We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
The tastiest pain au chocolat for the perfect breakfast
With melted chocolate running through the soft, flaky pastry layers, we tested 12 pains au chocolat to find the perfect addition to your breakfast plate...
A sweet, buttery roll of pastry with a melted chocolate filling running through its laminated layers - the pain au chocolat is hard to beat.
Perfect with your morning coffee or as a sweet treat for brunch, the pain au chocolat started as and remains a staple in any French breakfast.
Currently the topic of a long running linguistic debate of “pain au chocolat” vs “chocolatine”, the French are divided on the literal translation of the original recipe.
Either way us Brits love it all the same, so the GHI tested 12 of these melt-in-your-mouth pastries from bakeries to grocers to find the best of a brilliant bunch.
We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.
WINNER: M&S Pain au Chocolat - best pain au chocolat
Overall Score: 83/100
Fresh from the M&S bakery, the pastry is flaky and light with a smooth, buttery taste. Complimented with a rich chocolate filling it spreads evenly through the well laminated, fluffy layers to give a delicious bite of pain au chocolat.
In store only, M&S, 90p for 80g
RUNNER-UP: Waitrose & Partners Rich & Indulgent Pains au Chocolat - best pain au chocolat
Overall Score: 81/100
The rich, dark chocolate makes for a smooth filling in this perfectly crisp and flaky pain au chocolat. A generous size, testers were impressed with the lamination of the buttery pastry shell and the generous amount of filling provided.
BUY NOW Waitrose, £1.80 for pack of 4
Waitrose No.1 Pains au Chocolat - best pain au chocolat
Overall Score: 77/100
This thick pastry comes filled to the brim with rich chocolate oozing out of it. Advisably better when warmed it does create a somewhat flat, soggy pastry but remains flaky on top and buttery in the centre for a delicious balance.
BUY NOW Waitrose, £1.55 for pack of 2
Sainsbury's Pain au Chocolat - best pain au chocolat
Overall Score: 77/100
A soft and crisp pastry dough with golden lamination throughout, it holds the subtle taste of the rich, dark chocolate filling. Though the pastry gave off an uninviting aroma, the sweet centre provides copious amounts of smooth chocolate.
In store only, Sainsbury's, 75p for 1
Co-op All Butter Pain au Chocolat - best pain au chocolat
Overall Score: 74/100
Considerable in size, we enjoyed the golden, glazed exterior and soft, fluffy lamination of the pastry. Though lacking in quantity, the sharp chocolate flavour is well balanced with the slightly chewy pastry, which comes in an abundance.
In store only, Co-op, £1.90 for 250g
Morrisons All Butter Pains au Chocolat - best pain au chocolat
Overall Score: 67/100
A pronounced chocolate flavour oozes out of the buttery sheen of this flaky pastry. Though the pastry itself is a little one dimensional in flavour and slightly tough, the aroma of it gives a well-balanced sweetness to the sharp chocolate scent.
BUY NOW Morrisons, £1.33 for pack of 4
Tesco Pain au Chocolat - best pain au chocolat
Overall Score: 67/100
Composed of a deep golden and flaky pastry it balances well with the rich, melted chocolate running through the crisp layers. Though some testers commented on a dry and chewy pastry, the chocolate filling was sweet and overflowing.
In store only, Tesco, £1.20 for 2
Asda All Butter Pain au Chocolat - best pain au chocolat
Overall Score: 66/100
Forming a light, buttery aroma from the pastry dough, testers felt it was neatly presented but lacking in much flavour. However, the dark chocolate filling was described as rich and delicious as well as a pleasant balance to the pastry.
BUY NOW Asda, £1.23 for pack of 4
Brioche Pasquier Pains au Chocolat - best pain au chocolat
Overall Score: 61/100
Uniform in appearance, this glazed, golden pastry comes sweet and filled with a mild milk chocolate to give balance. Giving a light doughy aroma some testers compared it to a brioche bun and others disliked the somewhat yeasty flavour.
BUY NOW Ocado, £1.75 for pack of 6
Lidl Pain au Chocolat - best pain au chocolat
Overall Score: 58/100
Although slightly flat and messy in presentation, the soft centre is crammed with a predominant, rich chocolate taste. The flaky and soft pastry was lacking in flavour for some testers and others found it to be stodgy and thick.
In store only, Lidl, 49p for 1
We also tested..
Iceland La Boulangere Pain au Chocolat £1, 48/100
Ocado St Pierre Pain au Chocolat £1.85, 39/100
15 best burgers to buy for your next BBQ
10 best veggie burgers for BBQ season
12 best vegan sausages to try
13 best meat kebabs to try this summer
