We Tried 22 Food Advent Calendars—Our Favorites Will Make the Whole Month Merry

I love the holidays. The cozy evenings in, the twinkling lights all over town, and the quality time to spend with friends and family feel more special each year. The promise of presents isn’t bad either. Advent calendars help spread out that excitement and nostalgia of the season throughout the month, making every day feel like Christmas morning. 

Like every other kind of gift, my favorite Advent calendars are edible. To find the best ones, I—along with editors Grace Kelly, Rochelle Bilow, and Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm—have tried a flurry of Advent calendars. Our 13 favorites are filled to the brim with chocolate, cocktails, tea, snacks, and more.

Some of the Best Food Advent Calendars, at a Glance

The Tests

• Unboxing Test: After receiving the Advent calendars, we unboxed them. We looked at the packaging, checking to see if anything arrived damaged. 
• Design Test: We evaluated what it was like taking each product out of the calendar and whether there were any particularly delightful features or helpful informational materials.
• Experience Test: We tried the offerings from each Advent calendar, evaluating the quality, quantity, and variety. 

What We Learned

There’s No Getting Around It: Advent Calendars Are Pricey

Slap the word “Advent” in front of “calendar” and you automatically get a hike in price. We’re not saying this isn’t warranted, but just be prepared to spend up for one. Our most affordable winners started at $45 for 12 days of the Sugar Plum nut box or 24 Godiva sweets, and $55 for 24 jars in the Bonne Maman calendar (at the time of writing). On the other end of the scale were the $200 Dandelion Chocolate and Bokksu Advent calendars, both of which were particularly exceptional with gorgeously illustrated boxes and artisanally crafted contents. At nearly $1000, The Caviar Co. collection blew most other calendars out of the water in terms of price, but that’s to be expected for a box filled with caviar (and other fish roe).

Could you collect your own chocolates, teas, or snacks to enjoy each day in December, and get more bang for your buck doing it? Maybe, but that would be missing the point. When done well, an Advent calendar provides a feeling of ritual through its intentionally curated surprises and festive motifs. It’s a once-a-year indulgence that you get to delight in throughout the course of a fortnight or longer, and we think that’s an experience worth treasuring. 

The Best Advent Calendars Were Thoughtfully Designed

All of our favorite Advent calendars were a thrill to open each day, but a few went beyond the standard set of perforated, paperboard punch-outs. The Bokksu box, for example, was covered by opaque, latticed Japanese-style doors that opened to reveal a lovely collage of stout, beautifully illustrated drawers. Most of its snacks came with enough for two people to have a bite, and the back of the box included a QR code that offered additional insights into each day’s goodie. The sturdy Straightaway calendar had a descriptive index of all the canned cocktails on its front panel, which gave us something to look forward to without spoiling the surprise. Quality materials, generous portions, and helpful guides—all these extra touches helped make an Advent calendar feel even more special.

How Long Do You Wanna Advent?

Advent calendars typically last 12 or 24 days. This length is a matter of personal preference, but so are the contents. For example, all chocolate calendars contained 24 or 25 chocolates; just 12 would’ve seemed scant. On the other hand, 12 days of caviar was more than enough, as was 12 days of Murray’s cheeses and Straightaway cocktails.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Food Advent Calendar

The best Advent calendars are beautifully (and sturdily) designed and have enough variety to keep you looking forward to the next day’s present. We appreciated it when they came with materials to guide us through what we received, especially when they did it without ruining the surprise. We also liked it when boxes came with enough to share with a partner or kid, but this was a rare bonus.

Our Favorite Food Advent Calendars

What we liked: This calendar is remarkably cozy and a jam-lover’s dream come true. The thick cardstock box features a cartoonish wintery scene in which forest animals, penguins, and nutcracker dolls pack jars of Bonne Maman jam onto sleds and into gift boxes. “It’s adorable!” says editor Rochelle Bilow. Inside, there are individually wrapped boxes of jam. Behind each box there's a printed holiday phrase, like "Be Merry & Bright" or "Share Special Moments." How’s the jam? “The flavors are all SO good, and it's very cool to get something from a beloved brand that you can't find the rest of the year (I'll be dreaming about the Blueberry-Lychee-Rose jam for months),” says Rochelle. While the flavors are geared toward adult palates, the scenery is fun for all ages. “The pictures on the boxes regularly made me smile; my favorite was a penguin that looked like it ate too much jam,” Rochelle adds.

What we didn’t like: Says Rochelle: “I would have liked an informational pamphlet about the flavors. Ingredient pairings (such as toast, in a vinaigrette, or on yogurt) would have been fun, too.” This calendar has limited availability; if you're having trouble finding it in stock on Amazon, be sure to check other retailers like Bonne Maman's website and World Market.

Key Specs

• What it includes: 24 miniature Bonne Maman jams, including limited-edition flavors such as Blueberry with Maple Syrup, Pear-Mandarin-Cinnamon, Caramel-Coffee, and Mango-Ginger. The jams are all packaged in keepsake 1-ounce jars with the brand's signature checkered lids.
• Good to know: This calendar routinely sells out, so if your heart is set on it, buy now.

What we liked: If you want an Advent calendar that combines delicious chocolate bonbons with happy Christmas memories, this is the one to get. The goodies arrive in a lushly decorated box with a magnetic closing side, so the chocolate stays put, even when the box is upright. On the front, back, sides, and inside, there is a transportive winter nighttime scene featuring forest anthropomorphic animals enjoying winter activities, like ice skating and roasting marshmallows. In the background, there is a mystical-looking alpine lake and snow-capped mountains. (“Yes,” says Rochelle. “It’s very dreamy!”) She noted that this calendar, more than any she tested, made her feel nostalgic. “I really yearned for Christmas magic when I opened it,” she says. The flavors are perfectly holiday-coded, with a little twist: toasted Pine Nut, Cinnamon Bun, Blackberry Crumble, and Spiced Gingerbread, for example.

What we didn’t like: These one-bite chocolates are pretty small.

Key Specs

• What it includes: 24 chocolate bonbons in 12 different flavors (so you taste each one twice). A flavor guide is printed on the back of the calendar; they are signified by painted pictures on the chocolates, like a polar bear, a fox in a jacket, a castle, and an ice-skating penguin.
• Good to know: Compartés also sells a similar style calendar with a Nutcracker theme. It contains flavors like orange ricotta cake, roasted fig, and black forest gateau. 

What we liked: In one word: Stunning. This moon-themed exploration of chocolate is the most beautiful Advent calendar Rochelle has seen, and yes, it does top last year's Dandelion chocolate calendar. It's a round box (the shape of the moon!) wrapped with a red satin ribbon. Inside, there are 25 smaller boxes (around two to 2.5 inches). The whole package is themed like the night sky, with shimmering gold, deep red, black, and gray-green tones. When asked what she liked about this calendar, Rochelle said, “Um, everything? It's evident how much care went into creating it. I loved that each day offered an opportunity to learn about a different moon in our solar system and eat a new treat.” Rochelle notes that this calendar was clearly a collaborative effort and that Dandelion Chocolate does a great job at highlighting their fellow chocolatiers and research partners. 

It's sold out for the 2025 season, so be sure to bookmark it now if you want it next year.

What we didn’t like: Nothing! We loved it! A lot!

Key Specs

• What it includes: 25 chocolate bonbons inspired by moons in our solar system. Each day includes an individually-wrapped chocolate inside a sturdy box that doubles as an ornament (the boxes all have ribbon so you can hang them). Each treat is made with Dandelion chocolate, but dreamed up by chocolatiers around the country. The calendar includes a very in-depth booklet about the artist (Lina Kusaite) who designed the calendar and the individual boxes, the scientist (Ariel Waldman) Dandelion consulted for this project, biographies of the chocolatiers, and information about each of the moons with commentary from Ariel and Lina.
• Good to know: Dandelion also offers a Calendar for Two at a very discounted price.

What we liked: “I grew up eating Godiva,” says Riddley. “This Advent calendar has 24 chocolates and I enjoyed every one.” The salted caramel was bursting with caramel, the praline heart's fudgy texture was delightful, and the mint medallion's filling was creamy and mild. This calendar’s chocolates were super approachable, as was its price point.

What we didn’t like: Compared to our high-end chocolate recommendations, this chocolate was waxier and less complex, but that’s to be expected.

Key Specs

• What it includes: 24 white, milk, and dark chocolates
• Good to know: There was a reference guide for each chocolate on the back of the box. 

What we liked: This box wowed me in many regards. First of all, it was super sturdy (a must for a box that held a dozen mini cans) and had an illustrated “Table of Cocktails” on its inner panel that gave descriptions of all the great sips to come. In general, canned cocktails can be pretty hit or miss, but each one of the Straightaway drinks tasted like something I’d order from a fancy cocktail bar—well-balanced, bold but not boozy, and excitingly nuanced with aromatics (like tamarind and coconut in the Thai Gimlet). I particularly liked the Oregon Old Fashioned, which used fir bitters to add a piney note, and the Last Word, a botanical-heavy gin tipple. The Advent calendar broke down to about $5 a cocktail, which I thought was a fantastic value for the quality.

What we didn’t like: The box was too big to stash in the fridge (which would have been a tad ridiculous, anyway), so I had to remember to open it each day a few hours ahead of time if I wanted to serve that day’s cocktail chilled. 

Key Specs

• What it includes: 12 canned cocktails
• Good to know: Each can had 100 milliliters of cocktail inside—about 3.4 ounces—which was perfect for serving in a rocks glass or sampling with a partner.

What we liked: To call this merely a snack box would be underplaying it by far. The gently magnetized, opaque doors unfolded to show the most intentionally designed Advent calendar of any that I tried. The sturdy cardboard drawers were illustrated in a ukiyo-e woodblock-inspired winter mountain scene, and inside each was a Japanese sweet, some salty tidbits, or even some non-food goodies like dishware or 100% cotton cloths. I opened this box with a friend, and most days had enough bites to share between us. We remarked how it felt like a collection of treasures you’d bring back for loved ones after visiting Japan. (Her toddler son had fun repurposing the box afterward, too). Without giving too many spoilers away, our highlights included a mind-bending white chocolate-infused, freeze-dried strawberry and a chic set of chopsticks.

It's already sold out for this year's holidays. If you want it next year, set a reminder to check back in late October or early November 2026.

What we didn’t like: All the snacks were interesting, but some tasted overly preserved. Many of the packages didn’t have English translations. A printout detailing the contents would have been helpful to keep the experience technology- and distraction-free. 

Key Specs

• What it includes: 20 snacks and teas, plus eight collectible items, spread out across 24 days.
• Good to know: Most snacks and teas include enough to share with another person.

What we liked: This Advent calendar has a very cute little cheese town on the exterior and perforated, numbered "doors" for each of the 12 days. It comes with loads of cheese (wedges and rounds) and some nice pairings, including small jars of jams and jellies and a couple of Effie's crackers. It's a truly generous amount of food, and anyone who loves cheese and Advent calendars will likely enjoy it. “The Gouda was my favorite,” says senior editor Grace Kelly, who tried the calendar. “It was rich and creamy, with just enough age to give it a piquant, butterscotch note, and with crunchy crystals. I also liked that the jams had pairing ideas on the jar; the blueberry jam said ‘awesome with: goat cheese, camembert, fromage blanc.’”

What we didn’t like: The doors required some oomph to open, which led to rips. You have to store the Advent calendar in the fridge, or open it all at once, which defeats the point. “I would’ve liked to get funky, lesser-known cheeses, but I think it's more of a logistics thing than a choice,” says Grace. “The red cheddar was strangely crumbly, but not in a crumbly cheddar way, more like a compacted sawdust way. The taste was a little vegetal too.” 

Key Specs

• What it includes: Rustic red cheddar, Murray's Irish cheddar, Murray's English cheddar, Parmigiano Reggiano, aged Gouda, truffle cheddar truckle, Manchego, gruyere, Wensleydale with cranberries, two packets of Effie's biscuits, and four small jams (spiced cherry, apple butter, strawberry rhubarb, and wild blueberry)
• Good to know: This isn’t a 24-day Advent calendar, but the 12 days still provided plenty of goodies. 

What we liked: Do you love caviar and have $950 to spare? Then this is the Advent calendar for you! All jokes aside, the price isn’t astronomical considering the contents, which include twelve one-ounce jars of The Caviar Co.’s full lineup of sturgeon caviars and other fish roe, plus a caviar key and two mother-of-pearl spoons. It’s all set in a luxe multi-tier ruby box, which made me feel like royalty as I unfurled it. The Caviar Co. makes some of our favorite caviar, and that quality was evident in the generous portions and well-made, thick cardboard box. I also loved that there were a few tasting descriptors printed underneath the flap for each jar.

Enjoy a daily taste of luxury with a partner, or do as I did and unleash all your jars at once to enjoy a magnificent early holiday spread with a few close friends. 

What we didn’t like: The concept of a caviar Advent calendar is truly extravagant, and so is the price. It can be tough to fit the whole box in a holiday-packed refrigerator, so you may have to unbox the jars all at once to keep them chilled. Spoiler alert: the non-caviar roes were all grouped together in the first five days of my calendar, so you’ll want to jump around if you like more variation. The recipe cards had some interesting ideas, but several called for hard-to-find/regional ingredients or used two ounces of roe when only one ounce was included (a strange oversight for such a costly product). I’d suggest having some generally applicable pairings—blinis, crème fraîche, chives, and a few flavors of potato chips—on hand instead.

Key Specs

• What it includes: 12 one-ounce jars (seven sturgeon caviars and five other fish roes), two mother-of-pearl spoons, a jar opener key, and a dozen recipe cards
• Good to know: Each jar has enough for a two-person tasting. The Advent calendar also includes a beluga hybrid caviar that isn’t currently offered elsewhere on The Caviar Co.’s website. The calendar’s dimensions are 13.5 x 6.5 x 5 inches.

What we liked: “This is definitely something I'd display in my kitchen or living room because it has such a cozy, wintery aesthetic,” says Rochelle. The book-style box has extra side panels to keep it secure when closed, but it stands up securely on its own, so you can display it on a mantle or counter. It's printed with a snowy small town scene, with people ice skating, bringing home presents, and watching a Christmas parade. Inside, there are 24 pull-out boxes that contain five tea bags per day. Rochelle liked that the teas were individually wrapped so she could save extras for later or give them to friends. The tea varieties were outstanding, she says, with a creative focus on Indian ingredients and flavors, like Earl Grey Masala Chai, Hibiscus Rose, and Turmeric Spiced Tisane.

What we didn’t like: Nothing, Rochelle has already decided she’s ordering it again next year.

Key Specs

• What it includes: 24 boxes containing five individually-wrapped tea bags of the same variety (for a total of 120 teas). There is also a pamphlet that includes steeping instructions for the different varieties (black, herbal, etc.)
• Good to know: Vahdam sells a few other sizes, like a 24-day calendar with one bag per day.

What we liked: “I'm a casual tea drinker, but unwrapping the 24 Days of Tea Advent Calendar made me wonder if my fling could become a long-term thing: This is one of the most fragrant packages I've ever received!” Rochelle says. “The doors to this ‘tea shop’ open to reveal 24 tins of loose-leaf teas and herbal blends. Tea purists may not love the sweetened and flavored varieties, like Snickerdoodle and Jack Frost Mocha, but I thought the blends were pure fun and full of nostalgia. (Well, the Gin & Tonic tea wasn't a core memory of Christmases past, but I did enjoy the juniper and lemon verbena-infused blend.)”

What we didn’t like: There wasn’t a diffuser or strainer bags included, so you’ll need to have your own loose-leaf setup ready to go.

Key Specs

• What it includes: 24 tins of flavored loose-leaf tea blends
• Good to know: Each tin includes two 8-ounce servings.

What we liked: This charmingly illustrated box included a surprising variety of condiments (think pistachio spread and tapenades), infused vinegar and oils (a mango vinegar and lemon-steeped olive oil stood out), and fun sprinkles (like dehydrated tomato powder). I also loved that the days of flavored oils, curds, and dressings were intermingled with sweet bites of candies and cookies. That kept things interesting and took some of the pressure off needing to use up so many bits and bobs. This would be a fantastic Advent calendar for the self-proclaimed foodie in your life.

What we didn’t like: It was hard to see the delicately scrolled numbers amidst the colorful background, so finding each day’s door took some hunting.

Key Specs

• What it includes: 24 mini oils, vinegars, spreads, spices, and sweets
• Good to know: This could be a fun calendar for a couple to share. While the sweets only came in singles, each mini bottle of oil and vinegar contained a little over a tablespoon—enough to drizzle over a serving or two of salad or soup—and the spice and spread jars had plenty for a few generous tastes.

What we liked: If you know someone whose treat of choice is licorice, then they’ll adore this Advent calendar. But even if they aren’t like, “yay licorice,” they will also love this Advent calendar. “I’m not a big licorice gal,” says Grace. “But this flavored chocolate-covered licorice totally changed the way I think about the sweet.” First off, this is Danish licorice, and they actually use licorice root to flavor the candy at the core of each bonbon. A lot of brands use cheaper, less medicinal anise to flavor licorice, but this stuff is the real deal. 

The coatings are fanciful and every day is a new delight: Grace particularly liked the passion fruit, sea buckthorn (cool!), and sour apple flavors. “The candy coating had a little crunch to it that gave way to bright passion fruit white chocolate that paired surprisingly well with the licorice beneath,” she says. 

The calendar itself is gorgeous and sturdy: It has a smooth veneer, and it opens like a book with two sides, each with 12 windows. There are pretty, refined illustrations of candy canes, pine branches, bells, and baubles on a black backdrop. The front image shows an elegant Christmas tree and has embossed metallic hearts. 

What we didn’t like: Real licorice contains a chemical called glycyrrhizin that can cause serious issues when ingested in copious amounts. While you’d have to eat a lot of licorice to become seriously ill, Grace did find that eating licorice daily did lead to an upset stomach (but she also admits to having a notoriously sensitive digestive system). 

Each door leads to a pouch with two licorice treats, which looks paltry, but at the end of 24 days does equate to a lot of licorice. 

Key Specs

• What it includes: 24 days of licorice, of course! Each day includes a different flavor of licorice bites, including: classic caramel, crispy raspberry, frozen mint, double chocolate, crispy caramel, strawberries and cream, salt and caramel, sweet stick (sweet licorice), passion fruit, the original (coated in milk chocolate), milkshake (white chocolate, strawberry, banana), peaches, sour strawberry, lemon, golden oranges, syrup (sweet licorice syrup), sea buckthorn, and double caramel mint.
• Good to know: Eating lots of real licorice can irritate sensitive stomachs. 

What we liked: “After getting up to my elbows in chocolate and sweet treats during this review, I loved getting to sample salted, savory, and spiced nuts,” says Rochelle. The 12 Days of Nuts Advent calendar highlights the greatest hits of barroom snacking, including corn nuts and smoked almonds. Rochelle adds, “Ten extra points for the Cajun Cashews.” The packaging is incredibly sturdy—it arrived in pristine condition and would look nice on a coffee table all month long.

What we didn’t like: When we tried this in 2024, the calendar arrived in a branded box with the slogan “Snacks Guys Love.” “This gendered language wasn’t included anywhere on the product sale page, so I was taken aback and, frankly, a little annoyed,” says Rochelle. 

Key Specs

• What it includes: 12 tins of nuts and other snack mixes
• Good to know: The tins weren’t labeled with their contents, so you’ll just have to guess if you lose the thin printout of flavors. 

The Competition

Previously Recommended

These are calendars that we recommended in 2024, but that we haven’t tested since they’ve been revamped for 2025. While we haven’t tried their updated versions specifically, we’d still recommend them if they tickle your fancy.

• Flaviar Whiskey Advent Calendar: Riddley was a huge fan of this Advent calendar when she tried it last year. Though its theme has been updated with a new motif and new whiskeys to sample, it still promises many of the same aspects she loved—namely, the detailed tasting itinerary, two Glencairn glasses, and the option to easily purchase full-sized bottles of the ones you like. 
• Fly by Jing 2025 Limited Edition Advent Calendar: This is the Advent calendar for chili crisp lovers, Sichuan enthusiasts, and spicy food fiends. We liked last year’s box for its generously sized jars of Fly By Jing’s iconic chili crisps, spices, and limited-time sauces. This year’s ruby-toned calendar promises a selection of the brand’s signature crunchy toppers, flavorful instant noodles, and a few surprises that aren’t available anywhere else.
• Onyx Coffee Lab Advent Calendar: Each day of this coffee Advent calendar includes enough to brew a 24-ounce pour-over; it kept Riddley caffeinated all month long (and more). It’s designed to appease beginners and coffee experts alike with selections from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Guatemala, to name a few. This year’s comes with a custom pack of playing cards that detail each bag of beans.
• World of Wine 2025 Advent Calendar: Whether you’re splitting them with a partner or enjoying the daily six-ounce pour on your own, this wine Advent calendar is more than generous with 24 mini bottles of vino. It had plenty of variety to enjoy when we got it last year, though we wished there had been a tasting guide included.
• Tea Forte Warming Joy Assorted Tea Advent Calendar: Riddley found the mix of Peach Brûlée, Apricot Amaretto, and chai in this Advent calendar irresistible, though some of the flavors may have been changed from the now-unavailable version she tried in 2024.
• Charbonnel et Walker Christmas Journey Chocolate Truffle Advent Calendar: This was one of our winning calendars, but it seems to have been discontinued. It contained 24 delightful two-bite truffles flavored with fillings like boldly salted caramel and fruity raspberry cream, or rolled in crispy bits of caramelized biscuit pieces.
• Vienna Cookie Company Advent Calendar: This calendar was another of our winners for its buttery, lightly sweetened Austrian treats, but it's not currently available as of mid-November 2025.

Not Recommended

• Williams Sonoma Spice Advent Calendar: While a fun concept, each bag contained one to two tablespoons of mix and wasn’t resealable, making it awkward if you didn’t use it all in one go. Williams Sonoma also doesn’t sell any of the specific spices on its own, so you can’t restock if you find one you like. The calendar arrived with one of the bags damaged, leading to spices sprinkling out of its corners until I could disassemble the box and identify the culprit.
• Adagio Teas Loose Leaf Advent Calendar: This calendar includes some interesting teas, like a “mocha” made from chicory, but it was poorly executed. It doesn’t include single-use teabags or an infuser to make the loose-leaf tea, and the calendar itself is printed with generic wintery art that reminded us of Microsoft Word Clipart.

FAQs

What is an Advent calendar?

An Advent calendar is a delightful tradition meant to be a countdown to Christmas, where you get a little treat every day from the beginning of December to Christmas Eve.

What Advent calendars are worth it?

Well, all of our top picks are! Some of them—like the Bonne Maman jam calendar—contain so much product, you likely won’t be able to go through it all in just a month. 

When do you start an Advent calendar?

Most Advent calendars have 24 items, so you should start it on December 1st and unbox your last item on December 24th. For 12-item calendars, wait until December 13th to open the first door.

Why We’re the Experts

• Ashlee Redger is a writer who has been reviewing equipment for Serious Eats since 2022. She’s done a few other taste tests, including non-alcoholic drinks and matcha.
• Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the associate editorial director of Serious Eats. She’s been with the site since 2021 and has been testing gear professionally for more than six years.
• Ashlee and Riddley, along with editors Grace Kelly and Rochelle Bilow, have tried more than 20 Advent calendars over the last several holiday seasons. They tasted the contents of each one and judged them based on specialness, design, value, and flavors to find the best food-themed calendars for celebrating with.
• For the 2025 update of this review, the team retried a selection of favorites from 2024, along with some new additions like the Lakrids by Bülow’s Holiday Advent Calendar.