5 Best Candy Shops in Vermont!
Everyone remembers the first time they bit into a hard rock candy or a fresh caramel chew. You can recapture that feeling in the Green Mountain State. Pair that with a strong farm-to-table movement and a penchant for sustainable, locally-sourced products, and you have got a pretty sweet candy scene. So, follow along as we explore the top sugary sweet spots in Vermont.
Middlebury Sweets, Middlebury, VT
Middlebury Sweets started in 2007 by Blanca Jenne as the result of a short-lived scrapbooking business. A former candy peddler, Jenne decided to give the trade one more go as Middlebury had just lost its only candy store. Today, Middlebury Sweets is the self-proclaimed largest candy store in Vermont, with over 1,000 items in stock. Find Jelly Belly bins, 21 colors of M&M's, 300 bulk bins of gummies, hard candy, old-fashioned penny candy, handmade chocolates, homemade ice cream, maple product, and more.
Lake Champlain Chocolates, Burlington, VT
Established in 1983 by Jim Lampman, Lake Champlain Chocolates started out making chocolate truffles. Soon they included hot chocolate, an organic line of chocolates, sea salted caramels, and other candies. With the intention to find the best and freshest ingredients from local farmers and producers, LCC has been producing locally sustainable, great-tasting chocolates and candies for many years. Still a family company, you can stop by their factory in Vermont’s Queen City, or buy their gourmet chocolate online.
Village Chocolate Shoppe, Bennington, VT
Located in a historic building that was once an old wagon shed, this shop now houses a vast array of Vermont specialty foods, such as maple candy, cheddar cheese, preserves and jellies, honey, chocolate, hard candy, and more. Visit Cocoa, the world's largest chocolate teddy bear, and the Chocolatorium to explore the history of chocolate. Tastings and demonstrations are also scheduled regularly here.
Chocolate Barn, Shaftsbury, VT
Tom Huncharek and Susan Balutis have been purveyors of fine chocolate confections for over 40 years, operating out of a historically restored sheep barn (c. 1842). Both chocolate lovers are committed to old-fashioned customer service and personal attention to move their products. Chocolates are made fresh daily, and their homemade ice cream is out of this world.
Vermont Nut Free Chocolates, Colchester, VT
Vermont Nut Free Chocolates was founded in 1998 by a mom whose son had a severe peanut allergy. After researching the matter, they decided the safest and best thing to do was to start making their own chocolate, which they did out of their home. Now VNFC has a dedicated facility in Colchester, Vermont. With products in over 500 locations across the U.S., customers can also buy online and confidently rest assured no nuts have ever touched their chocolate.
