Chocolate Nut Clusters
on Nov 18, 2022, Updated Nov 05, 2025
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These chocolate nut clusters take just minutes to prep and are perfect for a quick and easy sweet treat! Create your own flavour combinations from almond cranberry to chocolate peanut, cherry cashew or peppermint dark chocolate.
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Vijay
Love this recipe and used it many times for a quick elegant dessert.
Why You’ll Love Nut Clusters
I’m all about super easy sweet treats! The quicker and easier they are to make, the faster you can enjoy them! I think you’ll love these too, here’s why:
- They can be made with as little as two ingredients! Chocolate + your choice of add-in.
- They’re great for gifting for Christmas.
- They’re vegan if you use dairy-free chocolate, and gluten-free. They can also be made nut-free.
- You’ll need just 5 minutes to prep them.
- They freeze well so you can make them in advance for the holidays.
- Kids love making them (and eating them).
- They’re a no-fuss, no-bake, endlessly customizable dessert that’s always a hit!
If you’re in holiday mode, these homemade Easy Vegan Turtles, No-Bake Vegan Rum Balls and Homemade Vegan Ferrero Rocher are all super easy to make and perfect for Christmas too and if you haven’t tried these No-Bake Vegan Nanaimo Bars, you must!
Ingredient Notes
Below is a quick overview of what you’ll need to make the recipe and any substitutions you can make. Use the recipe card with the full list of ingredients and measurements at the bottom of the post when you’re ready to make the recipe.
- Chocolate: You can use milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chocolate chips, or a chopped up milk or dark chocolate bar. I like Camino or Enjoy Life dairy-free chocolate chips but anything works! I used dark chocolate chips for my clusters.
- Nuts: Use your choice of nuts, just one kind or a mixture of nuts. I like using salted nuts for a sweet and salty flavour but anything goes. If you don’t use salted nuts, you might like to sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on the clusters before chilling.
- Fruit: You can add your choice of dried fruit or double the of nuts used for 2-ingredient clusters. I added dried cranberries for a holiday twist but chopped dried apricots, dried cherries, dried blueberries or even chopped dried mango works!
Variations and Flavor Combinations
There are so many fun variations you can make with these! Here are some ideas for what to add to your clusters and different combinations that work well:
- Chocolate Peanut Clusters: Use 1 cup of salted peanuts (omit cranberries).
- Chocolate Cherry Clusters: Use 1 cup of dried cherries or 1/2 cup each dried cherries and nuts of choice.
- Mixed Nut Clusters: Omit the cranberries and use 1 cup of salted mixed nuts – think walnuts, pecans, cashews and almonds.
- For fancy nut clusters, use macadamia nuts, pistachios or hazelnuts.
- Nut-Free Clusters: Use pumpkin seeds or a mixture of pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds instead of nuts.
- Coconut Clusters: Use 1/2 cup shredded coconut and 1/2 cup nuts of choice.
- Cereal: You can make clusters with Cherrios or any rice crisp cereal. Mix and match with any of the other ingredients.
- Add a few drops of peppermint extract for chocolate mint clusters.
- Use white chocolate instead of milk or dark chocolate or use chocolate and drizzle with white chocolate or a pretty finish.
How to Make Nut Clusters
Step 1: Prepare a baking tray lined with parchment paper so you’re ready to go and then melt the chocolate in a heat-safe bowl using a double boiler or in the microwave.
- If you’re using the microwave, heat for 30-seconds, stir, then continue in 15-second increments, stirring every 15-seconds. Once most of the chocolate is melted, remove from microwave and stir until any remaining pieces are mixed in.
- You can use a double boiler pot or place a glass or metal bowl over a small pot of boiling water and stir the chocolate until completely melted.
Step 2: Add the nuts and fruit, if using, to the melted chocolate and mix it up until all the pieces are coated in chocolate.
You can use half nuts and half dried fruit or use all nuts – any kind, salted or unsalted, works!
Step 3: Use a spoon to drop small clusters of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
You can use a spoon and your finger or a spoon and a small rubber spatula to help place the clusters on the pan. You should get about 14-16 clusters, depending on the size.
Step 4: Place the entire pan in the fridge until the chocolate is completely dry and hard. It won’t take long! Once the chocolate has set, enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
No. You can use roasted unsalted nuts or raw nuts to make your nut clusters. If you still want sweet and salty flavour, sprinkle the clusters with coarse sea salt before chilling.
Yes. The recipe can be easily be double if you need a large batch. They keep well in the fridge and freezer and will disappear quick so doubling isn’t a bad idea!
Yes. To make these sugar-free, use sugar-free chocolate chips of choice. For a low-sugar recipe, use high cacao content dark chocolate, such as 70-90% cacao content, instead of milk chocolate chips.
Storage Instructions
- These are best kept chilled in the fridge or freezer. I would suggest storing them in the fridge until just before serving.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. If frozen, let them sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving (you can enjoy straight from the freezer, they’re just a bit hard).
- They’re ok at room temperature just note the chocolate will melt if the room is warm.
If you try these Chocolate Nut Clusters or any other recipe on Running on Real Food, don’t forget to leave a comment and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe, and I love to hear from you. And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @runningonrealfood so I can see your creation! Thanks for trying my recipes! – Deryn
More Recipes to Try!
Chocolate Nut Clusters
Ingredients
- 1 cup chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips, 170 g
- 1/2 cup salted almonds or mixed nuts of choice, 75 g
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 65 g, or double the nuts or other fruit fruit of choice
Instructions
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Melt the chocolate chips in a mixing bowl using a double boiler or the microwave. If using the microwave, melt for 30-seconds, stir then continue in 15-second increments, stirring every 15 seconds until they're mostly melted. Remove and continue stirring until any remaining pieces melt and you have a completely smooth melted chocolate.1 cup chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips
- Add the nuts and cranberries to the melted chocolate and mix until coated.1/2 cup salted almonds or mixed nuts of choice, 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- Use a spoon to drop clusters of the nuts and fruit onto the prepared baking tray. You should get 14-16 clusters.
- Place the pan in the fridge until the chocolate has completely hardened.
Love this recipe and used it many times for a quick elegant dessert.