25 Chocolate Bars Perfect for Gifting

We like to think of this bar as a luxe version of the traditional orange in the Christmas stocking. Each small batch starts with single-origin Dominican 72% dark chocolate and is infused with bergamot and neroli, two types of citrus we thought only belonged in perfume -- until now!

$8 for one 3-ounce bar, cacaoprieto.com

We're super excited about the new dark milk category emerging in the chocolate world -- these bars typically have a higher percentage of cacao than their traditional milk counterparts and thus a more complex flavor. One of our favorites is this rendition by Catskills-based bean-to-bar workshop Fruition. It's made with one of the rarest cacao varietals, Pure Nacional from the Marañón Canyon of Peru. 

$12.95 for one 2.11-ounce bar, tastefruition.com

If someone's been really good this year, treat them to this box of the greatest hits from Portland-based chocolate maker Woodblock, which includes everything from single-origin and double-origin to flavors like sea salt and toasted sesame. Each bar is individually wrapped, so you can also divvy them up among multiple stockings.

Ten 0.88-ounce bars for $40, woodblock.myshopify.com

We love the single-origin chocolate from Atlanta-based micro-factory Xocolatl. Try the Nicaragua -- it's fruity and floral with a subtle licorice flavor that you'll be thinking about long after you finish the entire bar.

$9 for one 3-ounce bar, xocolatlchocolate.com

We adore the nutty, toasty flavor of this single-origin bar made with just two ingredients -- cocoa beans from Ecuador's northern coast and sugar. It also boasts a creamy mouthfeel without the use of cocoa butter or lecithin. Another bonus? No wrapping required -- the cream-and-gold packaging is pretty enough on its own.

$8 for one 2-ounce bar, dandelionchocolate.com

Candied lemon peel and fleur de sel are the perfect partners for bittersweet chocolate in this tasty treat that gives back. For every bar purchased, $1 will be donated to national childhood cancer foundation Alex's Lemonade Stand.

$12 for one 2.65-ounce bar, valerieconfections.com

Founders Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor used to build wood boats before joining forces (and names!) to make chocolate -- hence the unique packaging. The bars are just as striking on the inside -- each one has the same intricate molding. We're big fans of their single-origin bar made with Maya mountain cacao for its lingering fruit finish.

$8.50 for one 2-ounce bar, dicktaylorchocolate.com

A white chocolate we can get behind! Tangy from buttermilk and slightly peppery, this bar from Nashville maker Olive and Sinclair couldn't be more different from the waxy, bland kind in the supermarket checkout aisle.

$7.50 for one 2.5-ounce bar, oliveandsinclair.com

Proof positive that we've reached peak kale! Along with pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds, kale crisps add a satisfying crunch to this 75% dark chocolate bar made in Los Angeles (where else??!).

$9.95 for one 3-ounce bar, compartes.com

Toasted coconut, coconut milk powder, and honey crystals are the MVP ingredients in this dark chocolate bar made in Texas. The result? A subtly sweet, slightly crunchy, and totally irresistible treat.

$5 for one 1.55-ounce bar, dudesweetchocolate.com

The darkest chocolate we encountered, this bar is definitely not for the faint of heart. It's intense, fruity, and perfect for the adventurous chocoholics in your life. Started by former Peace Corps volunteers, Madécasse not only sources its cocoa from Madagascar, but is also striving to make all its chocolate there, from start to finish (a mission we wholeheartedly support!).

$4.50 for one 2.64-ounce bar, madecasse.com

Sugar, spice, and everything nice -- that's this bar inspired by the classic Latin-American rice milk beverage. Cinnamon and vanilla bean make the milk chocolate wonderfully fragrant, and crisped brown rice and quinoa add just the right amount of crunch.

$2.99 for one 1.9-ounce bar, theochocolate.com

The combination of chewy dried figs and crunchy pistachios enrobed in dark chocolate is a winner. We also adore how this bar is portioned. Inside the package are three smaller, individually wrapped bars that are the ideal size for snacking (or stuffing the toe of a stocking!). But the best part? Anytime you purchase a bar, a serving of food is donated to someone in need.

$7.50 for a pack of three 1-ounce bars, seattlechocolates.com

We're all about trying single-origin chocolate from different places and love coming across an area we haven't explored yet. Here, Haitian cacao takes center stage in a bar by Ethereal Confections in Woodstock, Illinois. It has a fruity, caramel-y flavor and is beautiful inside and out, thanks to the elegant molding and watercolor packaging.

$7.95 for one 2.25-ounce bar, etherealconfections.com

If you want a hit of potent chocolate flavor, this is the bar for you. It's 79% cacao and sweetened only with yacón, a Peruvian root that tastes like a cross between jicama and apple.

$7.95 for one 1.8-ounce bar, raakachocolate.com

Roasted cacao nibs can sometimes be a distraction in a chocolate bar. Not so in this version from Seattle maker Fran's -- here, you taste the rich dark chocolate first, then get to enjoy a crunch at the end of every bite.

$46 for a box of 12, frans.com

Not familiar with lucuma? It's a Peruvian fruit full of minerals and antioxidants with a butterscotch-like flavor. It makes an excellent alternative sweetener, and here it's combined with vanilla and coconut sugar in a raw dark-chocolate bar.

$8.50 for one 2-ounce bar, fineandraw.com

Crafted from beans that grow wild along the Amazon River Basin in Bolivia, this bar has a uniquely nutty, roasted malt flavor. We love the hand-drawn artwork on the packaging almost as much as the chocolate inside it -- both are made in Scottsdale, Arizona.

$8.95 for one 2-ounce bar, stonegrindz.com

Organic lavender blossoms give this bar a wonderful floral quality without overpowering the chocolate. All of Black Dinah's barks are made in Maine using single-origin Venezulan chocolate and locally grown ingredients.

$5.75 for one 2-ounce bar, blackdinahchocolatiers.com

Kids in particular will love this movie snack-turned-milk chocolate bar. It really snaps, crackles, and pops when you take a bite, thanks to the addition of puffed whole grains, toasted corn chips, and popping candy.

$6 for one 2.8-ounce bar, chuaochocolatier.com

Another luxury ingredient -- Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans -- is the star of this bar. It gives the dark chocolate an intensely floral aroma.

$12 for one 2.12-ounce bar, ritualchocolate.com

The classic French dessert translates beautifully into this bar of chocolate by Jacques Torres, the self-proclaimed Mr. Chocolate. It pairs a classic milk with crunchy butter bits reminiscent of the caramelized top of creme brulee.

$7 for one 2.80-ounce bar, mrchocolate.com

Another dark milk chocolate winner! This bar from Videri Chocolate Factory in Raleigh, North Carolina is noticeably darker than standard milk chocolate but still super creamy, smooth, and approachable. Bonus: all of Videri's products are made in a nut-free facility, a rarity in the chocolate world.

$7 for one 1.4-ounce bar, viderichocolatefactory.com

Inspired by Ayurveda, this raw chocolate bar features one of our favorite superfoods: turmeric. It's teamed with orange, pistachios, sea salt, and raw honey -- no refined sugar here!

$20 for a pack of three 2-ounce bars, elementstruffles.com

Two of your favorite pick-me-ups in one neat little package! Here, coffee beans from one of our favorite roasters, Blue Bottle, are ground into TCHO's dark milk chocolate.

$3.99 for one 2.5-ounce bar, tcho.com