Costa Coffee has launched its latest autumn menu and when I saw that the Maple Hazel range was back, I was very excited.
The range was in stores last autumn and even before that and I remember discovering it in 2023 and hoping it wouldn’t be the last time I got to enjoy it.
So, now that my prayers have been answered, I knew I had to indulge once again.
Despite the Maple Hazel menu being back, there are some new additions to it so I made sure to indulge in the new and returning items – here’s what I thought.
Costa Coffee releases autumn menu for 2024 and Maple Hazel is back
The coffee chain regularly releases themed menus throughout the seasons and this year, the Maple Hazel range returned with some new items also being added.
2024’s Maple Hazel menu has plenty of sweet and savoury treats as well as drinks so I decided to try the new Brie, Bacon and Chilli Jam Panini and the new Chilli Beef and Cheddar Toastie.
Also new to the menu was the Sticky Pecan Mini Loaf so I thought I’d give that a go.
The drinks this year are the same as last year but I never tried the Maple Hazel Iced Latte as I’ve not been fond of coffee before however, this year, I’m slowly introducing myself to it.
What I thought about the new Costa Coffee autumn menu 2024
Unlike usual reviews, I got the goods delivered to my house (rather than sitting in at my local Costa Coffee store) and taste-tested the items during a lunch break from work.
This was except the Maple Hazel Iced Latte which I picked up while on my way home from London.
Maple Hazel Iced Latte
As someone who is experimenting with a bit of coffee here and there, I never thought I’d order an iced latte and enjoy it as much as I did.
Don’t get me wrong, I think the Maple Hazel flavour was great in disguising the coffee taste a bit which meant it was very manageable and tasty for me.
The Maple Hazel drinks impressed me last year and I’m glad they’ve returned so I can indulge again.
The iced latte was something I wouldn’t have usually tried so it was great to find another Costa Coffee drink that I love.
Brie, Bacon and Chilli Jam Panini
Having enjoyed many a Costa Coffee lunch, I thought I might have had a panini before but I’m not sure I have so I welcomed this as a different option.
The Brie, Bacon and Chilli Jam Panini had a subtle meaty taste and a bit of a kick to it plus the brie added a stronger cheesy taste.
The chilli jam was a great addition and complemented the fillings well.
I really enjoyed the bread which was crispy on the outside and soft in the middle with a lot of seeds on top – I’d recommend eating it over a plate to avoid getting messy!
I can’t help but feel cosy when I’m eating anything with brie in it as that is my go-to cracker topping at Christmas time.
While the winter is yet to come, I can fully get behind all the warm, autumn vibes at Costa Coffee right now!
Chilli Beef and Cheddar Toastie
A toastie at Costa Coffee is always a good idea if you ask me.
This new Chilli Beef and Cheddar Toastie is a bit different to what I’ve tried before so I was more than looking forward to it.
The most surprising thing about this toastie for me was that the meat was extremely soft and didn’t have the usual texture of meat. Instead, it was a mushy texture with all the meat being stuck together.
For me, as someone who doesn’t like chewing meat for a long time, the texture was okay but I can see it being a problem for some people.
The sandwich itself was quite plain in flavour until I started to taste the Korean-inspired BBQ sauce which the pulled beef was in and the chilli crumb of the toastie.
Sticky Pecan Mini Loaf
I must admit, I tried to buy the Nuts about Maple Slice but when it wasn’t available at my local store, I opted for the Sticky Pecan Mini Loaf.
This cake pleasantly surprised me because I originally thought I didn’t like pecans but with the cake looking nice, I thought I’d give it a go anyway.
It turns out, it was a really nice cake and I’m glad that the other one wasn’t available because now I can enjoy pecan cakes which I never thought I would.
The nuts actually don’t have much of a taste so didn’t really flavour the cake which I think was good for me as someone who isn’t usually fond of the taste of nuts within foods like cakes.
Recommended reading:
- Costa Coffee reveals food and drink menu for autumn 2024 with 6 new items
- Costa Coffee teases Maple Hazel menu return with one drink for members
The cake was really moist and very syrupy in taste thanks to the black treacle in it. I liked that it had a sticky toffee sauce in the sponge and a small circle of caramel icing on top.
Overall, I’m really glad to see the Maple Hazel menu back and the new additions have kept it exciting.
You can try the new menu in Costa Coffee stores nationwide but it’s only available for a limited time.
Read the rules here