Unearth The Voyage
New Hampshire has a surprisingly strong claim to candy fame. The state is home to one of the longest candy counters in the world, a medieval-themed dessert kingdom inside a historic mill, and a chocolatier whose handcrafted chocolate mice have won international awards. Road trips through the White Mountains or along the Seacoast become a lot more interesting when you know exactly where to pull over. This list covers 12 candy shops and sweet stops across the Granite State, from century-old family operations to bold, over-the-top creameries that refuse to be ignored.
Each one has an active business, real customer reviews, and something specific worth making a detour for. Whether your ideal treat is a paper bag of nostalgic penny candy, a box of handcrafted truffles, or a towering sundae with every topping imaginable, New Hampshire has you covered from the mountains to the shore.
1. Chutters, Littleton, New Hampshire
Holding a Guinness World Record is not something most candy shops put on their business cards, but Chutters on Littleton’s Main Street has earned that bragging right fair and square. Its three-tiered candy counter stretches 112 feet and holds somewhere between 500 and 700 glass jars packed with bulk candy in every color imaginable.
Nostalgic classics like Necco Wafers, Bit o Honey, and Charleston Chews share space with hundreds of gummy varieties and jelly beans in dozens of flavors. Customers receive plastic gloves to select their loose candy, which is then priced by weight, making it easy to build a custom haul.
The shop also features a dedicated fudge counter with around 50 flavors, ranging from maple walnut to Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramel. Complimentary fudge samples make the decision process both easier and significantly more dangerous for anyone on a budget. The historic red-brick building on Main Street is impossible to miss.
2. Kellerhaus, Laconia, New Hampshire
The oldest ice cream and candy maker in New Hampshire has been running since 1906, which means Kellerhaus in Laconia has had well over a century to perfect its craft. This family-operated Lakes Region destination makes its chocolates, candies, and ice cream entirely in-house using recipes that have been handed down through generations.
The ice cream parlor serves up to 28 flavors of locally made ice cream and sorbet, alongside custom shakes, sundaes, and chocolate-covered ice cream sandwiches. The buffet-style sundae bar is a genuine highlight, loaded with hot fudge, butterscotch, fruit toppings, marshmallow, whipped cream, and a full assortment of candies and nuts.
Standout confections include buttercrunch, homemade milk chocolate caramel cashew clusters, and rich chocolate fudge. A player piano adds to the vintage character of the interior, and a gift shop rounds out the experience. Seating is available both inside and outside, with views of Lake Winnipesaukee nearby.
3. Bavarian Chocolate Haus, North Conway, New Hampshire
An Alpine cottage exterior sitting along the White Mountain Highway is a pretty solid hint that something interesting is happening inside. Bavarian Chocolate Haus has operated in North Conway since 1991, built around an original German chocolate recipe that still shapes the shop’s identity more than three decades later.
The interior is compact but carefully arranged, with display cases organized so that browsing feels straightforward rather than overwhelming. Chocolate makers can sometimes be seen working behind a viewing window, which gives the stop a bit of behind-the-scenes appeal that most candy shops cannot offer.
The selection covers milk, dark, and white chocolate across a wide range of formats, including truffles, cashew and pecan turtles, chocolate-dipped fruits, and homemade fudge. Maple-flavored chocolates and sugar-free options are also available. Imported items like German Pfeffernusse cookies and molded maple sugar candies shaped like moose round out a lineup that goes well beyond what most roadside chocolate shops carry. Staff regularly offer samples.
4. Granite State Candy Shoppe, Concord, New Hampshire
Nearly a century of uninterrupted candy-making is not something you stumble across every day, but Granite State Candy Shoppe on Warren Street in Concord has been at it since 1927. The Bart family has run this beloved institution across three generations, with many of founder Peter’s original recipes and antique candy-making equipment still in active use.
The shop’s core lineup covers handmade chocolates, creamy fudge, freshly roasted nuts, and buttery nut brittles, along with chocolate molded specialty items suited to various occasions. During warmer months, the menu expands to include super premium ice cream made in small batches using local Contoocook Creamery dairy with a rich 16 percent butterfat content.
Around 32 ice cream flavors rotate through the lineup, including NH Maple Pecan, Black Raspberry Chip, and Ultra Chocolate, served in cones, cups, frappes, floats, sundaes, and ice cream sandwiches. Lines can form quickly, but regulars say the personalized service and consistent quality are well worth the wait.
5. Nelson’s Candy and Music, Wilton, New Hampshire
A candy shop that has been running since 1914 has earned the right to do things its own way. Nelson’s Candy and Music in Wilton is a third-generation family operation, founded originally in Lowell, Massachusetts, by the grandparents of current candymaker Doug Nelson, who now carries on the tradition at 65 Main Street across from the historic Wilton Town Hall Theatre.
On many Saturday afternoons, visitors can watch taffy being pulled on antique machinery or caramel stirred in traditional copper kettles. The shop is decorated with candy canes on the posts and beams, which reflects the holiday specialty that Nelson’s is particularly known for: hand-pulled candy canes made from a family recipe over 100 years old.
The product lineup also includes chocolates, peanut brittle, fudge, turtles, saltwater taffy sold as “Salt Water Kisses,” and white chocolate-covered popcorn. A newer addition is the Dubai Chocolate Bar, blending pistachio cream, toasted kadayif, and tahini. Custom orders for weddings, corporate gifts, and special events are gladly accepted.
6. Lickee’s & Chewy’s Candies & Creamery, Dover, New Hampshire
A medieval candy kingdom inside a 200-year-old mill building sounds like something a kid made up, but Lickee’s & Chewy’s Candies & Creamery in Dover is entirely real and entirely committed to the concept. Owner Chris Garrett named the shop after an old military term for care package snacks, building the fictional “Kingdom of Caramelot” around characters Lickee the knight and Chewy the dragon.
The nearly 5,000-square-foot space holds over 200 bulk candy varieties, imported British, European, and Japanese chocolates, hundreds of PEZ dispensers, and a full chocolate factory producing handmade caramels, truffles, fudge, and specialty cookies. Their oversized peanut butter cups come in eight varieties, and caramel apples are made with handpicked honey-crisp apples and handmade caramel.
The creamery side offers 28 flavors of locally made ice cream, custom shakes, and the show-stopping “Kingshake,” a themed extra-large shake loaded with toppings. Warm bubble waffles filled with ice cream and toppings are made to order. This is not a quick stop; plan for a full dessert outing.
7. L.A. Burdick Handmade Chocolates, Walpole, New Hampshire
Larry Burdick trained as a chocolatier in Switzerland with a single goal: make the finest handcrafted chocolates possible from scratch. The Walpole shop and cafe he eventually opened has become the flagship of that mission, with all chocolates produced in a nearby workshop and a retail space that carries a distinctly French-inspired polish.
The most famous product is the Signature Chocolate Mouse, available in white, milk, and dark chocolate, with chocolate-dipped almond ears, a delicate tail, and ganache fillings flavored with orange, cinnamon, or coffee. In 2013, the white chocolate version earned a silver award at the International Chocolate Awards in the mixed ganaches and truffles category.
The cafe side of the operation serves pastries including Chocolate Mousse Cake and Linzer torte, alongside a drinking chocolate made from shaved chocolate and cocoa powder whisked into steamed milk. The shop sits next to the post office in Walpole village, making it a very civilized reason to take a rural detour through southwestern New Hampshire.
8. Van Otis Chocolates, Manchester, New Hampshire
Van Otis Chocolates started in 1935 when Evangeline Hasiotis, fresh from completing a candy-making course, opened a small shop in her own apartment building in Manchester. She officially named the business Van Otis Chocolates in 1958, a variation of her own name, and the following year created the product that would define the company for decades: Swiss Fudge.
Technically a meltaway or inside-out truffle, the Swiss Fudge is smooth and rich in a way that has made Van Otis consistently voted New Hampshire’s Best Chocolatier for nearly two decades running. The Elm Street store features refurbished original candy cases that keep the history visible while the product lineup continues to expand.
Current offerings include cream-filled chocolates, jellies, nougats, caramels, turtles, gourmet truffles, and freshly roasted cashews. Newer additions include Dubai Swiss Fudge with pistachio cream and crisp kataifi, and Banana Split Swiss Fudge. Factory tours and chocolate-making classes are available, and the shop also produces Hutchinson’s Popcorn under its own Evangeline’s brand.
9. The Chocolatier, Exeter, New Hampshire
Water Street in downtown Exeter is already worth a stroll for its handsome historic buildings, and The Chocolatier gives visitors a very specific reason to stop walking and start spending. Every chocolate sold here is made in small batches in the shop’s own downtown kitchen, using time-honored recipes and quality chocolate throughout the entire lineup.
The selection tops 50 varieties of handcrafted chocolates, with chocolate-covered cherries earning particular attention from repeat customers over the years. The menu also covers perfectly cooked chocolate fudge, caramel apples, fancy cookie assortments, salted assorted nuts, specialty popcorn combinations, and various cordials.
For custom needs, the shop offers a large selection of molds for specialty chocolate products in white, milk, or dark chocolate, with custom molds available on request. Staff are known for attentive service and offer complimentary gift wrapping, which makes The Chocolatier a practical stop for anyone shopping for a thoughtful, locally made present. Locals and visitors alike consistently rate the quality of the chocolate itself as the main draw.
10. Pearls Candy & Nuts NH, Windham, New Hampshire
Lenny Pearl opened his first candy shop in Salem, New Hampshire, in 1976, following in the footsteps of his father’s candy business in Lawrence, Massachusetts. Pearls Candy & Nuts is now located at The Country Shoppes plaza on Range Road in Windham, where it has built a loyal local following over nearly five decades of consistent operation.
The shop specializes in both familiar and hard-to-find retro candies, giving customers a real chance to rediscover treats they haven’t seen in years. Highlights include homemade fudge (the Penuche variety gets frequent praise), single-flavor fruit Tootsie Rolls, fruit slices, chamoy gummy bears, gummy pink flamingos, and freeze-dried candy.
The nut selection lives up to the shop’s name, covering plain varieties, imported pistachios, and uniquely flavored cashews, with owners known to roast custom cashew flavors for specific customer requests. Truffles in peanut butter and Dubai flavors round out the chocolate side. Online shopping with nationwide shipping is available for those who discover a new favorite and want a reliable reorder option.
11. The Candy Corner, Hampton, New Hampshire
A beachside candy shop has a natural advantage that inland competitors simply cannot match: the combination of sugar and a vacation mindset is nearly unstoppable. The Candy Corner has held its spot on Ocean Boulevard in Hampton since 1999, operating as a family-owned stop that fits perfectly into a classic Hampton Beach day.
Everything made in-house is produced daily, including fudge in over 18 flavors, caramel corn, nuts, and candied apples. Popular fudge choices include cookies and cream, peanut butter, penuche, and classic chocolate, and free samples are available to help with the decision. Saltwater taffy comes in an extensive range of flavors, from apple pie to root beer float, with a pick-your-own option covering more than 150 candy types.
Summer-themed novelties add to the seaside character of the shop, including gummy lobsters, gummy sharks, chocolate sand dollars, and chocolate lobsters. Specialty items like cinnamon-glazed almonds, chocolate-covered strawberries, and maple sugar candy round out the menu. The Ocean Boulevard location makes this an easy and natural addition to any Hampton Beach visit.
12. Lindt Chocolate Shop, Stratham, New Hampshire
The Lindt shop in Stratham is not just a retail store; it sits on the same campus as Lindt USA’s main production facility, where cocoa beans are roasted and finished chocolates are produced before distribution. That connection gives the retail experience a bit more substance than a typical brand outlet, and the selection reflects it.
The shop carries over 20 LINDOR Truffle varieties, including everyday flavors and seasonal options like Strawberries and Cream, pumpkin spice, and white chocolate peppermint. Lindt EXCELLENCE bars, HELLO line chocolates, exclusive European Specialties, and elegantly boxed gift assortments fill out the shelves alongside handcrafted chocolate bark.
A unique feature is the create-your-own gift station, where shoppers can build personalized bags of LINDOR truffles by selecting individual flavors. Expert Lindt Chocolate Advisors are on hand to assist with selections and offer complimentary samples. Public tours of the production facility are not available, but the retail shop draws consistent traffic from locals and visitors exploring New Hampshire’s Seacoast region.
