When I first went vegan, I didn’t eat chocolate for a really long time. I didn’t like dark chocolate at first and there weren’t any other options if you didn’t want to consume dairy. And over the years, I started enjoying dark chocolate, so I started eating chocolate again. But if I had gone vegan more recently, I wouldn’t have had that problem. Because now there’s Panda Chocolate.

How I found them

I have to admit, it took me a while to find out about Panda Chocolate. And when I first saw an ad for them, it looked really good. Honestly, too good. The pictures made me want chocolate so badly. And they looked just like “normal” chocolate, you know? The kind that nonvegans eat. I kept on seeing ads for them on and off for probably a few years. I thought, “No, who buys chocolate online? That’s ridiculous.” I wish I would’ve done it sooner.

I finally caved when I saw they were having a sale. I thought, “this is my chance. I’ve been looking at these pictures forever and they look so good. It’s time.” I bought a lot of chocolate. I ate it quite quickly too, for me. I’m not used to eating chocolate so fast but this stuff was so good that it was gone way faster than usual. And I want to take you through each flavor that I tried briefly so that if you’re considering getting any of them, you’ll have some direction going into it.

Coffee Cream and Dark

I wanted to start with this one because it was the one I liked the least, so I have the least to say about it. Honestly, the flavors were delicious. I really enjoyed it. That being said, I’m very sensitive to caffeine and it was just too much for me. I would have scarfed down the whole thing myself if I was able, but instead I had to gift it to someone else. I felt the flavors were really balanced with both the sweet and the bitter from the coffee and dark chocolate, and just really delightful.

Classic

Okay, yes. That is exactly what I thought when taking my first taste of this classic milk chocolate flavor. They actually did it. After not tasting milk chocolate for over eight years now, I thought there’s no way that it could really be right on. But it was.

And looking at their website, I see that this is what started it all. They were looking for a really good substitute for milk chocolate and so they finally figured out this recipe. You can tell that a lot of love and hard work went into figuring out this issue, and I am so thankful that somebody managed to.

Peanut Butter

This is the first flavor that I tried out of the bunch. I like the flavor combo already and I was so excited. Let me just say, it did not disappoint! The peanut butter filling was creamy and the perfect consistency and the chocolate was obviously high quality. After my first taste, I thought to myself “yes, I made the right decision buying chocolate on the internet.”

Coconut Cream

I was a little skeptical of this one. I do like coconut and all, but considering how often coconut milk is used in vegan desserts to get a similar creamy consistency, I’ve grown intermittently weary of its taste.

But then I tried it and wow! The dark chocolate is less sweet on this bar, but it balances the flavors really well and makes for a sophisticated, enjoyable experience. The flavor of the coconut filling is delightful. it does get a little bit powdery if you keep it cold, but if you keep it slightly warmer it is very smooth and creamy. Just goes to show you, when it comes to chocolate, never write off a flavor.

Caramel & Salt

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this flavor by looking at the picture. As someone from the US, I’m used to caramel being chewy or oozy and this didn’t look like that.

This caramel was more what I would have called “caramelized sugar” or toffee. The bar itself was very crunchy, partially because of the caracoled sugar and partially because of the sea salt. The flavors were balanced, between the sweet, salty, and creamy.

I really would recommend this bar for anyone who likes the sweet and salty combination. Like I said, it’s beautifully balanced. And while the crunch did throw me off a little bit on the first bite, the last square of chocolate had me wishing there was more.

Hazelnut Crunch

And speaking of crunch, the next flavor we’re talking about is Hazelnut Crunch. This bar was really quite simple in conception. Milk chocolate with hazelnuts. And, as you can imagine by now, they certainly delivered. That signature milk chocolate really shone through. Creamy, sweet and really just everything you want from a milk chocolate.

And then come the hazelnuts. The “crunch” portion of this bar. Yes, they were very good. I had never had just hazelnuts, chopped before. They managed to keep them nice and crunchy in the bar, just like the name says. Like I said, the flavors for this one are simple, and I think that’s the point. It’s chocolate and hazelnut. No surprises. Just deliciousness. If you like chocolate and nuts together, this will be a great chocolate bar for you, just as it was for me.

Hazelnut Cream

I think this one was probably the fanciest, in my opinion. The hazelnut cream was also flavored with chocolate, like Nutella. It was a little thicker than Nutella and filled the bar beautifully.

The chocolate itself, as usual, was amazing. I found myself feeling that eating this bar was a very decadent thing to be doing. The firm chocolate gives way to the hazelnut cream as you bite into it, and it all just melts in your mouth into one nuanced and rich flavor. I know I probably looked and sounded pretty silly eating it, but I just couldn’t help it. Every square I said, “Wow!” audibly because it was really that good. I’m not usually this animated about chocolate (or food in general, for that matter), but this chocolate has really knocked my socks off.

White

And then white chocolate. I wanted to save this one for last because for me, this was the most special. Now I know this will have some people chomping at the bit to tell me how white chocolate isn’t really chocolate and all that. And if I may be quite frank with you, I don’t care. I know all of this stuff about the definition of chocolate and how white chocolate doesn’t make the cut. I get it.

But white chocolate and I have always had a special relationship. I’ve liked it since I was very young and let me tell you, after going vegan, that love didn’t go away. What did go away though, was my options. Yeah, I don’t know if you know this, but it is very difficult to find vegan white chocolate. Almost nobody makes it. And after a couple of botched attempts in the kitchen, I just gave up. But good news! Panda chocolate makes white chocolate now!

My Vegan White Chocolate Experience

I’m not being dramatic when I say that biting into this chocolate gave me back a piece of my childhood that I thought I had lost forever. And I will always be grateful for that. After going almost a decade without one of my old favorites, it really was like a coming home of sorts and I know I will be buying it again.

Now, if you are a white chocolate lover like myself, you’ll know that there are many different kinds of white chocolate. Since white chocolate doesn’t fall under the technical definition of chocolate, the flavor profiles and textures of white chocolate can vary greatly across different products. (And, if I’m being honest with you, not all of them are good.) I would say that this one reminds me most of the Hershey’s Bliss white chocolate or the Russell Stover white chocolate easter bunnies, as far as the balance goes. It’s a little sweeter and more textured than some of the “higher end” white chocolates where you can really taste the cocoa butter and feel it in your mouth. If you ask me, they really hit this one out of the park. I’m biased, of course. Heck, I’m ecstatic they even tried. But believe me when I say I loved it and I’m so grateful.

Panda Chocolate, my overall opinion

I’m not kidding when I say that Panda Chocolate way exceeded my expectations. Oh my gosh, you guys. I’ve been vegan for nine years now and I love it and all the delicious food that comes with it. But they made even me rethink what is possible with vegan food because I had no idea that vegan chocolate could taste that good. I liked it better than I ever liked nonvegan chocolate.

What started as a vegan couple in search for a good milk chocolate replacement has grown into an amazing chocolate company that is completely throwing expectation out the window and shooting for the stars. I do find their prices to be high for a bar of chocolate, at least for my current budget. And I felt a bit odd buying chocolate online. But it was all more than worth it once I tried it.

The chocolate is creamy and sweet. The flavors are balanced and whether you pick an elegant, subtle bar or a simple, straightforward one, your experience is sure to be phenomenal. But don’t take my word for it. Seriously. Buy this chocolate. You won’t be sorry.