Highland Chocolates is committed to producing world-class confections while upholding the strictest standards of food safety
We are committed to following all chocolate manufacturing allergen prevention procedures.
Because food allergies and intolerances play a significant role in your choices, Highland Chocolates makes it a priority to provide transparent information about the allergens present in all of our confections.
For your safety, Highland Chocolates product labels are the best source for allergen information.
Highland Chocolates ensures the ingredients listed on every package are current and state all major allergens
If you have a concern regarding food allergens in our chocolates, we strongly recommend that you check the label on the package before every purchase. This is a critical safety measure endorsed by consumer advocacy groups like Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) and the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT).
All of our labels reflect the ingredients contained in the product, but those with allergy concerns should be aware of this risk of cross-contamination (see more information below.)
Highland Chocolates ingredients lists are subject to change and should be reviewed with every purchase.
Highland Chocolates Cross-Contamination Information:
Is the Highland Chocolates Factory Peanut-Free or Nut-Free?
Highland Chocolates is NOT a Peanut-Free or Nut-Free chocolate factory. All products that we manufacture have clear ingredient labels indicating whether or not they contain common allergens, such as nuts.
If you have an allergy or nutritional concern, please be aware:
Although many of our products do not contain specific allergens, due to the nature of our small manufacturing facility, products may have been exposed to eggs, milk, peanuts, peanut butter, soy, tree nuts and wheat in production and packaging.
To prioritize your safety, please acknowledge the potential for cross-contamination inherent in our shared environment and small manufacturing facility.
Please use your own judgment, based on your personal health needs, before consuming any of our products.
We highly recommend you contact us directly if you have a known allergy
If you have additional questions or concerns regarding our ingredients or manufacturing processes, please withhold your purchase until you speak to our Production Manager.
Our Production Manager will advise you of potential allergens and discuss our specific manufacturing processes and provide personalized advice on the best chocolate options for you.
Please note that while we take every precaution, we cannot offer a 100% guarantee that any product is completely free from certain allergens. Our commitment is to provide maximum transparency to assist you in making your choice and make enjoying our chocolates as safe and worry-free as possible.
ImportantRead thisAttentionHighland Chocolates Ingredient Information
Chocolate Information and Ingredients
All (Milk, Dark & White) Chocolate used by Highland Chocolates are Kosher and Gluten Free.
Please be advised that all our chocolates also contain milkfat or whole milk powder and soy lecithin.
Therefore, our Dark Chocolate is not 100% Dairy Free.
Dark Chocolate Information:
Our Dark Chocolate contains Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Chocolate Liquor Processed With Alkali, Cocoa Butter, Butterfat (Milk), Soy Lecithin, And Vanilla.
Dark Chocolate Cocoa Content: 53%
Milk Chocolate Information:
Our Milk Chocolate contains Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk, Chocolate Liquor, Soy Lecithin, And Natural Flavor.
Milk Chocolate Cocoa Content: 36%
White Chocolate Information:
Our White Chocolate contains Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk, Nonfat Milk, Milkfat, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Powder (Maltodextrin, Vanilla Bean Extractives, Gum Arabic). Contains: Milk, Soy.
White Chocolate Cocoa Content: 25.5%
Although our chocolates have a wide range of cocoa content, our Milk and Dark chocolates have these ingredients included:
Cacao Solids or Cocoa Mass is the essence of all chocolate, giving the foundational flavor of our chocolate.
Sugar is used to balance the cocoa mass and bring the fullness of the chocolate flavor to your palate.
Cocoa Butter ensures that you experience the texture and creaminess of our chocolates.
Soy Lecithin is used as an emulsifier and stabilizing ingredient to give a uniform consistency.
Vanilla enhances and compliments chocolate flavor.
In addition to all the above ingredients, our Milk and White Chocolates have Milk Powder or Milk Solids to add creaminess and a rich mouth-feel to the chocolate we use.
Common allergens/ concerns in Highland Chocolates Products:
Cherries
We use real cherries in our Chocolate Covered Cherries- and they may contain pits. Please use caution when enjoying this product.
Milk/ Dairy (Including Butter & Sweetened Condensed Milk)
Please be advised that all our chocolates also contain milkfat or whole milk powder and soy lecithin. Therefore, our Dark Chocolate is not 100% Dairy Free.
Milk: Many of our chocolates contain milk, in the form of milk powder, cream, or butter. Milk is a key ingredient in milk and white chocolate, and is therefore present in most of our creations.
Birnn Truffles are also Gluten Free but contain Milk and Cream for those with Dairy Allergies.
Nuts (Including Peanuts/Peanut Butter, Almonds, Cashews, Pecans)
We use nuts including pecans, cashews, peanuts and almonds in various chocolates. Even if you choose nut-free chocolates, cross-contamination cannot be completely ruled out because all chocolates are made in the same environment. Coconut is also classified as a tree nut for label allergen purposes.
Gluten (Cookies/Pretzels)
Some of our chocolate items contain gluten, for example, those with pretzel or cookie ingredients. While we do our best to prevent cross-contamination, traces of gluten may be present in other chocolates.
Birnn Truffles are also Gluten Free but contain Milk and Cream for those with Dairy Allergies.
Soy (Soy Lecithin)
Soy lecithin is a commonly used emulsifier in chocolate and ensures a smooth texture. All of our chocolates contain this ingredient.
Additional Common Ingredients used in Confection Making:
Caramel - Buttery and creamy, our caramel enhances many items from Caramel Pecans to our Tree Stumps.
Extracts - We use a variety of extracts in our cold batch buttercream recipes, with five flavors to choose from, your favorite is just one bite away!
Oils - Vanilla, Chili, Mint and Jalepeno are some of the flavors we infuse our chocolate with to create original items such as Ice Mine Mints and Pine Creek Poppers.
Sea Salt - Salty and sweet together is an all-time favorite! We offer Sea Salt Caramels and Sea Salt Caramel Oreos to satisfy your cravings.
Spices - We include spices in some of our best bark recipes to complement our chocolate confections.
The Secret to Freshness: How to Store Your Highland Chocolates
We know Highland Chocolates are hard to resist, but if you need to keep them fresh for longer than 24 hours, proper storage is key.
Here are a few pointers to having your Highland Chocolates preserve their flavor and texture until you're ready to enjoy them.
Do Not Refrigerate
Chocolate easily absorbs odors from the refrigerator, which can ruin the flavor. Additionally, moisture in the fridge often leads to sugar bloom—resulting in a grainy appearance and texture of the chocolate. Refrigeration of your chocolate with other foods can also allow the chocolate to absorb strong food odors, compromising the flavor you love.
Maintain a Consistent Temperature
Store your chocolate in a cool, dry place. When kept consistently below 70 degrees F (ideally between 65 degrees and 68 degrees F and at less than 55% humidity.) Doing so allows the delicate emulsion of cocoa solids and cocoa butter to remain stable, preserving quality and taste.
Seal your Chocolates in an Airtight Container
Cocoa butter (the natural fat in chocolate) easily absorbs odors from its surroundings. An airtight seal prevents this, and it stops oxygen from reaching the chocolate. Oxygen causes oxidation, which develops stale or "off" flavors over time.
Keep Them Away from Light
Both natural sunlight and artificial light can have the same negative effect as oxygen: they degrade the overall quality of your chocolates. Always store your chocolate in a dark place for maximum freshness.
My Chocolate Looks Discolored. Is It Spoiled?
Absolutely not! If your carefully stored chocolate looks dull, blotchy, or has a whitish film, it has likely experienced a different type of bloom (a harmless rearrangement of the cocoa/cocoa butter molecules). This cosmetic issue is caused by temperature fluctuations. While the appearance changes and the texture might be slightly different, the chocolate is still perfectly safe to eat, and the flavor is fully preserved.
The Importance of Proper Chocolate Storage
Your chocolate might not spoil quickly, but its quality will suffer if stored improperly.
Extreme temperatures or moisture can cause it to become discolored, develop a brittle texture, and lose its ideal flavor. If it melts and sticks together, it becomes much less enjoyable—so proper storage is key to maximizing your Highland Chocolates flavor experience.
Just remember that the ideal chocolate storage conditions are cool, dark, and dry.
At Highland Chocolates, we purchase our premium chocolates from Cargill.
Cargill aims to be a global provider of high-quality, sustainable cocoa and chocolate.
Highland Chocolates proudly chooses Cargill as our chocolate supplier because of our shared dedication to sustainable cocoa sourcing. This partnership ensures we use only high-quality, sustainable cocoa and chocolate derived from a verified sustainable cocoa supply and a transparent cocoa supply chain. By prioritizing Fair Trade cocoa principles and chocolate and farmer prosperity, we fulfill our commitment to corporate responsibility in the chocolate industry, answering the question: "where does your cocoa come from?" with integrity and pride.
Building on a decade of field experience with farmers and farmer organizations, the Cargill Cocoa Promise™ program was created in 2012 as a formal, action-oriented framework for global sustainability.
The Cargill Cocoa Promise™ drives global cocoa sustainability. This initiative empowers farmers and their communities to increase their incomes and improve living standards by focusing on sustainable cocoa cultivation.
Cargill is dedicated to comprehensive change, focusing on supply chain transparency and strengthening the socioeconomic resilience of cocoa communities.
This ensures a sustainable supply of high-quality cocoa products, tracing the journey all the way from the farm to the market.
Cargill's commitment evolved in 2017 with the introduction of new Sustainability Goals. By formally aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Cargill strategically expanded the Cocoa Promise™ to cover its indirect cocoa supply chain and ensure the responsible sourcing of every other ingredient used in its chocolate.