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If you follow a special diet or have food allergies, it's hard to come up with some Christmas treats that you and your family can all enjoy. That's why I created these Chocolate Nut Clusters.
Not only do these delicious treats suit many different diets and food allergies, they are one of the easiest recipes you will ever make! What's not to love about that?
Chocolate Nut Clusters are perfect to make for nearly any party, and they are especially scrumptious at Christmas time.
We have 2 grandkids who are allergic to peanuts and cashews (grandson = peanuts, granddaughter = cashews), so these are the perfect chocolate treat to serve at our family parties. So many chocolate candies also have peanuts in them, which is kind of a drag for our grandson. So I thought of him when I created this recipe.
Ingredients
You only need 4 ingredients for this one - chocolate chips, nuts, coconut oil, and coarse sea salt.
- chocolate chips - you can use just about any kind, but in these pictures and video I used milk chocolate chips
- coconut oil - if you can't use coconut oil, a liquid oil (such as vegetable oil) is a reasonable substitution.
- nuts - once again you can use just about any kind! In the video below I used almonds because everyone in our family can eat them. We also love hazelnuts in this recipe, and that's what you'll see in most of the pictures in this post.
- sea salt, the coarse variety. Fine sea salt will not work in this recipe.
See recipe card below for quantities ⬇️
Instructions
This recipe is so easy, it barely needs any instructions!
Here's a video to show you how easy it is to make:
Hint: If you're tempted to skip including the coconut oil, don't! It really makes these candies silky smooth. Without the oil, they will be much too hard to bite!
Substitutions
There are a wide variety of ingredients you can use in this recipe - it's so versatile!
- Chocolate chips - instead of milk chocolate chips, you can use dairy-free dark chocolate, or white chocolate, or butterscotch chips. If you are looking for a low-carb version, try Lily's brand low carb chocolate chips - they are wonderful in this recipe!
- Nuts - Cashews, peanuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pecans - there are so many choices here! Choose the varieties that suit your preference or food allergy.
- Coconut oil - as I mentioned above, if you are allergic to coconut oil you can try using a liquid oil such as vegetable oil, avocado oil, or canola oil. I must admit, coconut oil will give you the best results though!
Variations
If you want to add some variety to suit different holidays or seasons, here are a few ideas:
- Spring time - Use white chocolate, and along with the sea salt add a touch of pastel colored candy sprinkles.
- Fall - Use as is, or make some with butterscotch chips, milk chocolate, and dark chocolate to make a nice variety of browns that look great with other fall party foods.
- Birthday party - Use colored sprinkles on top that go with the party colors.
Equipment
The main thing you need for this recipe is a great slow cooker.
If you like the one I'm using, you can find it here: Hamilton Beach Portable Slow Cooker.
Storage
When these are firm and set, you can store these in a lidded container in a cool place, or keep them in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze them in a freezer container, but keep in mind they might "sweat" a little as they thaw out.
Print
Chocolate Nut Clusters
This recipe suits many different food allergies and diets, and is one of the easiest recipes you can make! Silky smooth chocolate, crisp nuts, and a touch of sea salt make these irresistible! And it's made in a slow cooker, so you can throw it together and it can work its magic while you're busy doing something else.
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 18-20 small candies 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil
-
1 ¾ cups dry roasted nuts, such as almonds, cashews, etc.
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt (more or less)
Instructions
- Add chocolate chips, coconut oil, and nuts to a slow cooker. Cover, and heat on high for 1 hour.
- Stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- On a parchment or silicone lined baking sheet, drop small scoops of the chocolate mixture with a spoon or a small cookie scoop.
- Sprinkle the tops with a pinch of coarse sea salt.
- Let chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour, until firm.
- Store in a lidded container in a cool place, or in the fridge.
Notes
Notes: Dry roasted nuts are perfect for this recipe. Try to get unsalted nuts if possible.
If you can’t find dry roasted nuts like hazelnuts or cashews, you can toast them for a minute or two in an air fryer or on the stove top in a pan over medium heat.
- Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: dessert
- Method: slow cooker
