I had the most AMAZING experience taking SoChatti classes with my kids and I just have to share it with you! This chocolate factory and tasting room in Indianapolis offers a chocolate tasting and making class just for kids! We didn’t know what to expect when we signed up, but ended up having so much fun. I cannot recommend it enough! This educational experience included chocolate tasting, a factory tour, making chocolate from scratch, and even decorating your own chocolate treats with sprinkles and pretzels to take home!
SoChatti Classes for Kids | Delectable Chocolate Tasting & Making for Kids Ages 4-10
Sign Up for the Sweetest Kids Class
There are several different types of SoChatti classes and tasting experiences offered, but the Kids Class is available every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The cost is currently $40 per child. Accompanying adults can attend free of charge. The class size is limited to 12 children and it always sells out. Make your reservation early! The recommended age range is 4-10 and my 4-year-old had a blast!
Step Inside a Real Chocolate Factory
Located in Indianapolis in the Circle City Industrial Complex, SoChatti’s building does have a factory feel to it when you pull up. Tell your kids you are visiting a chocolate factory and if they picture Willy Wonka’s residence, they won’t be too far off! Inside, however, is a completely modern and welcoming environment. There is ample parking in the lot across the street.
Chocolate Tasting
The class started with all of the children at their tasting tables with four different types of chocolate in front of them. The instructor went over where their cacao beans come from and how the beans are grown and sourced. The kids tasted their first four chocolates and then they could mix two extra flavorings into their favorites. The chocolates we sampled were from Peru, Tanzania, Colombia, and Honduras.
Factory Tour
Next, we toured the factory and saw how beans arrive at SoChatti, how they conduct quality control, how beans are separated from their shells, and how they mix and store the product. There are chocolate makers in action in the back, giving it all a sense of a real working factory. The instructors were extremely engaging and excellent with children of all ages.
Candy Decorating
The children then headed back to the tasting room to find an elaborate setup with their favorite chocolate type in a squeeze pouch. The kids used the chocolate to form drop candies, chocolate-covered pretzels, or even edible versions of their names. They then decorated their creations with sprinkles, graham crackers, pretzel sticks, and strawberry powder. There was lots of taste testing going on during this process! Leftover chocolate is yours to bring home and save for up to two years.
Chocolate Making From Scratch
After the kids finished their creations, they went to the front of the room to help make chocolate from scratch. They all took turns pounding cacao nibs with a mortar and pestle, adding in organic cane sugar and cacao butter until they were happy with the taste. It was the perfect way to end the class!
SoChatti’s Ingredients
SoChatti dark chocolate is 68% – 72% cacao and made from only 3 simple, all-natural ingredients: cacao nibs, organic cane sugar, and organic cacao butter. It is dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, vegan, kosher pareve, and halal. SoChatti chocolate contains no additives, emulsifiers, or preservatives.
Planning Ahead
The suggested age for the Kids SoChatti classes is 4-10 years old. I’d make reservations well in advance as they only offer the Kids Class on Saturday mornings. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting chocolate all over! Also, you will be leaving with lots of chocolate. If you are not going straight home, you might want to bring a cooler. We followed the class up with a nice lunch on Monument Circle, and I was a little bit worried about the chocolate melting in the car!
Other SoChatti Classes and Experiences
In addition to the Kids Class, SoChatti offers several fun adult experiences. Other SoChatti classes offered include a Bean to Bag Chocolate Making Class where you will touch, smell, and taste chocolates while learning about the wonderful world of chocolate making. The class includes a factory tour and culminates with everyone creating drop chocolates. In the Chocolate and Wine Class, pair SoChatti chocolates with a variety of wines, take a factory tour, and create drop chocolates while enjoying charcuterie. There are seasonal activities like pretzel decorating or marshmallow pop-making, which you can register for online. SoChatti classes can be reserved online up to 90 days in advance.
Address and Hours
SoChatti is sometimes closed for private events, but the tasting room is generally open Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Friday from 11 am -7 pm, and Saturday from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. If you haven’t registered in advance for SoChatti classes, you can usually just stop into the shop to buy chocolates or try a quick flight while you sip on a glass of wine. It is located in the Circle City Industrial Complex at 1125 E Brookside Ave Gate D2, Indianapolis, IN. Check out their website at www.sochatti.com, email tastingexperience@sochatti.com, or call (317) 600-3776 for more information.
SoChatti did an excellent job keeping my kids interested and excited throughout the entire process. The class was fun and entertaining, yet thorough and educational. SoChatti has become a hot spot for all kinds of outings like Girls Scouts events, Indianapolis date nights, ladies’ night out, bridal and baby showers, and other special occasions. I’m ready to go back for a date night class!
