The Best Popular German Candy We Tried Is A Creamy Chocolate Delight

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Germany has a beloved culinary culture that has certainly garnered popularity in the United States. Beer gardens, brats and sauerkraut, and Bavarian soft pretzels with beer cheese are as well known here as they are in Deutschland. But while German candy might not be on your radar, it really should be. After tasting our way through 9 popular German candies, Milka chocolate bars are the creamy chocolate delight that should be on any chocoholic's radar.

Originating in Switzerland, Milka has been a German-manufactured brand since 1901. Still, Swiss chocolate is world famous, supplying some of our favorite chocolate brands like Lindt. Even more interesting is that Milka claims to use Alpine milk from the mountainous region that Germany shares with Switzerland. So, we weren't too surprised to see Milka at the top of our ranking. Milka has over 20 different flavors of chocolate bars, but we tried one of the most classic flavors: the dark chocolate Zartherb Extra Cocoa that contains 45% cocoa.

The hints of Alpine milk are clear, tempering the bitterness of dark chocolate while also giving each square a melt-in-your-mouth creamy texture. A quick glance at the simple ingredients list notes that this bar has clarified butter and hazelnut paste, contributing to the creamy consistency and the complexity of the dark chocolate; the cocoa flavor was pronounced enough to satisfy dark chocolate lovers but sweet and creamy enough to wow milk chocolate lovers as well. The quality of ingredients and craftsmanship that went into Milka chocolate made us savor each square.

If you think Milka is just another international candy you wish you had stateside, think again. Milka bars are available in all kinds of flavors at World Market, Walmart, and Target, to name a few grocery brands. Some of the most creative Milka bars that have gotten a lot of love in the U.S. include Oreo Milka, Hazelnut Milka, Chips Ahoy Milka, and Strawberry Cream Milka. However, the Milka Zartherb dark chocolate with 45% cocoa that we sampled isn't as widely available outside of Germany.

Nevertheless, there are a few outlets that sell the bar, and we managed to find a review from one Walmart customer who thought the dark chocolate Milka bar struck the perfect bittersweet balance. "Milka dark is not too bitter like some dark chocolates and not too sweet like milk chocolate," the reviewer noted. "Perfectly in the middle." Other reviews from Amazon likewise praised the balanced bittersweet flavor.

"Milka" is a combination of the words for "milk" and "cocoa" in German, and thus Milka chocolates are predominantly milk chocolate. Even the dark chocolate is technically more milk than dark. To that effect, one Redditor commented, "Their dark chocolate is to die for. As a milk chocolate girlie." So, if you're new to the dark chocolate world, the dark chocolate Milka would be a great jumping-off point. That said, if you're a dark chocolate fan, you should try the German Ritter Sport bars.