Calling all malt ball fanatics! I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say the world has gone a little bit mad for M&S’s malt balls. They’ve been the surprise hit of the festive season, with shoppers rushing to stock up – and now the spin-offs are coming thick and fast, too. Malt and Caramel Cookie Pies, anyone?

And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, M&S has announced two new M&S Café drinks: the Malt Ball Hot Chocolate and Malt Ball Milkshake. Yes, you can now get your malt ball fix hot or cold. Both are flavoured with malt ball syrup, then topped with chocolate cream and actual malt balls. I mean, come on…

The hot chocolate sounds like just the thing for a chilly afternoon, while the milkshake feels like the one to order if you’re in the mood for something properly indulgent. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, these are well worth tracking down. They launch in M&S Cafés tomorrow and, given how popular the malt balls have been, I wouldn’t leave it too long before heading in.

Malt balls aren’t the only festive flavour on the menu, either. There’s also a Butterscotch Gingerbread Latte, which you can order hot or iced. It’s made with espresso and butterscotch gingerbread syrup, then topped with whipped cream and mini fudge pieces. Please don’t make me choose a favourite.

Personally, I’ll be going the whole hog and picking up a Christmas sarnie to go with mine. It’s only seven weeks until Christmas Day, after all.

    Headshot of Stacey Smith
    Stacey Smith
    Senior Food & Drink Editor

    Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila.   Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine.    Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business.    You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk