How to Store Your Chocolates at Home
Learn how to store handmade chocolates at home. Temperature, humidity, fridge advice, bloom explained, and how to keep artisan chocolates fresh and delicious for longer.
Simple, practical tips to keep your handmade chocolates tasting perfect.
You’ve chosen beautiful handmade chocolates - now comes the important part: looking after them at home.
Chocolate is surprisingly sensitive to temperature, moisture and smells. Stored well, it will taste just as we, the chocolatiers intended. Stored badly, even the best chocolate can lose its shine, texture and flavour.
Here’s our simple Mocha guide to keeping your chocolates at their very best.
⭐ The Ideal Storage Conditions
The golden rule for chocolate storage is cool, dry and consistent.
✔ Temperature: 14–18°C
This is chocolate’s happy place.
A cool cupboard, pantry or larder is perfect.
Chocolate starts to soften at around 20–21°C and will melt not long after, so avoid warm kitchens, sunny windowsills or anywhere near the oven.
✔ Low Humidity
Moisture is chocolate’s enemy.
High humidity can cause sugar bloom (see below), leaving a dusty white coating on the surface. It doesn’t make chocolate unsafe, but it does affect texture and appearance.
If your home is humid:
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Keep chocolates in their original packaging
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Avoid opening boxes repeatedly
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Never leave chocolates uncovered
✔ Away From Light
Direct sunlight or bright kitchen lighting can warm chocolate unevenly and trigger fat bloom (see below).
Always store chocolates:
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In a cupboard
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Away from windows
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Away from heat sources
⭐ Should You Put Chocolate in the Fridge?
Short answer: usually no.
Fridges are cold and damp — the perfect conditions for condensation, which leads to sugar bloom and texture changes.
❌ Avoid the fridge if:
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The room is under 20°C
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You plan to eat the chocolates within a few weeks
✅ Only use the fridge if:
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It’s very hot (heatwave conditions)
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Chocolate is at risk of melting
If you must refrigerate:
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Place chocolates in an airtight container
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Add a piece of kitchen paper inside to absorb moisture
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When ready to eat, let the container return to room temperature
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Open only once fully warmed (this prevents condensation)
⭐ Keep Chocolate Away From Strong Smells
Chocolate absorbs odours easily.
Keep it well away from:
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Garlic
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Onions
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Cheese
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Spices
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Coffee beans
Even sealed chocolate can pick up aromas over time.
⭐ Leave Chocolates in Their Mocha Packaging
Our boxes and inserts aren’t just pretty — they’re designed to:
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Protect against temperature swings
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Limit air exposure
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Reduce moisture contact
Opening and rewrapping chocolates repeatedly shortens their life.
⭐ What About Bloom? (White Marks on Chocolate)
Sometimes chocolate develops a pale, white coating. This is called bloom and it’s completely safe to eat.
Fat Bloom
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Looks like greyish or white streaks
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Caused by warm temperatures
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Cocoa butter rises to the surface
Sugar Bloom
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Looks dusty or grainy
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Caused by moisture or condensation
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Sugar dissolves then recrystallises
Bloom affects appearance and texture - not safety.
⭐ How Long Will Handmade Chocolates Stay Fresh?
This depends on the filling.
At Mocha:
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Solid chocolates: up to 12 months
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Butter-based ganaches: up to 10 weeks
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Caramels & pralines: 6 months
(Always check the best-before date on the box)
For the best flavour, we recommend enjoying handmade chocolates within the first few weeks.
⭐ Top Storage Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Leaving chocolates on the kitchen counter
❌ Storing near the cooker or kettle
❌ Putting chocolates straight into the fridge uncovered
❌ Opening boxes repeatedly
❌ Storing chocolates near strong smells
⭐ Quick Storage Checklist
✔ Store at 14–18°C
✔ Keep dry
✔ Keep away from heat and light
✔ Avoid the fridge unless necessary
✔ Leave chocolates in their packaging
✔ Enjoy them fresh
⭐ Final Thought
Our handmade chocolates are made with real ingredients in small batches and without artificial preservatives - so they deserve a little care once they’re home.
Stored properly, they’ll reward you with:
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Perfect texture
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Bright, balanced flavours
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That satisfying snap and silky melt
Exactly as our chocolatiers intended.
✨ Ready to enjoy your chocolates?
Explore our handmade collections at 👉 mochachocolateshop.co.uk
Or pop into Mocha Richmond or Mocha Aske - we’re always happy to help.