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Oct 31, 2024

Best Chocolate Gifts 2024 - Forbes Vetted

When it comes to a foolproof gift that works for any occasion, nothing beats an elegant box (or bar, or basket) of chocolate. The best chocolate gifts check off several boxes: They come prettily

When it comes to a foolproof gift that works for any occasion, nothing beats an elegant box (or bar, or basket) of chocolate. The best chocolate gifts check off several boxes: They come prettily pre-packaged, there’s an option for nostalgic candy lovers and chocolate purists alike, and they’re one of the few indulgent gifts that—in most cases—won’t cost a fortune. After hours of researching and taste-testing scores of options from our favorite chocolate makers, La Maison Du Chocolat, MarieBelle and Koho stood out with their tasteful chocolate gift boxes fit for all occasions. Meanwhile, Compartés, Jacque Torres and Vosges delighted us with their creative holiday offerings.

The best chocolate gifts in 2024 include MarieBelle's classic gift box, Compartés' edible Christmas ... [+] ornaments and Koho's Hawaiian bonbons.

When choosing the best chocolate gift for your loved one, a little extra time and care goes a long way, says Krystal Craig, co-owner and chocolatier at Intero—regardless of whether your recipient’s preference is a candy confection from commercial brands or higher-quality chocolate products from small, regional producers. Estelle Tracy, chocolate sommelier at 37 Chocolates, recommends selecting chocolate makers who source Direct Trade cacao, or Fair Trade cacao at the minimum.

From there, take into account your recipient’s dietary restrictions (luckily, most chocolate is gluten-free), their favorite flavors, and the quality of the product’s ingredients and its packaging. You might also consider whether your loved one likes pairing chocolate with a beverage and whether they appreciate a chocolate gift with a unique backstory—especially if it’s from a local or craft chocolatier. Below, find the 25 best chocolate gifts that will appeal to everyone’s taste buds.

La Maison Du Chocolat

In the box: 16 praline and ganache bon bons | Cacao: 56% (dark), 37% (milk) | Highlights: No palm oil, GMOs or artificial colors; 100% traceable cacao

For a chocolate gift that’s elegant, handcrafted and uses 100% traceable, Fair Trade cacao, La Maison du Chocolat’s box of signature chocolates can’t be beat. This ribbon-tied assortment from the renowned Paris shop includes 16 ganache, praline and rocher bonbons. It contains an assortment of delicious flavors, such as Akosombo (dark chocolate ganache with spicy Ghanan cacao), almond and hazelnut Milk Rocher and Abyssinie (dark chocolate ganache infused with Ethiopian gold brew).

fran sales for forbes vetted

In the box: 15 ganache and praline bonbons | Cacao: Unspecified | Highlights: 90% traceable cacao, non-GMO

Fans of Belgian chocolate maker Godiva will adore this limited-edition assortment. Packaged in a sophisticated gold box, this collection features 15 assorted bonbons embellished with Art Nouveau-inspired flourishes. Standout flavors include Iconique, Godiva’s signature milk chocolate hazelnut praline; Egérie Noir, a dark chocolate bonbon filled with raspberry ganache; and (my hands-down favorite) Golden Moon, a delightful moon-shaped bonbon topped with gold glitter and filled with white chocolate mousse, biscuit crumbles and almond praline.

mariebelle

In the box: 16 assorted ganache bonbons | Cacao: 64% (dark), 38% (milk) | Highlights: Single-origin cacao, handcrafted in Brooklyn

Brooklyn chocolate shop MarieBelle is renowned not just for its meticulously decorated confections, but also for its luxuriously rich chocolate ganache pieces. This 16-piece assortment is a great representation: Each piece is filled with silky ganache infused with adventurous flavors like passionfruit, espresso and cardamom, as well as more classic ones like caramel sea salt, mint and hazelnut.

harry & david

In the box: Moose Much popcorn, malt balls and more | Cacao: Unspecified | Highlights: Chocolate blend sourced from Fair Trade chocolate makers, includes brand’s best-selling truffles

Who doesn’t love opening up a gift basket? Harry & David is one of our favorite gift basket makers, and luckily, the brand offers one just for chocolate lovers—that comes in an elegant wooden box, no less. Inside, your recipient will find a treasure trove of chocolate treats, including Harry & David’s best-selling chocolate-covered Moose Munch popcorn; dark chocolate-covered pretzels, almonds and grahams; and, of course, velvety truffle flavors like White Coffee, Dark Cherry and Dark Raspberry.

neuhaus

In the box: 16 truffles | Cacao: Unspecified | Highlights: Rainforest Alliance certified; non-GMO, no palm oil, all-natural

Go for Neuhaus’ Truffle Box if you’re looking for modern packaging and a selection of creamy Belgian truffles. Neuhaus’ chocolates are filled with decadent butter cream, coated in dark chocolate and finished with a coating of one of six flavors: Butter Truffle, Extra Dark, Cappuccino, Cognac, Marc De Champagne and Speculoos-Cheesecake (note that some of these truffles contain alcohol). My favorite part: There’s no palm oil, and all ingredients are 100% natural.

Compartes

In the box: 12 milk chocolate truffles | Cacao: Unspecified | Highlights: Handcrafted in small batches daily

The festive edible “ornaments” that adorn this eye-catching Christmas tree-shaped gift box are a fun way to count down to the holidays. Handmade in small batches by Los Angeles chocolate maker Compartés, each shiny, orb-shaped truffle is filled with a center of gingerbread and sticky toffee. If you’re sending this as a gift, you have the option to include a free gift note at checkout. (Note that this doesn’t ship until November 15).

Williams Sonoma

In the box: 16 praline, caramel and fruit bonbons | Cacao: Unspecified | Highlights: Kosher dairy certified, Fair Trade cacao

It’s no surprise this Hanukkah chocolate gift box from James Beard Award–winning pastry chef and chocolatier Jacques Torres is so thoughtfully crafted. Inspired by the Festival of Lights, this 17-piece assortment includes 12 of the maker’s signature flavors—from caramels to chocolate ganaches to fruits and nuts. The chocolate menorah plaque in the center is a nice touch, and the treats are certified Kosher.

vosges haut-chocolat

In the box: 12 bonbons, 40 toffees, 14 cookies | Cacao: 62% to 72% (dark), 45% (milk) | Highlights: Fair Trade or Rainforest Alliance certified cacao

This “wreath” of treats both looks and feels so festive that your recipient won’t be able to keep it for themselves. The flavors and goodies in this assortment are as sumptuous as the colors on the box: clementine chocolate toffee, dulce de leche bonbons and chocolate ginger cookies, among others. The selection contains over 60 pieces, which is perfect for sharing. (Note: This gift ships November 4.)

lagustas luscious

In the box: 14 assorted bonbons | Cacao: 65% Ecuadorian chocolate | Highlights: Sustainably sourced cacao, 100% post-consumer packaging, all-natural ingredients

It can sometimes be challenging to find gourmet vegan chocolates that look gift-worthy and excel on the flavor front. Lagusta’s Luscious treats are an exception—and they also happen to be all-vegan, sustainable and made with chocolate sourced by a B Corp Certified supplier. This 14-piece assortment shows off the chocolate maker’s “best of the best” chocolate bonbon flavors, such as strawberry balsamic caramel, peanut butter, thyme-preserved lemon sea salt and more.

dandelion chocolate

In the box: 25 or 50 assorted confections | Cacao: 70% Dandelion chocolate | Highlights: Direct Trade chocolate, features 25 small-batch chocolatiers

This Northern Lights-themed advent calendar is the perfect gift for those connoisseurs who appreciate discovering new chocolatiers. Twenty-five winning chocolate makers from all over North America are featured in this calendar; your recipient will find their unique creations—all of which incorporate Dandelion’s single-origin chocolate and have been blind-tasted by a selection committee—hidden inside beautiful artist-designed ornaments. Plus, your giftee will find other non-edible goodies inside, like a nightly viewing guide and an illustrated Star Planisphere.

fran sales for forbes vetted

In the box: 36 Belgian chocolate truffles | Cacao: Unspecified | Highlights: Individually wrapped pieces, small business, certified Kosher

Mother-daughter–owned business Bonnie & Pop has perfected the art of creating chocolate gift tins for any occasion, and its Belgian Bliss Truffle Treasure box is among its best. The embellished tin holds 36 truffles that feature 15 of the shop’s best-selling Belgian chocolate flavors, including Butter Pecan Patties, Cashew Clusters, English Toffee, Bavarian Pretzels and (my favorite as a coconut lover) White Chocolate Coconut. These tins are shipped in a well-padded box with ice coolers; indeed, the ones I received were undented, and the pieces were fresh. The truffles are also individually wrapped, which makes this gift great for groups, too (I know I’ll be gifting some of these to my loved ones).

magno

In the box: 12 semi-sweet and white chocolate “gems” | Cacao: 60% Colombian cacao | Highlights: Single-origin fine chocolate

This stunning, moon-inspired gift box is for that extra-special someone. Inside, they’ll find 12 shimmering single-origin Colombian semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate “gems” topped with 24k gold leaf (an ode to the moon’s surface). Each gem is filled with ingredients like whiskey ganache, caramelized macadamia nuts and more. What’s more, Magno’s chocolate is made with fine-flavor cacao that’s sustainably and ethically sourced from Colombia. There’s also an option to add a card printed with a personalized message.

fran sales for forbes vetted

In the box: 12 caramel and praline bonbons | Cacao: Unspecified | Highlights: Small-batch Hawaiian chocolate

Of all the chocolate gifts I taste-tested for this story, Koho’s bonbons surprised and delighted me the most. The best-selling Explorer box contains delicate bonbons that feature the best of the Hawaiian maker’s island-inspired flavor combinations—including my favorite, Lilikoʻi Caramel, whose sweetness is intercut with the passionfruit’s tang. The Kona Coffee Caramel bonbon was also a standout and will undoubtedly delight java lovers. The cherry on top is the signature gift box that calls the ocean to mind.

raaka

In the box: 8 chocolate bars | Cacao: 58% to 82% cacao | Highlights: Single-origin Transparent Trade cacao; certified organic, vegan, GF, non-GMO, Kosher

The true chocolate nerds will appreciate this eight-piece collection of unconventional flavors—which all use unroasted cacao beans, so your recipient will get all the fruity nuances of the ingredient. And anyone with dietary or ethical concerns can rest easy; all Raaka’s chocolate is made gluten free, vegan and Kosher. Sample flavors to sift through include Bourbon Cask Aged, Bananas Foster, Rose Cardamom and Maple & Nibs. Plus, there’s a 16-page informational booklet on craft chocolate so your recipient can geek out even more.

Amazon

In the box: 20 caramel chocolates | Cacao: Unspecified | Highlights: Fair Trade and Kosher Certified chocolate; organic and non-GMO

If your loved one appreciates a good caramel filling, gift them one of the best the nation has to offer. Lake Champlain’s collection of 20 milk chocolate treats contains a decadently sweet and viscous caramel. The key to this concoction is fresh Vermont cream, which is slow-cooked in copper kettles, hand-cut and coated in pure milk chocolate after they cool. The touch of sea salt cuts through the creamy sweetness, and the red ribbon around the packaging seals this as the perfect gift.

Zotter Chocolates

In the box: 2 white chocolate bars | Cacao: Cocao butter | Highlights: Bean-to-bar maker; Fair Trade organic cacao

White chocolate lovers deserve gourmet decadence, too. Austrian chocolate maker Zotter makes a classic version that doesn’t skimp on cocoa butter and milk; the bar melts upon taking a bite, rivaling the creamiest ice cream, while the notes of vanilla pudding in citrus elevate it further. The other bar in this seasonal set is a caramel milk bar, which is even more decadent than it sounds: Not only does it use similarly generous portions of Austrian milk and cocoa butter, but the milk is caramelized first to give the treat a caramel biscuit flavor. Unlike many commercially produced white chocolate, reviewers appreciate that Zotter’s blend isn’t cloyingly sweet.

andsons

In the box: 24 assorted bonbons | Cacao: 33% to 64% cacao | Highlights: Features ingredients sourced from The Huntington; Fair Trade Valrhona cacao

Gift your art-minded loved ones a chocolate gift that is creatively designed inside and out. AndSons collection, crafted in collaboration with The Huntington Library, contains bonbons made with ingredients sourced from The Huntington’s renowned gardens. In addition to andSons’ innovative signature flavors (e.g., Caramel Gingerbread Waffle, Striped Hazelnut Gianduja), the set also features special flavors inspired by the institution. The Huntington Orange Marmalade bonbon, for instance, contains dark chocolate orange ganache layered with The Huntington’s orange spread. The gift box itself is an art collectible; it features a painting of The Huntington’s Gardens by artist Miranda Sofroniou.

Compartes

In the box: 15 chocolate-covered orange slices | Cacao: Unspecified | Highlights: Handcrafted in small batches daily

This is the classic gift of chocolate-covered fruits—but make it gourmet. Who better to do it than Los Angeles’ Compartés, whose version is one of the shop’s most popular items. You can choose a collection that uses all-milk chocolate, all-dark or a mix of both, depending on your recipient’s tastes. The lightly sweetened orange slices themselves are made in small batches in Compartés’ kitchens almost daily. The result: A dessert where both stars (the orange and the luxury chocolate) shine. To top it off, the slices are encased in a sophisticated gift box.

venchi

In the box: 12 ounces of assorted chocolate pieces | Cacao: Unspecified | Highlights: Rainforest Alliance certified chocolate

This Christmas collection by Venchi will no doubt enchant your recipient: The gift box itself is a literal work of holiday art. Australian illustrator and artist Anna Higgie used iconic imagery, like reindeer and ice skates, in shades of red and blue to create a masterpiece that’ll make your loved one feel almost like they’re celebrating Christmas on those snowy hills. The enchantment continues with the assorted treats inside; you’ll find flavors like Milk and Coffee, Pistachio Paste (my favorite Venchi chocolate), Ricotta and gluten-free Crumbly Biscuits.

goldbelly

In the box: 9 bourbon chocolate balls | Cacao: Unspecified | Highlights: Features Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Ghanan cacao

This box of desserts takes two of the best Kentucky has to offer: bourbon from Woodford Reserve and the expertise of Lexington-based confectioner Ruth Hunt Candies. The latter’s artisans handcraft both the dark chocolate treats and their gift box; the chocolates contain vanilla cream fondant infused with Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. All nine chocolate balls are topped with crunchy pecans.

Vosges Haut-Chocolat

In the box: 8-ounce drinking chocolate | Cacao: 62% cacao | Highlights: Fair Trade or Rainforest Alliance certified cacao, features Madagascar vanilla bean

This rich drinking chocolate is a homage to Vosges CEO and chocolatier Katrina Markoff’s time as a budding patisserie in Paris. One of her tasks: Prepare a traditional chocolat chaud each morning. The beautifully presented Haut-Chocolat Le Parisienne is the closest you’ll get to that rich concoction—your recipient can expect a decadent dark chocolate liquid infused with Madagascar vanilla bean. Bonus: Markoff’s hot chocolate recipe is included.

fran sales for forbes vetted

In the box: 9 chocolate turtles | Cacao: Unspecified | Highlights: First crafted in Destination Kohler

Koho’s tropical delights won my heart during taste-testing, but Kohler’s buttery chocolate turtles were a very close second. The Original Butter Terrapin recipe is the result of more than 100 attempts by chefs of Kohler’s American Club Resort, currently led by head chocolatier Crystal Thomas. The final product is no mere turtle: milk chocolate, salted pecans and smoky caramel play equally well together to create the richest, sweetest bite. For chocolate lovers with a big sweet tooth, this gift box won’t disappoint.

Recchiuti Confections

In the box: 9 chocolate truffles | Cacao: 70% cacao | Highlights: Preservative-free ingredients, Fair Trade Valrhona chocolate

Recchiuti makes some of the best chocolates in the Bay Area, and it happens to offer a curated assortment expressly for wine pairing. The maker’s Red Wine Pairing Box includes three signature truffles that are meant to complement your recipient’s favorite wines. A list of wine recommendations is included, but there’s also room to add your own tasting notes to see which of your favorite reds pair best with specific truffles. The truffles themselves use ingredients sourced from local farmers’ markets, like fresh lavender and lemon verbena.

fran sales for forbes vetted

Highlights: 60 chef-tested recipes with accompanying photos

Does your giftee prefer to make their own chocolate confections? Treat them to Chocolate Lover, a new cookbook by pastry chef, food photographer and recipe blogger Michelle Song. The book contains 60 recipes that sound as mouthwatering as the photography looks, and there’s something for lovers of semi-sweet, dark, milk and white chocolate alike. Standout dishes include Chewy Mochi Brownies, Strawberry White Chocolate Chantilly Cake and (pictured above) Brown Butter–Chocolate Crispy Treats. Both novice and experienced bakers will find something to enjoy in this collection. I appreciated the silver detail on the book’s hard cover, which calls to mind a classic chocolate wrapper and makes this extra giftable.

wear your dish

Highlights: Portion of purchases donated to NYC nonprofit SNACC

For a loungewear gift as cozy as your loved one’s favorite chocolate treat, I recommend checking out New York-based apparel brand Wear Your Dish. The company’s comfy sweatshirts, tees and hats all have one thing in common: They’re cheekily emblazoned with the names of different comfort foods and dishes. And there are plenty of chocolate snacks represented in the collection, so there’s something for your giftee’s specific cravings. In addition to the best-selling Chocolate Chip Cookies hoodie and a classic white tee adorned with “Chocolate Milk” in brown lettering (which I’m currently lounging in), Wear Your Dish’s upcoming seasonal “menu” includes a chocolate-brown “Hot Chocolate” sweatshirt with marshmallow-white lettering, pictured above.

Gifting chocolate is almost always a good idea. “Chocolate is its own pre-packaged gift found in a wide variety of options and is great as an individual, or shareable gift for a group or family to enjoy,” says Craig. Regardless of whether your loved one prefers candy-style chocolates produced by large candy makers, artisan creations from small producers, bars with a higher percentage of cacao or vegan chocolate, there’s something for everyone. “I personally love gifting chocolate for the literal smile it brings to people’s faces. It can entice excitement in discovery for trying different flavors,” Craig adds.

There are many ways to give chocolate as a gift, depending on your recipient’s preferences. For starters, there are several types of chocolates. “‘Chocolates’” as a plural refers to a box of individual pieces. If you want to cast a broader net, [you can also gift] ‘chocolate’ (singular) or ‘chocolate products,’” says Tracy. She recommends looking for quality chocolate products in attractive packaging. “Any good-quality chocolate in a beautiful box would make a great gift, [or] an assortment of chocolate bars from different makers with wrappers in the same color tones,” she says.

You could also gift chocolate products that pair well with your recipient’s favorite beverages, says Craig. “I’d recommend trying dark chocolates with a higher-percentage cacao content for red wines, tangier coffees, spirits such as whiskey or mezcal or beers like stouts and porters. Try creamier dark or milk chocolates with a lower-percentage cacao content for white wines, mellow or nuttier coffees, spirits such as bourbon or rum or beers in the IPA category.” (Check out more of our gift ideas for wine lovers.)

When shopping for a chocolate gift, you want to look for a few key things: quality ingredients, beautiful packaging and products that match your recipient’s tastes and dietary needs. According to chocolate experts, “quality” ingredients encompasses both the chocolate’s actual content and how it’s sourced. Tracy says artificial ingredients like vanillin and alkali-processed chocolate, as well as unsustainable and unethically sourced ingredients like palm oil, are typical “red flags.” Tracy and Craig also recommend that the cacao in the chocolate product be traceable and ethically sourced. “Direct Trade cacao is best. Fair Trade is a minimum,” says Tracy.