented in distinctive packaging which heightens the positive experience – especially at Christmas: “it looks the part,” he says.

Cakes across borders

Alongside panettone and stollen, European Christmas specialities can give fine food retailers a way of adding discovery without abandoning familiarity. Gingerbread remains “very much a Christmas staple”, according to Simon, while presentation tins create a strong gifting proposition. He describes the appeal of the biscuit category as “lovely presentation tins offering gifting opportunities”, with products suited to the gifting areas found across retail.

Traditional French specialities also have a role to play. Atkins highlights French spice bread as “one of those very traditional French products that is coming increasingly onto the market”.

Citrus is another flavour direction appearing across the European cake category, with a focus on larger pieces of candied orange and lemon peel rather than small fragments, says Simon. The combination provides both visual impact and flavour, making citrus-led products another option for retailers looking to broaden their festive offer without moving into excessively experimental territory.

The return of the familiar

Perhaps the most significant message for retailers is that Christmas 2026 does not appear to be about novelty for novelty’s sake. “Heritage recipes and regional products are appealing to today’s consumers, rather than anything overly wacky,” says Simon. He describes the market as being “pulled back into the mainstream styles that people are used to”.

That does not mean consumers have lost their appetite for discovery. Instead, the opportunity may lie in finding products that combine an established format with a carefully considered twist. That approach is reflected in A Glorious Mess’s “modern nostalgia” proposition. The aim is not to replace traditional Christmas desserts but to make them feel more relevant.

“The Glorious Mess gives shoppers something that feels familiar enough to be comforting, but different enough to make the occasion feel special,” explains Leanne. For independent retailers, that balance can form the basis of a strong Christmas fixture: traditional enough to reassure, distinctive enough to inspire and premium enough to feel worthy of the season.

An appetite for bake at home

The Christmas cake and dessert opportunity does not stop with finished products – retailers can also use the fixture to inspire shoppers to bake and create their own festive treats. David Colcombe, chef ambassador from Maple from Canada UK, says Canadian maple syrup is increasingly being used beyond traditional applications.

“Christmas is the time of the year when consumers experiment with new recipes for bakes and desserts,” he says, adding that maple syrup is becoming “a staple ingredient for use across a range of sweet festive recipes.” Its flavour profile works with familiar Christmas ingredients including “pecans, walnuts, orange, apple, ginger, cinnamon and chocolate”, he explains, recommending that retailers signposting maple syrup alongside Christmas baking ingredients such as flour, nuts, dried fruit and spices and showing shoppers what they can create with it. 

“Shoppers are more willing to trade up for distinctive flavours and ingredients at Christmas,” he continues. “Maple syrup can give familiar cakes and desserts a special, indulgent feel.” Recipe cards can reinforce the proposition, with examples including Christmas Maple Cake and Maple Cherry Tiramisu Cheesecake.

How To Sell

- Smart displays: The visual nature of festive cakes and desserts lends itself to strong merchandising. A display could combine premium panettone and stollen with gifting biscuits, maple syrup, nuts and dried fruit, while a separate dessert-led display could bring together pavlovas, cream, berries and chocolate accompaniments.

- Simplify and excite: The objective is to make Christmas shopping easier while inspiring shoppers to trade up. “The products should feel like a discovery – something shoppers see and think, ‘That would be brilliant for Christmas’,” says Leanne. 

- Create festive magic: The strongest festive cake and dessert ranges do not simply provide shoppers with a pudding; they give them a reason to celebrate, gift, entertain or create something memorable. “Christmas shouldn’t be about being overly serious or hours tied to the kitchen,” says Leanne. It’s about bringing people together, creating memories and having a bit of fun with food.”

Samir Chouman of Cedar Baklawa: Bringing you artisan baking craftsmanship at its best

Using recipes passed down through generations of our family, the renowned Cedar Baklawa range celebrates authentic Lebanese-style artisan baking, using only the finest ingredients. 

Our premium, handmade Cedar Baklawa is light in texture, delicately crisp and subtly sweet, and a refined twist on more traditional varieties. We lovingly handcraft layers of light filo pastry and clarified butter, with every piece packed with premium nuts and drizzled with our signature syrup. 

The Cedar Baklawa collection features a selection of flavour varieties, including pistachio, walnut, cashew and chocolate. Enjoy our delicious treats in timeless classics, as well as adventurous shapes like our delightful nests, all baked to perfection. 

With the increasing popularity of Middle Eastern-inspired flavours, Cedar Baklawa is the perfect choice for Christmas, special celebrations, or an-all-year-round-treat to enjoy with tea or coffee, or as a dessert. 

Discover deliciousness in every bite with Cedar Baklawa, handcrafted in the UK and perfect for creating a real sense of occasion. 

We’re passionate about embracing exciting new ideas at our bakery. Coming soon: our Cedar Mamoul Mini Bites in some truly irresistible flavours.