German chocolate and I have an illustrious and bittersweet history – I grew up on my grandparents’ dark chocolate, the 70% cacao complementing the baby goblet of wine they gave me perfectly.
When I traveled to Berlin, I treated the Ritter Sport shop like a mecca, the velvet smells overwhelming but so warm and inviting compared to the 50-degree weather. German chocolate is unlike the Nestle milk chocolate in your local Publix – German chocolate is profound, rich, and more concerned about flavor rather than sugar content.
Although I’m biased and think dark chocolate is *the best* (the bitterer the better, I say), German chocolate also has some killer milk chocolate varieties as well. Here are six German chocolate brands to try while you’re ogling the Brandenburg Gate or wine tasting in the Rhineland – they’re the definition of wunderbar.
1. Ritter Sport
As the quintessential German brand, this chocolate knocks my lederhosen off. The Ritter Sport store in Berlin is incredible, and the curtain of warm and flavor surrounds you like a cacao cocoon. My favorite varieties are Edelbitter (70% dark chocolate), Espresso, and Hazelnut. The regular bars are GIANT so the chocolate lasts a few days (or minutes, in my case).
2. Moser Roth
Who needs an ultra-caffeinated coffee when you can eat a Moser Roth and feel zingy without the jitters? I replaced my Starbucks with Moser Roth ages ago, and now the 70% dark chocolate accompanies my Cheerios and 2% milk. Although these are my go-to treat at Aldi, these chocolates are also produced and sold in Germany.
3. Kinder
Although “kinder” means “child” in German, there is no age limit on these Popsicle-colored treats. With tender insides and a creamy coating of milk chocolate, Kinder is sublime (regardless of the creepy kid logo). Milk chocolate is their flagship variety and it’s in every grocery store in Germany. I’d definitely stock up on these bars since they’re overpriced in American stores.
4. Schogetten
What an ingenious idea—divide chocolate into tiny squares to spread out the enjoyment! I also bought this “Germany quality” flavor at Aldi. The crumble of the cookies dissolves perfectly into the ivory of the cream. Check out Schogetten’s Facebook page; the intimidating German writing makes the chocolate even more authentic.
5. Knoppers
Stop being a knopper, will ya?! I don’t know if that’s derogatory, but there’s definitely nothing unsavory or crude about these treats. The layers of hazelnut, wafer, cream, and chocolate feel like a substantial meal rather than a snack. And weirdly enough, Knoppers are “taking China by storm.”
Although the chocolate is a thin cover, it complements the hazelnut and stands out as silky and independent. Knoppers are similar to Hanuta, another wafer snack that’s everywhere in Europe.
6. Milka
Milka is a European staple, its lilac paper stuffing grocery shelves since 1901. According to the Milka fact sheet, its name is a combination of “milch” (milk) and “kakao” (cocoa). Milka isn’t just sold in Germany—it’s also popular in Poland, Russia, and France, making it the most international of these chocolates.
The “Schokolade” Experience
Lucky for us “international consumers,” buying authentic German chocolates is just an Aldi trip away. It’s less expensive to buy these brands abroad, so stock up on Ritter Sport and Kinder before the tariffs hit in the US.
My all-time favorite German chocolate is stuffed in Pick-Up bars (which are sold almost exclusively in Europe), making each vacation to Germany a glorified shopping trip. No one manufactures chocolate like the Germans, so think of your sweet tooth as *cultured* the next time you buy one of these German chocolate brands.