A bonbon is a small, fancy piece of chocolate candy, usually with a sweet filling inside.

Picture a chocolate shop with rows of elegant little candies in a glass case: some filled with caramel, others with fruit cream, mint, or nuts. Those are bonbons. They're typically bite-sized and often decorated beautifully, making them popular as gifts. When someone brings a box of bonbons to a dinner party, they're bringing something a bit more special than a regular candy bar.

The word has a fancy, old-fashioned feel to it. In classic movies, you might see a wealthy character relaxing on a sofa, eating bonbons from a decorative box. Today, chocolatiers (fancy chocolate makers) still create bonbons as small works of art, with different flavors, textures, and decorations. Some bonbons have hard chocolate shells, while others are soft all the way through. The filling might be ganache (a smooth chocolate cream), fruit preserves, or flavored syrup.

Unlike everyday chocolate bars you might grab at a store, bonbons are treats meant to be savored, one delicious bite at a time.