Our Story

The Famous Santa Fe
Chocolate Trail

Chocolate in Santa Fe isn’t a new thing or a tasty fad. There is a history of cocoa beans being traded north from South America – the beginning of what is called the Chocolate Trail.  This practice can be dated back as far as a 1,000 years.  Santa Fe can trace its part in history as far back as 400 years of fondness for making Chocolate a local art.  The results are revered local and regional chocolate recipes that draw visitors from all over the world to experience the Santa Fe Chocolate Trail.  Today Santa Fe hosts many more Chocolate Artisans than most cities of similar size.  Tourists and Visitors get the bonus of finding special treats, desserts, gifts, and flavors found no where else.  Sweet Santa Fe is either the first stop or the last stop of your in-town Chocolate Trail adventure!  Many tourists on take it upon themselves to now seek out the many different Chocolate makers of Santa Fe and route themselves thru the City and to see & sample a little something from each and everyone.  We encourage everyone to try it and to find as many of the unique Chocolates as you can in Santa Fe – make your own Modern Day Chocolate Trail around town.

chocolate ganache

Have You Heard of

The Chocolatiers?

Sweet Santa Fe owners Cindy Smiles and Diana Kelley were taught the art of chocolate making by the esteemed CG “Chuck” Higgins, whose eponymous chocolate store, CG Higgins Confections, had legions of fans who flocked here from all over the world to taste his creations. Cindy and Diana were two of his top employees and played a vital role in making the chocolates each day.

Once he closed his legendary stores, Cindy and Diana were inspired to pick up the torch and carry on the tradition of making handmade, artisanal chocolates. Though the Sweet Santa Fe menu has expanded, the Award Winning Chocolate Recipes are direct from the archives of the beloved CG Higgins Confections—and Chuck still comes around to help, so you may run into him.  Chuck’s Nuts is a long time signature mantra that brings a smile to local’s faces but also signature Nut Rolls, which he is currently making and can be found still at Sweet Santa Fe.

13 Steps to Making Truffles

Sweet Santa Fe is a reflection of the region’s rich history of chocolate and the only candy maker in town that still hand-rolls and hand-dips chocolate truffles. Each and every truffle is handmade in small batches, then hand rolled, and hand dipped which makes eating a Sweet Santa Fe truffle a true and traditional artisan candy experience.

Did you know there are 13 steps to making chocolate truffles?

The local flavors, the craftsmanship, and love that go into every single confectionery treat is something you can absolutely tell from the moment you see it. By the time it touches your lips, you’re already a believer.  

Sweet Santa Fe…Life Happens, Chocolate Helps!

New Mexico & Chocolate

New Mexico and chocolate have gone together for more than 1,000 years. History reflects that early residents of what is now New Mexico acquired cocoa beans as a commodity for celebrations and ceremonies. Some have traced the Mesoamerican history of chocolate to the Chaco Canyon and Pueblo Bonito in the Four Corners region of the state, while others tie the connection to New Mexico’s indigenous ingredients such as piñon nuts, chile, and lavender. No matter how chocolate arrived in New Mexico, it remains a sweet and proud addition to the cultural and culinary fabric of the state. Sweet Santa Fe chocolates and confections celebrate this rich cultural history and culinary tradition that translates into flavors you will long remember.
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