These chocolate fruit and nut clusters are the easiest edible gift you can imagine. They take just 5 minutes to make with just chocolate and your favourite nuts and dried fruit. But they have a touch of class, don’t you think?
A quick and easy gift for anyone
I’m a huge fan of quick and easy homemade food gifts. Chocolate bark takes just minutes to make, as do chocolate pretzels, and… these yummy chocolate rocks!
Other reasons I think you’re going to love them:
- You can adapt them so easily to different tastes. Don’t like or can’t eat almonds? Replace with peanuts. Or skip the nuts altogether and add crushed biscuits or something else instead (see more ideas below!).
- They’re great gifts but they also make excellent party food, or ’emergency’ treats to have in the fridge ‘just in case’.
- They’re great snacks to make with children. They’ll love stirring the fruit and nuts into the chocoate… and of course licking the bowl!
- Perhaps surprisingly, if you use dark chocolate with 70% or more cocoa solids, they’re a healthy snack. Nuts, seeds, berries and dark chocolate are all foods that reduce inflammation and help boost brain health!
Fan of healthy snacking in general? You have to check out this list of 50+ healthy sweet snacks that don’t taste boring!
Ingredients
This is going to be a very short section because you only really need 2 or 3 main ingredients to make these:
- chocolate (any kind you like – milk, dark, white, or a combination)
- nuts (again, any kind you like! In the photos you see here I’ve used sliced almonds, but any kind of nut works.)
- dried fruit (Here I’ve used dried blueberries, but any kind of dried fruit works. Just use easy-to-find raisins, or chop up dried apricots, dried apples or another kind of dried fruit.)
How to make chocolate nut clusters
This ‘recipe’ (really just an idea?) is so easy it’s almost – but not quite – embarrassing.
Literally all you do is melt chocolate and stir in your goodies. Take spoonfuls of the mixture and place it in little piles on a baking tray.
Let set in the fridge for a while. Done and ready to package up for gifts. Or to just snack on at home! (why not?)
How to melt the chocolate
There are 2 ways you can melt your chocolate:
- This is my favourite way. Simply break the chocolate up into a glass bowl or jug. Then microwave on full power for 1.5 to 2.5 minutes. The trick is to microwave in 30-second bursts. Check the chocolate after each 30 seconds.
I find some types of chocolate melt faster than other types. White chocolate for instance usually melts faster than dark chocolate with a high cocoa content.
What I recommend is to melt the chocolate until MOST of it has melted. Then stir it together well until it’s smooth and completely melted. This is a very effective and quick and easy way to ‘temper’ the chocolate so that it doesn’t get weird white streaks in it when it sets. - If you prefer you can melt the chocolate on the stove. Simply break the chocolate into a glass bowl, then set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
Don’t let the bowl touch the water. If it does it can kind of ‘cook’ the chocolate and change it to a sticky, stodgy texture that you don’t want!
Some ideas for different kinds of chocolate clusters
For the clusters you see in the photos here I used chopped almonds and dried blueberries. Here are some alternative ideas:
- white chocolate with pistachios and chopped apricots
- dark chocolate with chopped crystallised ginger and hazelnuts or another kind of nut
- milk chocolate with dried cranberries and peanuts
- skip the nuts altogether and add crumbled biscuits/cookies, mini marshmallows and raspberry jelly sweets/candies (rocky road!)
- swirl a bit of nut butter through the chocolate
You’re only really limited by your imagination. Other mix-ins I can think of:
flaked coconut, mini m&ms or chopped chocolate/candy bars (naughty but nice), seeds like sunflower or pumpkin seeds, banana chips, chopped caramel sweets/candies…
How to give these as a gift
I sometimes like to put the chocolates into a little food gift bag and tie up with a pretty ribbon.
Like this:
More easy chocolate food gift ideas
- These addictive peanut butter cheerio bars make a great gift. Make them with your kids, then package them up in a nice box.
- I love these super easy chocolate lollipops. Another easy one to make with the kids!
- This list of 11 easy homemade chocolate ideas has some great ideas, too, especially for Christmas!
- If you’ve never made chocolate bark, you have to try it. It’s ridiculously easy! Christmas? You have to make this 10-minute Christmas rocky road – everyone loves it!
- I call these chocolate pretzels the easiest chocolate biscuits ever! You have to try them!
Or see all my food gift recipes.
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Chocolate fruit & nut clusters (chocolate rocks)
Equipment (affiliate links)
Ingredients (UK/Australia? Click below for grams/ml)
- 7 ounces chocolate I used milk, but use dark or white if you prefer
- 2½ ounces dried fruit I used blueberries
- 5½ ounces nuts I used chopped almonds
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
- Melt the chocolate in a microwave in 30-second bursts or in a bowl over a pan of boiling water.
- Stir in the fruit and nuts until all of the nuts and fruit are well coated in the chocolate.
- Scoop up spoonfuls of the mixture and place them in little piles on the baking sheet. Leave them to set in a cool place.
Jessica @ Sweet Menu says
Hey these are really sweet! I know I would love to receive them as a little gift, what a neat idea!
Helen says
Thanks so much, Jessica! I was really pleased with these!
Pamela Tebelman says
I plan to make these as gifts and wondered how long can they be kept at room temperature?
Helen says
Hello Pamela! As long as it isn’t too hot, they should be fine for 2-3 weeks at room temperature, and even longer in the fridge in an airtight container. Enjoy! 🙂
lori @ TheHealthMinded.com says
I bake a big holiday cookie box for neighbors and friends at holiday time and I am ALWAYS looking for new ideas. These look quick, easy and yummy! Thanks so much, Helen!
Helen says
Oh, you’re so welcome, Lori! I love your holiday cookie box idea! 🙂
Monique van Tulder says
‘Brain fog’ made me forget about making these yummys, I used to all the time. Thank you for the reminder – I like your suggested ingredients combinations. Cheers. Monique.
Helen says
Hi, Monique! So great to ‘meet’ you here! There are endless possibilities for these beauties really, aren’t there? Plus they are so easy to make. So happy you like them!
Karla says
oh Helen, don´t tell me about foggy brain… at the moment I need to write literally everything I need to do in a piece of paper, otherwise I can´t manage how forgetful I am.
These chocolate rocks look amazing and I´m pretty sure chocolate is also a great brain food, isn´t it?! 😀
Helen says
Of course chocolate is a great brain food! Well, that’s what I like to tell myself, anyhow! 🙂
So glad you like the chocolates!
Zainab says
Why don’t I have these in front of me right now??
Helen says
Oh, I know, I know … well, they are pretty easy to make, Zainab! 🙂
Laura @ Raise Your Garden says
Sorry about your massive cold, hopefully by the time you read this you are feeling more up to snuff. What is it about colds that just leave you so scruffy feeling? It’s not like it’s the worst sickness, but lingers on and on and on. Anyhow, love these chocolate rocks, the perfect shower giveaway, especially with the blueberries to help with mental alertness! Yum. I think that’s what I would add too and maybe some pecans or walnuts for my nut quota or maybe like you almonds. I’m a nutty girl, just love em! Chocolate is my ultimate weakness,….it’s the dessert that’s worth it to me and perks me up, ironically, I always dash for chocolate right after a cold because it just gives that pick-me-up, you know? Delish.
Helen says
I like your logic, Laura. Chocolate after a cold for a pick-me-up! I wonder how long after my recovery I’m allowed to follow this ‘logic’? 😉
Fish Fingers for tea says
Your chocolate rocks look fab Helen! As for the senior moments, I have them all the time! Hope you feel better soon.
Helen says
Thanks so much, Sian! Glad it’s not just me 😉
Melanie @ Bon Appet'Eat says
You know Helen, I loooove gift 🙂 ehhe! Those looks delicious! Pinned!
Speaking of forgetting… We went on a weekend with my French family to Ottawa and forgot the stroller in the garage!! She is 22 months so she walks but not all day in a city!
See? you are not alone 🙂
Helen says
Oh, that’s funny … so I bet you built up some muscles that weekend!
So glad you like the little choccies and … thanks so much for pinning! 🙂
Denise | Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Oh my gosh, Helen, I have brain fog…EVERYDAY. I usually call it ‘mom brain’, placing all the blame on the baby ;P I have showed up to Dr. appointments on the wrong days multiple times, lost my keys…in the front door. I actually commented on someone’s blog post twice because I was interrupted the first time and thought I hadn’t pressed submit. Duh.
These cookies look great, and if they can help my memory, sign me up!
Helen says
Haha … I love that – blame it on the baby! Well, why not. I’m sure the baby will forgive you!
Don’t worry, I’ve posted on blog posts twice before, too … oops!
Glad you like the little chocolates … isn’t it great that I’ve just declared some chocolate treats as a remedy for bad memory? Hahaha!
cheri says
Hi Helen, hope you feel better, it’s hard to concentrate when you are not feeling your best that’s for sure. Love this combination, I have a slip of paper in my pile of ideas for something like this but with fresh blueberries. Your version sounds so much better. And yes, that’s where I keep my grand ideas on little slips of paper everywhere around the house.
Helen says
Oh, I do the same with the little slips of paper, cheri, but then usually end up losing them … oh dear.
I think something similar to this with fresh blueberries would be great! You would just have to eat them faster that’s all. No great hardship there! 😉
Mary Frances says
This hit way too close to home 😉 Oh my, you poor thing, especially the weekend with only borrowed lipstick for makeup! I’ve had brain fog moments many many times before, although right now, I’m not sure if it is fog or lack of sleep 🙂 I like the idea of eating more nuts and dark chocolate though! Moderation … I’ll try.
These chocolate rocks need a better name because they look and sound so SO delicious! I can’t believe how easy they are. They would make fantastic gifts! Happy weekend Helen!
Helen says
I agree that the ‘no makeup’ thing is the worst … it was years ago but still sends shudders down my spine 😉
So glad you approve of the ‘chocolate rocks’. I’m definitely open to suggestions for a better name!!