Chocolate Nut Cranberry Clusters

By Joanne Bellezza-Loughlin
@Joannebl

I love chocolate. But I try to eat it in moderation and I stick to dark chocolate. These clusters are made with dark chocolate, walnuts and craisins...but you can really use any nut and dried fruit combination. I like to think of them as a guilt free sweet.

Rating:

★★★★★ 18 votes

Comments:

171 Comments

Prep:

5 Min

Cook:

10 Min

Method:

Microwave

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Notes from the Test Kitchen:
My right-hand gal (and daughter-in-law), Krissi, is the Test Kitchen's leading authority on dark chocolate, and she gives this recipe two enthusiastic thumbs-up! These would be lovely for a bake sale or holiday candy tray.

Ingredients

8 oz: good quality dark chocolate chips (although i've used nestles semi sweet chocolate chips and they are still very good)
1 c: coursley chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds (make sure the pieces are not too small)
1/2 c: dried cranberries (craisins) or you can use raisins

How to Make Chocolate Nut Cranberry Clusters

Step-by-Step

1Line a small baking sheet with waxed paper.
2Place chocolate chips in a 2 cup pyrex measuring cup and microwave on 50% power for approx 25 seconds - then stir well. Continue doing this until the chocolate chips are almost completely melted - reducing the time as you go. Be careful to not let the chocolate burn.
3Add the nuts and dried cranberries to the melted chocolate and mix well.
4Drop tablespoon fulls of the chocolate mixture onto the waxed paper covered cookie sheet.
5Place in frig for at least 15 minutes. Enjoy.
6I like to store mine in the freezer.