Artisanal bakery Pophams is known for its experimental takes on the humble mince pie, but this year it’s keeping things trad with a confectionary collab with The King’s Ginger – a warming ginger liqueur first formulated in 1903 for King Edward VII. This year’s pies are packed with currants, raisins, sultanas apple and suet, plus rich spices, candied peel and citrus, all soaked in a heady amount of old-school spirit, while the pastry has been laminated with 18 layers of Normandy butter and filled with Cornish clotted cream. The result? A croissant-style Christmas indulgence.

Shop Popham’s The King’s Ginger Mince Pices online or in store, £3.50 each, £20 for 6. 

Sticky toffee pudding is a winter comfort food classic, and it’s also the inspiration behind this festive muffin from Scandi bakery Ole & Steen. The golden brown orbs of cake are made with brown sugar for extra richness and topped with sticky toffee sauce, crisp chocolate pearls and toffee pieces. It’s a textural treat. 

Shop Ole & Steen sticky toffee muffin in store, £3.85

Crosstown has become the Willy Wonka of doughnuts, churning out colourful and surprisingly flavoured doughy creations with ever-extravagant toppings. Its Christmas doughnut menu does not disappoint, especially this pear and mulled spice creation filled with tangy fruit compote, a glaze flavoured with cinnamon, clove and nutmeg, all topped with candied orange peel and a sprinkle of gold dust. Plus, it’s vegan, so everyone can have a taste. 

Shop Crosstown pear and mulled spice doughnut in-store or online, £5.75

This Cumbrian gingerbread has developed a cult, word-of-mouth following. There are queues for the stuff outside the little white-stone cottage where it’s sold in the picturesque Lake District village of Grasmere.  Why is it so popular? This isn’t normal biscuit-thin gingerbread; this is a spicy-sweet cake-like bake that manages to be crumbly and chewy all at once, thanks to its generations-old Victorian recipe and the fact it’s still baked daily at the historic shop. It’s available all year round, but it really comes into its own at Christmas, pairing perfectly with mulled wine. 

Shop Sarah Nelson’s Grasmere gingerbread, £4.94, 6 pieces 

Jolene – the bakery so achingly cool it now seems to have a permanent slot on the Housewives of Clapton Instagram account – is overwhelmingly popular for a reason: its bakers are seriously good. The Christmas pudding croissant is back on its festive menu for this year, and thank god – we need another helping of the flaky, delicately spiced buttery goodness, topped with flaked almonds and cherries. 

Shop Jolene Christmas pudding croissant in-store, £4.50

Betty’s is a Yorkshire sensation. People are happy to join snaking queues outside its tea rooms to tuck into old-school favourites like Fat Rascals (a type of Yorkshire scone) and buttered tea cakes. It’s also known for its opulent window displays, which, come Christmas, are filled with intricate biscuits and huge, almost human-sized gingerbread houses. Get a taste of the magic with Betty’s take on traditional lebkuchen or German biscuits. Each one is hand-iced and has a drizzle of black treacle and a pinch of festive spices for extra punch. 

Shop Betty’s Christmas Lebkuchen biscuit selection, £13

Fortitude Bakehouse is one of London’s very best craft bakeries and sets itself apart from the rest thanks to head baker Dee Rettali, who adds Middle Eastern flavours to all her delectable bakes. For an alt festive treat, try its sugar cinnamon doughnuts – simple but expertly spiced circles of doughy deliciousness. 

Shop Fortitude Bakehouse sugar cinnamon doughnuts in-store, £3

Self-taught baker Sara Assad-Mannings makes beautiful creations from dough in her south-east London bakery, all filled with flavours that pay homage to her Palestinian heritage. This Christmas, the Bunhead kitchen is going heavy on the frosting. Its mince pie buns are topped with a generous, pillowy dollop of thick Labneh icing, with an added dash of Baileys for an old-school Christmas touch your nan would approve of. 

Shop Bunhead Bakery mince pie buns in-store, £4

One of London’s best bakeries, Little Bread Pedlar’s mince pies are a festive stalwart. They are intensely traditional little tarts made with mixed dried fruit, candied citrus peel, pecan nuts, almond nuts, brandy and suet, all housed in a buttery pastry shell that will melt in your mouth at first bite.  

Shop Little Bread Pedlar mince pies, £21.50