Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds are a DIY gift your friends and family will actually want to receive! Chocolaty, nutty, and perfectly poppable, I've got a few variations for you to choose from. Ready in about 20 minutes.
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Why You'll Love Chocolate Almonds:
I once did a poll in my Instagram stories, and you guys indicated that you wanted more DIY holiday gifts. So, I've got you covered with my chocolate covered almonds recipe! By the way, if you don't follow me on there already, you totally should.
Anyway, I don't know about you, but I seriously love those fantastic chocolate covered almonds you can find at Trader Joe's. They're kind of dangerous as I always end up eating the whole container in one day- I mean who doesn't love a combo of dark chocolate and almonds? So, I figured they'd be a great gift to make and give.
I wanted to give you all a few variations to keep things interesting. One boasts a slight zing from added chili powder and is a nice unexpected twist to your usual chocolate almond candy. The second has more of a salty and sweet vibe — I sprinkled a little coarse salt on top before they set which adds a nice bit of savory flavor to the candy sweetness. So yummy.
And, in case you need more reasons to learn how to make chocolate covered almonds:
- Great for gifts
- Super easy with impressive results
- Customizable
- Perfect for snacking or parties
- Will keep for several weeks
- Much better than storebought!
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Almonds- Make sure to grab dry roasted unsalted almonds. Ones with salt, honey, or other toppings won't work well as those extras can prevent the chocolate from sticking.
- Dark Chocolate- Use dark chocolate chunks or chips. The better quality they are, the better your almonds will taste.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder- It's important to choose unsweetened cocoa powder for my chocolate covered almonds! One of the nut variations is more savory than sweet, so we don't need any additional sugar.
- Kosher Salt: I used coarse kosher salt for the sweet and salty version, but coarse sea salt or even Malden salt flakes would work. Regular table salt or fine salt will give you a candy that is way over-salted. It's all about balance.
- Chili Powder: I used Ancho chili powder for a nice kick. I'm not linking it here because it's crazy expensive on Amazon, but the one I used is featured in this recipe. The amount can vary based on how spicy you want them.
How To Make Dark Chocolate Almonds
Step 1- Melt the chocolate.
Place the chocolate chips or chunks in double boiler oven medium low heat (or a glass bowl over simmering water). Stir until fully melted and remove from heat.
Step 2- Coat the almonds in chocolate.
Pour the almonds, a couple at a time, into the melted chocolate and stir to fully coat.
Step 3- Refrigerate.
Tap off excess chocolate and do one of the below variations before placing on the parchment lined sheet pan. Place in the fridge and chill for at least 1 hour to set before storing.
Chili Chocolate Dusted Almonds Variation
Step 1- Coat in chocolate.
Follow the same instructions as above to cover the almonds in dark chocolate.
Step 2- Add the chili cocoa powder.
Combine the cocoa powder, salt, and chili powder in a separate bowl with a whisk. Working one at a time, use a fork to dunk each almond into the cocoa mixture — don't do them all at once or you'll have a big, sticky mess! Gently tap any excess powder off.
Step 3- Refrigerate.
Place the almonds on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set.
Sweet and Salty Variation
Step 1- Coat in chocolate.
Refer to the same directions as above to coat the almonds in chocolate, then use your fork to add them to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 2- Add sea salt.
While the chocolate is still wet, top evenly with coarse salt.
Step 3- Refrigerate.
Transfer the baking sheet to the fridge and chill for at least 1 hour to set.
Frequently Asked Questions
The chocolate will stay shiny as long as it's properly tempered when melting. This means keeping it in the proper melting temperature which is done by slowly melting at a low temperature. You can also add a small knob of butter or coconut oil while melting if you prefer.
When properly stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, these should keep well for up to 2 weeks.
Chocolate can turn white (called a fat bloom or sugar bloom) when the cocoa butter or sugar used to make it reacts with moisture, or if there are any sudden temperature changes. While it may not look pretty, it's still edible! To prevent blooming, be sure to store your almonds in an airtight container and let them cool slightly before chilling them in the fridge.
I love almonds, of course, and find they are one of the best nuts to cover in chocolate! That said you could also make chocolate covered walnuts, pistachios, pecans, or cashews too.
Sure! These would be great as milk chocolate almonds. Just know that white chocolate is even more temperamental when melting and keep the heat low and slow stirring often.
Tips For Making Chocolate Coated Almonds
- Line your pan. I've used my Silpats and parchment or wax paper- all options work great to keep them for sticking and make clean-up a breeze!
- Don't rush the process. These come out much prettier if you take your time. You'll also make less of a mess overall.
- Coat a few nuts at a time. When making the cocoa and chili variation, put each almond into the cocoa/chili powder mixture a couple at a time so they don't stick together. Make sure to aim for different spots in the bowl so they don't stick together. And make sure you use a big enough bowl — I used this one.
- Make both variations in one batch. Simply halve the amount of cocoa, chili, and pinches of salt from the spicy variation, then follow the instructions as written for each.
- Let the chocolate coating set before storing. This will keep them from becoming a big sticky mess.- I like to set them in the fridge to save time.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- You can combine the cocoa powder, chili powder, and salt before you get started. Otherwise, this recipe moves very quickly without any prep work!
- Leftovers and storage- Keep your chocolate covered almonds recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. They'll last longer instead of melting into each other at room temperature.
Other Delicious DIY Gifts To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds (2 Ways!)
Ingredients
Standard chocolate covered almonds
- 10 ounces dark chocolate chips (good quality)
- 12 ounces almonds whole, unsalted and dry roasted
Cocoa and Chili variation
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (good quality)
- 2-4 teaspoons chili powder I used Ancho chili powder and the amount can vary based on how spicy you want them
- 2 pinches Kosher salt
Sweet and Salty variation
- 2 pinches flaky salt Malden Salt flakes work great or coarse kosher salt
Instructions
Standard chocolate covered almonds
- Place the chocolate chips into double boiler over medium-low heat.
- Stir often until the chocolate is fully melted.
- Pour the almonds, a few at a time into the melted chocolate and stir until all the almonds are fully coated.
- Tap off excess chocolate and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour to set.
Cocoa and Chili variation
- Add cocoa powder, chili powder and salt in a small bowl.
- Whisk well until fully combined.
- While the chocolate is still wet, use a fork to take each chocolate coated almond and roll it in the cocoa mixture (don't pour them all into the cocoa at once, it will be a big, sticky mess!).
- Gently tap the excess cocoa mixture off the almonds and place them on a lined baking sheet.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour to set. Store in the refrigerator for up to a couple of weeks, if they last that long!
Sweet and Salty variation
- Use a fork to take each almond out of the bowl of chocolate and place them onto a lined baking sheet (do them one at a time so they don't all stick together!).
- While the chocolate is still wet, sprinkle course salt evenly over the top to taste (place your hand higher above the pan for more even distribution).
- Refrigerate for 1 hour to set. Store in the refrigerator for up to a couple of weeks, if they last that long!
Video
Notes
- Line your pan. I've used my Silpats and parchment or wax paper- all options work great to keep them for sticking and make clean-up a breeze!
- Don't rush the process. These come out much prettier if you take your time. You'll also make less of a mess overall.
- Coat a few nuts at a time. When making the cocoa and chili variation, put each almond into the cocoa/chili powder mixture a couple at a time so they don't stick together. Make sure to aim for different spots in the bowl so they don't stick together. And make sure you use a big enough bowl — I used this one.
- Make both variations in one batch. Simply halve the amount of cocoa, chili, and pinches of salt from the spicy variation, then follow the instructions as written for each.
- Let the chocolate coating set before storing. This will keep them from becoming a big sticky mess.- I like to set them in the fridge to save time.
- Ingredients to prep ahead- You can combine the cocoa powder, chili powder, and salt before you get started. Otherwise, this recipe moves very quickly without any prep work!
- Leftovers and storage- Keep your chocolate covered almonds recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. They'll last longer instead of melting into each other at room temperature.
Nutrition
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