Dark Chocolate Almond Clusters are made with four simple ingredients to create the perfect no-bake dessert! Add a sprinkle of salt or toasted coconut for more crunch and flavor.
Who doesn’t love chocolate? These four ingredient chocolate almond clusters mix raw crunchy almonds with bittersweet dark chocolate that’s tempered with coconut oil and a hint of vanilla. They remind me of See’s Candies’ dark chocolate almond clusters.
An optional sprinkle of toasted coconut goes on top for a chocolate coconut treat with lots of crunch and healthy fats. Enjoy these chocolate covered almonds in cluster form any time. They make a great gift for the holidays too.
Make this chocolate dessert in a short amount of time and feel free to change up the ingredients to make it dairy-free, vegan, paleo, or gluten-free to fit anyone’s sweet tooth!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This almond clusters recipe needs only a few simple ingredients you can find anywhere.
- You can customize the type of chocolate and the nuts to make it your own.
- Make this chocolate dessert in a pinch when you need something sweet.
- This no-bake dessert comes together in one hour or less from start to finish.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chocolate – Bittersweet chocolate is recommended for dark chocolate flavor. But, you can substitute with any type of chocolate – semisweet, milk and white chocolate will all work. Chopped chocolate bars are preferred for the best texture and consistency, but you can substitute with chocolate chips.
- Coconut Oil – Helps to temper the chocolate which gives it a smooth velvety texture.
- Vanilla Extract – Infuses these almond chocolates with a hint of vanilla flavor. You can omit if needed.
- Unsalted Raw Almonds – Adds healthy fats and a crunchy texture.
- Shredded Coconut Flakes (Optional but delicious!) – Adds texture, sweetness, and natural coconut flavor. Use unsweetened or sweetened coconut. You can omit the coconut completely, if desired. Or substitute the coconut with flaked sea salt.
How To Make Chocolate Almond Clusters
- Prepare for assembly: Add a piece of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to a large baking sheet. Set aside.
- Toast the coconut: Add the shredded coconut to a small skillet over medium heat. Stir the coconut until the shreds are golden brown and fragrant. Set aside. You can skip this step if you do not like coconut.
- Melt chocolate: Using a double boiler method, place a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering hot water. Add the chopped bittersweet chocolate and stir until it’s completely melted, then stir in the vanilla extract. Remove the chocolate from the heat and let it thicken for about 10 minutes. Do not skip the thickening step, otherwise the chocolate will be too thin and will not stick to the almonds.
- Assemble the dark chocolate almond clusters: Stir the raw almonds into the chocolate mixture until the almonds are fully coated. Spoon in mounds onto the prepared baking sheet, then sprinkle with the cooled toasted coconut.
- Chill and serve: Place the baking sheet with the almond clusters into the fridge for 30 minutes or until completely hardened. Serve or store in an airtight container or bag for up to one week in the fridge.
You can substitute the coconut with sea salt for an alternative topping.
Expert Tips
- You can use the microwave to melt the chocolate. Just make sure you are cooking in 20-30 second intervals and stirring each time to prevent it from burning.
- Use a measuring spoon or a small ice cream scoop to make sure the chocolate almond clusters are all the same size.
- Sprinkle toasted coconut on top while the chocolate is still hardening to make sure it sticks well.
- Use higher quality chocolate in this recipe for the best taste and texture.
- The amount of sweetness depends on how sweet the chocolate is. You can add additional sugar or sweetener to the chocolate if needed.
- If you don’t have raw unsalted almonds, you can use salted or roasted almonds. The flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious!
Variations
- Gluten-Free: These chocolate almond clusters are made with naturally gluten-free ingredients, however, make sure you check your labels on the chocolate and coconut flakes you use.
- Dairy-Free: For dairy-free or paleo chocolate almond clusters, use a dairy-free or paleo chocolate and unsweetened coconut.
- Along with the toasted coconut, sprinkle some flaked sea salt on top for a sweet and salty flavor.
- Don’t like almonds? Try using walnuts, cashews, peanuts, or pecans in this recipe.
- White chocolate can also be used in this recipe for a fun twist on chocolate flavor.
- For the holidays – Make these chocolate clusters holiday-specific by adding a pinch of colored sprinkles on top that correlate with whatever holiday you’re serving them for.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Store the dark chocolate almond clusters in the fridge for up to one week if placed in an airtight bag or container to enjoy whenever you need a sweet treat. Do not leave them at room temperature as the chocolate will melt.
Freezing: Freeze chilled clusters for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. When ready to enjoy, place them in the fridge for at least 12 hours to let the chocolate come to a lower temperature.
These little dark chocolate covered almonds are the perfect individual treat. They are similar to almond bar, but in little cluster form. With no need to worry about baking, this treat is easy, versatile and and delicious.
If you love no bake chocolate desserts, try our Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles or Hot Chocolate Balls for another fun and delicious treat.
Did you try these easy dark chocolate almond clusters? Leave a recipe rating and review below!
Dark Chocolate Almond Clusters
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut flakes
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 3 teaspoons coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups raw almonds unsalted
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- Place the shredded coconut in a small skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the flakes are golden brown; set aside.
- Melt the chopped chocolate and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Once melted, add vanilla and stir. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Stir the almonds into the chocolate then spoon mounds onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes until hardened.
Notes
- Chocolate: You can use dairy free chocolate chocolate or semi-sweet or milk chocolate.
- Almonds: You can use roasted salted almonds but the flavor will be slightly different.
- You can omit the coconut and use sea salt instead.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2015. It was updated with new photos and expert tips in September 2021.
Clearest and most thorough recipe I’ve found for these, and delicious! Thanks you!
Can I use roasted Almonds in this recipe or do they have to be raw.
You can use roasted almonds. Enjoy!