Searching For The Best Chocolate In Northern Michigan: From A Local Chocolate Lover!

Any chocoholics out there heading to Norther Michigan? You’ll find a number of great shops around the area serving up delicious chocolate. Chocolate makes a bad day better, and a great day greater. Not only that, the antioxidants in dark chocolate are actually good for you! So go ahead and seek to satisfy your chocolate cravings. Join us on our quest to find the best chocolate in northern Michigan!

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Alpine Chocolat Haus

First stop on the chocolate trail? Head to Alpine Chocolat Haus for one of the best chocolate shops in the North. They have locations in Boyne City, Gaylord and Sault Ste. Marie. Alpine Haus has been making high quality chocolates, fudge, brittles and caramel corn since 1985.

Each piece of chocolate is made by hand, one at a time! Alpine Haus Chocolat is famous for their pillowy, chocolate covered seafoam and their out-of-this-world chocolate covered potato chips. Their ice cream counters are particularly busy during the summer.

We visited the Boyne City shop, located at 1 Water Street. We walked in and marveled at the huge variety of confections available. Particularly impressive was the wide array of jars filled with chocolate covered fruits and nuts.

For me, one of the very best reason to visit a gourmet chocolate shop is to sample their gourmet truffles. And the Alpine Haus rocked this one out of the park! Their truffles are perfectly coated with a simple layer of chocolate, and filled with decadent, silky smooth ganache. The double dark chocolate truffle truly melts in your mouth! The peppermint truffle is high on my list of favorites, closely followed by the sea salt caramel.

We did have a particular mission in mind on our trip to Boyne City, vowing to try one of Alpine Haus’s signature caramel apples. According to their website, these gems are not made from your granny’s Granny Smith apples. They are lovingly made from incredibly huge, incredibly crisp, extra juicy Granny Smith apples grown in Michigan, and then smothered with ” our gooey-licious caramel.” There are over a dozen varieties to choose from, including a pink one for Breast Cancer Awareness month, some with MSU and U of M logos, and candy corn at Halloween.

Naturally, I went for the dark chocolate sea salt apple. My friend opted for the peanut covered caramel apple. I definitely agree with the “incredibly huge” description! These apples are incredibly huge and incredibly rich. There’s no way I could ever eat a whole one. You can easily cut them into 8 or 10 slices to pass around and share.

Just as the website claims, these just may be the finest caramel apples that we’ve ever experienced! Mmmm…

Looking for a Valentine’s treat for someone special? Alpine Chocolat Haus offers chocolate covered strawberries and mandarin orange slices around this February holiday. They are also featuring a large, molded chocolate heart. It’s 9 ounces of solid milk chocolate adorned with beautiful Valentine’s decorations.

If you aren’t headed up north, you can easily have have some chocolatey goodness shipped right to your door. Place your order on the Alpine Chocolate Haus Website.

The Boyne City Alpine Chocolat Haus is conveniently located right next door to Cafe Sante, a casual, European-style bistro. If you decide you can’t survive on chocolate alone, Cafe Sante is a great place to kick back and enjoy a  wood-fired pizza and a Belgian brew. Click here to look over the Cafe Sante menu.

Kilwins

Those in search of the best chocolate in northern Michigan probably already know about Kilwins. As you walk in the door of the shop, you will be greeted by the scrumptious smells of the freshly baked waffle cones that accompany the ice cream made from their original recipes. You’ll also smell the Mackinac Island fudge that Kilwins is famous for, being paddled on a marble slab right before your eyes.

The very first Kilwins Chocolate Store opened in Petoskey, Michigan, in 1947. Kilwin’s headquarters is still located in Petoskey to this day. The company has grown tremendously, and now has 140 franchises in 25 different states. Northern Michigan venues include Petoskey, Charlevoix, Harbor Springs, Boyne City, Traverse City, Cheboygan, Frankfort, Mackinac Island and Mackinaw City.

We are fortunate to live close to the Traverse City store. Kilwins has been a landmark in downtown Traverse City for 50 years. We have our standard favorites: dark chocolate mint paddies (mine) and dark chocolate sea salt carrels. (David’s) When my dad is in town, we also stock up on old-fashioned, soft and sticky caramel fingers. Apparently I did not inherit the chocoholic gene from him.

We are both addicted to Kilwin’s sea salt caramels. They have just the right amount of chewy pull. Caramels are available in both dark and milk chocolate. Personally, I can’t imagine indulging in any chocolate other than dark! Just one chocolate covered caramel after dinner is the perfect amount to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Each caramel is topped with homemade chocolate and a sprinkling of sea salt. There are six different types of salt, giving the caramels a delicate crunch. The darkest is black Hawaiian salt that actually has a hint of charcoal flavor. There is also a distinctive red Hawaiian sea salt. My favorite variety is pink Himalayan salt. The assortment is rounded out with a white salt mined in the Mexican town of Manzanillo, and gray salts ground in Guerande, France and Cyprus. Truffles are arranged in a cute little box, making them the perfect choice when you need to purchase a gift for someone.

Kilwins also offers chocolate covered grahams, Twinkies, pretzel rods, and rice Krispy treats. Of course, they make their own hot fudge and caramel toppings for their ice cream. Freshly made caramel corn, barks and brittles are hugely popular.

Kilwins puts together variety of gift box assortments every Valentine’s Day. Fall is the perfect time to score one of their customer favorites: a classic caramel apple. Crunchy Granny Smith apples are dipped in smooth, creamy caramel that has simmered in a copper kettle for three hours.

Find all of the incredible confections that Kilwins has to offer on the Kilwins Website.

Great Lakes Chocolate & Dessert Company

The Great Lakes Chocolate and Dessert Company of Traverse City easily makes our best chocolate in northern Michigan list! Husband and wife team Dave and Shana Sicotte, state on their website “We strive to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy fine chocolate & dessert as an everyday indulgence.” They have have aspired to be bean-to-bar craft chocolate innovators, and are committed to single-origin, organic cacao beans for their handmade chocolates. They use cocoa beans from several different countries, but never mingle them in their products.

The dessert options may vary from day to day, but offerings include chocolate bars, classic truffles, cocoa nibs, drinking chocolate, coffee and a variety of pies, cakes, and cookies. Everything is made in-house.

The scent of chocolate is amazing when you walk in the door. I’m still working through all of the wonderful fare that The Great Lakes Chocolate Company has to offer. High on my list of favorites so far? Chocolate raspberry entremet cake. This lovely French dessert has layers of dark chocolate cake, dark chocolate mousse, raspberry jam and fresh raspberries. It’s incredibly rich, so a little bit goes a long way!

As always , I’m attracted to gourmet truffles. These peppermint truffles did not disappoint. Rich and creamy, with just the right hint of peppermint.

The chocolate Pot de Creme is another hugely popular choice with customers. A Pot de Creme is kind of like a cross between custard and pudding. It reminded me of a creme brulee without the hardened top layer. Its silky smooth textured makes this the perfect after dinner treat.

Chocolate not really your thing? I can’t really relate to that, but don’t worry, there’s always other options. We absolutely loved this scone oozing blueberries!

Great Lakes Chocolate & Dessert Company also sells bags of cocoa mulch. This mulch is made from the leftover shells of cocoa beans. We love the idea of not letting them go to waste. The shells are organic and will gradually decompose over the growing season. Cocoa mulch provides beneficial nutrients to the soil , helps keep weeds from growing and is an attractive ground cover. Not to mention it infuses your garden with the heavenly scent of chocolate! A word of caution, though: chocolate can be dangerous for dogs, so gardeners may want to use cocoa mulch only on fenced-in gardens if you have a pooch who likes to dig.

Great Lakes Chocolate Company is working on a few special treats for Valentines Day. They’re preparing special chocolate covered strawberries made from bean-to-bar chocolate: sure to capture the heart of the one you love!

Learn more about how their chocolate is made and order from the online store at the Great Lakes Chocolate and Dessert Company website.

Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate: Empire

Spending a day at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore? An absolute must for any chocolate lover in the area is a stop at Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate. This quaint, family-owned business is located in Empire, just north of the town’s traffic light at 11590 South Lacore Street.  

Grocer’s Daughter is a bean- to-bar chocolatier. Their rich chocolate is made on-site from cacao beans grown in Ecuador. They feature specialty truffles, chocolate bars and chocolate barks. It’s always a great idea to stock up on these treasures and they make perfect gifts if you owe someone a thank you. The featured photo at the top of this post shows part of the amazing array of beautiful chocolates available at Grocer’s Daughter.

Grocer’s Daughter has some fabulous treats designed to help you cool off on a hot summer’s day. My go-to favorite is a creamy, dark chocolate fudgesicle. Other fudgesicle flavors include espresso, lemon basil, mango and mint. Another popular favorite is their oh-so-refreshing iced chocolate drink. Finally, Grocer’s Daughter offers a classic Ecuadorian dessert: frozen bananas dipped in smooth, creamy chocolate.

You can enjoy your treats outside in the garden, where Grocer’s Daughter grows many of the herbs, fruits and flowers that are used in their beautifully handcrafted products.

You can never go wrong with a classic chocolate bar, and Grocers Daughter definitely has this covered. I tend to like basic, uncomplicated flavors, and as far as I’m concerned nothing beats their 70% dark chocolate bar. Those with a sweet tooth can gravitate as far as the 43% white chocolate bar. True chocolate aficionados can opt for the 100% dark chocolate bar for a satisfying burst of bitterness.

More adventurous chocoholics can experiment with the blue bar, filled with pistachios, hazelnuts, and organic blueberries, or the popular Wally bar with cashews, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, maple caramelized almonds, cherries and cranberries.

Like so many other chocolatiers, Grocery’s Daughter has some special plans for Valentines Day. For your consideration? A special giftbox featuring their Valentine’s Day truffle lineup. Choices include the Malted Milk Truffle, 55% dark chocolate filled with a whipped malt ganache. Or perhaps the Mango Rum Truffle, a burst of tropical flavor featuring dark chocolate ganache made with Iron Fish rum and mango. How’s this for fun: a potato chip truffle made with milk chocolate blended with Great Lakes Potato Chips! Then there’s the one that calls to me: a Merlot sea salt honey caramel. Yes, please!

Go to the Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate’s website to find their current hours. At the time of our visit they were closed on Wednesday. Not in the area? Order through their online store to sample their delicious chocolate.

Be sure to check out our Sleeping Bear Dunes blog post for insider tips if you’re heading that way.

Candy Harbor: Bay Harbor

Another must-visit stop on your search for chocolate? Candy Harbor is a candy and ice cream store located in the Village of Bay Harbor. Overlooking the water just outside of Petoskey, the beautiful views of Lake Michigan make Bay Harbor worth the drive. This family-owned business closes during the winter months but sees a steady stream of customers during the summer who stop in for homemade ice cream, chocolates, caramel corns and fun candy.

We popped in on a August day and decided on two treats to try. They each were absolutely amazing! Both the chocolate and the peanut butter in Candy Harbor’s peanut butter cups are so smooth and rich. We instantly regretted not buying more of them. I’ll probably never be able to buy a Reese’s peanut butter cup again. Even better were the giant cashew turtles. The gooey combination of caramel and nuts drenched in chocolate zoomed right to the top of my list of all-time favorites.

Had we eaten there right in the shop, we undoubtedly would have stocked up on more goodies to go. What were we thinking? After looking at my photos, Candy Harbor’s gourmet carmel corn is definitely calling my name. A return trip to Bay Harbor is on our summer bucket list! We’ll plan on a warm day so we can sample their ice cream as well.

Candy Harbor doesn’t have a website, but check the Candy Harbor Facebook page to find out when they reopen in the spring.

Bonus: Flourless Chocolate Cake at Common Good Bakery

Okay: so the Common Good Bakery is not especially known as as a chocolate shop. This little neighborhood gem has a stellar reputation for its incredible loaves of bread, breakfast sandwiches and assorted pastries. However, their out-of-this -world flourless chocolate cake makes them a must-visit stop on the search for the best chocolate in northern Michigan.

The Common good Bakery Menu describes this little bit of heaven as a rich cake draped in chocolate ganache and mirror glaze. They were right on about the mirror glaze: I marveled at this cake’s smooth, shiny surface: so shiny my camera had a hard time focusing on it!

When I first laid eyes on this petite, six-inch diameter cake, I thought that the $30.00 price tag was a bit steep. The very first bite changed my mind in a hurry. The dark chocolate is so incredibly rich that it’s impossible to eat more than a sliver at one time, and we easily got 8 servings out of it. (although Common Good says it serves 4 to 6) Can’t wait for summer when we can pair it with fresh raspberries! The fact that it is flourless means it’s completely gluten free.

The bread at Common Good Bakery is so fabulous, it deserves a shout-out. At $9.00 a loaf, it isn’t cheap, but its incredible texture and taste is worth the hefty price tag. Varieties include a rustic baguette, aged cheddar, and a sprouted three grain bread. Beware: you may become addicted to these phenomenal loaves.

Locals can save on the cost by joining the Bread Club. Sign up to pre-load $100 on a bread gift card and receive 25% off. This brings the cost of a artisan loaf of bread down to $6.75: much more doable in my world. And they’ll throw in a free cup of coffee when you pick up your bread.

Right now, Common Good Bakery is baking up some delicious treats for Valentine’s Day. You can pre-order a decadent mini-version of their flourless chocolate cake in the shape of a heart. Or go for a heart-shaped baguette, studded with dark chocolate and dried cherries. You can say “I Love You” with Valentine’s cupcakes made with chocolate buttermilk cake and topped with a swirl of raspberry buttercream.

Common Good’s original location can be found at 537 West Fourteenth Street in Traverse City, Common Good Bakery is open daily from 6:00 am -3:00.

Common Good Bakery opened a larger restaurant at 1115 E. 8th Street in 2023. This branch features a full dinner and is open every evening until 9:00 pm. Menu items include salads, pastas pizza, sort ribs and chicken.

Check out the menu and place your order at the Common Good Bakery Website.

So there you have it: Searching for the best chocolate in Traverse City? Head to the Alpine Chocolat Haus, Kilwins, Great Lakes Chocolate and Dessert Company, Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate, and Candy Harbor. Cheers to chocolate!

Looking to send an elegant gift of chocolate without hoping into the car? You can’t go wrong be ordering a box of Godiva dark chocolate truffles. gourmet dark chocolate truffles crafted with classic Belgian fillings

On the lookout for other delicious treats in northern Michigan? Check out our blog post on Top Summertime Treats in Traverse City!

Brooklyn’s Pepperoni Rolls

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