Helen Dessert Sweets
Fudge, brittle, and German tortes along the Alpine Village streets
The short answer
Walk Main Street in Helen with a nose for it and you'll find the sweet spots without a map: warm sugar and chocolate drift out of the candy kitchens, and the bakery on the north end sends out the smell of baking bread. Fudge, brittle, toffee and German tortes are the headliners here, and all of them are within a few blocks of each other.
Below is what each shop makes, when it's open, and how to line them up into a dessert walk.
Sweets at a glance
| Shop | Address | Hours | Known for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen, Main St store | 8651 N Main St | Mon-Thu 10-6, Fri-Sat 9-8, Sun 9-7 | Cream and butter fudge, slab fudge, brittle, toffee, truffles, barks |
| Hansel & Gretel, factory store | 8078 S Main St | Mon-Thu 9-8, Fri-Sun 9-9 | Same candy, on the south end of town; online orders can be picked up here |
| Kopper Kettle Fudge | 8619 N Main St | Mon-Fri 11-7, Sat 10-9, Sun 10-8 (can change) | Homemade fudge and candy, family owned, ships |
| Hofer's Bakery & Cafe | 8758 N Main St | 8-5 (Sat 8-6); closed Tue and Wed | Tortes, strudel, cream puffs, eclairs, cannoli |
| Hoth Cafe | 8600 N Main St | Not published; call 706-878-9982 | Pastries, pretzels and boba tea |
Hours come from each shop's website or the Helen visitors bureau. Holiday and festival hours differ.
Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen: fudge, brittle and chocolate
The Jones family opened Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen in Helen in 1973, and it's still the town's best-known candy shop. Everything is handmade with real chocolate (cocoa butter), sugar, nuts, corn syrup and butter. The case runs to cream and butter fudge, slab fudge, chocolate barks, brittles, toffee, truffles, jellies and chocolate-covered cookies. Its local-themed candy, a bag of "Chattahoochee River Rocks" among them, makes an easy souvenir.
There are two stores. The main shop at 8651 N Main St is in the middle of the walking district; the factory store at 8078 S Main St is on the south end, and it's where online orders can be picked up. Call 706-878-2443 to check hours before you go on a holiday or festival weekend.
Kopper Kettle Fudge
Kopper Kettle Fudge at 8619 N Main St is a family-owned shop making homemade fudge and candy right on Main Street. The shop's website lists Monday through Friday 11 to 7, Saturday 10 to 9 and Sunday 10 to 8, and says those hours are subject to change. Call 706-892-1235 if you're planning a stop around closing time. It also ships, which helps if you can't carry a pound of fudge home in a hot car.
Hofer's: German tortes and pastries
Hofer's Bakery & Cafe is the place for a European dessert. The bakery bakes in stone hearth ovens, and the 2025 dessert menu lists the torte lineup below. Anything on the menu can be paired with German coffee by the cup. The bakery is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
| Dessert | Notes |
|---|---|
| Schwarzwaelder Kirsch (Black Forest torte) | On the dessert menu with the other tortes, all served with whipped cream |
| Sacher torte | Chocolate with apricot filling |
| Hazelnut torte, Milano Amaretto cream torte, rum-truffle torte, German chocolate torte | The rest of the torte list |
| German apple strudel | On the dessert menu year-round |
| Large cream puff, chocolate eclair | Pastry case classics |
| Chocolate and powdered-sugar cannoli | The Italian side of the case |
| Black Forest and Snickers cheesecake cups | Single-serve cups to carry out |
From the cafe page on hofers.com. The online menu doesn't list prices.
Dessert at the German restaurants
If you'd rather sit down for it, The Heidelberg lists three desserts at $7 each: an apfel strudel with apples, cinnamon, sugar and raisins baked in a thin dough roll; a Black Forest cake with chocolate sponge and cherry filling; and a New York cheesecake. The restaurant is at 8660 N Main St, a short walk from the candy kitchens. See the Heidelberg page for dinner.
Tips for a dessert walk
Start at Hofer's
Pastries are best in the morning, and Hofer's is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, so plan the bakery around that.
Mid-afternoon at the candy kitchens
Hansel & Gretel's main store closes at 6 on weekdays but stays open until 8 on Friday and Saturday.
Mind the heat
Chocolate melts in a parked car. Hansel & Gretel's own site warns that chocolate orders ship with extra ice packs in hot weather, so carry yours in a cooler bag.
Festival weekends
During Oktoberfest the sidewalks get crowded by midday. Walk the candy shops in the morning or late in the day.
More to explore
Questions people ask
How many Hansel & Gretel stores are there in Helen?
Two: the main store at 8651 N Main St and the factory store at 8078 S Main St. The shop's website lists 706-878-2443.
Are the Helen fudge shops open every day?
Hansel & Gretel lists hours for all seven days at both stores. Kopper Kettle Fudge also lists seven days, Monday through Friday 11 to 7, Saturday 10 to 9 and Sunday 10 to 8, though it notes hours can change.
Where can I get German pastries in Helen?
Hofer's Bakery & Cafe at 8758 N Main St has tortes, strudel, cream puffs, eclairs and cannoli. It's closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Heidelberg also serves apfel strudel and Black Forest cake for $7 each.
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