X

The 33 Best Food and Drink Advent Calendars for a Season of Tasty Delights

The days of basic chocolate Advent calendars are over. Now they come with a variety of fun surprises, including cocktails, gourmet snacks, hot sauce and dog treats. But you have only a few weeks left to get one, and the most popular ones sell out fast.

Headshot of David Watsky
Headshot of David Watsky
David Watsky Managing Editor / Home and Kitchen
David lives in Brooklyn where he's spent more than a decade covering all things edible, including meal kit services, food subscriptions, kitchen tools and cooking tips. David earned his BA from Northeastern and has toiled in nearly every aspect of the food business, including as a line cook in Rhode Island where he once made a steak sandwich for Lamar Odom. Right now he's likely somewhere stress-testing a blender or tinkering with a toaster. Anything with sesame is his all-time favorite food this week.
Expertise Kitchen tools | Appliances | Food science | Subscriptions | Meal kits
Headshot of Natalia Lusinski
Headshot of Natalia Lusinski
Natalia Lusinski Contributor
Natalia is a contributing writer for CNET. Her work can also be seen in places like Business Insider, Yahoo and Forbes. She spent several years living abroad, from goat-sitting in the Swiss Alps to staying with nuns at a monastery in Venice. Back in Los Angeles, she runs a popular pizza Meetup and is still on a quest to find her favorite slice.
Written by David Watsky
Natalia Lusinski
CNET logo Why You Can Trust CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement

Best Advent calendars overall

This popular Advent calendar includes 24 adorably petite jars of limited-edition jams and jellies (and honey), all of which are free of high fructose corn syrup and completely all-natural. It's perfect for any toast lover on your list this holiday season (or, you know, yourself). There's a mix of both new and classic flavors, including caramel with coffee and apricot with orange blossom. This sells out year after year, so don't hesitate if tasty preserves are your jam for Advent.

For a twist on the typical chocolate Advent calendar -- or in addition to it -- this charcuterie version will fulfill all your savory needs. One day, you'll get the spicy beef summer sausage; another, you'll get a sharp cheddar blend; and yet another, you'll get honey pineapple mustard -- plus nine more tasty treats.

If you can't choose what type of food and drink Advent calendar to get, this one has a bit of everything. It includes items like Christmas orange and chocolate cookies, black truffle butter and figgy pudding liqueur, among many other sweet and savory mouthwatering others.

We all know a hot sauce fanatic and this Advent calendar will definitely spice up their life. They'll get 12 days' worth of 1.75-ounce bottles with all kinds of spice levels -- from sweet and savory to mild and hot -- including Sweet Onion Habanero, Plum Reaper, Smokey Horseradish and more. Perfect for your own version of Hot Ones at home.

It's not food for humans, but it's technically "food," and Fido deserves to get in on the fun, too. There are dozens of pet-friendly calendars to choose from, but the Himalayan Pet Supply has 24 quality bites for dogs, including peanut butter yogurt sticks and sweet potato churros. All the ingredients -- which don't contain lactose or gluten -- are clearly labeled, so you can see what you're giving your four-legged friend.

In this calendar, the Grinch actually likes Christmas. You'll find 24 days' worth of sweet treats, like chocolate hearts, gummy rings and sanded gummy snowmen.

This 24-day Advent calendar is a food dream come true for any culinary friends or family. Oliviers & Co is renowned for its olive oil and Mediterranean food products, and this calendar features olive oil flavors like rosemary, mandarin and lemon, as well as several kinds of vinegar, like grapefruit and fig. There are truffles too, including cappuccino and white chocolate with pistachio, and some other surprises, such as tomato powder and green olive tapenade. Hungry yet? Us too.

This is one of the most beautiful Advent calendars we’ve ever seen, both inside and out. Not only are the wooden drawers filled will all kinds of incredible treats -- like mini mints, chocolate raspberry truffles and vanilla shortbread cookies with red and gold sanding sugar -- but it lights up, plays music and can be reused year after year.

Best savory Advent calendars

Any foodie on your gift list will love this assortment of delicacies, featuring items such as Bonne Maman preserves, a medley of tapenades and Williams Sonoma's famously delicious peppermint bark. You'll uncover a few fun non-food items, too, like a Meyer lemon-scented votive candle and a tiny paella pan ornament.

This popcorn wreath is not only festive, but delicious. The popcorn lovers in your life will get six varieties of gourmet popcorn, plus six kinds of seasoning. And they can also reuse the tins once every kernel’s been popped.

This meaty calendar from Give Them Beer may only have 12 offerings, but considering each one is a full bag of jerky, that's plenty. This year's calendar features flavors like cherry chipotle, BBQ and pineapple, among others. As Give Them Beer says, it's "a reminder that every day can be a little more savory."

All cheese lovers know (and love) Murray's Cheese in New York. Its Advent calendar comes with all types of cheese -- like truffle cheddar, Wensleydale with cranberries and more -- with crackers and jams too. The 2025 version is not to be missed.

Best sweet Advent calendars

The peppermint bark chocolates in this calendar are the perfect size for a daily sweet treat, which is a good thing, since once you try one, you'll immediately want another. You'll have 24 days' worth of toy soldiers, Santas and other holiday-themed chocolates to indulge in.

Godiva’s 24-day Advent calendar hits the sweet spot when it comes to silky smooth favorites in milk, dark and white chocolate. But there are some surprises inside, including Godiva’s dark chocolate ganache hearts and milk chocolate praline hearts.

The movie Elf has become a modern-day Christmas classic, and any fans of the film will be delighted by this Elf-themed Advent calendar. The 12 days of treats include an adorable Mr. Narwhal sugar cookie and cover the four major food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup. It's up to your giftee whether they use the maple syrup to make breakfast spaghetti.

Licorice isn't for everyone, but anyone who loves it REALLY loves it. Spoil your licorice lover with 24 days of licorice goodies that come in unexpected, hard-to-find flavors. Each day they'll find two candies in flavors ranging from classic caramel or double chocolate to passion fruit or sour strawberry.

This adorable and festive calendar houses 24 different candies (four pieces of each), from gummy mistletoe kisses and reindeer carrots to confetti caramels and more. It's perfect for the person with a sweet tooth in your life who's tired of the usual chocolate, if such people actually exist.

For a true chocolate connoisseur, only the best will do. This year's Advent calendar from luxe chocolate maker Compartés goes on an enchanting journey with a fox named Samson, who unlocks an indulgent confection each day. The chocolates are exquisite, each painted with a detail from the fairy tale, and flavors range from cinnamon bun and hazelnut torte to blackberry crumble.

Dylan's Candy Bar in New York is renowned for its massive selection of classic sweets, from gummies to lollipops and chocolates, and now you can enjoy a sampling of its candies each day.

Yet another way to treat a sweet tooth, this whimsically designed calendar hides 24 creamy, handmade caramels -- 12 classic caramels and 12 unique flavors. The small-batch candies are slow-cooked in copper kettles using the best (and fewest) ingredients possible. The calendar makes for a perfect gift for the caramel lover in your life (and we all know at least one).

Best boozy Advent calendars

If beer or wine won't cut it this year, Straightaway’s first-ever 12 Nights of Cocktails calendar has a dozen small canned adult beverages to get you through the holiday slog. We got one early and cracked open a few cans from the boozy Advent calendar including a tasty Oregon old fashioned, punchy espresso martini and ever-festive Mai Tai.

The 12 Nights of Cocktails Holiday calendar is available at select Costco locations nationwide, as well as directly on Straightaway’s website for $60.

Did someone order a beer tasting for December? Yes, we did. This sudsy calendar features 12 of the best craft beers out there -- including IPAs, ales and stouts -- from some of America's most popular breweries. Talk about a hoppy holiday.

For those who prefer their holiday cheer in stronger liquid form, this calendar serves up 24 1.7-ounce pours of whiskey from around the globe. The theme this year is Hotel Flaviar and comes with a set of Glencairn glasses and a tasting booklet, as well as a "hotel keycard" -- a complimentary one-year Flaviar Black Membership. This calendar is not cheap, but with all the top-shelf pours, I can't think of a better gift for a spirits lover. But be warned -- this decadent Advent calendar typically sells out faster than most.

This wonderful wine calendar includes 24 different kinds (six ounces of each) to try in the lead-up to Christmas. This collection includes reds, whites, rosés and bubbly from wine-producing regions all over the globe, from California to Italy. There are other options too -- one calendar features red wines only and another has only whites and rosés. A luxury version featuring high-end vintages is already sold out for the year.

For those who are more into vodka than beer, wine or other spirits, this Advent calendar will hit the spot. In it, your giftee (or yourself) will find 12 mini bottles of familiar brands, like Absolut and Belvedere. It also gives them an opportunity to try more unique vodkas, like Beluga and Truman.  

Vinebox is back with its ever-popular wine-tasting Advent calendar. This year, there are three options: the Bold collection, which features nine reds and three full-bodied whites; the Bright collection with "distinctive reds, expressive whites and radiant rosés;" or the 24 Days of Wine box, which includes them both for $199. Both collections include interesting mixes of wines housed in sleek vials and curated by Vinebox's in-house sommeliers.

Best tea, coffee and cocoa Advent calendars

If you can't decide between a coffee, tea or hot chocolate Advent calendar, Yawn Brew has created a 24-pack combo one with all three. The coffees include roasts such as Brazil Fazenda Sun Dried and Kenya AA, the teas include blends like gingerbread and toffee apple and the hot cocoa flavors include salted caramel and Bora Bora coconut. And if you just want to focus on one type of hot beverage, the brand also offers a coffee Advent calendar ($66), several varieties of tea Advent calendars ($43) and a hot chocolate Advent calendar ($50) as well.

The TokyoTreat Onsen Retreat Advent calendar is the perfect thing for the person who needs a bit of peaceful respite during the bustling holiday season. This calendar brings the soothing spirit of Japan's natural hot springs -- called onsen -- to your home. The collection of 24 gifts ranges from fun Japanese snacks and teas to home goods, such as an adorable kitty cat tea cup. And the box doubles as a lantern when you light it from behind.

If you can't make hot chocolate by scratch on the stove, doing so with a Keurig is the next best thing. These 24 K-cups come in all kinds of festive flavors, including cinnamon, peppermint, gingerbread and more. In a matter of seconds, you'll have a piping hot cup of cocoa, so be sure to have some marshmallows on hand.

Making hot chocolate's never been easier. Just watch these cocoa bombs dissolve in your mug of hot milk to create a creamy cup of hot cocoa.

With this Advent calendar from Door County Coffee & Tea Co., not only will you get to experience 24 full-pot bags of delicious java, but you'll also be supporting a small business — so it's a win-win. With fun flavors like Almond Toffee, Candy Cane and Bourbon Vanilla Cream, your mornings will never be the same.

For a loose leaf tea drinker, this is the clear pick, classy inside and out. From black tea to chai, among others, enjoy a different one of Vahdam's many delicate in-house tea blends each day in December until Christmas. And you can reuse the tin caddies, too.

If it's tea that makes you merry and bright, this calendar will have you ready for whatever the holidays bring. This Advent calendar contains 24 popular loose leaf teas and infusions, for a total of 96 servings, four 8-ounce servings apiece, which is pretty impressive. So get your tea mug ready and perhaps invite a friend or loved one over to indulge with you in flavors ranging from organic Saigon chai or jasmine creme brûlée to vanilla cappuccino or raspberry mojito.

Get CNET Cheapskate

Subscribe to our daily spotlight on the best tech deals on the web - from phones to gadgets and more.

By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
join our text group

Receive updates on the latest deals straight to your phone.

By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time. Message and data rates may apply. Recurring messages subscription. Available in USA and Canada.

More Gift Guides