I Tried M&Ms New Bakery-Inspired Flavor Candidates And There's One Clear Winner

Roll it, bake it, and mark it with an "m." M&M's latest limited-edition release takes flavor inspiration straight from the classic bakery case. Candy lovers can choose from Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll, Cherry Chocolate Cupcake, and Lemon Meringue Pie — and there's a popularity contest involved. You taste, you vote, and in the end, one sweet treat from the Bakery Collection gets to join the regular M&M's lineup for a limited time this fall.

If "Flavor Vote" sounds familiar, that's because M&M's has played this delicious game before. Previous online elections crowned fan favorites Coffee Nut (2016), Crunchy Mint (2018), and English Toffee Peanut (2019). For the first time in seven years, Flavor Vote returns, but this time Mars is tapping into the cozy nostalgia of oven-fresh pastries. I vetted all three Bakery Collection flavors to see if these new M&M chocolate candies truly rise to the occasion.

For this review, Mars Wrigley provided The Takeout with a 2.83-ounce pack of Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll, a 1.5-ounce pack of Cherry Chocolate Cupcake, and a 3.22-ounce pack of Lemon Meringue Pie for our honest review. I sampled each Bakery Collection variety straight from the bag, then out of a bowl to get a better take on the candies' shape, color, and presentation. I did cleanse my palate with sips of water in between taste tests. The three Flavor Vote contenders offer very distinct profiles, and I didn't want them to get muddled. Judging was based on flavor accuracy, snackability (how many could I actually eat before hitting sugar overload), packaging, and overall fun factor. Because candy should be lighthearted first and analytical second.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

All three M&M's Bakery Collection flavors are currently available in single, share size, and stand-up pouch sizes at major retailers nationwide. You can also buy the chocolate candies — shipped fresh and direct from M&M's — in the brand's online shop. The 7.4-ounce to 9-ounce sharing-size bags sell for $5.99 each. To conduct your own side-by-side sampling, the super-fun Flavor Vote Bundle 3-Pack ($16.49) provides everything you need to taste, try, and crown your candy-coated champion. 

Voting is already underway at MMS.com/vote, and polls will be open through May 15. Fans can complete a simple ballot to let their taste buds be heard. There are also plenty of opportunities to engage in some friendly debate across social media. Online creators like Connor Wood, Tristan Watson, and Brooke Averick are already out there rallying for their favorite on M&M's Instagram. The winner will be announced in late May and return to store shelves this fall.

This new M&M's Bakery Collection flavor had me perplexed right from the start. While I don't claim to be any kind of cinnamon roll aficionado, I do indulge in a gooey bun from Costco (or a premade can of cinnamon rolls) from time to time. I've never seen a peanut butter cinnamon roll out in the real world (chocolate and pumpkin spice, yes), though there appear to be plenty of homespun recipes online. 

Authenticity issues aside, Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll M&M's still have a lot going for them. These chocolate candies are very peanut-butter forward (if that's your jam), and I definitely picked up on the hints of warm cinnamon spice and sweet icing. I have to say, this dynamic layering of flavors was pretty impressive for such a small candy-coated bite. However, the muted bakery brown M&M shells weren't exactly enticing or cheerful. I wouldn't mind seeing this M&M's flavor lab experiment evolve into something more sincere down the road.

I'd choose a Black Forest cake (or even one of those syrupy sweet cherry cordials) over any other confection, any day of the week. Chocolate and cherry is quite simply one of the best dessert combinations ever created. Tearing open this bag of Cherry Chocolate Cupcake M&M's came with plenty of preconceived notions and anticipation on my end. But let me tell you, these bold red beauties delivered everything I hoped for, and maybe a bit more than I wanted.

The milk- and dark-chocolate flavor is super rich from the get-go — it's seriously like diving straight into a can of buttercream frosting. That nostalgic maraschino cherry sweetness is also in attendance, making this confection indulgent to the max. When I first received my M&M's Bakery Collection samples, I was initially disappointed to see this bag was smaller than the others. The 1.5-ounce pack contained just 25 countable candies. Now I realize M&M's did me a solid mercy. Chocolate die-hards will likely adore the cherry chocolate cupcake variety, but I could only enjoy two or three candies before my sweet tooth waved the white flag. 

This candidate from the M&M's Bakery Collection surprised me in the very best of ways. I always align with dark or milk chocolate over white, and lemon-flavored candies have never been a top choice in my past. Turns out a voter can change their mind. 

The Lemon Meringue Pie M&M's hit bright and fast with a punchy pop of citrus that refreshed my palate after the heavier-hitting contenders. The texture is super lovely too: creamy and melty like a classic M&M, but there's a subtle crispness that magically replicates the feeling of airy meringue in a flaky pie crust.

Visually, Lemon Meringue Pie M&M's are also the most cheerful of the bunch. The yellow, peach, and white colors seem to beckon spring, and they'd be perfect for Easter baskets or baking. I'm thinking Levain-style cookies or homemade rice krispie treats. 

Lemon Meringue Pie M&M's ... by a landslide. If I have to be super judgmental, it's the only offering from the Bakery Collection that's uplifting and honorably true to the bake-shop theme and old-school pie flavor. Peanut Butter Cinnamon Roll and Cherry Chocolate Cupcake certainly pitch interesting spins, but this lemon flavor feels most honest and complete. It's innovative and dessert-level indulgent without going over the top. 

I'm not the only one who thinks so. Reviews to date show Lemon Meringue Pie M&M's may be an early front-runner in this year's Flavor Vote. Fans on mms.com say these limited-edition candies are "beyond amazing," "to die for," and "so much easier to eat than making a pie." One even suggested M&M's offer a 5-gallon bucket. The joyful comments reminded me why these fun-loving candies have continued to thrive as one of America's favorites for over 80 years. We could all use a little more lemony sweetness and sunshine right about now.