Chocolate Nut Clusters

Homemade Chocolate Nut Clusters are one of the easiest homemade candies out there, and with our easy recipe – we’ve got three equally easy methods to making these delicious crunchy, chocolatey, sweet and salty treats! You’ll be able to make them in no time, without any problems, every time!

These Mixed Nut Clusters are a great treat to give out for the holiday season to your friends and family. Package them up in small cellophane bags, or include them on your cookie plates with other favorites, like pecan snowball cookies, or brown butter chocolate chip cookies, or hot chocolate cookies.

The Best Chocolate Nut Clusters:

• Crunchy Texture – A delicious mix of textures, with crunchy, and soft buttery nuts, covered in smooth and velvety chocolate.
• Sweet and Salty – The best type of desserts are a little sweet, and a little salty.
• Versatile – You can make these with a variety of nut blends, pick your favorite mix, or just pick your one favorite nuts. I used a mix with almonds, cashews, brazil nuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, and peanuts.

Mixed Nut Cluster Recipe Ingredients

This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this Mixed Nut Cluster Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.

• chocolate chips
• chocolate bar
• almond bark
• mixed nuts
• pinch of coarse salt

How to make Nut Clusters

1. Add all the chocolate to a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30 second increments for 1 minute, stirring after each. Microwave in 15 second increments after that, until the chocolate is melted and can be stirred totally smooth.
2. Add in the mixed nuts and stir them into the melted chocolate to coat.
3. Scoop the nuts onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet in small mounds. A medium cookie scoop works great for this. Sprinkle the tops with sea salt and let the chocolate clusters sit at room temperature to harden.

Tips and Tricks:

• High Quality Ingredients – Use high quality chocolate and chocolate chips for the best results. I used Guittard Chocolate Chips, and a Lindt Chocolate Bar.
• Other Mix ins: Customize the nut clusters by adding in your favorite type of nut, or dried fruit. Try dried cranberries, blueberries, or apricots. You could also add different seeds like sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds.
• Size Options – You can make these clusters bigger or smaller than pictured. Mine are about 2-3 TBS of nuts.

How to make Chocolate Nut Clusters on the Stove?

Instead of using the microwave, or if you don’t have one – you can melt the chocolate for these nut candies on the stove with a double boiler.

1. Place the chopped chocolate in the top bowl of a double boiler. (Use a glass bowl larger than the rim of your pot if you don’t have a double boiler) and fill the bottom pot with a couple inches of water.
2. Bring the water to boil over medium heat and place the chocolate bowl on top. Stir the chocolate until it is smooth and melted.
3. Then remove it from the heat and stir in the nuts. Drop by the spoonful onto parchment paper.

How to make Chocolate Clusters in a Crockpot?

You can also make the candies in a slow cooker – this is especially helpful if you are doubling the recipe (if not I recommend using a smaller slow cooker to prevent the chocolate from being too thin and burning).

1. Add the peanuts, chocolate bar, and chocolate chips to a slow cooker, and cook it on low for about 1 hour, stirring every 30 minutes. Continue to cook until the chocolate is melted, as needed.
2. Drop in spoonfuls onto parchment paper and let the chocolate sit to harden.

How to store chocolate nut clusters?

These nut clusters can be stored in an airtight container or Ziplock bag in a cool place, they can also be kept in the fridge. They will last up to 2 weeks, if you don’t eat them sooner than that 😉

You can also freeze the clusters by putting them in a freezer safe container. They’ll last up to 3 months in the freezer.

Can I use different types of chocolate?

Yes, you can use whatever types of chocolate you like to totally customize this. You’ll want about 20 oz of chocolate total, but play with the recipe to your hearts content. Substitute the milk chocolate chips for semi sweet, or dark chocolate chips. Or try butterscotch chips, or peanut butter chips, instead of the almond bark. Make the treats all white chocolate, etc.

How to keep chocolate from getting white?

To try and keep your chocolate from getting white spots you want to prevent the chocolate from getting too hot. This is most likely to happen when melting the chocolate in the microwave, because the other options heat the chocolate at a lower temperature. You want to melt the chocolate in short increments, and only just melt is as long as needed.

You don’t want the chocolate to fully melt in the microwave, but instead you want it to still be chunky in the microwave and to stir it until it is totally melted smooth. This can take a lot of stirring and arm muscles.

These Mixed Nut Clusters are such a sweet, nutty treat packed with cashews, pecans, almonds, peanuts and more – all coated in a silky chocolate coating. They’re little bites of sweet, salty, crunchy goodness – without a lot of work, and perfect for the holidays!

More Christmas Favorites

• Peppermint Bark Muddy Buddies
• Pecan Snowball Cookies
• Peppermint Brownie Cookies
• Fantasy Fudge
• Microwave Peanut Butter Fudge
• Meringue Cookies Recipe