Should You Put Chocolate in the Fridge?

Ah, the age-old question: should chocolate go in the fridge?
In short — absolutely not (well, not if you can help it).

I totally understand the temptation — especially during summer heatwaves when your treats feel at risk of becoming a puddle. But trust me, if you care about texture, taste, and that gorgeous glossy finish, your chocolate will thank you for keeping it cool… but not fridge cool.

The Snap, the Shine, the Science

Chocolate is a delicate blend of art and science — and that beautiful shine and satisfying snap? That’s all thanks to cocoa butter being perfectly tempered. When you pop chocolate in the fridge, the sudden change in temperature can cause moisture to condense on the surface, ruining that glossy finish. When it comes back to room temperature, you’re left with dull, streaky, sometimes even crumbly chocolate.

The Magic of Cocoa Butter

For me, chocolate is all about flavour you can feel. Cocoa butter melts at body temperature — which means as it gently melts in your mouth, it slowly releases the wonderful flavour notes held within the cocoa.

But when it’s cold from the fridge? The cocoa butter takes much longer to melt — and that’s exactly why it takes longer to taste. Instead of that slow, silky release of flavour, the chocolate stays firm and muted… and by the time it finally starts to melt, you’ve probably already swallowed it. So all that chocolatey complexity I’ve carefully balanced? Lost to haste and chill.

And Then There’s the Onion Problem…

Cocoa butter (and the fresh cream I use inside many of my filled chocolates) is a bit of a flavour sponge. Which is a dream when I’m deliberately infusing with things like local honey or seasonal fruits.

But if your fridge also houses last night’s curry or half a red onion… let’s just say you might end up with flavour notes I definitely didn’t intend. And no, “onion truffle” is not a new experimental flavour.

If You Must Fridge It…

I get it — sometimes the weather wins. If your home is sweltering and your chocolate is starting to feel soft to the touch, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

In that case, here's what I recommend:

• Pop your chocolates into an airtight container (to keep moisture and fridge odours out).

• When you're ready to enjoy them, let the container sit unopened at room temperature for 20–60 minutes. This lets them gently return to their ideal state without surface bloom or flavour compromise.

(And if you can’t wait that long? I won’t judge — just don’t say I didn’t warn you.)

Chocolatey wishes,

Holly