The 13 best chocolates, tested and reviewed by a professional chocolatier

At Vosges Haut-Chocolat, I have found the best chocolate to give as a gift. Each box of the best chocolates has an undeniable wow-factor before the recipient has even lifted the lid. All Vosges chocolates are stunning. This chocolatier's use of shapes, layered components, textures, and variety within one box is universally pleasing. To learn even more about the brand, our editors sampled a variety of sweet treats in our Vosges Chocolate review.

I recommend the hand-formed Milk Chocolate Truffles in an ornate purple box or the too-easy-to-enjoy Comfort Food Tower. If it's a truly special occasion or just for someone with a sweet tooth and trouble sleeping, the Dream Gift Set comes with 16 truffles flavored with chamomile, tulsi, and lavender, plus more chocolates, bath salts, a sleep mask, and loose-leaf tea. 

While many Vosges chocolates feature uncommon ingredients in unexpected combinations, they are actually very approachable to eat. Each Vosges Haut-Chocolat morsel is truly exciting to bite into, like unwrapping yet another surprise: the gift that keeps giving.

Check out our full Vosges Chocolate review for more details.

Worth a try:

Compartés seamlessly draws upon familiar flavors and tailors them to fun, stylish candy bars. Take, for example, The Donuts & Coffee bar, which is adorned with bits of real glazed buttermilk donuts, crispy coffee donut crumble, and finely ground coffee. That's just one of the nearly 70 flavors to choose from, and all come in beautiful packaging that makes for great gifting. 

One of my favorites of the best chocolate bars was the Cookies & Cream bar, which draws on a crowd-favorite flavor but uses an elegant blend of dark and white chocolate to control sweetness. I also loved the Strawberry Shortcake bar, which whimsically mixes jammy, tart, bite-sized strawberries and crumbles of buttery shortcake into a strawberry-flavored, rosy-hued white chocolate. There's even a plethora of vegan options. 

Worth a try:

Chocolove, a Boulder-based company, prides itself on providing "affordable luxury." At budget-friendly prices, Chocolove somehow offers high-quality flavor and texture, sustainability, and even ethical sourcing. It uses non-GMO ingredients, including cacao beans traceable down to the farmer, to ensure premium chocolate bars at a fair price. 

I felt like the elegant Cherries & Almonds in Dark Chocolate bar was a decadent dessert worthy of its own plate and white tablecloth. The Passion Fruit in Ruby Chocolate bar showcases the bright berry notes and pink hue of ruby chocolate's naturally red cacao bean, complemented by a tart passion fruit puree filling. With Belgian-trained Master Chocolatier Patrick Peeters at the helm, Chocolove continues to provide exquisite chocolate bars of the highest caliber — at the lowest prices.

Worth a try:

Seattle Chocolate has an entire line of Vegan Truffle Bars and they are divinely rich despite their lack of dairy. Vegan chocolate bars are a dime-a-dozen nowadays, seeing as how dark chocolate is innately dairy-free and, therefore, vegan. But I have found that achieving a rich, creamy chocolate minus the dairy is a whole other feat. 

Seattle Chocolate often combines contrasting textures within one bar and adds a sophisticated touch to nostalgic flavors. I loved the Pike Place Espresso Chocolate Truffle Bar, speckled with finely ground decaf espresso beans. And, the Mexican Hot Chocolate Truffle Bar features fresh ground cinnamon with a pinch of fiery cayenne pepper, all balanced with a touch of sweet Madagascar vanilla. 

To make matters sweeter, this women-owned company collaborates with independent artists to design its show-stopping packaging and is committed to sustainability, ethical cocoa sourcing, and carbon-neutral production. Plus, it gives 10% of its net profits to Girls Inc., which provides mentorship, safe spaces, and programs proven to help girls develop their inherent strengths.

Worth a try:

Ganache — you've seen the word countless times on menus describing chocolate desserts. Ganache is the decadent combination of cream and chocolate used to frost cakes, glaze donuts, and fill truffles. Our favorite producer of truffles and ganaches, Bon Bon Bon, is unconventional in its truffles' shape, use of flavors and textures, and packaging. 

A good truffle should have a uniform, thin shell enrobing the ganache filling. Secondly, it should have a shiny exterior (unless coated in cocoa powder, etc), free of blemishes or white "bloom" (a sign that the chocolate was not treated properly during production or storage). Lastly, inside the truffle should be a silky smooth ganache. Bon Bon Bon, a hip and cheeky producer out of Detroit, hits the mark on all of these and then some. Each truffle is a two-bite masterpiece, delivered in a thin rectangular chocolate shell.

Rather than fully enrobing its ganaches, Bon Bon Bon chooses to leave its bonbons topless. Not only is this visually unconventional, but each bonbon is also adorned with playful garnishes. For example, the Bour-Bon-Bon-Bon has a layer of rich bourbon ganache topped with whiskey caramel in a dark chocolate shell, appropriately garnished with a glacée orange and dark chocolate "ice cube." Worth a try:

When choosing the best chocolate for kids, I sought out a quality product with approachable flavors that didn't break the bank. Ghirardelli's individually wrapped chocolate squares are great for kids and connoisseurs alike.

While Ghirardelli Intense Dark chocolates are available, most of the chocolates used to create these classic squares are approachable and palatable to kids. The options are endless, so you are sure to find something for even the pickiest of eaters. 

A milk chocolate assortment is the perfect sweet treat for the fussier of the bunch. White, milk, and dark chocolate morsels filled with gooey caramel and rich chocolate ganache offer a stepping-stone into more sophisticated flavors, while squares bejeweled with crispy rice, tart berries, or crunchy nuts are ideal for the more texturally adventurous of the group. 

Worth a try:

The sweet and savory flavors developed from roasting cacao beans make chocolate the ideal "plus one" to any toasted nut. See's Candies has perfected the craft. A coating of good chocolate draws out the natural sweetness of almonds, pistachios, and pecans; coaxes the fatty richness of cashews, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts; and embraces the slight bitterness of walnuts and pine nuts.

See's Candies, founded in 1921, has a vintage, old-timey feel with black and white checkered packaging and classic confections included in its arrangements, such as Dark Scotchmallows. It has an entire collection of "Nuts & Chews" for those devoted to nut-bejeweled chocolates. Toffee-ettes, sold in black and white coffee canisters, are small nuggets of Danish butter toffee and roasted almonds coated in milk chocolate and rolled in more crunchy almonds. 

See's also offers less conventional options for the more daring nut enthusiasts that you can put together in your own custom arrangement. Consider the CA Crunch, a flakey brittle center with peanuts and peanut butter enrobed in white chocolate and covered with chopped English walnuts. Try the Milk Mayfair, a soft pink-hued center of walnuts, cherries, and vanilla, coated with creamy milk chocolate. With a vast assortment of nut-celebrating confections, See's Candies is the one-stop-shop for any nut lover with a chocolate craving.

Worth a try:

San Francisco-based Dandelion Chocolate Factory approaches making the best chocolate like a winemaker. It crafts single-origin chocolate bars made from cacao beans of one variety from one location. Regional terroirs influence the flavors of cacao beans, and Dandelion Chocolate's bars highlight the different beans' distinctive characteristics. Plus, with the Year of Chocolate subscription, you can get a full terroir tour.

Not only do Dandelion Chocolate's bars showcase the nuances of single-origin beans, but they richly represent the art of roasting by offering bars made from cacao of the same harvest but with different roasting profiles. For example, you can purchase a pack of bars made from the same beans, but processed by Dandelion's Tokyo and San Francisco chocolatiers.

Every chocolate from Dandelion Chocolate feels deluxe, wrapped in gold-accented paper with tasting notes. As for the chocolates themselves, Dandelion Chocolate's bars are superb. When seeking chocolate to savor on its own, I look for a rich and complex taste with a pleasant bitterness and melt-in-your-mouth smoothness, lacking any waxy residue. Even at 70% cacao and beyond, Dandelion Chocolate's bars are balanced and approachable. 

Worth a try:

Caramels come in all shapes and sizes, firmnesses, colors, degrees of bitterness and butteriness, and with all types of garnishes. Naming the best chocolate with caramel was no easy task, but I found that Fran's Chocolates caramels offer the "pull," deliberate chew, and strategic salting that a great caramel should possess. 

Like the perfect bagel or pizza crust, a caramel needs to have just the right amount of chew — not too hard, not too soft. Secondly, salt is great in moderation. It highlights the burnt sugar notes and cuts through the rich, buttery flavor of the confection. However, salt applied with a heavy hand makes for an unpleasant surprise; it stomps out nuanced flavors and tramples on the chocolate coating.

Fran Bigelow, founder of Fran's Chocolates, was inspired by a trip to Paris and has since been dedicated to sharing the joie de vivre philosophy through exceptional confections. This Seattle-based candy producer features Fair Trade-certified chocolate to complement, not overshadow, the caramel's delicate yet luxurious buttery flavor.

Worth a try:

Monthly subscriptions are available for just about anything: flower bouquets, recipe kits, smoked meats, date-night in a box, and yes, you guessed it, chocolate. Subscriptions are a fun, interactive way to learn more about a specific product through exposure and experience. When searching for the best chocolate subscription, we considered each brand's selection, how the items are made, the brand's chocolate sustainability and trade models, and opportunities to learn more about chocolate in the process of enjoying our deliveries.

The Gourmet Chocolate of the Month Club provided through monthlyclubs.com works with professionals at the esteemed Zingerman's Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Michigan to offer a curated assortment of chocolates, including both bonbons and bars. Zingerman's prides itself on a thorough product selection that sources chocolates from international, small-batch chocolatiers.

 It's noteworthy and respectable that these chocolates are sourced from eco-friendly, fair-trade producers you can feel good about supporting. Past boxes have even included some of our top picks mentioned above. Best of all, each delivery comes with an educational newsletter containing tasting notes, background reading material, and product information, so you'll get more out of your subscription than just really really delicious chocolate.

Buy from monthlyclubs.com

I grew up relishing powdery, saccharine cocoa mix with tiny dehydrated marshmallows. Now, I crave unctuous, bittersweet sipping chocolate (sometimes with a splash of amaretto). Originating in Mayan culture, bitter drinking chocolate made its way to Europe and underwent countless adaptations before becoming the sweet, milky beverage we sip today. High-end hot chocolates celebrate the bitter notes of cacao, providing a grown-up sip with a touch of childhood nostalgia.

Even before adding your choice of schnapps or liqueurs, a haute hot chocolate should be intense and richly flavored. The cocoa's innate acidity and bitterness should be prominent but palatable. Some chocolatiers add sugar or flavorings such as vanilla beans, peppermint, or espresso powder to their mixes. With single-origin chocolate bars in vogue, many producers are now offering single-origin sipping chocolates as well.

Christopher Elbow, best known for its brightly colored chocolate bonbons, typically offers four hot chocolate options of various flavors and cacao origins, in sleek reclosable tins. (You may find more limited availability as the weather gets warmer.) We tested the Cocoa Noir Dark Drinking Chocolate, the chocolatier's luscious interpretation of a rich European-style drinking chocolate. Containing just dark chocolate and vanilla bean, this super intense, silky drink has a velvety texture. Its balanced bittersweet chocolate flavor lingers just long enough to leave you craving another sip. With something so decadent, I was satisfied after a small mugful. No marshmallows needed.

Worth a try:

Hand-painted bonbons from Petrova Chocolates are truly eye-candy. Each brilliant chocolate is meticulously lacquered with vivid colored cocoa butter to represent the filling within. But the beauty of these chocolates is not just surface-deep; each has two to three layers of jewel-toned, jammy, creamy, bold, and balanced fillings that work harmoniously with the delicate chocolate shell. A cross-section of any of these bonbons reveals a stunning composition inspired by founder Betty Petrova's childhood memories and fine-dining experiences. If you eat with your eyes first, Petrova Chocolates offers the ultimate bedazzling feast.

Some of my favorite bonbons from the collection include Hot Honey Lemon, denoted with bright yellow with orange brushstrokes. Inside is chili-infused wildflower honey above a tangy lemon ganache. Strawberry Peanut Butter was another favorite: A creamy ivory shell swirled with bold purple and metallic violet encasing a layer of juicy strawberry pate de fruit, peanut butter ganache, and crunchy peanut butter praline. Perhaps the most playful was Popping Almond; a bonbon composed of crunchy almond praline, cookie crumble, and effervescent Pop Rocks, all encased in a midnight-black shell streaked with a meteor shower of shimmering turquoise and pearl. 

Worth a try:

Pairing chile peppers with chocolate is not novel, but finding a chocolate that brings heat as well as depth of flavor and quality chocolate is a rare find. Heat seekers and adventure lovers will love Cacao & Cardamom. Based in Houston, Texas, founder Annie Rupani, uses chocolate as a medium to represent her South-Asian heritage and extensive travels to countries Italy, Greece, Lebanon, Egypt, China, Jordan, Pakistan, and Malaysia. She not only turns to chile peppers for intrigue, but spices, leaves, flowers, and berries as well. The stunning colors and shapes of Cacao & Cardamom bonbons rival those in our "most beautiful" category, with a sense of adventure.

We tried a range of flavors to find the best chocolate from Cacao & Cardamom. The Coco Curry is a journey of flavors with velvety yet light caramel infused with coconut and herbaceous curry leaves. The Cardamom Rose bonbon leads with the warm, herbal spicy notes of green cardamom, and finishes with the soft floral touch of rose water. Finally, the Five Spice Praline delivers a robust blend of fennel, Szechuan peppercorns, star anise, clove, and cinnamon atop a base of crisp, toasty hazelnut chocolate praline. Cacao & Cardamom offers bold and exotic flavors that inspire the most seasoned of foodies to seek new adventures around the world.

Worth a try:

Raaka Chocolate: This single-origin bar producer chooses to showcase the fruitier, brighter flavors of raw cacao beans. However, the boldly flavored bars such as Green Tea Crunch and Maple and Nibs can make it hard to appreciate the innate qualities of the chocolates featured. Raaka also offers a subscription, "First Nibs," with exclusive access to micro-batch bars. This can be a fun way to try new offerings from Raaka.

Lindt Excellence Bars: We considered this widely available, well-established brand of chocolate bars for the best budget chocolate. We appreciate the variety and classic packaging; however, the chocolate itself has an artificial flavor we don't love.

L.A. Burdick: We seriously considered this producer's eleven sipping chocolates for the "best hot chocolate" title. Burdick's offers something for everyone, including a white drinking cocoa. Each package comes with an adorable little whisk, but the paper bag packaging was messy and a bit cumbersome. Otherwise, these cocoas are worthy of a try.

andSons: These beautiful bonbons are flawlessly executed. The use of many differing decorating techniques reveals that skilled chocolatiers are at hand; some bonbons are molded and airbrushed, while others are enrobed and topped, textured, or swirled. andSons offers elegant and dynamic flavors.

While I'm currently employed as a chocolatier, I've lived previous lives in both scientific research and recipe development. My education in the hard sciences, the savory culinary arts, and my work as a chocolatier have all been in preparation for the daunting task of selecting the best chocolates. I cut no corners and left no truffle unturned. 

I started by reading about top brands in the chocolate industry, then taste-tested countless confections, evaluating their flavors, textures, and presentation. In all, I sampled more than 75 products from 36 brands for this guide. Here is how I tested: