M&S fans have gone crazy for their brand new Extra Thick Pistachio and Milk Chocolate Egg – but this other supermarket favourite has brought back a sell-out from last year to rival it
M&S have hopped on the viral pistachio trend this Easter season with the release of their Collection Extra Thick Pistachio and Milk Chocolate Egg for £20 in stores. But there is an alternative for those who prefer something a little bit different.
Waitrose have brought back their beloved Cracking Pistachio Easter Egg that was first released in 2024 and sold out nationwide. The creation contains two different eggs, costing £17 in total.
While the outer layer features blonde chocolate – a white chocolate that has been slowly heated to caramelise the sugars and milk solids in it – the second layer is pistachio flavoured, speckled with the nuts to create a slightly crunchy texture.
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Meanwhile, M&S have released their own pistachio Easter egg to rival the famous Waitrose version. Their egg is a bit more classic, offering a layer of milk chocolate and an inside layer of smooth pistachio truffle with whole and chopped roasted pistachios.
But which Easter egg should you buy? I put both eggs to the test by comparing them on look, flavour, and texture to see which I think is worth the money.
The first thing I noticed was the big difference in packaging. The M&S egg comes with much more luxurious packaging, complete with a ribboned display box that would be the ideal gift for your loved one this Easter.
Meanwhile, the Waitrose packaging was a bit of a let-down given the price tag. It came in a simple cardboard box and a plastic holder for the egg which gave it a bit of a cheap feel.
There was also a dramatic difference in size. Side by side, it was clear the M&S egg was the winner. While the Waitrose egg weighed 320g, the M&S egg came in at an impressive 485g – perhaps thanks to its “extra thick” chocolate.
Looks-wise, the M&S egg definitely came out on top. It seemed more hand-crafted and presentable for those wanting to gift someone this Easter.
But of course, it’s all about the taste. I’m not the biggest fan of blonde chocolate, so I wasn’t sure how the Waitrose egg would fair compared to M&S’ milk chocolate, but it definitely shocked me.
The blonde chocolate was delicious. It was very sweet, so for those who prefer a bitter dark chocolate flavour this probably isn’t the one for you.
However, I loved it. It was very creamy and had a caramel-like flavour. It was also impressive how well the egg cracked in half to reveal the smaller pistachio egg inside.
I’m a big fan of pistachio, so was excited to try this part of the egg and it did not disappoint. I liked the smaller pistachio nibs throughout the egg so it kept a traditional creamy chocolate texture.
The pistachio flavour was again quite sweet, but I liked that about it. Overall, I thought the taste of both eggs was delicious and I loved the idea of having two eggs in one. I even tried combining the two flavours, which I would definitely recommend.
Now onto the M&S Easter egg, which combines milk chocolate with a creamy pistachio truffle lining. The first thing I noticed when getting the egg out of the box was it seemed like dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate on the outside.
If you are expecting a light, sweet milk chocolate you might be surprised as this has a high cocoa percentage making it have a somewhat bitter flavour. But combined with the sweet pistachio truffle lining, it definitely helped to balance it out.
The pistachio lining was very creamy, and I noticed lots of chopped and whole pistachio nuts sprinkled throughout. It also lived up to its name of being “extra thick”, making it quite hard to break into.
Overall, I preferred the taste of the Waitrose egg as I’m a big fan of sweeter chocolate, but for those who prefer dark chocolate or more mature flavours, the M&S egg will probably be what you are after.
As for the texture, the M&S one definitely had a wider range, from the hard milk chocolate to the creamy pistachio truffle. It also incorporated a range of pistachio nuts to add a nice crunch. Meanwhile, the Waitrose egg was more on the creamy side overall, but had a few crunches thanks to the nibs sprinkled throughout.
If I had to pick a favourite, it would be the Waitrose egg purely on taste. But for presentation and appearance, the M&S egg definitely comes out on top.
