Where to get an extra special Easter Egg this year

Fancy Easter eggs have always been a premium commodity, but as recent horror stories of spiking cocoa costs pushing penny-pinching companies to sub palm oil for cocoa butter in what they now legally need to call “chocolate-flavoured” products, the real deal is starting to seem more prestige than ever. Still, our survey of top-tier options this year shows that the higher end of the market is generally doing their level best to keep price inflation down – compared to the mass-market players. Treating yourself to something extra special this Easter has never seemed like better value...

Bon Chocolatiers

They’re shifting ‘em quick at Bon Chocolatiers, whose Mikado, honeycomb crisp, and hazelnut rocher options have already sold out. There’s still plenty left to choose from though, from the 210g cacao nib crunch (€26.50), to the 350g range including Dubai chocolate and mint crisp (all €43), to mini filled half-eggs with strawberry-rose pate de fruit or caramel, peanut butter and marshmallow (€11). Each year we try to steer away from the Sweet & Salty but we just can't stop ordering it.

Clo Artisan Chocolates

Ex-Joel Rubichon pâtissière Clotilde Rambaud has been running Clo Artisan Chocolates out of Sligo since 2022 with a commitment to ethically sourced cocoa, palm oil and preservative-free production, and an all-natural ethos. The 150g 71% dark chocolate egg with Knockarea honey and Donegal sea salt (€24.95) is our pick of this year’s batch, but the 135g dark chocolate egg bar studded with pistachio and sea salt (€10.95) deserves special mention too – not least for being suitable for vegans.

Bean and Goose

It’s eggs you’re here for, we know, but we’ve gone all googly-eyed for the hares and geese (all a wonderfully specific €30.50) they’re slinging over at Bean and Goose. The 180g single-origin treats also come packed with a postcard from Irish artist Anne O’Hara, to remember it all by after you’ve scoffed the lot in one sitting. Traditionalists can get their 120g milk or dark chocolate sea salted eggs (also with postcard) for €27.50.

Tara Gartlan Chocolate

You wouldn't know whether to eat these eggs or hang them on the wall. Tara Gartlan's Easter range is on the pricier side at €48 a pop for a 320g egg, but they're all on the prettier end of the scale too, with picture-perfect hand-painted finishes. Our pick of the pack has to be the passion fruit-filled 63% dark chocolate, but double fudge and raspberry white chocolate are among other options if that's not your jam.

Koko Kinsale

There’s no shortage of reasons to get giddy about Koko Kinsale’s Easter egg offering, but the vegans among us will be going full sugar high to see a 70% dark chocolate option all for them. The 175-190g eggs made from French chocolate range from €22 for plain milk, dark or white, to €30 for hand-painted milk or dark, to €35 for options flavoured with orange zest or hazelnut.

Hazel Mountain Chocolate

You'll want to act fast - Hazel Mountain Chocolate, the popular bean-to-bar Galway chocolatier, has already sold out of their chocolate pistachio wreath, but their 160g pistachio and raspberry and painted Wild Atlantic Way eggs (all €34.95) are still available to order. Their premium pricing is down to top-quality cacao from Cuba and Ecuador but cheaper tastes are available via their 70g Henrietta hen (€11.95) or four salted caramel bunnies (€19.95).

Grá Chocolates

If you’re treating yourself, you can hardly treat yourself any better than with an egg from Grá – it literally means love! The high-end, small-batch Galwegian chocolatier puts as much effort into flavour as it does into its hand-painted decoration. From salt-flaked 70% dark chocolate stuffed with chewy caramel and fudge to (ofc) a Dubai chocolate “pistachio emerald”, these are indulgent in every way. Prices range from €25 –  €55 for 200g – 470g options.

Temptation Chocolates

The thriftier types have beaten us to the prize at Temptation Chocolates, where all the €5 filled mini-eggs have already sold out. If you’re willing to part with €48, their luxury hand-painted full size range are all still available – for that price they fill them with all sorts of goodies, including loose truffles. Flavours range from banoffee and passion fruit, to pistachio crunch and sea salt caramel.

Lorge

Lorge’s site leads with a note that they’re very sorry tariffs mean they can no longer ship to the US – we’re not, more for us. The Kenmare-based business from French chef Benoit Lorge churns out hand-made and hand-painted marvels in 100g (€11.50), 300g (€27.50), and 800g (€49) sizes, with hollow or filled options available.

Skelligs

Plenty of chocolatiers out there aren’t doing delivery for fear their delicate confections will be damaged in transit – that makes all the more impressive the fact Kerry-based Skelligs are doing free delivery all through to the end of the week. That’s a great reason to consider their range, from the 40g milk chocolate Puffin egg (€5) to the 175g white chocolate and mint option (€15).

The Proper Chocolate Company

It’s a bean-to-bar philosophy at Dublin’s Proper Chocolate Company, where they compare the thought that goes into picking theirs to the care a winery puts into grapes – as if we needed an excuse to indulge in this alongside a good glass of red. They’ve got two flavours (milk chocolate and caramel, and 70% dark chocolate with Achill sea salt), each available in eco-friendly packaged 150g (€24.95) for delivery. or 700g (€75) for Friday and Saturday collection from their market locations in Glasnevin and Sandyford.

Zaeire Artisan Chocolate

South African chocolatier Leigh Kelly has been selling and shipping premium Belgian chocolate confections under her Zaeire artisan brand from first her kitchen, and later a store in Bridgetown, Wexford since 2013. The chocolate-covered honeycomb pieces that seal together the eggs here (€17.95 – €37.95) delight us to no end, and the ability to mix-and-match your halves is such a lovely touch. Filled small half-shells for a very decent €9.25 are a real attraction too.

Chez Emily

The audible gasp out of us at Chez Emily’s Rocky Road Egg (€22.50) is the sound of an inner child unleashed – if ever there was a way to feel young again. If you’re not so sweet-toothed there’s a 180g gold-dusted dark chocolate and cacao nib option (€15) available too. We reckon getting the pair to appease both sides of yourself is the way to do it.

Buíoch

Kildare-based Buíoch’s owner Daryl credits his grandfather’s years working at Cadbury for his love of chocolate – who wouldn’t with a childhood like that. His 125-150g options (all €12.95) stud mini eggs, crispy pearls, or a pistachio-cranberry mix through the egg for a flavour-texture feast in every bite. If that’s all faff to you, an all-milk chocolate 200g bunny (€16.95) looks like the purist’s pick.

Áine’s Handmade Chocolate

We can’t but respect the input of anyone who’s selling via chocolates dot ie – Cavan’s Áine’s Handmade Chocolate has been in the biz since all the way back in 1999, and their (count ‘em) twelve easter egg option reflect the years of taste-testing that have turned this into one of the most recognisable premium brand around. 80g hen eggs (€4) sound like the loveliest little treat but you can go all the way up to 500g for €25.

Bakeology (collection only)

By god, Bakeology. Meath Street’s Argentinian bakery always makes the cut on our Easter hit lists but they’ve outdone themselves this year with their raspberry effort. If fruit ain’t doing it for you, chocotorta and alfajor are also available. They’re doing medium (€15) and large (€22) sizes with pickup from the café all Easter weekend when you book in advance by Instagram DM.

Sugarloaf (collection only)

Brazilian bakery Sugarloaf on Dorset Street are back at it again with a choice of eleven filled full or half-shells ranging from bonbon-stuffed Belgian chocolate and passion fruit truffle, to strawberry cream and carrot cake (!). Prices range from €15 – €35 for 300g – €500g, or if you’re indecisive (or just greedy) you can get three filled 150g half shells (€30) or four filled mini halves (€40).