Description

These Best Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Almond Clusters are a decadent yet simple treat combining roasted almonds with smooth, melted dark chocolate, finished with a sprinkle of sea salt and turbinado sugar for a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. They are easy to prepare and perfect as a snack or dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

For the clusters:

2.25 cups almonds (preferably Blue Diamond whole roasted lightly salted)
9 oz dark chocolate (Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chips recommended)
0.25 tsp vanilla extract

For the garnish:

Sea salt (Maldon sea salt flakes preferred)
Turbinado sugar

Instructions

Toast Almonds: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Spread the almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them for 10-12 minutes, stirring once halfway through to ensure even toasting, until fragrant and slightly warmed. This refreshes the almonds and helps them bind better with the chocolate. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
Melt Chocolate: Place the dark chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Melt the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring thoroughly between each to prevent burning or seizing. Continue until the chocolate is smooth and silky. Stir in the vanilla extract once melted.
Combine Almonds and Chocolate: Add the toasted almonds to the melted chocolate. Gently fold with a spatula to coat every almond evenly, working quickly but carefully to avoid breaking the nuts apart.
Form Clusters: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a spoon or small cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of the chocolate-almond mixture onto the parchment, spacing about an inch apart.
Add Garnish: Immediately top each cluster with a pinch of Maldon sea salt flakes, followed by a light sprinkle of turbinado sugar. The sea salt helps the sugar adhere to the chocolate and adds visual appeal and crunch.
Set Clusters: Allow the clusters to set at room temperature for 1-2 hours until the chocolate is firm. For quicker setting, refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. Once set, store clusters in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Notes

Using high-quality dark chocolate like Ghirardelli ensures smooth melting and rich flavor.
Lightly salted roasted almonds help balance the sweet chocolate but can be substituted with raw almonds if preferred.
To speed up the setting process, refrigerate the clusters instead of waiting at room temperature.
Store clusters in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain texture and flavor.
Maldon sea salt flakes add crunch and a delicate saltiness that complements the chocolate perfectly.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Snack
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: dark chocolate almond clusters, sea salt chocolate clusters, easy chocolate almond recipe, roasted almonds, sweet and salty snack