Homemade chocolate cranberry clusters with a crisp chocolate shell. Best with Ugandan vanilla (bold, chocolatey, smoky); any pure vanilla works. Makes about 24 clusters.
Chocolate Cranberry Clusters
Dessert
Candy confections
Origin: Ugandan
Vanilla: Extract
Easy
Homemade chocolate cranberry clusters with a crisp chocolate shell. Best with Ugandan vanilla (bold, chocolatey, smoky); any pure vanilla works. Makes about 24 clusters.
Prep
15 min
Cook
5 min
Set
1 hr
Total
1 hr 20 min
Yield
24 clusters
Diet
—
Ingredients
Adjust yield
clusters
Ingredient amounts change with yield. Follow the recipe instructions for times, temperatures, and equipment.
- 8.0 oz (227.0 g)dark chocolate, finely chopped
- ¾ cup (90.0 g)dried cranberries
- ¾ cup (105.0 g)almonds, toasted and chopped
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml)VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ tspfine sea salt
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Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water or in 20-second microwave bursts, stirring until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and salt.
- Fold in the dried cranberries and almonds until coated.
- Drop by heaping tablespoons onto the parchment and let set until firm, about 1 hour (or 20 minutes in the refrigerator).
Tips
- Vanilla swap: use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
- Best vanilla for this: Ugandan (bold, chocolatey, smoky), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.
- Storage: Store airtight in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe FAQ
How long does it take to make chocolate cranberry clusters?
Plan on 15 minutes of prep and 5 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour to set. It makes about 24 clusters.
How should I store chocolate cranberry clusters?
Store airtight in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.
Can I use a different form of vanilla?
use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 24 servings this recipe makes.
89
Calories / serving
5.2g
Fat
9.8g
Carbs
1.4g
Protein
7.2g
Sugar
Whole recipe (24 servings): ~2136 cal · 125g fat · 235g carbs · 34g protein · 173g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
Per serving · 89 calories
What it takes to burn one serving
- Brisk walking 17 min·1.0 mi·~2000 steps
- Walking uphill or incline treadmill 12 min·0.6 mi·~1200 steps
- Moderate cycling 9 min·1.8 mi
- Swimming laps 12 min
- Jogging 9 min·0.8 mi·~1450 steps
- Stair climbing 8 min·~700 steps
- Dancing 14 min
- Bodyweight circuit training 9 min
- Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 21 min
Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.
Made with VanillaGoods
Browse available VanillaGoods products below. Check each product's origin and form against the ingredient list; these recommendations do not change the recipe's quantities or preparation method.
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