18 of the best chocolate advent calendars for 2023 - still in stock online, but hurry!

Here are the best chocolate advent calendars available to buy online for 2023 - all recommended by Goodto's Food Editor...

A selection of the best chocolate advent calendars available to buy online for 2023
(Image credit: Love Cocoa/Cartwright&Butler/Monty Bojangles/Montezuma/Cadbury/Galaxy/Reese's/Hotel Chocolat/Lindt)

The countdown to Christmas starts this week and you've still got time to bag yourself one of the best chocolate advent calendars on the market.

Being Goodto's Food Editor for many years now I have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the best Christmas foods. Be it the best Christmas food hampers or the best food and drink advent calendars, I certainly know my stuff - and chocolate is no exception. I've tried a wide range of chocolate brands over the years to know which chocolate advent calendar is certainly worth the money - and which ones are not.

This year I've chosen brands that either myself or my family have had advent calendars from in the past and have loved - so yes, I have eaten every single chocolate in this roundup at some point or another. Any that I have reviewed this year, including Love Cocoa, Cadbury, Thorntons, and H!P Oat Milk I have tested with the quality and taste of chocolate, as well as value for money in mind. The packaging is also an important part of this year’s range - keeping in with the festive theme as well as being environmentally friendly and easy to recycle at home.

Recent updates

This article was updated on 29th November. We checked the prices of all the products featured in the article and updated some of the deals for accuracy.

Where to buy the best chocolate advent calendars 2023

Best chocolate advent calendars 2023

Best kids chocolate advent calendars

Best vegan chocolate advent calendars

Tried and tested chocolate advent calendars - my top 3 picks

Love Cocoa advent calendar with opened chocolates

(Image credit: Future)

1. Love Cocoa Luxury Chocolate Truffle Advent Calendar

Specifications

RRP: £25
Delivery: Next day/Standard
Available: Now
Weight: 300g

Reasons to buy

+
Large, vibrant with a beautiful festive modern design
+
Evironmentally friendly packaging
+
Delicious, generous-sized chocolates true to their flavour description

Reasons to avoid

-
Only four different flavours to choose from
-
Large 

Certainly one of the big head-turners for me this year, Love Cocoa Luxury Chocolate Truffle Advent Calendar stood out among the crowd for a variety of reasons and size was certainly one of them.

Behind each door I found an individually wrapped truffle - be it gingerbread flavour, salted caramel, hazelnut praline, or hazelnut rocher. Not a big selection in terms of flavours, however the generous size and taste of the chocolates made up for it. The giant hazelnut rocher was actually large compared to the average-sized piece of chocolate you tend to get in a chocolate advent calendar. It was so big in fact that I found it hard to get it out of the calendar door but after a bit of a wiggle, it was free and ready to be devoured with a cuppa.

Other than the delicious chocolate Love Cocoa is famous for, it was the packaging that won it for me. A vibrant festive design - almost like a piece of artwork - you can tell that a lot of time and effort went into the design of this calendar. Plus the festive jokes, facts, and anecdotes were a lovely touch. I also love the fact that the whole calendar can be recycled at home - even the individual wrappers for each chocolate can be recycled. 

With its vibrant packaging, big bold flavours (if you could eat Christmas in chocolate form, the gingerbread truffle was exactly that!), and big size, this chocolate calendar from Love Cocoa gets a big thumbs up from me.


Lindt Festive Selection Advent Calendar

(Image credit: Future)

2. Lindt Festive Selection Advent Calendar

Specifications

RRP: £15
Delivery: Standard/Next day
Available: Now
Weight: 296g

Reasons to buy

+
Great selection of chocolate throughout the calendar
+
High quality chocolate
+
Good value for money

Reasons to avoid

-
Plastic film wrapping
-
No white chocolate

I think Lindt chocolate is pure indulgence and this chocolate advent calendar showcases some of Lindt's finest chocolates this Christmas. 'Variety' and 'quality' are two words that spring to mind when reviewing this calendar. There may only be nine different flavoured chocolates or variations of chocolate to choose from, but it feels like there is so much more. 

Highlights for me included opening a door to find not just one Lindt Milk Snowdrop, but two, a mini reindeer chocolate and teddy bear chocolate as part of the regular countdown, and the cherry on the cake - the big guy himself, Santa behind the door no.24. It's certainly a generously filled advent calendar that I feel is reasonably priced for Lindt. 

This chocolate advent calendar has a simple, elegant design which is Lindt to a tee. The only disappointment is that the calendar itself is delivered in plastic wrap which I didn't feel was necessary, and unfortunately can't be recycled at home, but the rest of the calendar can - from card and foil to plastic tray.

If you're looking for quality chocolate, that doesn't cost the earth - and that you could even share with a loved one (only if you want to share of course!) this is my choice for 2023.


Cartwright & Butlers Chocolate Advent Calendar

(Image credit: Future)

3. Cartwright & Butlers Chocolate Advent Calendar

Specifications

RRP: £18
Delivery: Standard/Next day
Available: Now
Weight: 310g

Reasons to buy

+
Great variety of chocolates; milk, dark, white, etc.
+
12 different flavours to choose from
+
Quality chocolate

Reasons to avoid

-
No festive anecdotes, jokes, etc. behind the doors
-
Not the eye-catching design

They say that good things come in small packages and this chocolate advent calendar from Cartwright & Butler is exactly that. Now it may not have the most vibrant design or festive packaging but it does have a lovely historical story behind the design choice. 

Over the years I have associated Cartwright & Butler with many things - gift boxes, hampers, buttery biscuits paired perfectly with a cuppa but I never had it pegged as a chocolatier. This advent calendar is a surprise from start to finish with some truly mouthwatering chocolates to indulge in. 

It's great for sharing with a loved one - take me for example - I'm not keen on dark chocolate or anything with coffee in it, but my husband is the complete opposite, so this calendar was just great for us as we both got to enjoy what we like, swap what we didn't and still benefited from a range of different chocolates.

This subtle nod to Christmas includes some of the sweetest, creamiest array of chocolates which honestly took me by surprise. I will certainly be looking out for this calendar again next year, that's for sure.


A selection of the best chocolate advent calendars including Love Cocoa, Lindt, and more

(Image credit: Future)

How we tested the best chocolate advent calendars

Each chocolate advent calendar that I had the pleasure of reviewing was tried and tested keeping the following criteria in mind:

  • How does the chocolate advent calendar look; is it vibrant, and festive, would you happily display it on your kitchen side in the run-up to Christmas or hide it away in the cupboard?
  • How does the chocolate in each advent calendar taste; the quality of the chocolate, is it too sweet, does it taste exactly like the flavour it says it's supposed to be, what makes this specific chocolate stand out above the rest?
  • The variety of chocolates included in the calendar; how many flavours are included, are they different shapes, sizes, festive or simple squares, what ingredients are used, would someone be disappointed to open or would they be satisfied?
  • Value for money; how much does the chocolate advent calendar cost, is that a good price per gram, does the price reflect the brand, is it too expensive, too cheap, and why?
  • Packaging; is the chocolate advent calendar made from recyclable packaging, is it all cardboard or mostly plastic, how can it be recycled, is this clearly marked on the calendar?

What are the most popular chocolate advent calendar brands?

Lindt is one of the most popular chocolate advent calendar brands known for their luxuriously creamy chocolate and ever-pleasing calendars - catering for both adults and children.

Alongside Lindt, brands such as Cadbury, Hotel Chocolat, Thorntons, and Galaxy have proven to be a popular choices among chocolate advent calendar shoppers over the past few years.

Where did chocolate advent calendars originate from?

Chocolate advent calendars have been around since the 1950s as a way to count down to Christmas Day. However, they only became popular in the 1970s in the UK when chocolate brands such as Cadbury's paved the way with their first chocolate advent calendar launch in 1971.

Traditionally chocolate advent calendars have been simple in design, with a solo chocolate square hidden behind paper doors. However, in recent years, they’ve been given an indulgent makeover with everything from truffles to pralines to vegan chocolates and even booze-infused chocolates.  

Looking for more Christmas food inspiration? Have a browse through this year's festive taste tests tried, tasted, and reviewed by our Food Team. They've got you covered when it comes to the best mince pies, the best turkey, the best Christmas cake, the best Christmas pudding - and even the best Christmas desserts

Jessica Dady
Food Editor

Jessica Dady is Food Editor at GoodtoKnow and has over 11 years of experience as a digital editor, specialising in all things food, recipes, and SEO. From the must-buy seasonal food hampers and advent calendars for Christmas to the family-friendly air fryers that’ll make dinner time a breeze, Jessica loves trying and testing various food products to find the best of the best for the busy parents among us. Over the years of working with GoodtoKnow, Jessica has had the privilege of working alongside Future’s Test Kitchen to create exclusive videos - as well as writing, testing, and shooting her own recipes. When she’s not embracing the great outdoors with her family at the weekends, Jessica enjoys baking up a storm in the kitchen with her favourite bakes being chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, and a tray of gooey chocolate brownies