Having a stash of keto-friendly snacks within arm’s reach is one way to ensure success on the keto diet. Without it, it’s easy to get tempted by something that can quickly kick you out of ketosis. To make sure that doesn’t happen, we’re sharing this beginner-friendly Dark Chocolate Keto Clusters recipe. It’s bittersweet, salty, and crunchy – perfect after a fat-heavy meal! 5 ingredients and 10 minutes is all you need to put one of these bite-size, choco clusters in your mouth.
But before you go and make these dark choco clusters…
The type of chocolate you use matters a lot. For this recipe, we’re using 85% dark chocolate, which admittedly may be bitter for some. If you want a less bitter alternative, choose 70% dark chocolate (it should say 70% cocoa powder on the label). Now, if you want the “real” chocolatey experience, you can use a product that’s more than 85% cocoa!
To make sure you get the lowest carb possible for this sweet treat, use sugar-free dark chocolate. Most brands use stevia and other low-carb sweeteners to offset the bitterness of dark choco. But some brands do sneak in regular sugar to sweeten their product, so double check the nutrition panel for the carb content.
With that being said, this recipe makes 10 dark chocolate keto clusters, with each cluster containing 101 calories and 2.2g net carbs.
First things first – you need to melt the chocolate bar. You can just put the entire bar in a microwave-safe bowl, but it’s going to take a bit longer than if you chop/break the chocolate into tiny pieces. Either way, microwave it in 30-40 second intervals, making sure to stir well each time until the whole thing is fully melted.
Note: Depending on your microwave’s power, you may need to set it to 70-80% power to avoid burning the chocolate.
Alternatively, if you don’t have a microwave, you can use a double boiler to melt the chocolate. Put a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the hot water. Stir gently and frequently until all the chocolate melts.
Add the coconut flakes and slivered almonds into the bowl of melted chocolate. Stir the mixture for about a minute until the chocolate thickens. Wait for the whole thing to cool slightly before proceeding to the next step.
Scoop the chocolate-almond-coconut flakes mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Be generous with each scoop. This recipe makes 10 clusters.
Sprinkle the clusters with flaky sea salt and crushed freeze-dried strawberries. You can consume immediately or you can pop in the refrigerator for about 10-20 minutes to let the chocolate set.
Want these dark chocolate clusters extra crunchy? Keep them in the freezer until you’re ready to eat them!
Nutrition Info
|
Dark Chocolate Keto |
Calories (g) |
Fat (g) |
Carbs (g) |
Fiber (g) |
Net Carbs (g) |
Protein (g) |
|
2.5 oz 85% dark chocolate |
500 |
46 |
21 |
8 |
13 |
7 |
|
½ cup slivered almonds |
360 |
32 |
14 |
8 |
6 |
14 |
|
¼ cup unsweetened coconut flakes |
140 |
12 |
6 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
|
¼ tsp sea salt |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
1 tbsp crushed freeze-dried strawberries |
8 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Totals |
1008 |
90 |
42 |
20 |
22 |
22 |
|
Per serving (10) |
100.8 |
9.0 |
4.2 |
2.0 |
2.2 |
2.2 |
Why use dark chocolate for this recipe when it’s not sweet like milk chocolate?
Milk chocolate is sweet because of all the sugar and milk it contains. But 100% natural chocolate isn’t actually sweet – it’s bitter. And that’s actually a good thing because the darker the chocolate, the healthier it is!
If you want to take advantage of chocolate’s health benefits, you need to go for dark chocolate that’s at least 70% cocoa powder. Here’s what a 100g of 70-85% dark chocolate gives you (source):
- 58% RDI for Magnesium
- 67% RDI for Iron
- 98% RDI for Manganese
- 89% RDI for Copper
- 11g of dietary fiber
- Plus, it also contains minerals like Selenium, Zinc, Phosphorus, Calcium, and Potassium
- Other compounds found in dark chocolate – Bioflavonoids, PQQ, and Resveratrol
Pretty amazing, right? I’d say the tradeoff in taste versus all the nutrients you’re getting is very much worth it! And the good news is that once your taste buds get used to dark chocolate, you may even find yourself craving for it.
A few suggestions for even more flavor!
This recipe is not only easy to make, but it’s also extremely versatile. For instance, you can replace almond with your favorite low carb nuts like pecans, pistachios, macadamia, walnuts, etc. Nuts are filling and full of healthy fats. Combining them with chocolate is a good way to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Another option is to top these clusters with other freeze-dried berries like raspberries and blueberries! In fact, anything freeze-dried will go well with this treat, just make sure it’s the low carb variety.
Can I add some low carb sugar?
Of course, sugar-free dark chocolate takes some getting used to. If this is your first ever dark choco keto treat, your taste buds may be in for some surprise. To sweeten up your choco cluster, try sprinkling some erythritol powder on top. Erythritol may not be as sweet as regular sugar, but it has close to zero net carbs. Just perfect for adding a bit more sweetness to our dark chocolate keto cluster treats!
How long to store in the fridge?
This dessert will keep well in the fridge for a few months, but with this being so delicious, I find it hard to believe this will last more than a day or two in the fridge (especially if you’ve got kids)!
Final thoughts
This dark chocolate keto recipe is one of the easiest dessert recipes we’ve ever published on the blog. Just add a few low carb ingredients to melted dark chocolate and you have a delicious, keto-friendly dessert in minutes.
You might also be interested in this article: Low Carb vs Keto: Which Is Better and More Sustainable?
Ingredients
Directions
First things first – you need to melt the chocolate bar. You can just put the entire bar in a microwave-safe bowl, but it’s going to take a bit longer than if you chop/break the chocolate into tiny pieces. Either way, microwave it in 30-40 second intervals, making sure to stir well each time until the whole thing is fully melted.
Note: Depending on your microwave’s power, you may need to set it to 70-80% power to avoid burning the chocolate.
Alternatively, if you don’t have a microwave, you can use a double boiler to melt the chocolate. Put a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the hot water. Stir gently and frequently until all the chocolate melts.
Add the coconut flakes and slivered almonds into the bowl of melted chocolate. Stir the mixture for about a minute until the chocolate thickens. Wait for the whole thing to cool slightly before proceeding to the next step.
Scoop the chocolate-almond-coconut flakes mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Be generous with each scoop. This recipe makes 10 clusters.
Sprinkle the clusters with flaky sea salt and crushed freeze-dried strawberries. You can consume immediately or you can pop in the refrigerator for about 10-20 minutes to let the chocolate set.
Want these dark chocolate clusters extra crunchy? Keep them in the freezer until you’re ready to eat them!
