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These cranberry pistachio chocolate clusters are a delicious and healthy no bake dessert! They’re easy to make and a total crowd pleaser.
We like to think of chocolate as a natural food, which I think qualifies these cranberry pistachio chocolate clusters as a “whole foods” holiday treat? Compared to the peppermint ice cream sandwiches, the preparation is a dream: quick and simple. Melt the chocolate, add cranberries and pistachios, and cool in refrigerator. Easy as that, and the result is so so delicious, especially with a quality dark chocolate. With the contrasting red and green of the pistachios, they’re fun and festive without the need for colored sugar or icing. And, dare I say, healthy?
How to make pistachio chocolate clusters
Some people just ooze baking and cookies practically fall off of them as they walk…insanely talented friends Annie, Sarah, Ashlae, and Kathryn come to mind. For those of you who don’t consider yourself a natural-born baker (both Alex and I included), these are perfect holiday treats to whip up. They’re also a great gluten-free option if you’re looking for something for the holiday table.
All you do for these pistachio chocolate clusters is literally: melt chocolate, pour it into circles, and add toppings. Since we originally made these chocolate clusters for Christmas, we added naturally green and red toppings: pistachios and dried cranberries. However, of course you can add any toppings that you like! Almonds, walnuts, pecans, dried cherries, sea salt, edible glitter: whatever you think would look and taste good! Many chocolate clusters recipes have the “toppings” inside the clusters: but for our cranberry pistachio chocolate clusters we placed them on top for visual appeal.
Looking for cookie recipes?
Aside from these cranberry pistachio chocolate clusters recipe, here are a few of our favorite cookie recipes:
- Bliss Bites (Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies)
- Chocolate Tahini Vegan No Bake Cookies
- Soft Gingerbread Cookies
- Peppermint Meringues
- Chai Spiced Snowball Cookies
- Ginger Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- The Best Soft Ginger Molasses Cookies
- Shortbread Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle
- Cherry Quinoa Chocolate Bark
- Narwhal Gingerbread Cutout Cookies
- Healthy Peanut Butter Buckeye Balls
- Gingersnap Sandwich Cookies
- Easy Peppermint Bark
This recipe is…
This pistachio chocolate clusters recipe is vegetarian, gluten free, and vegan, plant-based and dairy-free using vegan chocolate.
Cranberry Pistachio Chocolate Clusters
These cranberry pistachio chocolate clusters are a delicious and healthy no bake dessert! They’re easy to make and a total crowd pleaser.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 32 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (2 cups) high-quality dark chocolate chips, vegan if necessary
- 2/3 cup salted pistachios (or substitute roasted salted pepitas)
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with wax paper.
- Fill a large skillet halfway with water and bring to a simmer. Place 2 cups chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl (metal or glass). Once the water is simmering, turn off the heat and place the bowl of chocolate in the water, then stir until melted.
- Drop a small mound of chocolate onto wax paper, then top each mound with 4 to 5 cranberries and 4 to 5 pistachios.
- Cool in the refrigerator until hardened (30 minutes to 1 hour).
Yumm! I’ll be making these to bring to book club this week. Do you get your fair trade chocolate online? Amazon? I’m always wondering where to find more information about where to buy fair trade locally.
I just made these for a French class Christmas party, and they turned out great!! They weren’t difficult to make, and you can’t get much better than just three ingredients. Thank you so much for the great recipe! :)
These are absolutely delicious, I just whipped up a few for a gathering this weekend. I also mixed in some of the nuts and cranberries into the melted chocolate. The flavor combination is not expected, but so perfect!
found you via Fair Trade Certified’s post on FB. Those clusters look incredible! i gotta get my guy to make me some. I’d like cardamon in mine too.
I love the idea of these, but I have a cashew allergy (with pistachios being in that “family”). I was thinking about using pepitas in their place as they are also have a green hue. What are your thoughts on the flavor combination? Just looking for thoughts before I make a huge batch! Thank you!
Paula, I think pepitas is a great idea! The flavor combination would be perfect (I think), especially if they are salted since it would bring in the salt. I will actually list this as a substitution in the recipe!
Thanks, friends! And these look delicious. I’ll have to add them to my Christmas baking list. ;)
You’re so welcome – thanks for inspiring us!
These look scrumptious. I love the salty combination of the pistachios with the chocolate!
YUM! I’m going to make these this weekend. Love the light in the last picture.
I agree, great shot, sharing these with my clients and on my blog tomorrow!
Wonderful – thanks, Linda!
Thanks, Grace! Let us know how they turn out!
Ha, you are too kind! I wish cookies really did fall off me as I walked – I’m pretty sure I’d be the most popular person in the office!
I love the simplicity of these – it’s such a classic and perfect combination of flavours with such a great balance of sweet/salty/tart. Love them.
Haha, wouldn’t that be nice? At least in my head that’s what happens when you walk :) Thanks for being an inspiration!
Thanks for the great idea. So easy. I think I would drop the melted chocolate by teaspoonful into tiny muffin-like paper cups first and then add the pistachios and dried cranberries. That way, you have the same size pieces and you don’t have to handle them to pry them off the parchment. Plus, people eating them don’t get chocolately fingers. (no, I’m not being compulsive like Martha!)
Good idea! Muffin cups would add a fun element. Thanks for mentioning!