When my 9-year-old got his braces off, his immediate request was to have a caramel apple. After nearly a year without one, he was missing two of his favorite foods: apples, eaten whole instead of sliced, and caramel. A quick online search led us to Sweets Handmade Candies.
Located in the Redfield Promenade just north of McCarran Boulevard near Kietzke Lane and South Virginia Street, Sweets has their candy-making process on display. Sheets of nuts sit in the front window, alongside a giant cauldron for stirring up melted goods. When we arrived, there was a worker in the front window dipping caramel apples.
Inside, we found a handful of varieties of dipped apples. They’re nothing over-the-top like at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, but comprise a solid selection of plain, sprinkles, almonds, peanuts and chocolate-dipped caramel apples. There was also a wide selection of truffles and chocolates sold by the pound, with colorful stamps that indicate the filling (port wine chocolates with purple wine glasses on them or lemon treats with yellow citrus drawn on top).
Every corner of the small space uncovered a new wonder. A full coffee bar is set up in the corner, offering caffeinated beverages as well as hot chocolate to accompany the sweets. There is also popcorn drizzled with chocolate with flavors like “toffeecorn,” “marblecorn” and sea salt caramel corn.
The sea salt candies here are my favorite. Milk and dark chocolate sea salt caramels are sold in small boxes or by the piece, with a decadent chocolate coating over luscious, creamy caramel. The sprinkling of sea salt on the top cuts the sweetness just a bit for a more interesting juxtaposition of flavors. Chocolate-covered orange slices, pretzels, potato chips and graham crackers all share space in the case, as well as hunks of flavorful candy barks and huge squares of decadent fudge in what seems like a million flavors. There’s even vegan chocolate.
Items are made on-site, which adds to the charm of the place.
This may be the best stop in town for holiday-themed goodies. On our visit, the store was decked out in white chocolate bats, Frankenstein-disguised cake pops and other spooky treats. They give the same treatment to other holidays, too, so there’s plenty of reason to come back and stuff stockings with delicious homemade treats from Sweets.
Expert tip: Don’t skip the gourmet candy canes.
Located between Nordstrom Rack and World Market, it’s an easy add-on to other holiday shopping, or perhaps even an easy excuse for a sweet pick-me-up to get you through your holiday shopping. There’s a second location in Truckee on Donner Pass Road.
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- Sweets Handmade Candies
- 4991 S. Virginia St.
- 775 827 8270
