Chocolate Coconut Clusters

30 January 2023 - By Michelle Minnaar
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If you’re on the lookout for an exciting new snack to satisfy your sweet tooth, look no further than this chocolate coconut clusters recipe!

You’ve got to love that chocolate and coconut taste – such a delicious combination, and what’s not to like about homemade candy?

Simply put, this chocolate coconut clusters recipe is so easy, yet so effective. You’re going to love it!

When I was about four years old my mother made finger foods for the church on every odd Sunday. This chocolate coconut clusters recipe was one of the recipes she made.

Like any typical kid I especially wanted to help her make these blobs of chocolate heaven. Constantly I was told to keep my fingers out of the sweet, thick mixture but how could I resist? At least I got to lick the pot out afterwards.

During sermons all I could think about was my “sjokolade jungle oat koekies” (chocolate jungle oat cookies), wishing the dominie (reverend) would hurry up and come to a conclusion. Any conclusion, I simply didn’t care, as long as I could eat my “koekies!”

When the sermon finished at last I would race downstairs to the eating hall and wait impatiently as the women dawdled getting all the food ready. When the cling film was removed, I pounced. Bliss!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Here’s why this delicious recipe will rock your world…

The mix of melted chocolate, coconut and vanilla flavors are just divine.
It’s such an easy recipe to make, with only 7 simple ingredients and a total recipe time of just over 5 minutes.
It’s far healthier than shop bought alternatives.

ingredients for Chocolate Coconut Clusters.

Equipment Needed To Make This Recipe

There are a few essential items you’ll need to make this chocolate coconut clusters recipe:

Small cooking pot – it’s best to use a pot with a small surface area for this recipe, because the mixture can dry very quickly.
Baking sheet – a medium baking sheet is the best way to cool your clusters. Be sure to line it with non-stick or greased parchment paper.
Wooden spoon – the best tool to mix up your chocolate coconut clusters mixture
Weighing scales – don’t leave measurements to chance. When it comes to making this chocolate coconut clusters recipe, precision is key, and a quality set of kitchen weighing scales makes all the difference.

How To Make Chocolate Coconut Clusters

Place the butter, sugar, cocoa, vanilla paste and milk in a pot.

Slowly heat the ingredients while stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Then simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the oats and coconut.

Stir until everything well incorporated. Let the mixture cool slightly then form into balls. Enjoy!

Top Tip

Stir the mixture properly, before leaving it to set.

Variations To This Recipe

Use molds

Instead of spooning your chocolate coconut flakes onto a baking sheet in order to cool, you could instead spoon them into moulds. There are so many shapes you can play with, including heart shapes and moon shapes – this is especially a great idea if you’re making these chocolate coconut clusters with kids.

Use dark chocolate

Want to change these chocolate coconut clusters into dark chocolate coconut clusters? Simply use dark chocolate cocoa powder!

Use white chocolate

Maybe you prefer white chocolate. In which case, melt white chocolate chips in the saucepan, along with the milk, sugar and butter.

Replace sugar with natural sweetener

I’ve gone for white sugar in this recipe, to bring that essential sweetness to the chocolate coconut clusters. However, if you prefer, you can instead swap in a natural sweetener and make these clusters sugar free.

Some of the best natural sweeteners are Stevia, Erythritol, Yacon syrup and Monk fruit sweetener.

Add a touch of spice

If you like to spice things up, there are a few options. Firstly, add a teaspoon of cinnamon into the mix – cinnamon goes really well with chocolate as well as flaked coconut.

You could also add some chili flakes to the chocolate mixture for that little kick – plus, chili and chocolate is a winning combination.

Make this recipe vegan

Believe it or not, this chocolate coconut clusters recipe can easily be adapted for a vegan lifestyle. You’ll need to replace the butter and milk – go for a nut butter, such as almond nut or hazelnut butter, and a non-dairy milk, such as coconut milk, almond milk or oat milk.

You could also add a touch of coconut oil, which will bring even more coconut flavor to your chocolate coconut flakes.

Popular substitutions

Toasted coconut flakes in place of desiccated coconut
Use coconut oil instead of melted butter and almond milk in place of milk to make these chocolate coconut clusters vegan.

Top Tip

Don’t leave the pan on the heat for an extended period of time. If you’re not quick on your feet and leave it on the stove too long after it has been mixed, you will end up with a granola effect.

Chocolate Coconut Clusters on cooling tray.

What type of oats should I use?

Rolled oats are the best kind of oats to use for baking and cooking. This is because they keep their structure and texture better than other types of oats such as quick oats.

Quick oats are finer and are processed to enable you to cook them quickly. Rolled oats, on the other hand, are larger. You should be able to find rolled oats at most quality supermarkets and stores. They are sometimes referred to as ‘jumbo’ or ‘old fashioned’ oats, and are much better for this recipe than the plain porridge oat type.

Jumbo oats are made by being steamed and then flattened with a large heavy roller. This way of processing them means that they are a lot larger textured and hold together a lot better, which will stop each of your chocolate coconut clusters from falling apart. They’re also a good source of protein, with 12 grams of protein per 100g (about 4g per serving).

What is desiccated coconut?

It’s basically finely shredded coconut. You can also go for larger shredded coconut flakes, but I’ve chosen desiccated coconut for this recipe.

If possible, go for unsweetened coconut flakes. There’s plenty of sugar in this recipe, so the sweetened kind of coconut flakes isn’t necessary.

Are these chocolate coconut flakes keto?

These chocolate coconut flakes are low in carbs and, therefore, are suitable for a low-carb keto diet.

Why are my chocolate clusters falling apart?

If your chocolate coconut clusters are failing to hold together properly, the problem could be down to one of or several of the following.

Firstly, consider the type of oats you are using to make this recipe. Regular quick oats, the kind that you would use to make your porridge in the morning for breakfast, are not suitable for this recipe.

That’s because they are too fine and don’t hold together properly. Instead, opt for large rolled oats, which are far better and produce a better texture.

Another reason that your clusters aren’t holding together could be due to the incorrect ratio of ingredients. Be sure to follow the measurements below precisely.

I recommend using a quality set of weighing scales. This will ensure all the ratios are exact, which will produce the right balance of ingredients necessary for a batch of chocolate coconut clusters with the right consistency, that hold together perfectly.

How do I store leftovers?

The best way to store these chocolate coconut clusters is to keep them in an airtight container at room temperature. The clusters should be good for about four days.

Can I freeze chocolate coconut clusters?

Absolutely! Wait until they’ve cooled completely, then place the baking tray directly in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours.

This will allow the coconut clusters to flash freeze, which prevents them sticking together. Then, remove them from the tray and transfer them into a freezer-safe airtight container. They should last up to 5 months in the freezer.

Can this recipe be scaled?

Yes. If you wish to make a big batch of this chocolate coconut clusters recipe, you can simply double up or triple up on the amounts in the recipe below.

Conversely, if you want to scale back and make a smaller recipe, you can easily halve the amounts below.

Chocolate Coconut Clusters piled in a bowl.

More chocolate based recipes

Chocoholics rejoice! This recipe is not the only delicious chocolate recipe. There’s a whole host of irresistible recipes waiting for you to discover. Here are just a few of my personal favorites:

Chocolate and pistachio brownies – gooey on the inside, crispy on the outside, these are melt in your mouth heaven
Chocolate concrete – an old school throwback that still tastes amazing
Chocolate flapjacks – a classic chocolate recipe
Chocolate courgette cakes – you won’t believe how delicious this recipe tastes
Chocolate delice – wow… just wow! This is the perfect chocolate dessert for a special occasion
Mini chocolate trifles – these little trifles are a trifle nice! Plus, there are incredibly easy to make

What’s your favourite type of baked sweet treat? Let me know in the comments below.