These super easy sea salt almond clusters are made with only 3 ingredients and are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth! With deep chocolate flavor and crunchy nuts, they make the perfect bite-sized treat when you need a daily dose of chocolate.
This Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Almond Clusters recipe is sponsored by Lily’s Sweets. All thoughts are my own. Thank you so much for supporting brands that make The Fit Peach possible!
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I'm never not in the mood for chocolate - any one else? This means I'm a big fan of chocolate treats that also double as a snack. Bonus points if they're small and pop-able and travel well.
Enter these dark chocolate sea salt almond clusters.
They're as easy as it gets to make with only 3 ingredients! You can make them as big or small as you want and they set at room temperature meaning you can grab a few on-the-go. If the perfect chocolate snack exists, it's this one.
Check out my pomegranate bark, scotcharoo bars, and no-bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars for more easy chocolate treats!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Only 3 ingredients required
- Made with simple ingredients you probably have on hand
- They make the perfect snack to keep on hand
- Great for gifting too!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Raw almonds - I prefer to dry roast my almonds myself which helps the chocolate coat more evenly over the nuts. You can use pre-roasted almonds though if you want. Try to use dry roasted if you can. Most any nuts will work in this recipe too!
- Chocolate - Use a high quality chocolate for best results. I used Lily’s Sweets Semi-sweet Baking Chips which melt perfectly into a silky smooth consistency.
- Sea salt - Don't skip this part! The salt adds a little extra something to the chocolate nuts that bring the snack to the next level. You can also use cane sugar if you prefer something a little more sweet.
Step by Step Instructions
You will need a baking pan to roast the almonds and a pot to melt the chocolate. You can mix the nuts in the same pot with the chocolate but I prefer a separate large mixing bowl.
Step 1 : Roast the almonds. To dry roast almonds, we don't use oil. The nuts simple roast "dry" in the oven for a few minutes! They're done when they turn a dark golden brown color.
Dry roasting the almonds yourself allows the almonds to get warm all the way through so when the melted chocolate is coating over them the chocolate will melt even further and then set perfectly over top.
Step 2 : Melt the chocolate. The key to this step is to not use oil to thin out the chocolate. If you add more oil the chocolate won't be stable at room temperature which means you will want to store the almond clusters in the fridge to have a solid chocolate coating.
To melt the chocolate, add it to a double boiler (or make your own by placing a skillet on top of a pot of simmering water). Heat over low heat and continuously stir the chocolate until it's silky smooth. Stirring consistently is extra important to prevent the chocolate from burning.
Step 3 : Coat the almonds. You can do this in the same pot with the melted chocolate but I prefer to use a large mixing bowl. Add the warm almonds to a bowl followed by the melted chocolate. Use a spatula to mix everything together until the almonds are thoroughly coated in chocolate.
Step 4 : Scoop into "clusters". After the almonds are well coated, use a spoon or cookie scoop to scoop the almonds into clusters and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to set. You can use any size spoon here - I used a small cookie scoop and each of my almond clusters had about 7 - 9 nuts.
Step 5 : Sprinkle with sea salt and set. While the chocolate is still melted, sprinkle some flaky sea salt over each cluster. Set the baking sheet on the counter and allow the chocolate to set at room temperature.
Letting the chocolate set at room temperature will stabilize the chocolate. You can expedite the setting process by placing the baking sheet in the fridge but you will then need to store the clusters in the fridge afterwards.
Expert Tips
- Watch the almonds closely in the oven. Because the temperature is on the lower side, they won't burn easily but you do want to check on them half way through to one, mix them around, and two, make sure they aren't browning too quickly. If they are browning too fast, your oven may be running hotter than you think and it's a good idea to turn the temperature down a bit.
- Use a high quality chocolate. This not only is going to make your clusters taste good but also look good. High quality chocolate will melt easily into a silky smooth consistency whereas some lower quality chocolate will seize up or have lumps when melted down. I used Lily's chocolate which is a favorite of mine - it's not too sweet and melts effortlessly over heat.
- Let the clusters set completely at room temperature. This shouldn't take more than 30 minutes. I prefer allowing the chocolate to set this way as it will be solid but still slightly soft making it easier to bite into.
How to Store
These almond clusters are stable at room temperature meaning you can store them in an airtight container right out on the counter for up to a week. This is my preferred method of storing. The chocolate is also soft enough at room temperature where it's not too hard to bite into with your teeth.
You can also store them in the fridge in an airtight container. Keep in mind that the chocolate will melt slightly when you take them from the fridge to room temperature. The chocolate will also be fairly hard so be careful when biting into them.
I don't recommend storing these in the freezer. The chocolate will become too hard and make it almost impossible to bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don't recommend freezing almond clusters. The chocolate will become too hard which makes it almost impossible to bite into.
Depends on your definition of healthy. Chocolate covered almonds have a nice dose of omega-3s and antioxidants and even some protein and fiber. Of course, they should be eaten in moderation, like most things.
Use a double boiler if you have one. If not, you can make your own by placing a skillet over a small pot of simmering water. The indirect heat from the steam will effortlessly melt the chocolate.
Check out these recipes for more chocolate treats
PS : If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star review and comment below! Also be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest to stay up to date on all tasty recipes here at The Fit Peach!
Recipe
Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Almond Clusters
Ingredients
- 2 cups almonds - raw & whole
- 9 oz Lily’s Sweets Semi-sweet Baking Chips
- Sea salt
Instructions
- *Skip this step if using roasted almonds* Preheat the oven to 300 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the almonds out in an even layer. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes, gently stir the almonds, then bake for another 5 - 6 minutes until toasted. Set aside.
- Add the Lily’s Sweets Semi-sweet Baking Chips to a double boiler or use 2 pots that can fit on top of each other and fill the bottom one with water and heat on low on the stove. Stir the chocolate chips continuously until they have melted. Because we aren’t adding any oil, the chocolate will be fairly thick.
- Remove the pot from the stove and add the roasted almonds. Stir well to coat each almond. Use a cookie scoop (big or small) to scoop the chocolate almonds into clusters on a baking sheet. Make sure to leave some room in between each one. Sprinkle some sea salt over top of each cluster and let the chocolate set at room temperature until solid. You can also speed this up in the fridge if you prefer.
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