Ah, it’s that time of year again. The shop windows, the candy aisles in the supermarket, and even the office decorations are decked out in pink and red hearts, decorative doilies and some chubby cherubs. Yet another commercialized American “holiday;” but, I have absolutely no complaints because I love sweets!

First, I’m going to give you an in-depth introduction to a wonderful chocolatier/sweet shop in the East Bay: Rachel Dunn Chocolates! They are perfect destination for when you want to treat yourself (or someone special) to some extra special chocolates and candies! A bit more special than your average Hershey bar (no offense intended, ’cause I still love me some Special Dark Hershey bars), the shop features a more hand-crafted and unique assortment of goodies. Sadly, I’m just one person/stomach/wallet, so I couldn’t try everything, but rest assured that I definitely taste tested a nice selection 😉

Recommended and recognized by many, Rachel Dunn’s chocolates and confections are so yummy! Although I hadn’t heard of the shop until recently, they’ve actually been featured on Oprah, the Food Network and the Rosie O’Donnell Show and have a bunch of fans nationwide, according to their website. Their specialty is a large caramel and chocolate-covered Fuji apple (sprinkled with almonds) that they have dubbed “The Unbelievable Apple.” And they’re not kidding when they say large! They have a normal size version, and a super duper large version where they have specially made apples delivered from their apple growers.

They have a scrumptious collection of chocolates and truffles in the front glass display that you can pick and choose for yourself or as a present. There’s also a variety of chocolate-covered citrus peels (orange is my favorite), chocolate-covered honeycomb, divinity (depending on the season), and lovely mint cookies. Also available is a house blend hot cocoa mix and perfect-for-your-mug marshmallow toppers to accompany the cocoa.

If any of you readers are bakers, you will really love this place – there’s a whole corner dedicated to baking chocolate chips and sprinkles! And while they used to use Guittard chocolate exclusively to coat their creations, they’ve now branched out to making their own chocolate bars with beans from Tanzania and other locations, so they have a whole range of chocolate bars to suit your fancy!

Finally, if you’re the “make-it-yourself” type of person, you might enjoy the group (or private) chocolate making workshops that they host! They have holiday and season-themed workshops, so you can enjoy chocolate making all year long! Pro tip: Groupon has deals 🙂 [https://www.groupon.com/deals/rachel-dunn-chocolates-1]

PS. This place has a bunch of samples so that you can be extra sure of the deliciousness before purchasing!

Now, just in case none of that sounds good to you, I thought I’d also leave you with a short list of other Bay Area sweet shops so that you’ll have plenty of ideas for ways to treat yourself. Enjoy!

Powell’s Sweet Shoppe:
I’ve only been to the location in Berkeley; but, they have several throughout California and one in Oregon. They have a collection of fun and crazy candies (some vintage ones too) as well as a case of more fancy chocolates. Their gums are always really fun – mostly for the packaging. Whether shopping for yourself or your younger cousin/child/sibling, this is the perfect place!

Katrina Rozelle:
Again, I’ve only been to the one in Oakland; but, apparently there’s an Alamo location as well. In any case, the cakes and cookies are to die for. So, so yummy. This place comes with a hefty price tag, though, so come for a special occasion!

Casa de Chocolates:
Located in Berkeley, this boutique features Latin American chocolates and desserts! I’ve actually never been here before, but I’ve been meaning to go for such a long time. Have any of you readers been? Let us know how you liked it!