Where to Find the Best Christmas Holiday Treats This Year

One of the many joys of the Christmas holiday season is the fanciful collection of chocolates, cakes and other sweet treats and goodies that appear like magic once a year. But which ones are the absolute best? If visions of sugar plums are dancing in your head, read on. Our round-up of where to find the best Christmas holiday chocolates, cakes, sweets and treats to order by mail as gifts or for yourself.

where are the best Christmas holiday treats this year?

Christmas is nearly here, and you know what that means. It’s time for hampers filled with goodies, holiday movies and stockings filled with treats and hung by the chimney with care.  Like Halloween and Easter, for many people Christmas is about sweet treats. Both for giving and receiving, they can help make the season bright.

So we went in search of luxury holiday confections, and we found lots of wonderful surprises.

From melt-in-your-mouth chocolates molded into sweet seasonal creatures to spiked eggnog-infused gummy bears to toast the holidays, these are the treats we want in our Christmas stockings this year. They’re also wonderful host or hostess gifts for those you’ll be visiting this holiday season.

Here are 13 of our favorite places where you can find some of the best luxury Christmas holiday treats this year.

where are the best Christmas holiday treats this year?

1. fortnum & mason

London’s Fortnum & Mason is the perfect spot to satisfy a sweet tooth this season.  From a hamper full of goodies to gift to their highly adored Elvas Plums ($24.27) and Cerisettes ($26.97), there’s something for everyone.

Other favorites include the shop’s traditional Praline Yule Log ($29.74) topped with hazelnuts and a sensational St James Christmas Pudding ($25.62) filled with delicious dried fruits and topped off with rum and cognac.  Light it up at your own risk.

2. kessler baking studio

The Kessler Baking Studio is based in Dallas, Texas, and offers a wide selection of cookies, brownies, specialty treats, packaged nuts and confections.  The owner Clyde, or better known as The Bow Tie Baker, was even a 2020 James Beard Nominee for Outstanding Baker – so you can rest assured that their cute Tree Shaped Walnut and Pecan Brownies ($10) and XL Rice Krispie Treats ($5) in flavors like strawberry, chocolate and peanut butter taste delish.

For something a little more traditional there’s also a sweet looking Holiday Bundt Cake ($12 – $15) in cranberry-orange, fancy pecan pumpkin or holiday spice flavoring topped off with a glaze and candied fruit.

3. neiman marcus

ICYMI, Neiman Marcus has a stellar gourmet food selection, particularly when it comes to the holidays.  For those looking for delicate macaroons stateside, there’s 220 Red & Green Macarons ($440) from Joy Macaroons in a lovely tree display tower perfect for serving.

The Dark Chocolate Bakery’s Rum Cake Showstopper ($140) looks like it’s straight out of the forest with sophisticated winter fir tree decorations and fondant snowflakes.  For the kids (and kids at heart) we think Austin Cake Ball’s Winter Wonderland Cake Ball Set ($45) looks almost too sweet to eat.

4. nothing bundt cakes

Founded in 1997 by two dedicated bakers, Nothing Bundt Cakes is an authority on all things bundt cake. Sold in various sizes including a traditional 8-inch version as well as bite-sized, “bundtinis,” there’s something to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.

We’ve got our eye on this cute Baking Spirits Bright ($26 – 64) cake decorated with whimsical reindeer antlers and of course, the adorable little Winter Bundtini’s ($23) that come in flavors like peppermint chocolate chip and red velvet.

5. milk bar

This holiday season Milk Bar is bringing a serious dose of winter wonder to its shops.  Their Peppermint Bark Cake ($54) is made of a dark chocolate cake that’s been infused with a peppermint soak.  Then it’s sprinkled with crunchy cocoa crumbs, layered with silky fudge and creamy peppermint frosting and topped off with crushed peppermint pieces – yum!

The Peppermint Pretzel Snap Tin ($30) isn’t your average holiday cookie.  It’s a combination of pretzel, peppermint, caramel and chocolate atop a crisp dark chocolate wafer dipped in silky white chocolate peppermint bark.  Finally, if you’ve never tried Milk Bar’s famous Truffles, give yourself a delicious gift this year with a box of Pumpkin Dulce de Leche Cake Truffles ($24).  You won’t regret it.

6. jacques torres

French master chocolatier Jacques Torres pulls out all the stops for every holiday, and Christmas is no exception. You’ll find handmade artisanal chocolate with a topping of good cheer in the molded Santa Bear ($14) available in either milk or dark chocolate.

Another option are the Noel Bonbons ($29 – $52), handcrafted from milk, dark and white chocolate together with an assortment of other bonbons in flavors like spiced wine, merry mint and creamy eggnog.  And if you just can’t bear to choose?  Why not have a little bit of everything – and then some – with the Tis the Season Hat Box ($128) that features Noel Bonbons, hot chocolate, a Jolly Santa, a Santa Bear, Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies, Pretzel Mint Bark and Lollipops too.

7. sweet mae’s cookies

Sweet Mae’s is home to the Stuffed Cookie ($26). Yes, you read that right. Stuffed!

Some options are traditional such as Sea Salt Chocolate Chunk and Christmas Sprinkle Celebration while others are unique like the seasonal Peppermint Bark Hot Coco and Lemon White Chip.  Mmmm.

8. williams-sonoma

From cakes to cupcakes to chocolates, cake pops and cookies, Williams-Sonoma has it all when it comes to holiday themed sweets. Among our favorites are the Dolly Parton Pre-Built Log Cabin ($130) gingerbread house with lots of homespun charm.

Looking for a Yulelog?  Their Winter Wonderland Buche De Noel Cake ($100) from We Take the Cake is rolled with peppermint buttercream that’s blended with crushed peppermint candies and decorative white poinsettias for a picture-perfect finish.  Finally, we don’t know anyone can say no to some Peppermint Bark ($30 – $340).

9. hotel chocolat

Hotel Chocolat, the British chocolatier, has whimsical options for kids and adults for Christmas. The Winter Puddings H-box (£12.95) is a fun twist on Christmas puddings and features 14 cakes, cookies, crumbles and more, reinvented in chocolate.

Or what about a Large Chocolate Wreath (£20) with cookie bits and almonds?  Or the Christmas Characters Collection (£20) made especially for – but not limited to – little ones. Tuck the entire collection under the tree and watch their faces light up.

10. dylan’s candy bar

Not surprisingly, the Holiday season is a very big deal at Dylan’s Candy Bar, and there are sweets for everyone – naughty or nice.  We love these adorable Season’s Treatings Chocolate-Covered Sandwich Cookies ($10).  They’re the perfect little gift for a colleague, friend or secret Santa.

For those celebrating Hanukkah you can’t go wrong with the colorful Sweet Swirl Of Hanukkah Whirly Pop ($3.75).  Lastly, it’s not the holidays until you have a gingerbread house, right?  Dylan’s Deck The Halls Gingerbread House Kit comes pre assembled so all you have to do is decorate and enjoy!

11. sugarfina

Not in the mood for chocolate? If you’re more of a gummy candy type, Sugarfina is the place for you.  For Christmas, the confectioner is offering Bento Boxes ($30) with seasonal treats like Snowman Gummies, Reindeer Sparkle Pops, Candy Cane Caramels and Spiked Eggnog Bears to name a few.

What’s better than holiday cookies? Holiday cookie dough. Santa’s Cookie Dough Bites ($20) were inspired by the cookies left for the big guy himself, and feature chewy cookie dough dunked in dark chocolate and rolled in walnuts.

12. georgetown cupcakes

If you’re not a candy type at all, you can still join in the sweet fun with some delicious cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes.  Try a sampling of their flavors with the Limited Edition Christmas Tree Dozen ($41) that contains 12 different holiday-inspired flavors like Rudolph Red Velvet packaged in a pink keepsake tree-shaped gift box.

For your little ones, try Santa’s Favorite Dozen ($36) that is inspired by the North Pole or the Winter Wonderland Dozen ($36) that is perfect for Frozen fans.

13. red velvet nyc

For those of you looking to get in on the baking action without too much of the work, try the cupcake kits from Red Velvet NYC.  Founded by two sisters in 2015, the company’s mission is to simplify gourmet desserts for the home baker. You bring the eggs and the tools, and Red Velvet supplies the pre-measured ingredients, the recipe, the cupcake liners and the piping bag, so you can get straight to the fun part – decorating.

Fun Christmas themed options include the Sugar Cookie Tree ($32) that you can make by stacking cut out stars and a White Chocolate Cake ($34) with sparkling cranberries.  For those looking for a challenge, try the Chocolate Peppermint Yule Log Kit ($34) from the advanced section.

the best luxury christmas holiday treats this year

There you have it! Our roundup of where to find the most decadent treats this holiday season for indulging yourself and others.  All of us here at Dandelion Chandelier are wishing you a very sweet holiday!