These four ingredient Chocolate Pecan Cranberry Clusters would look great on a holiday cookie tray. A combination of semi sweet and milk chocolate makes the perfect combination mixed with sweet dried cranberries and pecans.
Okay, so I’m bringing another easy Christmas treat to you all today. As I was saying last week, my aim this year was to get the treats out of the way early. And for those of you that are mostly here for the savoury dishes, they will be back in full force once the holiday season is done and dusted.
But for now, I’m bringing all the holiday inspired treats. I love baking Christmas candies, cookies, cakes and more. Have you had a chance to check out my Cinnamon Roll Christmas Tree? It’s become a Christmas morning tradition at our place.
Here’s What We Need to Make The Chocolate Pecan and Cranberry Clusters
- Semi sweet chocolate
- Milk chocolate
- Pecans
- Dried cranberries
REMEMBER, The full recipe and instructions can be found at the end of the post in the recipe card.
Let’s Make The Chocolate Clusters
- Line baking trays with parchment paper – (not pictured here). Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.
- Chop chocolate – roughly chop the chocolate into small pieces. I cut them into about 1-inch pieces.
- Melt the chocolate – I like to melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Alternatively, you place the chocolate in a heat proof glass bowl and place the bowl over a simmering saucepan of water. Stir as it melts. It will take about 3- 4 minutes. Remove from heat when melted and smooth.
- Chop nuts and cranberries – I prefer to have these roughly chopped up. You are more than welcome to keep them whole if you prefer bigger chunks. I just roughly cut them up. Not tiny, just rough like pictured below.
- Add the nuts and cranberries to the chocolate – add them into the melted chocolate and stir to combine. This will only take a minute.
IMPORTANT, This mixture will be very sloppy and you may even think it is to difficult to work with. I promise, this is exactly how it is supposed to be.
- Spoon out the mixture – Okay, this is going to be messy, there is just no way around it. You can wear gloves if you prefer for this step. This chocolate mixture is rally sloppy and it almost pours off the spoon. Again, it’s meant to be this way. Using a tablespoon, scoop out some mixture and spoon it onto the baking sheet. Use either your finger or a small spatula to push the mixture off the spoon. You may need to gently push the mixture together on the baking tray to keep it’s cluster shape.
- Chill the chocolate clusters – place your baking rack in the fridge for about an hour to set.
How To Store The Chocolate Pecan Cranberry Clusters
First, it’s important to make sure they are completely set before storing them. They will be firm like a chocolate bar and you will able to break them apart. They should not be soft at all.
- Store in the fridge – these can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. I like to stack them between sheets of parchment paper, but it’s not necessary. They will be firmer if eating straight from the fridge. For best results, take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.
- In the freezer – alternatively, you can keep these in the freezer up to a month. Just allow them to defrost at room temperature before serving
IMPORTANT REGARDING STORAGE – If you choose to keep these in a container at room temperature, they will be soft, but not so soft that they fall apart. However, do not store them in direct sunlight or they will melt.
Can these be added to a Christmas Plate or as an edible gift
Yes, of course they can no problem. Just keep in mind they are chocolate and at room temperature they risk going a little soft and may rub off on whatever cookies they are stacked next to. This usually isn’t a problem, but if they are laid out in a warm room, they may melt a little.
What Substitutions Can I Make To This Recipe
- Chocolate – I used a mix of both semi sweet chocolate and milk chocolate. You could easily choose to use either one of these chocolates and they will still work. It just comes down to personal taste.
- Pecans – walnuts make a great alternative if you prefer them or have them in your cupboards.
- Dried cranberries – okay I loved the dried cranberries in this recipe. If you’re not a fan, you can leave them out and just increase the amount of nuts you are using.
Chocolate Pecan Cranberry Clusters
Ingredients
- 8 oz semi sweet chocolate roughly chopped
- 4 oz milk chocolate roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup pecans roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
Instructions
- Line two large baking trays with parchment paper.
- Place the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water on the stovetop on low to medium heat. Stir until melted, about 3 – 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add chopped pecans and cranberries to the melted chocolate and stir to combine.
- Mound spoonfuls onto a baking tray. I used a tablespoon. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Remove from the fridge and take off the parchment paper. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
*A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Notes
Thanks For Stopping By & Hope To See You Soon!
