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As an enthusiastic supporter of Valentine’s Day, my affection for this holiday extends beyond the typical sentiments of love and friendship. My heart truly belongs to chocolate, which takes center stage during this occasion—though conversation hearts and extravagant vegetable bouquets also have their charm. This is the prime time to indulge in exquisite chocolates that exude luxury and indulgence. Few things convey this feeling better than a beautifully packaged selection of bonbons or truffles.
Bonbons are traditionally crafted using molds and can be filled with a diverse range of ingredients, including fruits, nuts, caramel, and marzipan, setting them apart from truffles, which mainly feature ganache. Both types offer a platform for chocolatiers to showcase their creativity, often crafted to resemble glimmering gemstones. These artisanal chocolates, unlike the more generic bars found in grocery store checkouts, are designed for celebrations. Below is a curated list of confectioners from across the nation, all ready to deliver festive treats directly to your doorstep.
Stick With Me Sweets
At this charming New York City shop, chocolatier Susanna Yoon has mastered the art of transforming the delightful flavors of classic desserts into stunning bonbons. While online orders don’t allow for selecting individual flavors, each box promises a delightful surprise that you won’t regret.
Vesta Chocolate
Located in New Jersey, Vesta Chocolate prides itself on a bean-to-bonbon process. Chocolatiers Roger Rodriguez and Julia Choi Rodriguez use whole cacao beans to create a variety of confections, including rich bonbons available in surprise assortments shipped in boxes of six or twelve.
Exquisito Chocolates
In Miami, Exquisito Chocolates focuses on ethically sourced ingredients, as showcased in Carolina Quijano’s process of transforming cacao into chocolate. For this Valentine’s Day, customers can order a unique gift that doubles as a creative date night activity: a bonbon painting kit allowing you to decorate your own treats.
Piety and Desire Chocolate
New Orleans’ Piety and Desire offers a selection of bonbons in boxes ranging from four to 24 pieces. While the flavors remain a delightful mystery, customers can choose nut-free assortments or opt for a vegan box to enjoy.
Topogato
Topogato, recognized as San Francisco’s “most audacious online chocolate shop” by Eater SF, offers hand-painted confections with unique flavor profiles, such as brandied eggnog and spiced hot chocolate.
Sugoi Sweets
Chicago’s Sugoi Sweets, run by Elle Lei, produces small-batch bonbons featuring creative flavors in both a newer collection—think beer pretzel and milk tea—and a classic line that includes enticing choices like blueberry lavender and cotton candy pop rocks. Customers can also opt for a customized selection of six flavors.
Cacao and Cardamom
Cacao and Cardamom in Houston highlights the jewel-like appeal of bonbons, beautifully designed and creatively shaped. The shop is noted for integrating spices in its creations, offering flavors like strawberry Szechuan peppercorn and cardamom rose.
Kate Weiser
Dallas chocolatier Kate Weiser blends high-quality chocolate with eye-catching Valentine’s Day designs, featuring vibrant pink hearts that capture the spirit of the holiday.
Monsoon Chocolate
In Tucson, Monsoon Chocolate produces bonbons that reflect the southwestern landscape. Their flavor selections include chiltepín pepper and prickly pear caramel, with some offerings supporting wildlife conservation efforts like the Northern Jaguar Project.
Jardí Chocolates
In Atlanta, Jardí Chocolates caters to fruit aficionados with flavors such as salted blueberry vanilla and mango with mezcal. However, their standout feature for Valentine’s Day is the decadent dark chocolate and brown sugar marshmallow hearts crafted by chef Jocelyn Gragg.
andSons
Los Angeles’ andSons chocolate makers continue a family legacy with their refined bonbons and other treats. Their upcoming 2025 Valentine’s Day collection promises exciting options, while part of their sales supports World Central Kitchen, aiding relief efforts in LA.
Bon Bon Bon
Bon Bon Bon in Detroit breaks traditional molds with its innovative flavors, available for pre-order in their festive Valentine’s Day collection, featuring quirky options such as Puppy Love and Can’t Get Un Oeuf. Their classic box also delivers an engaging assortment inspired by desserts like crème brûlée.
Vosges Haut-Chocolat
Chicago’s Vosges Haut-Chocolat excels in both taste and presentation, known for unique collaborations and seasonal offerings. While their focus currently leans on Lunar New Year collections, Valentine’s Day treats are on the horizon, including an exquisite gift box with gourmet chocolates paired with Champagne.
Compartés
With nearly 75 years of expertise, Compartés in Los Angeles revitalizes the classic heart-shaped box by offering a modern green crocodile-print design filled with gourmet chocolate-covered fruits, nuts, and cookies.
Twenty-Four Blackbirds
Santa Barbara’s Twenty-Four Blackbirds sources its cocoas from single origin estates and is known for its collaborative spirit. Founded by Mike Orlando, who embraced a DIY ethos, the shop creates an array of truffles, with a focus on accessibility without compromising quality.
Fine & Raw
For those preferring to skip traditional Valentine’s frills, Fine & Raw offers raw, organic bean-to-bar chocolates in minimalist packaging from their Brooklyn location, ensuring that quality remains at the forefront.
Etsy
Etsy hosts a variety of small-scale chocolate makers and also features whimsical edible bouquets that embrace the holiday’s playful aspects, filled with nostalgic favorites like Ferrero Rocher and Butterfingers.
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