Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans

Chocolate covered espresso beans are the perfect treat for the coffee and chocolate lover. With a wide variety of options to choose from, you will never lack for new places to try on your search for the absolute best source for your beans.

Are you a dark chocolate lover or is the milder milk chocolate your favorite? Do Kona coffee beans give you that needed jolt or do you prefer the estate-grown Arabica kind? Is it important to you that your treats are Kosher or maybe organic is your preference. Whatever you want, you can pretty much find it being offered by someone.

So what are the favorite kinds of chocolate covered coffee beans? And what are some of the popular brands? How do other people like to enjoy their delectable caffeine-loaded goodies? We did some searching on other sites and here is what we found.

Without a doubt, dark chocolate is the #1 choice for the espresso bean treats. The combination of just a little bit of sugar and no milk seems to be rated as the best for just what the true coffee aficionado wants for a quick snack or pick-me-up. And you have to admit, the rich color of dark chocolate just looks more appealing!

Milk chocolate espresso beans would be the second most popular kind. These give a more mellow flavor due to the added milk and other diluting ingredients that go into making even the finest milk chocolate.

Some of the other varieties to be found are white chocolate, marbled where the beans are coated with milk and white chocolate, cappuccino, and a medley of all chocolates offered by a particular company. A little harder to find maybe are the sugar-free ones where you’ll get all the flavor without all the calories.

Most of the chocolate covered espresso bean manufacturers sell individual one-pound packages but also offer bulk rates for larger quantities. Prices range from $6 or $7 per pound on the low end to $12 and more on the high end. Buying in bulk or wholesale will get you a lower per pound price.

Packaging can be as simple as just a cellophane or foil bag all the way to an attractive jar of some type. Be sure to read what is included because many times the item may be displayed in a jar but only be shipped in a bag. If you are just ordering these for yourself, that won’t be a big deal. But if you are buying them for a gift, you want to be sure you get what you think you paid for.

Some of the brands that received good consumer reviews were Emily’s Finest, Ghirardelli, Cafe Brit, Dilettante and Da Vinci. This is certainly not a comprehensive list but buyers of these brands took the time to revisit a site and post their opinions. If you’re wondering where to buy some of these goodies, try a large site like Amazon and be sure to check the Grocery section as well as the Gourmet Foods section.

As with any chocolate product that is sent through the mail, expect to pay higher shipping rates during the summer so that your beans arrive in top condition. In fact, don’t order from a company that doesn’t insist on 3-day or faster shipping because they obviously don’t care about the quality of their product.

Out of all the reviews we read, the only real complaint (and this IS huge) was that the chocolate coating was melted or at least very soft. While this could have been a very rare occurrence, it’s always a good idea to read through available reviews or do some online searching to see if a company you are considering doing business with has a good reputation for delivering top quality products.

The most fun part about researching this topic was reading how people were almost in love with their chocolate coffee beans and seeing how they ate their treats. The absolute favorite comment? “Caution … These can be very addictive!” Straight and to the point … but makes you want to order some, doesn’t it?

Starting at the beginning of the day, many people like to add a couple of these chocolate espresso beans into their morning cup of Joe for a richer flavor to get them wide-eyed and ready for the day. Or for a quick mid-morning pick-me-up, get your mocha fix minus the mug with a couple of these.

A very popular time of day to pop one of these in your mouth is mid-afternoon to get over that dreaded three o’clock I-need-a-nap feeling. Keeping a jar at work will make sure you have these on hand for that little boost just when you need it most.

Serving it over ice cream was also another idea. With the delectable chocolate on the outside and the crunchy caffeine-filled coffee bean on the inside, your otherwise plain bowl of ice cream will come alive!

Students love these and use them as an alternative to drinking pots of coffee in order to stay up late studying. Of course, be careful how many you eat though or you might be up ALL night.

And when you have a long drive ahead of you, take along a bag of these goodies and pop a couple any time you start feeling tired or sleepy. You’ll get the needed jolt of a cup of coffee or a soft drink without having to make so many “necessary” stops.

These are very popular at wedding showers and wedding receptions but don’t expect there to be any leftovers. These are gourmet treats you can eat by the handful … but are also the type of snack that you can get enough of and just walk away.

Keep a couple of bags on hand to give as housewarming gifts or to take as a hostess gift to a dinner party. They are the perfect gift as a symbol of friendship, to express your sincere appreciation or affection, or for basically any occasion. Simply give them in the bag or jar they come in or add them to a gift basket you create yourself.

Any coffee lover is likely to think these chocolate covered espresso beans are the best thing covered in chocolate. Share our passion for chocolate and coffee!