These little cocoa dusted almonds are a delicious treat. They take just minutes to make and are a tasty but healthy and nutritious, nutty, chocolatey snack. Crunchy, roasted almonds with a cocoa coating also make an easy homemade edible gift.
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What you'll love about the recipe
- Transforms healthy almonds into a delicious chocolatey treat
- Easy 10 minute recipe with just 3 basic everyday ingredients. This is a super easy way to make chocolate almonds without having to melt chocolate
- Cocoa dusted almonds are good for you! They are high in fibre, antioxidants and flavonoids (read more about the health benefits of almonds)
- No sugar cocoa almonds are low in carbs
- Gluten free, dairy free and vegan (use maple/agave syrup not honey)
- Perfect for a make-ahead handmade edible gift
You might also like this chocolate covered nut clusters recipe.
Ingredients
Whole almonds. Essential for the recipe! I used almonds that still have the skin on as there's more fibre in unblanched almonds. You'll want them unroasted and unsalted.
Cocoa. Use unsweetened cocoa for this recipe (not drinking chocolate which contains sugar).
Honey. Just a small amount of honey slightly sweetens the almonds and helps the cocoa to adhere. You could also use maple syrup or agave syrup if you want the recipe to be vegan.
Cinnamon is optional, but adds a nice extra layer of flavour and sweetness.
Salt - again this is optional, but a tiny pinch of salt enhances the chocolate flavour of the cocoa.
You could also add other spices to the mix. Try ground cardamom, cloves or nutmeg. Or for a little heat, add a pinch of cayenne or chilli powder.
How to make cocoa dusted almonds
These cocoa dusted almonds take just a few minutes to make.
Step one is to roast the almonds in a pan, as this enhances the nutty flavour and makes them crunchier.
Heat a pan on the stove over a low heat. Then add the almonds. Turn them frequently, and watch them like a hawk. They'll take 3 - 4 minutes to roast - you'll see they'll start to turn deeper brown in colour and you'll be able to smell the toasted nuts. But they'll burn very easily, so it's important not to overdo them.
Once they are done, tip them out of the pan immediately otherwise they'll continue to cook in the heat of the pan.
Add the honey to the hot pan. The residual heat in the pan will melt the honey so that it goes runny. Then add the nuts to the honey and toss well to coat.
Add the cocoa, cinnamon and salt to a small bowl or cup. Then add the roasted, sticky almonds and toss until they are well coated with cocoa powder.
The cocoa dusted almonds should have an even, powdery coating. If they look a little clumpy, shake them gently in a sieve to neaten them up.
Serving and storage
Cocoa dusted almonds make a lovely chocolate nibble with coffee, after dinner, or at any time of the day!
Store in an airtight container. They'll remain crunchy and unspoilt for weeks.
Roasted almonds with cocoa powder also make a lovely homemade edible gift. Just pop them in a pretty jar or tin and tie a ribbon around the top. They'll look as good as a handmade gourmet gift from a posh deli!
Frequently asked questions
Yes! Almonds are a fantastically healthy snack, rich in Vitamin E, fibre, protein plus a number of vital minerals. Cocoa is rich in antioxidants. The only other ingredients in the recipe are a tiny amount of honey, cinnamon and a pinch of salt which is optional. This homemade cocoa dusted almonds recipe is free from refined sugar.
There are 77 calories per serving of roasted cocoa almonds, which assumes around 12 almonds.
This recipe contains honey and has 4g of carbs per serving. If you want to reduce the carbs further, then use a liquid keto sweetener in place of the honey.
Other healthy chocolate treats
There are lots of healthy chocolatey treats that you can make. All these recipes are low in added sugar, gluten-free and nutrient-dense. Browse the healthy treats recipes for more ideas.
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Recipe
Cocoa Dusted Almonds
Ingredients
- 100 g whole almonds
- 1.5 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder optional
- pinch salt optional
Instructions
- Place a pan on a low heat and add the almonds. Toast the nuts for 3-4 minutes, turning frequently to avoid them scorching. Remove from the pan immediately.
- Melt the honey in the hot pan. Add the almonds to the honey and toss well to ensure they are all coated.
- Add the cocoa, cinnamon and salt to a small bowl and stir to mix. Add the almonds and stir or toss well to ensure they are evenly coated with a good layer of cocoa.
- If the almonds look a little clumpy, toss them gently in a sieve.
Notes
- For vegan cocoa roasted almonds, use maple syrup or an alternative liquid sweetener.
- For a lower carb recipe, use a keto liquid sweetener.
- You can also add other spices to the recipe. Try ground cardamom or cloves, or for a little heat add a pinch of cayenne or chilli powder.
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is per serving and is provided for guidance only.
Eva says
Looking forward to making this easy, tasty (and healthy!) festive treat🤗 I might make some cheeky homemade Just Brazils too lol. Have a lovely Christmas 🎄🎅
Wendy Faulkner says
Hi, thank you. Great idea, chocolate Brazils would be perfect for Christmas. Enjoy:)