Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Clusters (Printable Version)
No-bake dark chocolate clusters with coconut, crispy rice and almond butter—crunchy, giftable, and ready in 30 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
02 - 1/2 cup gluten-free crispy rice cereal
03 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1/2 cup smooth unsweetened almond butter
05 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
07 - Pinch of sea salt
→ Coating
08 - 7 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher), chopped
09 - 1 teaspoon coconut oil
# How To Make:
01 - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
02 - In a mixing bowl, toss together the coconut flakes, crispy rice cereal, and sliced almonds until evenly distributed.
03 - In a small saucepan over low heat, stir the almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and sea salt until smooth and just warmed through.
04 - Pour the warmed almond butter mixture over the dry ingredients and fold until everything is evenly coated.
05 - Using a tablespoon, drop mounds of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, gently pressing each one to compact.
06 - Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes until the clusters firm up.
07 - Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and melt the chopped dark chocolate with coconut oil, stirring until completely smooth.
08 - Dip each chilled cluster into the melted chocolate, coating completely, then return to the baking sheet.
09 - Refrigerate the coated clusters for 10 minutes or until the chocolate shell is fully set.
10 - Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- No oven required, which means your kitchen stays cool and you feel like a genius for doing almost nothing.
- The contrast between the snappy dark chocolate shell and the chewy, crunchy filling is genuinely addictive.
02 -
- If the almond butter mixture gets too hot it will melt the crispy rice cereal into sad little nothing pieces, so keep the heat low and stir constantly.
- Chilling the clusters before dipping is not optional because warm centers make the chocolate slide right off in a puddle of disappointment.
03 -
- Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top of each cluster right after dipping while the chocolate is still wet, and it transforms the flavor completely.
- Use a fork to dip the clusters and tap it on the bowl edge for the thinnest, most elegant chocolate coating.