21 Best Valentine's Day Chocolates Ranked

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Valentine's Day is coming, and if you've got a partner that loves to celebrate love, there's a good chance you're starting to look at chocolates and flowers for the occasion. This is the year you plan ahead, order something that will really surprise them, and win some extra relationship points. There's nothing wrong with a box of chocolates from the drug store (one-pound heart-shaped Reese's peanut butter cup? We wouldn't turn it down). But for those who really love chocolate, or for those looking to show their partner a little extra appreciation, there are lots of amazing chocolate options that go above and beyond the quick last-minute chocolate options.

Here we've compiled a list of 21 of our favorite Valentine's Day chocolate options, custom-tailored to fit your personal style and tastes. From creamy truffles to handmade pralines, culinary-inspired flavor combinations to chocolates created by Michelin-starred chefs, and treats for bookworms and fashionistas alike, there's a little bit of something here for everyone. And we think that chocolate isn't just for people in romantic relationships. Plenty of these options come presented for family, friends, and even just for yourself to enjoy — which is, after all, the most important relationship you'll ever have, right? Read on to see which treats you just have to try this February 14.

Saxon Chocolates may be a relative newcomer in the world of chocolate, having only been established in 1994, but they've created some of the most sought-after chocolate products over the last few decades, including chocolate-dipped spoons and chocolate-covered pretzels. Since then, the Canadian chocolate company has built a collection of chocolate and confections that includes caramels, marshmallows, hot chocolate bombs, and more. Unfortunately, you can't order Saxon Chocolates directly through the company's website, as they sell directly to retailers. Instead, you can find the nine-piece set of Belgian chocolates, dubbed the "Heartfelt Collection" at Sur la Table, which includes raspberry truffles, sea salt caramels, and a solid pink chocolate heart.

There's also a selection of Saxon Chocolate options available through The Shopping Channel that include drinking chocolate and marshmallows (because let's face it, it's still cold outside), and a trio of chocolate-covered raisins, blueberries, and pretzels that we think is perfect for some light romantic snacking.

See's Candies are deeply nostalgic, with branding that hasn't changed since it was created in 1921 and the slogan "Old Time – Home Made" being advertised from the very beginning. Originally founded in Los Angeles, See's Candies can now be found nationwide (and even internationally). The company sells both candy and chocolates, but the selection of chocolates is quite a bit more extensive. As far as the chocolates themselves go, you're getting old school-style flavors similar to those you'd find in a box of Whitman's Sampler chocolates, but better. Chocolate truffle, raspberry cream, coconut cream, vanilla buttercream, and peanut nougat are just a few. But See's provides a much wider selection of flavors with higher quality fillings than the drug store boxes do, putting them a step above the mass market boxes.

The Valentine's Day candies and chocolates range from $6.50 to $130.00 online, and come packaged in heart-shaped boxes, gold boxes, and boxes wrapped in romantic trailing vines. One thing See's has got over the competition is that you're able to customize your own box of chocolates by choosing which chocolates you'd like to include from over 65 available flavors. A one-pound box accommodates up to 26 pieces, and you're allowed to choose up to 10 flavors to include in your special box. That way you won't have leftover pieces of peanut nougat or coconut (or whichever chocolates you normally toss) after you've finished all of your favorite chocolates.

You've undoubtedly heard of Ghirardelli chocolates, if not also tried Ghirardelli boxed mixes, syrups, and drinks. You can typically find Ghirardelli individually-wrapped chocolates in grocery and drug stores, and often large retailers like Target. The chocolate company has been around for almost 175 years, which is certainly one of the oldest candy companies on this list, and it's managed to make some developments in the world of chocolate production along the way (via Ghirardelli). Even though a wide selection of Ghirardelli chocolates can be found almost everywhere, the name is synonymous with quality chocolate. It's certainly a step up from some of the more generic chocolates on the market.

For Valentine's Day, Ghirardelli has created "Duet Hearts" in dark, milk, and crème brulee chocolate flavors, which are double-heart shaped chocolate bonbons filled with caramel. You can find the Duet Hearts individually wrapped, or in a small heart-shaped box during the Valentine's Day season. Additionally, Ghirardelli offers heart and square-shaped pink boxes filled with the company's signature praline chocolates. But if your Valentine adores the classic Ghirardelli chocolate squares, there are plenty of gift basket options full of all the chocolate squares you could possibly want. You even have the option to customize your Ghirardelli gift with as little as 15 pieces of chocolate, or up to a whopping 500 pieces of chocolate.

With a name like "Chocolove," this brand was practically made for Valentine's Day. But this chocolate company actually specializes in chocolate bars, not traditional boxes of chocolate bonbons. As a matter of fact, Chocolove has created around 40 chocolate bars in a huge variety of flavors, that also include gluten-free and no-sugar added options (ideal for your Valentine that might be juggling dietary restrictions). But what chocolate company can resist the pull of Valentine's Day to create something special? Chocolove has created special Valentine's Day wrapped chocolate bars in three limited edition flavors: Raspberry Rose in Ruby chocolate, Cherry Cordial in Dark Chocolate, and Cinnamon Ganache in Milk Chocolate.

They're also making heart-shaped chocolate bites filled with salted caramel or cherry filling. It might be a little unconventional, but we think a 12-pack of chocolate bars in a variety of flavors is a fantastic gift for someone you love, without the heart-shaped packaging. The biggest drawback to the Chocolove bars is that they may be difficult to find in stores. Your best bet is to look in organic or health food stores, or grocery stores that tend to sell a large selection of artisanal chocolate brands. You can also use the handy Chocolove store locator to see if there's a shop close by.

Like some of the other well-known chocolate companies on this list, there's a good chance you've tried Lindt chocolates at some point, either in bar or truffle form. The Lindor truffles by Lindt are nearly irresistible with their colorful foil packages that often grace checkout aisles to grab your attention. The round chocolate truffles give way to a luxuriously creamy center, flavored with one of 19 different ganache or caramel fillings. If you buy a bag, it's difficult to eat just one, and even more difficult to remember eating them all when the bag is empty. So a box of chocolates from Lindt is a practically no-fail option for Valentine's Day, and Lindt has provided us with lots of reasonably priced options to spoil that special someone.

There are several heart-shaped boxes featuring the well-loved foil-wrapped chocolate truffles, and then several with truffles that have been decorated and neatly arranged. There's also a very generous gift basket that contains both chocolate bars and a truffle gift box for only $54.99 before tax and shipping — which we think is one of the better deals in this lineup for a chocolate we already know and love. If you'd like to have more control over the truffle flavors you're giving to your sweetie, Lindt also provides a 40, 75, or 150-piece custom chocolate gift option that allows you to choose from 29 truffle flavors, including the Valentine's Day and holiday flavor options.

Nestled into the Rocky Mountains of Durango, Colorado, you'll find the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory turning out slabs of fudge and dipped caramel apples covered in all kinds of delights. But it's so much more than a homey fudge company. Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is a chocolate factory that produces over 300 different types of chocolate and candies, operates in countries all over the world, and is publicly traded on the NASDAQ exchange. They've built their reputation on producing chocolates that satisfy, and that's ultimately the name of the game on Valentine's Day.

On their website, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory has seven different Valentine's Day chocolate boxes listed with treats ranging from truffles to toffee, nuts, and caramels. But if you're looking specifically for a heart-shaped box, you'll have to head over to Williams Sonoma to pick up an assortment that includes a pound of Rocky Mountain chocolate excellence.

Even with the impressive emergence of small-batch handmade chocolates on the market, there's still something luxurious about the classic gold Godiva box. The company celebrated its 95th birthday in 2021, and like many other artisanal food businesses, started out as a small business selling handmade Belgian chocolates in Brussels in 1926 (via Godiva). The large collection of chocolates Godiva makes includes traditional bonbons, truffles, chocolate bars, chocolate-dipped strawberries, chocolate-dipped snacks, and chocolate-covered biscuits (or cookies).

Godiva chocolates are relatively easy to find in many retail locations, but they're still on the higher end of the price spectrum, with Valentine's Day options ranging from $5.95 to $250 online. And even though it's Valentine's Day, we imagine the recipient would be thrilled to receive a box of these higher-end chocolates whether they came in one of the traditional gold boxes or one of the seasonally designed heart-shaped boxes – of which there are several options available. We counted 14 different heart-shaped boxes and chocolate sets, containing assorted chocolates, assorted dark chocolates, individually-wrapped chocolates, and truffles. There are heart-shaped gold tins, as well as red or purple and gold boxes. But the most luxurious of all the Valentine's Day options is the red fabric heart-shaped box, which contains either 14 or 37 assorted Godiva chocolates.

Harry & David exists for the purpose of gifting, so you can rely on the company to show up for the holidays in a big way. What's more is that Harry & David is connected to a much larger network of gifting companies, including Simply Chocolate and 1-800-Flowers. So instead of just picking up a box of chocolates at the drug store, you're getting a full-service gift with the added bonus of it all being delivered to your (or your sweetheart's) door. There is a huge selection of chocolates, gift boxes, and treats available on the Harry & David website, including 45 options for Valentine's Day specifically.

We'd love to be gifted a heart-shaped box of truffles, but what we've really got our eyes on are the gift sets. You can play it cool with a set of signature chocolate truffles and a bottle of wine, or go much bigger with a gift basket that's positively exploding with Godiva chocolates and a bottle of wine (it comes in four different sizes, just incase you don't know how you'll manage to eat all of that chocolate). If you're more of a Galentine's Day kind of person, you should definitely check out the "Break a Heart Gift," which includes six hollow Belgian chocolate hearts that you smash open to reveal the chocolate candies and chocolate chips inside (wooden hammer included). When you're done shopping for chocolate, you can browse flowers and pampering gifts to bring it all together.

Lake Champlain Chocolates are based in Vermont and similar to what you'd find when ordering through a company like Harry & David, they offer a wide selection of chocolates, chocolate dipped treats, and gift baskets to choose from. There are boxes of sea salt caramels and boxes full of chocolate truffles, chocolate hearts wrapped in pink and red foil, and collections of miniature chocolate bars. You'll find a classic heart-shaped box of chocolates that's easy to love, but the one thing Lake Champlain Chocolates provides that we're absolutely crazy about is the organic Chocolate Frog. Is it romantic? Not really. Is it magical like the chocolate frogs from Harry Potter? Nope. It's more like a small lawn ornament you'd find tucked between the daises in your grandmother's backyard — but made of chocolate. It really takes kissing frogs to find your Prince to a whole new level. And for $15, we think this dark and milk chocolate frog sitting atop a white chocolate lily pad is one of the weirdest and most entertaining chocolate gifts you'll find, whether you've found your Prince Charming or not.

Venchi is a traditional Italian confectionery brand that began making chocolates in 1878 and has since grown to include gelato as well. Known for their classically ornate gift packaging, Venchi has created a line of Valentine's Day chocolate gifts that are as elegant as they are sweet and decorated with gorgeous flowers and citrus. But Venchi makes one particular gift box that we're especially excited about — the book box gift.

While there are two miniature Valentine's Day versions of the chocolate book box, we're completely enraptured with the Garden Maxi Book of assorted chocolates. Both the maxi and mini book boxes come with various cover designs of different Italian cities and seasonal graphics. The mini books are sold for $29.50 and the maxi books are $55, before tax and shipping. This might be the only scenario where we're more interested in the packaging than the chocolates inside of it, and we think this is the best box of Valentine's Day chocolates for the bookworm in your life.

Neuhaus Belgian Chocolates are truly definitive Belgian chocolates, which have been in production since 1857, although Jean Neuhaus got his start in chocolate-making a little differently than many of the other chocolate-makers on this list. After studying medicine and moving to Brussels, he opened a pharmacy where he covered many of the medicines in chocolate to make them more approachable to his patients (via Neuhaus). Now that's a medical regimen we can get behind. Taking the concept a step further, Neuhaus' grandson tinkered with the idea of replacing the medicine with a more pleasing filling, thus creating the very first praline-filled chocolate in 1912.

Now Neuhaus is a worldwide company, but each chocolate is still made in Belgium. If you haven't had a Neuhaus praline chocolate, imagine a silky smooth milk chocolate that's just enough to satisfy your sweet tooth without being achingly sweet, filled with a hazelnut-heavy and equally smooth praline. In short, if you adore Nutella, you're going to like these chocolates quite a bit.

There are currently 15 Valentine's Day-specific offerings from Neuhaus, including hand-rolled truffles, boxes of the full assortment of Neuhaus chocolates, and a seasonal "Love Letter Box" of chocolates that we're especially excited about. It contains three different flavors of heart-shaped chocolates, that includes Milk Almond Sesame, Dark Bergamot Chili, and Red Cherry Hazelnut. Prices are on the higher side, ranging from $24.90 for a ¼-pound box of chocolates containing 10 pieces to $186.90 for an 84-piece heart-shaped chocolate box sampler.

Perhaps you know him from the popular Netflix tv show, Nailed It!, but Jacques Torres has been in the pastry world for a long time. At the age of 26, he was even awarded the highly esteemed "Meilleur Ouvrier de France" (commonly known as M.O.F.) award, which is one of the highest honors in the pastry world — and holds the record as the youngest person to do it to this day. He is, and has always been, at the very top of the pastry and confection game (via Mr. Chocolate). If you happen to be in New York City, you can visit one of his storefront locations to browse chocolates and have a sweet bite to eat, but if you're a little further away, you can have his chocolates shipped to you.

The Jacques Torres collection of Valentine's Day chocolates span the range of playful truffles decorated with emojis to more elegant heart-shaped bonbons made in honor of Torres' wife, Hasty, who is also a chocolatier. Many of the boxes keep the signature orange and brown Jacques Torres color palette, which might be an added bonus for those who tend to eschew the more hokey lovey-dovey aspects of Valentine's Day, but still want to enjoy some high quality chocolates. If your Valentine is a fan of the show, you can also pick up a copy of the Nailed It! Cookbook along with some chocolates to create some entertaining desserts in your own kitchen.

We're suckers for exciting packaging (if you couldn't tell), and when paired with high-quality chocolates that are equally exciting to look at as they are to eat, we're sold. Max Brenner's esthetic positively screams "Party Time!!!" which is one of the things we find so appealing. These aren't moldy old chocolates in a little antique cross-stitched box. Instead, Max Brenner brings chocolate to you in playful ways that have you interacting with it other than mindlessly eating it.

The First Aid Chocolate Box is here to support you through whatever emotional emergency you're up against today, whether it be a long day at the office, a fresh heartbreak, or even just who Clayton is giving a precious rose to on "The Bachelor." For Valentine's Day, Max Brenner has taken that same interactive spirit and created a Date For Two, which includes a chocolate fondue set alongside a variety of chocolate treats. If you're looking for something traditional with a contemporary twist, there's a heart-shaped tin filled with a dozen gorgeous chocolate pralines, as well as praline collections in 9,18, or 27-piece boxes with some of the coolest geometric heart-shaped patterned paper we've ever seen.

John & Kira's chocolates are easily recognizable by their adorable Ladybug and Bumblebee designs, but the company also makes incredible chocolate-dipped figs and colorful fruit squares. The popular ladybugs are filled with dark chocolate, while the bumblebee bonbons are filled with a clever honey caramel, and both can be purchased individually or together in a set, fittingly named "Bee My Lovebug." We think that's absolutely adorable, and fitting for both adults and kids.

John & Kira's has a few options that lean a little more romantic, including a beautiful box of rainbow-colored heart-shaped chocolates called "Sweethearts," each with their own individual flavors. You'll also find an incredibly indulgent box of classic chocolate truffles in three flavors, including classic dark chocolate, espresso ganache rolled in hazelnuts, and champagne and milk chocolate (we might just buy this for ourselves actually). There's no wrong choice here, but if you're having trouble making up your mind, you can also just go for the Palette du Chocolat Grande Assortment, which includes the chocolate-dipped figs, bees, ladybugs, every flavor of chocolate squares that John & Kira's makes, as well as chocolate apple and chocolate cherry bonbons that you won't find in the other sets. The chocolates from John & Kira's are premium priced, but there are options for every price range from $10 up to $145.

Hotel Chocolat is every bit of an escape as the name suggests. The chocolates themselves have a playfully modern look, and come in dreamy flavors you'd expect when you're in the mood to really treat yourself. Flavors like raspberry pannacotta, carrot cake, billionaire's shortbread, and treacle tart are just some of the exciting flavors you'll find in the "Just to Say" collection, which we think is a fantastic choice for someone who's more into chocolate than the fanfare of performative love on Valentine's Day (not that we don't love being told we're loved — we do).

If you're looking for something more romantic, Hotel Chocolat makes a heart-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine's Day and includes flavors that are actually sexy. In this box you'll find pink champagne and gin truffles, salted caramel kiss heart, and an oyster shell-shaped bonbon filled with praline. Finally, the Valentine's Day Sleekster box comes packed with heart-shaped chocolates, each with more conventional fillings like salted caramel, vanilla, dark chocolate praline, and lemon curd.

Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolate is an extension of the two Michelin-starred restaurant Gabriel Kreuther in New York City, and is a collaboration with the pastry chef Marc Aumont, who worked alongside Gabriel Kreuther for 10 years at The Modern at The MoMA. Unlike other chocolate brands that make molded chocolates, Kreuther creates chocolates the more traditional way, by making a large slab of ganache or caramel that is then cut to size and dipped (or enrobed) in chocolate. Each chocolate is then hand-decorated to indicate what type of chocolate it is. While any box of Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolates would be a delight to receive, the chocolatiers are also producing a special chef's selection for Valentine's Day that will also impress.

The signature Valentine's Day chocolates are available in boxes of either 24 or 48 pieces, and include flavors like Cherry Cola vanilla, kumaru, oatmeal cookie, and banana peanut. So while these chocolates may be produced in a more traditional way, the flavors are so much more exciting than you'd find in a traditional box of chocolates — both familiar and surprising. The chocolatiers at Kreuther have also created a more sculptural chocolate piece for Valentine's Day. It's a two-toned heart that's made of two dark chocolate halves and connected by a gold heart in the center. The halves are complimentary flavors, raspberry hibiscus ganache and Tahitian vanilla ganache, which you may even be able to convince your Valentine to share with you.

La Maison du Chocolat makes chocolates by hand just outside of Paris in Nanterre, France, and specializes in incredibly high-end chocolate. These are a real indulgence for Francophiles and chocolate lovers alike. Our hearts skipped a beat when we laid eyes on the 35-piece truffle set which is a part of the regular La Maison du Chocolat lineup. The three truffle flavors, which are described as "plain pure chocolate truffles, toffee caramel truffles with vanilla and a touch of Guérande salt, and fruit pulp truffles with blackcurrant pepper," are enough to make any truffle-lover swoon, even at $77 a box.

For Valentine's day, we're impressed with the chocolate assortment packaged in heart-shaped boxes, but what we've really got our eyes on is the "Marvelously Paris Bouchee Gift Box." Several chocolates are fitted together like puzzle pieces with a long heart-shaped piece running across the center of the set. The top bar is made of milk chocolate and roasted caramelized hazelnut pieces, before being dipped into dark chocolate that's been flavored with crunchy puffed Japanese rice. The second bar is strawberry-flavored chocolate that's crunchy, and the third bar is made of dark chocolate with almond and hazelnut praline and studded with Venezuelan cocoa nibs. This one-of-a-kind chocolate gift doesn't come cheap though, costing $50 for just over 3 ounces of chocolate.

Following the Swiss tradition of chocolate making, Larry Burdick founded L.A. Burdick in 1987. Since then, the chocolate company has expanded with shops in six major cities, all while continuing the tradition of making high-quality chocolates by hand. You'll immediately notice that these are handmade, hand-dipped chocolates that are finished and packed with the highest standards. L.A. Burdick takes handmade chocolates to the next level by creating individually shaped chocolate creatures that will surprise and delight anyone who receives one.

Most famously, the shop makes chocolate mice, complete with long ribbon tails and nestled together in a box. But they don't stop there. The chocolatiers also make handcrafted penguins, which are ideal for special occasions (and generally for penguin-lovers). During the holidays, there are handmade snowmen and, currently, tiny adorable handmade tigers are available for the Lunar New Year. You can expect tiny delicate bunnies at Easter, sheep at St. Patrick's Day, chocolate elephants in the summer, dark chocolate "black cats" for Halloween, and of course, turkeys for Thanksgiving. For Valentine's Day you'll also find a classic heart-shaped box full of 39 pieces of L.A. Burdick's handmade chocolates and at least two adorable chocolate mice.

You may not have heard of Connecticut-based House of Knipchildt, which encompasses both Knipchildt Chocolatier and Chocopologie brands, but if you're a cookbook lover, you may have seen the Chocopologie cookbook in the baking section at the bookstore. Founder and chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt is inspired by incorporating savory elements into his sweets for curious flavor combinations like Rosemary infused caramel with mushroom salt, Madagascar pickled green peppercorn with topped with black Cyprus lava salt, and gooseberry jam filling. And there's one special confection here that you won't find anywhere else in the world — La Madeline au Truffle. Inside of a large dark chocolate ganache truffle that has been infused with (mushroom) truffle oil, you'll find an actual truffle. More specifically, a rare French Perigord truffle mushroom. The whole thing has been rolled in cocoa powder and set inside a golden box. All of that truffle, both chocolate and mushroom, is made to order, highly perishable, and can be yours for $250. But for a diehard truffle lover, we can't imagine anything more fitting.

If you prefer to go the more traditional route, Knipchildt has also created a line of heart-shaped boxes filled with handmade bonbons and smaller handmade heart-shaped chocolates as well. Of all of the chocolate options on our list, these are perhaps the most artisanal and personal chocolates in the lineup.

While other chocolate brands tend to evoke nostalgic feelings, impart a traditional European craftsmanship, or set themselves apart with chef-inspired flavor combinations, Compartés has gone another route. These chocolates are the definition of high fashion and essentially L.A., with a long list of celebrity endorsers and red carpet appearances (via Compartés). If you've seen one of the vibrantly designed candy bars the brand makes, you have an idea of the type of creativity and unapologetic playfulness the brand brings to the chocolate world. There are currently over 50 chocolate bar flavors listed on the Compartés website with mind-blowing flavors like Coney Island Waffle Cone, Churros & Horchata, and Donuts & Coffee Milk chocolate bars — as well as over 20 vegan and gluten-free options that are marketed as "Superfood wellness chocolates" (which is just about the most L.A. thing we've ever heard of).

For Valentine's Day, Compartés has taken that same high-style energy and applied it to their signature collection of chocolate truffles as well as a specialty hand-dipped fruit and nuts gift box. Each box is heart-shaped with hard geometric edges, and a true visual delight. In truly limited-edition fashion, each of the boxes comes with a different cover design with coordinating truffle designs. If you're looking to bring a little main character energy to your Valentine's Day this year, this is absolutely the box for you.

If you're looking for a set of chocolates that are both gorgeously luxurious and artistic with an ethereal flair, Vosges Haut Chocolat might just be the box for you. While these high-end chocolates typically come in a royal purple box embellished with silver foil, the company has created a small collection of heart-shaped chocolate boxes for Valentine's Day that are even more elaborate than the collections Vosges typically offers. Many of the chocolate flavors are based on a theme, and placed in highly decorative boxed sets, like the most recent "Prima Materia" collection which is based on the alchemy of sacred soils around the world that produce the powerful flavors you'll find in these special truffles.

For Valentine's Day, Vosges has created "The Love Eternal Chocolate Collection" which includes seven limited edition chocolate options ranging in price from $18 to $165. The collection pulls design inspiration from ancient Egyptian goddesses and presents exciting flavor combinations that you likely won't find anywhere else. There are three heart-shaped boxes with 7, 15, or 38 pieces, as well as two smaller round truffle boxes that include five truffles. Additionally, there are two gift boxes filled with smaller heart-shaped chocolates for those who prefer smaller creative chocolate bites.