I really truly do believe in trying to live my life with no regrets.
But, since the morning I left the Greenwood NE candy outlet and chocolate factory, I can’t stop mourning over why I didn’t just buy more of the Nebraska chocolate (particularly, the fresh-made dark chocolate coated caramel salted toffee and clusters….but mostly that toffee!!!)
You see, I was currently doing Keto and was already walking on extremely dangerous grounds even just BEING at a chocolate factory, but damn it, once I got home and sampled a few of their handmade clusters and goodies, I kicked myself for being “so on plan”
^Pin It To Your “Things To Do In Nebraska” Board!^
Bakers Candies
The story of the Bakers Chocolates in Greenwood NE is actually an incredibly fascinating story (but more on that later). This second-generation chocolate factory is practically hidden right in between Omaha and Lincoln and would be an absolutely perfect day trip, stop off of I-80, or nice detour paired with a day of exploring all that there is to do in the area (and you’d be surprised at just how much there is- spoiler alert: scroll to the bottom to see).
Making Chocolate Meltaways Candy Famous
What made the Baker’s Candies famous was their amazingly delicious meltaways.
Chocalattiere Todd (son of the original owner- Kevin Baker) gave us the inside scoop all about what makes their chocolate unique from others. You see, most people know Swiss (milk) chocolate (a creamy, smooth chocolate) or a Belgian style chocolate (more of a “breakable” chocolate, often darker).
But, most people don’t know that there is a third contender for delicious chocolate: the Bavarian chocolates, which marry a little bit of the best of both worlds of the two prior chocolates into one! It creates a really smooth (meltaway) feeling in your mouth while also providing really yummy different flavors (like the mint meltaway candies)
Nebraska’s Largest Candy Outlet
Bakers Candies in Greenwood NE is a candy lover and chocoholics dream come true. As you walk in, you see buckets upon buckets (and rows, and trays, and counters….) of Nebraska chocolate. But, in addition to the chocolate factory, which has every single kind of favorite Bakers Meltaways imaginable, there is the Bakers candy outlet. What kind of candy do you like? They’ve got it!!!!
Since this is an outlet factory, you can even get the “oopsie” chocolate at a discounted price. Any chocolates that didn’t meat the aesthetic expectations are bagged and discounted. The tastes are never off or wrong, but if a chocolate accidentally got cut the wrong size, or if is slightly smudged, you can get it for cheaper here at the outlet factory.
Nebraska Made Gifts
Have you ever noticed that when Nebraska produces something amazing, we TOTALLY claim it as our own!!! I mean, Dorothy Lynch? Yup, Nebraskan! Runzas? We’ll brag until we’re blue in the face about those darn oven meat pockets as proud “Nebraska Food”!!!
The Nebraska candy and chocolates are no different. I know of so many people who love to create little gift baskets of “Nebraska Life” for family and friends from out of town to brag a bit on Nebraska. Or, there are so many military families, college kids, or adults who have family back here who love to send “tastes of home” to their loved ones across the globe.
What do those little goodie baskets often include? Yup, you guessed it: Bakers Candies!!!
Other Made in Nebraska Items, Food, and more
But you aren’t JUST going to find the Bakers chocolate candy. One of the things that I LOVE about Nebraskans is how we raise each other up! I always talk about supporting local Nebraskan businesses when traveling right here in Nebraska, and Bakers Candies Inc did a PHENOMENAL job of this!!
Us midwesterners love us some buckets of Ranch. Buy a jug here from the Sandhills Salad Dressing! Want to “spice” up your life? Have your tried Volcanic Peppers from Bellevue (seriously uuuhmazing spices!) Apparently, there is even a small batch coffee roaster (Ahroma) in Lincoln that you can grab some bags of coffee to go with your chocolate!
And that was just the tip of the iceberg on what they sold for locally sourced and made goods! (Way to go, guys!!)
Bakers Chocolate Flavors
Todd was telling us that Bavarian chocolates (which, again, is what the meltaways are) typically are flavored. As someone who personally lived in Bavaria for 6 years, I can attest to this! So, what Bakers Candies flavors are there? Pick whichever satisfies that sweet tooth of yours!
They’ve even gotten creative and decided to carefully color code all the different kinds! That way, you always know exactly what you are biting into!
- Red: Solid Milk Chocolate
- Blue: Solid Dark Chocolate
- Gold: Milk Chocolate Mint
- Green: Dark Chocolate Mint
- Red Strip: Milk Chocolate Raspberry
- Gold: Milk Chocolate Coconut
- Black Stripe: Milk Chocolate Mocha
- Bronze: Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter
- Silver: Milk Chocolate Covered Caramel
- Purple: Dark Chocolate Cherry
- Orange: Dark Chocolate Orange
Fun Facts
I want to do a whole separate story on how Bakers Candies came to be, because it really is a fascinating story, but here is just a sampling of what Todd had to say about his dad (who started the business) and some things they have encountered/ learned:
- They are the first chocolate company to bag gourmet chocolates: While us Nebraskans will fight you over whose salad dressing is better, we are also extremely humble people. The chocolate factory noticed that farmers would come in to buy the gourmet chocolates for special occasions only, never wanting to splurge on it for themselves. After all, there is just something about a BOX of chocolates that screams “Fancy!” So, the company decided to start bagging the chocolates and suddenly, people didn’t feel like it was such a splurge! Somehow, NO other chocolatier had thought of this!?
- They are one of the first chocolate factories to full automate the chocolate-making process: Have you seen this I Love Lucy chocolate factory episode? Todd told me that while it was a pretty comical skit, it was based on 100% accuracies of chocolate factories.
Until Bakers Candies decided to work backward: Create a fully automated chocolate line and THEN create a deliciously amazing chocolate recipe! - Chocolate is one of the few industries that typically grows despite recessions! This is actually how Mr. Baker decided to try his hand at the chocolate-making gig during the recession in the ’70s!
Where Can I Buy Bakers Candies
While it’s not hard to get Bakers Candies right here in Nebraska, many people who have been gifted the chocolate often wonder where to buy Bakers candies themselves! Here are a few places to look:
On the website: You can go straight their own website
On Amazon: This is probably one of the easiest ways if you are not local. Here is a variety pack you can easily buy.
Bakers Candies Greenwood NE: You can head straight to their chocolate factory and outlet shop in Greenwood, NE to buy FRESH, off the belt chocolates!!!
A Few Local Stores: I can often find the Bakers Nebraska chocolate at Hy-Vees and even at some Walgreens!
From a Local Friend: If you are from out of town, you can always persuade a good friend to head to the chocolate outlet (a promise of a few of those fresh made clusters isn’t a bad idea either!)
Bakers Chocolate Factory Outlet Store
Address: 831 S Baker St, Greenwood, NE (right smack dab in the middle of Omaha and Lincoln in Highway 6)
Hours: Mon- Fri 8am-5pm. Sat: 9am-5pm. Sun: Noon-5pm
Make It A Whole Day: Things to do between Omaha and Lincoln
I love day outings from right here in Omaha, so why not just make a whole itinerary. Many people are really surprised with just how much stuff there is to do between Omaha and Lincoln.
Whether you are also looking for day trip ideas or maybe you are heading from Omaha to Lincoln on a game day and want to do something new, here are a few of my favorite Omaha and Lincoln Day Trips:
Stop at the Gretna Outlet Malls: People who love to shop always brag about the deals and discounts they find here!
Mahoney or Platte State Park: Two of my all-time favorite Nebraska State Parks are nestled right between Omaha and Lincoln. Go to the Mahoney Activity Center in the winter, hike at Platte Park in the summer, and SO much more (read about everything there is to do at Mahoney here).
Strategic Air Command Museum: Not just for aviation fiends, this museum is a fascinating place to spend a few hours for anyone!
Wildlife Safari: The “Omaha Zoofari” is in Ashland and is truly a unique experience to be able to drive right along with the grazing buffalo, Sandhill cranes, and other beautiful roaming wildlife. Read more about a day at the Ashland Wildlife Safari Here.
Bakers Chocolates in Greenwood NE: Obviously, this is now at that top of my list for stops between Omaha and Lincoln!
Holy Family Shrine: This architecturally stunning piece of work is a beautiful, tranquil and a peaceful stop for anyone wanting to overlook the plains
Around the Bend Steakhouse (Ashland): My husband claims it is THE BEST ribeye he’s ever had. My father loves their chicken fried steak. Sounds like you can’t go wrong here!
Have you had THE Nebraska Chocolates before? What do you think about them?