Delicious and decadent, these coconut clusters are made with unsweetened coconut flakes and with dark chocolate. It's one of those treats that you can actually feel good about enjoying!
The combination of chocolate and coconut is a classic one, and in this tasty recipe, it's also very simple. You simply coat large coconut flakes with melted dark chocolate, divide the mixture between paper liners, then allow it to set.
If you enjoy the combination of coconut and chocolate, I think you will love this recipe. And it's one of those treats that you can actually feel good about enjoying - in moderation, of course. 🙂
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Benjamina's recipe
The idea for these delicious dark chocolate coconut clusters comes from a recipe that my mother-in-law, Benjamina, used to make - chocolate cornflakes clusters.
Her clusters were delicious and amazing in their simplicity. You melt chocolate, mix in some cornflakes, spoon the mixture into paper liners and refrigerate.
In fact, they were so easy to make that she used to make them with my kids when they were little. One of our family stories is how my daughter got a small burn on her hand one day when she accidentally touched the pot with the hot melted chocolate.
My mother-in-law was mortified! But my daughter was fine. And they continued making that dessert, albeit while exercising greater caution.
Now that my husband and I eat a low-carb diet, I wanted to make something similar but without using cornflakes. The answer: use large unsweetened coconut flakes. Mix those with melted dark chocolate to form pretty, sweet clusters.
Ingredients
You'll only need three simple ingredients to make these tasty coconut clusters. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Dark chocolate: As dark as you can go and still enjoy it. I love Lindt 90%, and I also love the extra dark chocolate chips made by PASCHA - they are 85% cocoa. I order them on Amazon. Lindt is available everywhere.
Sweetener: I use stevia glycerite. You can use your favorite sweetener. If you don't mind the slight bitterness of extra-dark chocolate, or if you use sweeter chocolate, you might not need a sweetener at all.
Coconut oil: I add it to the melted chocolate to keep it from being too brittle after it sets. Ghee or butter will also work, but I do like the added flavor from the coconut oil.
Unsweetened coconut flakes: These are the large flakes, not tiny shredded coconut. I use shredded coconut to make coconut haystacks. A similar concept to clusters, but not exactly the same.
Instructions
How to make coconut clusters? It's so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Your first step is to melt the chocolate. You can do it in the microwave. To avoid burning the chocolate, do it in 30-second sessions and stir after each session.
Next, you stir the coconut oil and sweetener into the melted chocolate until smooth.
Now, the coconut flakes into the chocolate mixture. You can use a rubber spatula or a spoon.
Your final step is to spoon the mixture into paper liners and refrigerate it until set.
Variations and substitutions
I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you'd like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:
- Use melted unsalted butter instead of coconut oil.
- Use any chocolate you like and enjoy, keeping in mind that the nutrition info will change.
- It's fine to use shredded unsweetened coconut, but then you'll actually be making coconut haystacks.
- You can add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to the melted chocolate.
- Some people enjoy adding a pinch of cinnamon to the melted chocolate mixture. I'm not one of them, but you could try and see if you like it.
How to store them
You can keep these clusters in an airtight container at room temperature. I'm not sure how long they last, because the longest I've had them last in this house was three days. 😀 But my assumption is that they should keep for up to 5 days.
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Recipe card
Dark Chocolate Coconut Clusters
INGREDIENTS
- 1 (3.5 oz) bar dark chocolate broken into pieces (I use Lindt 90%)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- ½ teaspoon stevia glycerite (equals about 2 tablespoons sugar)
- 1 ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes (2 oz)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Line 6 muffin cups with paper liners.
- Place the chocolate pieces in a small microwave-safe bowl. Melt them in 2 or 3 30-second sessions, stirring after each session.
- Use a rubber spatula to mix in the coconut oil and sweetener. Mix until smooth.
- Add the coconut flakes and mix to coat the flakes thoroughly with the melted chocolate.
- Spoon the mixture into the paper liners. Freeze for 15 minutes to set.
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NOTES
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 