© 2024 WKNO FM
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Hometown Sweet Holiday Treats

Cheryl Malik

The way to a person's heart is most definitely through their stomach. Anyone who loves to eat (and who doesn't?) will appreciate a thoughtful gift of a sweet treat.

Whether it’s caramels, dessert toppings, or chocolates, there is a Memphis-made treat that will make the perfect edible Christmas gift.

Here are five of my favorite Memphis-made sweet treats to give — and receive.

Bluff City Toffee

Bluff City Toffee began out of the home kitchen of Stephanie Upshaw. Now she is dozens of stores and just opened her own retail shop.

Upshaw’s special confection is her twist on English toffee, using locally sourced Southern ingredients. The toffee comes in Milk Chocolate Pecan and Dark Chocolate Pecan Toffee with Sea Salt.

Backhouse Foods Dessert Sauces

Loren Powell began her business literally out of her back house — hence the name.

Backhouse Foods offers four dessert sauce flavors: hot fudge, praline, candied walnuts and butterscotch. Each is sinfully good.

Shotwell Candy Co. Caramels

Jerrod Smith’s home-grown candy company has not only gained the attention of Memphians, but also folks nationwide.

His one-of-a-kind small batch caramels are soft with just the perfect amount of chewiness. The original salted caramel is always a great choice, but be sure to check out his creative line of flavors.

Phillip Ashley Chocolates

Phillip Rix is known for his breathtaking beautiful truffles that feature Southern ingredients.  Each chocolate is a delicious work of art. 

This Memphis chocolatier’s Caramel and Nut Turtles just got picked as one of Oprah’s favorite gifts of 2020.

Dinstuhl’s

Dinstuhl’s has been serving Memphians sweet treats for over a century.  A chocolate Santa or a bag of their famous cashew crunch would both make delightful stocking stuffers.

This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish. Happy Holidays!

Jennifer Chandler graduated at the top of her class from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She is a full-time mom to two daughters in Memphis, Tennessee, and is a freelance food writer, restaurant consultant, and author of four cookbooks The Southern Pantry Cookbook, Simply Salads, Simply Suppers, and Simply Grilling.