The Best Chocolate Gifts for Everyone on Your List

I love giving and receiving gifts. I do not love that every holiday season, I become overwhelmed with the task of finding the perfect gift for everyone on my list. That’s why this year, I’m getting everyone a chocolate gift. Things get stressful when you’re shopping for a hard-to-please sister, an in-law you don’t know very much about, and a mom who tells you “I don’t need any gifts, because you are my greatest gift.” (Thanks, mom, but that’s not helping me in this situation.)

Let me be clear though, this is not a cop-out. I intend to get very creative here. I’ve learned that the best chocolate gifts go beyond the standard cliche of chocolates—think: Japanese chocolate-infused strawberries, artisanal hand-painted bonbons, and thick, gooey chocolate chip cookies delivered from one of New York City’s most iconic bakeries. Below, I’ve rounded up some of the very best chocolate gifts around, all of which are BA-editor approved.

With gorgeous bars and equally gorgeous packaging, Compartés is the cool-kid of American chocolate makers. BA contributor Amanda Shapiro says, “Giving someone Compartés is like giving them art and chocolate at the same time.” Here, you’ll find a gift for every kind of Chocolate Person: There’s a celestial advent calendar for your cousin who asks everyone what their zodiac sign is, a luxe set of vegan chocolate bars for your aunt who’s really into superfoods, and the signature holiday gift box for your dad who appreciates a good chocolate truffle. While you’re here, scoop up a few of their most popular chocolate bars (like Bourbon pecan pie, avocado toast, or potato chip crisp) for yourself.

We’ve raved about Bokksu’s top-tier Japanese snacks before (see here and here), and we wouldn’t make a list of the best chocolate gifts without including their signature chocolate-infused strawberries. The strawberries are harvested, freeze-dried, infused with either dark chocolate or white chocolate, then cooled to create a rich, chocolatey treat that has all the flavor of fresh fruit. Whether you go with black or white, this gift box is the epitome of elegance.

This second generation chocolate shop in California makes modern bonbons in flavors like hibiscus honey, masa hot chocolate, and double yuzu, as well as classic flavors like dark chocolate and sticky toffee pudding. All of their products are made with artisanal ingredients like ethically-sourced cacao and farmers market produce. This box of chocolates features 24 of their most popular seasonal confections, and it’s the perfect gift for anyone who is serious about high-quality chocolate.

Give the gift of Levain’s iconic chocolate chip walnut cookies, which are thick, gooey, and clock in at a third of a pound each. If your recipient lives in New York City, they likely know these treats in all their glory—if they don’t, they’ll be pleasantly surprised after one bite. Levain ships nationwide, and their cookies are baked and shipped the same day, which ensures they’ll arrive crispy at the edges and soft in the middle. For holiday gifting, go with the signature cookie assortment. It’s available in three different sizes, and includes four best-sellers: chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and dark chocolate peanut butter chip. For a splashier gift, consider the Levain cookie tin bundle.

Contrary to popular belief, there is such a thing as high-quality milk chocolate, and BA food editor Chris Morocco prefers it over the bitter dark stuff. “Sometimes I just want to eat something accessible and enjoyable without embarking on a cerebral tasting exercise,” he writes. For that, there’s Fruition’s dark milk chocolate bar, which is made with 68% cacao sourced from Peru’s Marañón Canyon. It’s craveable, balanced, incredibly satisfying, and most importantly, approachable. May we recommend their award-winning milk chocolate bar set?

Unlike most chocolate, which is made by roasting fermented cacao beans, Raaka’s sustainably-sourced, single-origin bars are entirely unroasted. This lends a brighter, fruitier flavor that lets the raw ingredients shine (kind of like light roast versus dark roast roast coffee). Surprise the chocolate connoisseur in your life with this 30-piece set, which includes four flavors: oat milk, coconut milk, pink sea salt, and dark chocolate.

Hot chocolate must do two things: warm you up and spark joy. While some supermarket instant hot cocoa mixes do the job, holiday gifting calls for something a little more festive, like the Whittard of Chelsea hot chocolate stacking tin. This set includes a trio of their signature luxury hot chocolate, luxury white hot chocolate, and a rich salted caramel hot chocolate. Get these for your favorite chocolate lover, and cross your fingers they’ll share some with you.

Vosges Chocolate is Chicago-based gourmet chocolatier known for creating unique flavor combinations featuring premium ingredients from all over the world. Think: curry powder from India, Piemonte hazelnuts from Italy, and high-phenolic olive oil from Greece. The have a ton of stunning holiday gift, but we’re partial to the Comfort Food Tower, which puts a luxurious twist on three chocolate classics with Caramel Toffees, Caramel Marshmallows, and Peanut Butter Bonbons.