M&M’s are one of those candies that consistently pump out different varieties, and the new Bakery Collection features three flavors inspired by baked goods. We’re encouraged to scan a QR code and vote for our favorite from the following contenders: Lemon Meringue Pie, Chocolate Cherry Cupcake, and Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll. I found these at Walgreens and heard more than one employee remark that they weren’t particularly interested in trying any of them.

It’s somewhat incomprehensible to me that anyone wouldn’t want to try a new snack, even if it sounds terrible (yeah, I bought those Swedish Fish Oreos), but I kind of have to agree – none of these really excite me. They exist, though, and that’s enough for me to fork over seven dollars and hope I’m not left mumbling curses through a mouthful of Lemon Pledge-flavored morsels.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemon Meringue Pie M&M’s are a white chocolate variety, about the size of a regular M&M but rounder due to a crispy rice center. The yellow, white, and peach-colored candies have a light lemon scent and a lemon flavor that I don’t find akin to a cleaning product, but I also can’t say I enjoy. The color scheme does better at imitating its inspiration than the taste and texture do. Perhaps fans of Crispy M&M’s will enjoy these, but crunch doesn’t align with lemon meringue pie in my mind, and I wish the center were some sort of tart lemony cream or jam instead.

At my wedding, I had a bunch of candy jars that I waited until the last minute to fill (who knew you were supposed to prepare for events like that in advance?), and in my haste, I ended up throwing some Lemonheads in the same jar as some chocolate Sixlets. Later that night, my very honest friend Chris informed me that this was a terrible combination, and I explained I hadn’t intended them to be eaten together. These M&M’s are what I think that combo must have tasted like. I’m sure some people will enjoy the lemon and crunch, but I want nothing to do with them. Chris, stay away from these.

Size: 3.22 oz bag
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/3 pack) 150 calories, 7 grams of total fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 18 grams of total sugars, and 1 gram of protein.

Chocolate Cherry Cupcake

Chocolate Cherry Cupcake pieces are a thicker size, so you’d expect something in the center, but they’re pure chocolate. This seems like a missed opportunity because the inclusion of a tiny cake bit or something that mimicked it (not crispy rice!) could justify the cupcake moniker. The good thing is that the interior features a smooth combination of milk and dark chocolate, and the deeper notes of the dark chocolate are incredibly welcome.

These have a syrupy cherry flavor, more like a cherry cordial than anything else. There’s been a Cherry Cordial M&M before, but it lacked dark chocolate, and if we can just consider this iteration an upgrade on that, I’m alright with it.

Size: 2.47 oz bag
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 pack) 170 calories, 8 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 22 grams of total sugars, and 1 gram of protein.

Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll

Lastly we have Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll. While this treat isn’t commonplace in any bakery I’ve ever been to, I have called Peanut Butter M&M’s my favorite since their debut, so these hold some promise. The basic size and structure here is right on; they look like the candy I know and love. For a brief moment, or perhaps if you’ve never had the original peanut butter before, you could bite down on these and be pleased with the perfect ratio of candy coating, milk chocolate, and creamy peanut butter center. But then the cinnamon creeps in. It’s not a hot cinnamon, and there’s nothing really wrong with it except that the original product was somehow much better without it.

If we’re trying to make a cinnamon roll M&M, I’m not sure why we skipped a cream cheese frosting element and went straight to peanut butter. Instead of pulling something fresh from the oven, they’ve just corrupted a perfectly good batch of peanut butter M&M’s.

Size: 2.83 oz bag
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/3 pack) 140 calories, 8 grams of total fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 55 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 13 grams of total sugars, and 3 grams of protein.

When you throw this many candy-coated chocolate pebbles at the wall, there are bound to be some that just don’t stick. Unfortunately, all three flavors from the Bakery Collection fell into this category for me. The winner of the fan vote gets to stay on shelves, but I wouldn’t be upset if all of these disappeared.

Purchased Price: $3.29 each (buy 2 get 1 free)
Purchased at: Walgreens

Choosing a favorite M&M variety is like choosing a favorite star in the night sky. Every one shines a bit differently. Some stay around for ages, while others are a fleeting gift. Sometimes they are a poor substitute for the Milky Way you were hoping for.

Bad metaphor aside, Peanut M&M’s are among the best of the brand’s stars. And yet, only two peanut varieties reside permanently on shelves: Original and Dark Chocolate. Until now.

Honey Roasted Peanut M&M’s are the latest permanent addition to the brand’s lineup. The candy is described as “a twist on the classic favorite, with the harmonious flavors bringing the perfect combination of sweet and salty.” The product embeds a roasted, honey-glazed peanut in its signature milk chocolate and brown and yellow candy shells.

This change elevates the classic Peanut M&M…or maybe it doesn’t. Yes, it does! Well, sort of. No, this one really, really does! So said my ongoing interior monologue as I popped candy after candy, watching my Share Size bag dwindle before my eyes.

This is the experience of tasting Honey Roasted Peanut M&M’s: the flavor is familiar, but the “honey roasted” taste vacillates from subtle to distinct. The roasted peanut imparts a rich nuttiness that, along with noticeable salt, gives the candy almost a savory edge.

There are hints of toasted honey similar to a caramelized flavor, but not as overly sweet. The roasted peanut flavor is more discernible than any honey element. The candy is delicious—and different from the original variety, although the exact difference is difficult to put your finger on. In my ever-growing rolodex of M&M flavors, Honey Roasted M&M’s are close to the seasonal Toasty Holiday Peanut variety (minus the spice notes), with honey flavor reminiscent of the limited edition Honey Graham Milk Chocolate variety.

Because I have trust issues, I tried to taste the peanut and chocolate separately to isolate the flavors, but doing this highlighted the inconsistency. Sometimes the peanut tasted roasted, while other times it tasted raw. At times, the chocolate itself tasted salty or honey-tinged. Returning to the night sky metaphor, the mysteries behind the operation aren’t mine to solve, but I still enjoyed the big picture.

Peanut M&M lovers may adore Honey Roasted Peanut M&M’s for their sweet and salty combination and depth of roasted nuttiness. Purists may find the change too subtle to bother with. Although it isn’t the splashiest flavor that M&M’s could have added to its lineup, the balance of flavors is unique, intentional, and interesting enough to pull focus from the usual standouts.

Purchased Price: $4.92
Purchased at: Walmart
Size: 9 oz (255 g) bag
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 1 oz, about 12 pieces) 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein

Like an evolving Pokémon, Marshmallow Crispy White Chocolate M&M’s are the third iteration of similar candy launches following White Chocolate Marshmallow M&M’s in 2019 and White Chocolate Marshmallow Crispy TREAT M&M’s in late 2022. So, in a way these are a seasonal returning item. Kind of. I was curious what the modifications may have been since dropping the “treat” from the name.

The first thing I noticed upon opening the bag was the uniformity of the shape and size of these candies. I also preferred the blue and white colorway to the previous spring time mixes that included a pastel yellow or pink, but that’s just personal preference. True to their name, these M&M’s had a strong sweet aroma like opening a bag of marshmallows.

The inside texture of these M&M’s was similar to any other Crispy M&M’s and the first thing that went through my head was “Oh, like a rice Krispie treat!” so, they were on to something with the 2022 name. The white chocolate coating isn’t too thick or overwhelming, resulting in a substantial crunch with every bite. The only thing I couldn’t put my finger on was the flavor. Did they taste like marshmallow? What does a marshmallow taste like other than vanilla flavor, anyway? After falling into a marshmallow flavor matrix hole of thought for a while I decided it doesn’t matter, these are delicious. They are VERY sweet, but they are delicious. Once I’d had a few, the subtly of any other vanilla or marshmallow flavor gave in to the overpowering sweetness of white chocolate. But the crispy crunch made me keep eating them longer than I thought I would given the intense sweetness.

Overall, I’m impressed with M&M’s fine tuning of this spring time candy. They didn’t need the word “treat” in the name to convey a candy version of a Rice Krispie Treat. And, since they clearly enjoy innovating and iterating upon successful formats, I really hope to see more crispy M&M’s in the future. A cross over with Caramel M&M’s would be amazing; a Chocolate Caramel Crispy M&M! But for now, if you find yourself in a Target (where these are an exclusive) consider picking up a bag of the new Marshmallow Crispy White Chocolate M&M’s.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 7.4oz bag
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz/about 30 pieces) 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 45 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, 17 grams of sugar (including 16 grams of added sugar), and 1 grams of protein.

Frequently for Valentine’s Day, M&M’s likes to bring us some new flavor involving strawberry or cherry because, of course, February is when those summer fruits are in season.

We have had Cherry Milk Chocolate, Strawberry Milk Chocolate, Black Forest Cake, and White Chocolate Strawberry Shake. And I swear there was a Valentine’s raspberry version in there somewhere, but I can’t find it.

For 2025, the flavor is White Chocolate Strawberries & Crème. And you might be thinking, “That sounds an awful lot like White Chocolate Strawberry Shake.” And you would be right.

I don’t have any of the Strawberry Shake variety with me, but the new Strawberries & Crème version tastes just like I remember the 2023 flavor. The main difference is that Mars removed green from the color scheme and replaced it with an extra shade of pink. (Though green was explainable, I still thought it was an odd choice. I fully support the new pink and red colors.)

So, even though it’s the same, how is it? It reminds me of strawberry milk: creamy, fruity, and artificial. I happen to like strawberry milk in all its fake-flavor glory, so I approve! Aside from the flavor, it’s the same white chocolate you find in other limited edition M&M’s. If you don’t like white chocolate, stay away, but I like it. (It might get cloying if you eat too many, but built-in moderation isn’t a bad thing!)

If Mars wants to rerelease an enjoyable candy with a new name and an improved color scheme, I certainly won’t complain. Especially since Valentine’s candy is probably the best thing about January and February.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 7.44 oz bag
Purchased at: Dick’s Market
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (16 pieces) 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 25 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 19 grams of sugar including 17 grams of added sugar, and 1 gram of protein.