Cheese and Chocolate Pairings

Rich, bold, robust, nutty, creamy – chocolate and cheese share many of the same descriptions, and are an unexpectedly flavorful pairing. Thanks to our friends at Vermont Creamery, we made this delicious discovery. We use their cultured butter in our truffles, and during a tasting one day, we sampled their cheese with our chocolate. The results were amazing! Who knew a spicy dark chocolate could pair so well with an aged goat cheese?

We’ve since identified some pairing guidelines and suggestions to help you get started. In general, light cheeses complement light flavors, while heavy cheeses balance more vibrant flavors.

  • Soft ripened goat, sheep or cow’s milk cheeses tend to be more pungent, acidic and aggressive and pair well with dark chocolate and milk chocolate.

  • Aged cheese is nutty, less acidic and with a crunchy texture that pairs well with chocolates with fillings and inclusions such as almonds, honey and maple.

  • Blue Cheese, with its sharp, pungent aromas and flavors will enhance the undertones of a strong dark chocolate.

  • Truffles and caramels, with such prominent dairy and butter notes, are an easy choice to combine with a variety of cheese.

There are no standard rules when it comes to pairing — experimentation is the objective and a new discovery the reward. Just keep practicing!

Maple Crunch
Dark chocolate filled with maple-infused buttercrunch. Pairs well with sharp cheddar.

Spicy Aztec Organic Dark Chocolate Squares
57% cocoa content dark chocolate with cayenne, pumpkin seeds, and cinnamon. Nicely complements a ripened goat cheese.

Organic Milk Chocolate Sea Salt & Almond Squares
A rich milk chocolate with salty-sweet inclusions. Enjoy alongside a hard sheep's milk cheese.

Dark Chocolate Almond Bark
Fresh roasted almonds covered with rich dark chocolate (54% cocoa) marry well with hard aged cheeses.

Salted Caramel Sauce
It's not chocolate, but our creamy Salted Caramel Sauce (available exclusively at our four Vermont stores) pairs so well with both savory and sweet, we just had to share! Enjoy with fresh goat cheese.

If you are interested in tasting chocolate and trying different pairings, be sure to check out our beer and wine suggestions!