Katherine Anne Confections

Katherine Duncan’s tangy new strawberry-balsamic flavor yields Easter candy a far cry from its cloying drugstore brethren. Duncan enlists strawberries frozen from last summer farmer’s markets and ups the ante with acidic, 18-year-aged balsamic from Old Town Oil before whipping the mixture into both white chocolate-enrobed truffles and buttery caramels. The former mimic Easter eggs, flaunting a pretty coating that’s naturally dyed pale pink by the berries. Truffles, $10 for three; caramels, $10 for four ounces; katherine-anne.com, 2745 W. Armitage Ave.

Kohler Original Recipe Chocolates

Kohler is widely known as Chicagoans’ favorite spa retreat, but the Wisconsin getaway also pampers the tastebuds with some damn fine chocolate. Five varieties of chocolate eggs house flavors like mint; peanut butter and cassis; and cognac, and each has a glossy shell that’s hand-speckled ever-so-artfully and borderline too lovely to eat. $21 for nine; kohlerchocolates.com.

Vosges Haut-Chocolat

The luxe chocolatier offers two types of molded pastel rabbits, both oozing with a fruity caramel filling. One is enrobed in lavender-hued white chocolate and filled with a burst of blueberries and pure lavender oil. The other marries flavors of lemon peel, pink peppercorn, and strawberry and sports a pink coat of white chocolate. Think of these as the Cadbury Bunny’s posh great aunts. $30 for nine; vosgeschocolate.com, multiple locations.

XO Marshmallow

An elevated take on the infamous Peep was a no-brainer for Lindzi Shanks and Kat Connor, who have a two-year-old shop and an online business dedicated to the humble ‘mallow. The perfectly tender, vanilla-flavored chicks sport springy pastel hues and cute little chocolate eyes and are free from Peeps’ less desirable features, i.e. preservatives and questionable ingredients (carnuaba wax, anyone?). $8 for three; xomarshmallow.com, 6977 N. Sheridan Rd.