Give a sweet gift while supporting Reno-Tahoe businesses.
We love a good Easter basket. Whether we’re putting together a collection of treats for the children in our lives or our favorite adults, this is the perfect opportunity to spoil those we love with chocolates and other sweet goodies. But instead of grabbing bags of the old grocery-store standbys, why not make that basket one of a kind? Skip the big box store; instead, fill your basket to the brim with local sweets crafted lovingly with quality ingredients by our neighborhood chocolatiers and candy makers. Recipients will taste the difference, and you’ll have the satisfaction of supporting your local economy.
We’ve rounded up a recommended list of items you might consider including, as well as some local shops to browse before giving the most gorgeous — and tastiest — locals’ Easter gift.
Sweets Handmade Candies
Custom chocolate makes Easter special. Over at Sweets — with locations in Reno and Truckee — we recommend a go-to classic. What Easter basket is complete without a chocolate bunny inside? Every Easter, the crew makes cute molds of friendly rabbits ranging in size from one ounce to 22 pounds, and the bunnies are offered in milk, white, dark, or sugar-free chocolate. Or try the personal touch with a milk-chocolate-dipped fudge Easter egg decorated with the recipient’s name. Last but not least, replace those over-sugared Peeps with handmade vanilla marshmallows dipped in milk chocolate (dark chocolate available upon request with advance orders).
Kimmie Candy
Health nuts should get treated, too! At Kimmie Candy, one of the newer items available is protein candy, which comes in flavors such as WheyBetterCrisps and ChocoRocks; each is packed with 10 grams of protein per 200 to 250 calorie bag. We suggest grabbing a few of the SaltedCrunch flavor — roasted chickpeas covered with dark chocolate and infused with plant protein.
Every Easter, the candy shop also turns out pastel-colored, chocolate-covered sunflower seeds and candy-coated chocolate chunks in themed tubes, dubbed Sunburst Easter Pastel Sparkle Mix and ChocoRocks Easter Pastel Sparkle Mix, respectively.
Tahoe Toffee Candy Co.
Add a little love from the lake to your Easter basket with a favorite from Tahoe Toffee. While these treats aren’t unique to the holiday, they still make a good addition to your basket, emphasizing the local angle with packaging shaped like The Silver State. Toffees are available plain or covered in milk chocolate or dark chocolate with sea salt, and are available in four-ounce, eight-ounce, and one-pound bars.
Tandem Chocolates
Phyllis Robinson is the mastermind behind Tandem Chocolates. Stop in for a few of her handcrafted smash eggs (chocolate eggs filled with candies) and egg-shaped filled chocolates, available in a variety of Tandem’s spring flavors such as passion fruit, coconut, and caramel. If you’re still looking for a chocolate rabbit to bestow on your brood, opt for a semi-solid chocolate bunny dressed to impress in a colorful turtleneck.
Dorinda’s Chocolates
We have a couple of items from Dorinda’s on our Easter radar. The decadent Orange Buttercream Cracked Eggs, for example, are the size of your palm and are comprised of 62 percent dark chocolate filled with creamy orange buttercream.
Dorinda’s also is famous for its hand-painted chocolate chicks. The oversized hollow chicks — available in a variety of chocolate types — are filled with mini chocolate eggs of assorted flavors.
Chocolate Shoppe
Add a pop of color to your basket with an Easter lollipop from this beloved Gardnerville shop. Available in milk, dark, and white chocolate, shapes include baskets, eggs, ducks, and more. For Oreo lovers, the Double Stuf Oreo Easter Bunny will be a hit. With an Oreo for the face, the chocolate is then hand-painted for a decadent design that resembles a cute, fluffy bunny.
Bouchée Confections
At Bouchée Confections, the focus is on quality chocolate. As Easter approaches, guests can enjoy the single-origin milk chocolate ganache from Ghana as part of an Egg-Shaped Marshmallow Milk Crunch Bonbon, available in boxes of six, 12, and 24 pieces. Or for something lighter, order a Giant Lemon Meringue Egg-Shaped Bonbon, created using house-made vanilla marshmallows, lemon white chocolate ganache, and a shortbread base inside a white chocolate shell for $12 each.
Once you’ve stuffed your basket with a selection of goodies — chosen from this list or hand-selected from other local candy makers — get ready to put a big smile on someone’s face. Not only will your gift of Reno-Tahoe gourmet chocolates and candies brighten the recipient’s spirits, it also will benefit area small businesses at a time when they need support the most.
RESOURCES
The Reno-Tahoe area is home to a wealth of confectionary craftspeople whose products make delicious additions to any Easter or gift basket.
Bouchée Confections
940 W. Moana Lane, Ste. 102, Reno
775-384-1455 • Boucheeconfections.com
Chocolate Nugget Candy Factory
611 Hwy. 395, Washoe Valley
775-849-0841 • Chocolatenuggetcandyfactory.com
Chocolate Shoppe by Sweet Images
1363 Hwy. 395, Ste. 7, Gardnerville
775-267-1002 • Chocolateshoppe.us
Dorinda’s Chocolates (2 locations)
727 Riverside Drive, Ste. E, Reno
75 Foothill Road, Ste. 5, Reno
775-432-2024 • Dorindaschocolates.com
Flag Store Sign & Banner
155 Glendale Ave., Ste. 9, Sparks
775-335-0506 • Eventflags.com
Genoa Country Store
2299 Main St., Genoa
775-782-5974 • Find Genoa Country Store on Facebook
Grand Sierra Sweets & Treats
2500 E. Second St., Reno
775-789-1199 • Grandsierraresort.com/shopping/grand-sweets-and-treats
Kimmie Candy
405 Edison Way, Reno
775-284-9200 • Kimmiecandy.com
Napa-Sonoma Grocery Co. (2 locations)
7671 S. Virginia St., Reno
775-440-1214
550 W. Plumb Lane, Reno
775-826-0595
Napa-sonoma.com
Pangolin Café
955 S. Virginia St., Ste. 110, Reno
775-453-4075 • Pangolincafe.com
Sugar Love Chocolates
Available online only
Sugarlovechocolates.com
Sweets Handmade Candies (2 locations)
4991 S. Virginia St., Ste. C, Reno
775-827-8270
10118 Donner Pass Road, Ste. 1, Truckee
530-587-6556
Sweetshandmadecandies.com
Tahoe City Chocolates
760 N. Lake Blvd., Tahoe City
530-583-6652 • Tahoecitychocolates.com
Tahoe Toffee Candy Co.
Located inside Buy Nevada First in the Reno Town Mall
4001 S. Virginia St., Reno
775-265-5880 • Tahoetoffee.com
Tandem Chocolates
7111 S. Virginia St., Ste. A15, Reno
775-688-9123 • Tandemchocolates.com
The Cork & More
1032 Al Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe
530-544-5253 • Thecorkandmore.com
