Make your loved ones smile with some alternative Easter gifts and treats

While a classic Easter egg is known as the ultimate springtime treat, if you’re hoping to add some surprises this year, we have a few alternative goodies to share. When we started creating our own Easter collection, we knew that we’d need to think outside the box. Without straying too far away from the spirit and tradition of the Easter gifts we know and love, our chocolatiers came up with some fabulous nibbles. Read on to see a few of our favourite alternative Easter gifts.

Unusual Easter eggs

Though they are still Easter eggs, a great way to put a spin on the standard chocolate shell is to opt for more exciting, unusual Easter eggs.

Our gorgeously thick, treat-filled Easter eggs are just the ticket to utter Easter joy and delight. Here are a few of our favourites…

Extra Thick You Crack Me Up Easter Egg

This extra-thick Easter egg is a perfectly opulent egg packed with an irresistible bounty of giggles and smiles. On the outside — a decadent, cacao-rich chocolate shell, made with delectable 40% milk chocolate on one side and creamy caramel-white chocolate on the other.

Nibble your way through this outer layer and discover a treasure trove of cute and quirky characters — our chocolate Smiles and City Bunnies in a variety of chocolate grades and flavours.

With oodles of fun inside, less sugar and more cacao than most chocolate eggs, and no artificial colours or flavourings, it’s a wonderful Easter treat to share with the little ones.

Unbelievably Vegan* Chocolate Easter Egg

Chocolate and Easter go hand-in-hand, but it doesn’t mean that vegans need to lose out. We’ve created this fabulous vegan chocolate Easter egg sculpted in our 45% Nutmilk — our dairy-free chocolate made from finely milled hazelnuts. Moulded into a stunning geometric egg (a shape inspired by the Tate Modern and designed by our in-house sculptress), you’ll adore the beauty of this contemporary, sleek shell.

*Please note that, although our Nutmilk chocolate doesn’t contain dairy ingredients, it is made in the same environment as our milk chocolate. As such, we can’t guarantee it’s free from milk traces.

Patisserie Chocolate Ostrich Easter Egg

This is your ultimate show-stopper egg. Our decadent Patisserie Ostrich Egg is lavishly thick and made using an ostrich egg’s real dimensions. Crack into your high-cacao shell and you’ll find over a kilo of our most irresistible chocolates based on classic desserts. From macarons to blondies, this is an opportunity to sample 20 of our most-loved chocolate recipes. You have to see it to believe it.

Bake your own alternative Easter gifts

If you fancy yourself a bit of a baker and want to create a scrumptious Easter treat that’s as personal as it is unique, why not hop into the kitchen?

There’s a huge range of springtime cakes and bakes to whip up. Spend some time making some freshly baked creations — they’ll go down a treat with your family and friends.

This decadent Easter cheesecake recipe looks heavenly. Meanwhile, these no-knead hot cross buns are guaranteed to put the smell of spring in the air, and this carrot patch cake looks perfect for a mid-afternoon get-together.

You could even make your own Easter eggs by melting down and moulding our high-cacao Chocolate Batons.

The gift of an Easter egg hunt

We all like the idea of creating an Easter egg hunt, but have you ever followed through? A fun Easter game means you can still give your family and friends classic chocolates, as the real gift is in the hunt! Don’t worry too much about the goodies you’re hiding, just focus on creating a mesmerising maze of riddles, clues, and of course — yummy chocolates.

You could make your Easter egg hunt extra exciting by having a grand prize up for grabs. We think our Dark City Bunny could be the perfect fella for this role!

See our tips on how to organise an Easter egg hunt.

Create your own Easter hamper

If you’re looking for a standout Easter gift, why not curate your own Easter hamper? It’s great for when you can’t choose just one treat. Instead, you can bring together a few for a bold and bountiful array of gifts.

If you’re making a hamper for the kids, choose fun child-friendly items. Add little baskets (for any Easter egg hunts you’re planning), a few chocolate nibbles to keep them going — the funnier the better, like our Egg on Toast Chocolate Lolly — colouring books, and some toys or chocolate Easter characters.

You can always nab our Happy Bunnies Hamper, which our chocolatiers have packed for you. Have a look inside and you’ll see a selection of adorable Easter goodies (for both little and big bunnies). From our Elizapeck and Wooliam Tiddly Pots (perfect for little hands) to our break-the-mould Soft Boiled Milk Chocolate Egg, your lucky giftee will have plenty of delights to keep them going throughout Easter Sunday.

For a more deluxe option, keep your eyes peeled for our Ultimate Easter Hamper. It features a healthy dose of high-cacao luxury.

Make them smile with an egg sandwich!

You read that correctly — Easter is our favourite time of year to get truly inventive with our utterly indulgent chocolate egg sandwiches.

Just take a peek at our Cookie Dough and Ice Cream Sandwich. Your giftee will be tucking into white and raspberry half eggs sandwiched with crunchy caramel-milk chocolate — need we say more? This is a creation that’s bursting with zingy raspberry ripple and Madagascan vanilla flavours. Caramel cookie pieces and crisp pecan bites turn this sandwich into a heavenly crunchy surprise. It’s one you have to taste to understand.

Now this is how we like our eggs on Easter morning!

Feeling adventurous? Try our Toast & Marmalade Easter Sandwich and Caramayo Chocolate Easter Sandwich. Our chocolatiers have been busy designing these fabulous chocolate sandwiches and they certainly exceed our wildest dreams.

Happy Easter from Hotel Chocolat

Whatever alternative Easter gifts you’ll be choosing this year, we hope you have a fantastic (and delicious) Easter weekend with your loved ones. For some extra gift inspiration and to see more of our unusual Easter eggs, explore our bright and bountiful Easter chocolate collection. Our adorable springtime pals are itching to say hello!