19 Ritter Sport Chocolate Bars, Ranked Worst To Best

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You'd be forgiven if you opened this article thinking you'd be reading about a ranking of protein bars. After all, the name "Ritter Sport" certainly implies that these are bars for athletes, or at least active people. Fortunately for taste buds everywhere, even couch potatoes can enjoy snapping off a piece of a Ritter Sport bar — because these iconic bars are, simply, chocolate bars.

The company first began in Germany in 1912, but it wouldn't be until 20 years later in 1932 that the chocolate bars they were producing became square. It was co-founder Clara Ritter who suggested that the bars be transformed into their iconic shape so that they could fit into the pocket of a sports jacket without breaking. Now named "Ritter Sport Schokolade," a star was born.

These days, there are plenty of Ritter Sport flavors to choose from, with fillings that range from peppermint creme to roasted hazelnuts to cornflakes in white, milk, dark, and even plant-based chocolate. While all rankings are subjective, based on the tasters' taste buds, I think this may be the definitive guide to 19 Ritter Sport flavors.

This was a rough one. Right off the bat, the smell of rum is overwhelming, like you've just cracked open a bottle of Captain Morgan and are taking a great big sniff. No judgment if you enjoy that scent, but for me and my tasters, it was not appealing. In fact, the smell of rum overwhelmed any actual chocolate aroma and had some tasters dreading trying this the moment it was unwrapped.

The rum flavor completely eclipsed any chocolate, nut, or raisin notes. One of my tasters actually spat this bar out, meaning it was destined to be ranked last. It was a failure across the board, from smell to taste to texture, as the chewy raisins and crunchy hazelnuts didn't work in harmony. The chocolate itself was hard to determine among all the olfactory and gastronomic noise, too. However, if you want to try it for yourself, you can order it from Amazon here.

For a small child, this chocolate bar would be a slam-dunk. It has creamy, sweet, buttery white chocolate and colorful candies. Smarties are similar to M&Ms in that they're miniature, round bits of chocolate encased in a hard candy coating. Unfortunately, Smarties aren't the highest quality of chocolate and their diminutive size in this bar didn't add much in the way of contrasting flavors. They were there for color and a bit of texture, but couldn't compete with the generic sweetness of white chocolate. The white chocolate itself, while buttery, was verging on oily.

There was nothing necessarily offensive about this Ritter Sport bar, but there was nothing exciting, either. If you enjoy cake frosting or cake batter flavored things, this will be a win for you, but otherwise, I'd suggest skipping it. (You can make your own decision and score this limited-edition bar from Amazon.)

Was it unfair to include a plant-based chocolate bar among a wide swathe of dairy-filled counterparts? I didn't think so, as I've had plenty of vegan chocolate before and enjoyed it immensely. Unfortunately for this bar, that wasn't the case. This vegan chocolate bar (available for purchase here) was made with dark chocolate, but it wasn't enjoyable. 

While dark chocolate doesn't melt the same way milk chocolate does, it shouldn't crumble and disintegrate on the tongue the way this bar did. The chalkiness of the chocolate wasn't all horrible, as it did allow the crunchiness of the almonds to stand out. However, for dark chocolate, there was zero smell and a distinct lack of chocolate taste. Usually, dark chocolate has a rich, strong aroma. This had none of that, which is why it's near the bottom of my list.

Oh, how I wanted to like this one. Chocolate and cereal combined — how could this not be an excellent candy bar? Alas, perhaps it was my high expectations that caused this one to drop so low in my estimation. Unlike any of the other Ritter Sport bars on this list, this Milk Chocolate with Corn Flakes bar was tough to bite. Maybe I got an older product, but whatever it was, this was a thick bar that was tough to break through.

Upon unwrapping it, I noticed a slightly bitter smell, which was strange for a milk chocolate bar. Once my teeth finally managed to penetrate deep enough to get a portion of this bar on my tongue, I noticed the texture of the corn flakes, but there wasn't much in the way of taste. Overall, this bar was a solid "meh."

The milk chocolate partner to the white chocolate bar with Smarties, this one succeeded where the white chocolate failed. The quality of the milk chocolate was good, with a smoothness and nice melt. Again, the chocolate-covered Smarties candies were there to add some color and texture, and since they're also milk chocolate, it didn't feel like they were trying to add a new flavor. Rather, the Smarties were an echo of the flavor of the rest of the chocolate bar.

This limited edition bar would be another fine choice for kids or kids-at-heart, thanks to the colorful candies and cheerful wrapping, but for chocolate aficionados like myself, this bar felt superfluous. Milk chocolate candies in a milk chocolate bar? Groundbreaking.

This Ritter Sport bar sounded like it would be a rousing success and truly, it was one of the flavors I was more excited for. It features milk chocolate and supposedly a cocoa creme alongside a butter biscuit. That blend of textures sounded like a quick way to find snacking success. However, when I bit into this bar, the cocoa creme couldn't be detected at all. I searched and I scoured but alas, it had vanished.

The milk chocolate was delicious, smooth, and had a good melt, but it was basically enrobing a giant graham cracker. However, unlike actual graham crackers, which have a touch of honey and a toothsome appeal, this was distinctly more bland cracker-adjacent. It was a fine chocolate bar, but it wasn't the marriage of textures I had wanted it to be, and so it lost a few spots.

Upon first unwrapping this chocolate, I was hit with an unpleasant smell that verged on rancid. I don't know if it was the hazelnuts or some strange quirk of the packaging, but it put me on high alert.

Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised, and the off-putting smell did not reflect the chocolate bar that was inside. This bar was made with white chocolate and featured whole hazelnuts, as well as bits of crispy rice, which were a wonderful textural surprise. The white chocolate was beautifully creamy and sweet, and could have been too sugary were it not for the inclusion of whole hazelnuts and crisp rice. The addition of these two crunchy mix-ins helped balance the chocolate's sweetness and prevented it from being too one-note. One of my tasters loathes hazelnuts but still moderately enjoyed this bar. (See for yourself and snag this bar on Amazon.)

This Ritter Sport bar was a bit of a head-scratcher for me. The bar said it contained "winter spices," but nowhere on the ingredient list did it specify which spices. After unwrapping this bar, I got a huge whiff of cinnamon and nutmeg with maybe the tiniest bit of clove. After one bite, the spice flavor profile was evident right at the front. Some of my tasters found that the spices competed with the chocolate, putting the chocolate in the background, while others enjoyed it and said they wanted even more.

The texture of this bar was nice, with a slight crunch from the almond brittle. Unlike the Ritter Sport Butter Biscuit and Cocoa Creme, the cocoa creme in this bar was evident. This spice blend might be better suited to leveling up a hot chocolate rather than eating them in bar form.

After tasting the Ritter Sport White Chocolate with Whole Hazelnuts, I had high hopes for this one. The Milk Chocolate with Whole Hazelnuts bar was simply that: A delicious milk chocolate bar filled to the brim with whole roasted hazelnuts.

It was the roasting of the hazelnuts that allowed this bar to rise as high as it did, despite the lower scores from my other tasters who could not be dissuaded of their hatred of the nut. The roasting brought a deeper, richer flavor to the whole bar nut. There are certainly plenty of hazelnuts in this bar, so it's a good thing they're roasted well. (This bar snapped the most unevenly, leaving jagged edges of whole nuts sticking out.) I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this one, even if it sits near the middle of this list.

Maybe it was just my nose — or some bars were just more off than others — but this bar had almost zero smell. There was no aroma of chocolate or almond that arose after I peeled off the wrapper, but I nonetheless decided to take a bite and see how the taste stacked up.

There was a nice texture to this bar. The caramelization of the nuts was evident, as there was a sweetness there that was predominant. It was almost like an almond brittle. While the texture was good, some of my other tasters wished that the almond pieces were bigger. One taster said the almonds felt lost in the chocolate, and I agree. 

Much of the bars on this list feature milk chocolate, because, frankly, that was the largest portion of what was available at my store. However, dark chocolate finally had a chance to come out swinging with this bar. (Grab it on Amazon here.) Unlike the Milk Chocolate with Caramelized Almonds bar, this one had big, whole almonds that were beautifully roasted for a warm, toasty flavor. (Roasting nuts can be a major flavor enhancer. Here's how to roast them properly.)

When I unwrapped this bar, I was hit with the smell of bitter chocolate. Not a bad thing — in fact, it was welcome, after so many bars that had zero smell. The flavor of the dark chocolate, however, wasn't bitter at all. I don't know the cocoa percentage of this dark chocolate, but I certainly enjoyed it. It had a nice, deep flavor that wasn't bitter or crumbly. 

I was in for a surprise when I unwrapped this chocolate bar. Every other bar in my ranking came in 16 small squares in a four-by-four pattern. This bar, however, had 12 larger squares. 

Like the Milk Chocolate with Crunchy Winter Creme, there were "winter spices" in this bar, although they were subtler. It smelled more of the spices than tasted of them. It was filled with a fluffy, airy mousse that had a nice, silky texture, but I had to read the label again because I was told this would be an almond mousse, and yet there was zero almond flavor to be found. In fact, there were almost no nutty notes at all. Try this bar for the mousse filling and enjoy, but don't expect to taste much almond in it.

Few things go together as well as chocolate and fruit, especially if that fruit is strawberries. However, it can be hard to get strawberry flavor spot on, with many confections skewing too artificial. Fortunately for Ritter Sport, they got this Strawberry Yogurt bar just right.

This milk chocolate bar has a delicious, authentic strawberry smell, likely from the real freeze-dried strawberries used in the filling. In addition to providing some texture, the tiny strawberry pieces also offered a nice tartness. Since I was heading into a chocolate coma at this point in my tasting, perking up my palate was necessary. This bar also has the benefit of those crispy rice pieces I liked so much. One of my tasters stated they did notice a sourness from the yogurt, but it was a minor complaint that didn't overshadow the rest of the flavor.

Perhaps it was just my store's selection or maybe it's Ritter Sport as a brand, but they are definitely a fan of nuts. While the White Chocolate with Whole Hazelnuts and Milk Chocolate with Whole Hazelnuts bars let us know the form these nuts would be taking, Ritter Sport Hazelnuts was not quite so clear. As it turned out, the milk chocolate bar was scattered throughout with crushed roasted hazelnuts. Rather than offering a toasty taste, these nuts were more about texture. 

The chocolate was the standout in this bar. Upon placing a square on my tongue, there was an immediate melt of creamy, quality chocolate. This bar had the best melt of all the ones I sampled. It was smooth, it was pleasant, and its creaminess was enhanced by the shards of hazelnuts. 

Sometimes, simple is best, especially when it's done to perfection. Unlike every other bar I sampled, there were no add-ins, no flavorings, and no creams (or cremes) that were incorporated into this bar. Instead, it was pure, classic milk chocolate.

Unwrapping the Alpine Milk Chocolate bar released a strong scent of chocolate, which excited me (and my other tasters) for what was inside. This bar had a great snap, indicating its quality, and it melted immediately on the tongue. It was so creamy that it actually coated my mouth in chocolate. Had this bar included all manner of other textures and flavors, I may not have been able to appreciate this sublime mouthfeel. As it was, it was incredible. A classic, excellent chocolate bar, and I wouldn't change a thing.

Don't wait all year for a box of Thin Mints to come knocking at your door — pick up a case of Ritter Sport Dark Chocolate with Peppermint Filling instead. The thin layer of dark chocolate in this bar shattered beautifully under my teeth and gave way to a luscious, creamy peppermint filling. The balance of flavors between these two was perfect — and I might add: with zero toothpaste taste. 

This flavor resembled an after-dinner treat, or like those chocolate mints you might get with your bill when you're at a restaurant. It was refreshing and satisfying all on its own. I could have gone back and finished the whole bar, but even just one square was enough to satisfy my chocolate craving. Using dark chocolate over milk was a good choice by Ritter Sport here, as the contrast between the two is what helped it rise so high in my ranking.

Is it a controversial choice to put Ritter Sport Coconut at the number three spot on my list? Before I tasted it, I might have thought so too, but the saying is, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." While I knew I'd be getting coconut in this bar, what I didn't anticipate is how much I liked it.

This milk chocolate bar encased a layer of coconut filling that featured real coconut flakes. The subtle grit offered a pleasant contrast with the smooth milk chocolate that allowed both flavors to work together instead of competing. Even for those of us who aren't really fans of coconut, this chocolate bar made them a convert. The coconut was authentic, with no trace of artificial flavor that might make it taste like sunscreen. 

Immediately my nose was hit with bitter dark chocolate and almond in a way that was extremely pleasant and not overpowering. At the first bite, there was a great snap from the dark chocolate that gave way to the marzipan filling, which was packed into this bar. For those who don't know, marzipan is a sweet, moldable mixture made from almonds that is used in anything from shaping realistic-looking fruits to covering cakes. Its use in holiday-themed treats may have been why one of my tasters said it reminded them of Christmas.

Any bitterness of the dark chocolate was well-matched by the sweetness of the marzipan, and they were texturally compatible, too. The dark chocolate was smooth and melted well, while the slight grittiness of the almond filling helped keep things from being too one-note. Grab a couple for yourself from Amazon and enjoy.

Who could have predicted that a plant-based chocolate bar would win the coveted number one spot on my list? After the dismal showing of the Vegan Crunchy Almonds bar, I certainly wouldn't have dreamed of the Vegan Roasted Peanut bar rising nearly as high as it did.

This chocolate bar, despite containing no dairy, was extremely creamy. I would describe this as a milk chocolate bar, despite the fact that it didn't actually contain any milk. When I unwrapped it, it smelled identical to a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Would the taste measure up to one of the most beloved Halloween candies, though?

Indeed, it did. The roasting of the peanuts was evident, and there was a beautiful hit of salt. When nuts are included in a bar, they can offer texture but not flavor. In this vegan chocolate bar, however, there was both. The addition of salt is what really took things over the edge and made this bar the overall champion.