You can make these little chocolate crunchy babies in 5 minutes and you only need 5 ingredients!
This little creation of mine came from my desire to replicate a little treat my grandmother used to make. It was a chocolate cluster like this but using crunchy Chinese noodle things, melted chocolate, raisins and peanuts. So quick and easy but not the healthiest and my boys are allergic to nuts. So I re-created it in a healthy way.
They were a HUGE success with the kids and for only 50+ calories, pretty good in my book too!
My kids and I thought these were delish! The hubby thought they weren't sweet enough. We only used 2 teaspoons of stevia and it was good, but you may need to increase to suit your families taste buds.
Pour the chocolate in the bowl with the cereal and fruit and mix until all incorporated.
Drop by spoonfuls into mini silicone baking cups or paper cups. Here are mine:
Kitchen Collection Silicone Mini Baking Cups Set of 12
Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and enjoy one! or two or 🙂
They hold together just fine when cold and refrigerated. They need to stay refrigerated until you are ready to eat them or serve them. They will easily fall apart a bit once left out on the counter, especially if its warm out.
If you're family is not allergic to nuts some delicious add -in's to this would be peanuts!
My kids actually didn't even know the dried cherries were dried cherries! They thought they were chocolate covered mini marshmallows!
I just smiled 🙂
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- ½ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 2-4 teaspoons liquid Stevia, Chocolate
- ½ cup dried cherries, unsweetened
- 1 ½ cups no sugar added crunchy dry cereal or granola
- Mix the melted coconut oil in a bowl with the cocoa and stevia. Taste and see if it is sweet enough to your liking. If not, add ½ teaspoon at a time to increase.
- In another bowl mix the cereal and dried cherries.
- Pour the chocolate in the bowl with the cereal and fruit and mix until all incorporated.
- Drop by spoonful's into mini silicone baking cups or paper cups.
- Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Whit
Hi, I was just wondering how many of these are in one batch? Thank you!!!!
Jo
I would love to make these but i cant have stevia. Is their something i cant substitute instead of the stevia ?
Brenda
Of course, just use sweetener of choice, taste and adjust before mixing with the cereal and hardening.
Tiffany
SOOO YUMMY!!! I used dried cranberries instead of cherries. Thanks for a quick and delicious recipe.
Kaitlin
Hi! Thanks for the great recipe. I used to be in love with the magic shell and now I'm eating clean soI'm extremely excited to try this. Is it necessary to use liquid chocolate stevia or is it possible to use the stevia packets plus a little extra chocolate?!! Thank you!!
Brenda
You could use packets. I would say 3-5 but you must determine that by tasting it once added. Mix two in and taste it and adjust. I also have a homemade sugar free magic shell recipe 🙂
Cshadix
You should be able to achieve the same effect with vegetable shortening (although not as healthy it will do the trick!)
Shannon
Just curious of the names brands and where you buy your unsweetened cherries and grain sweetened chocolate chips?
Brenda
I bought them both at Whole Foods, but I don't have any of the cherries left but they were their brand. The chocolate chips were made by Sunspire.
Jen
I have emailed you before, Brenda. I am the one with past history of breast cancer and so I've eliminated sugar. I am OBSESSED with your site! I tried these "chocolate cherry crunchies" today and they are sooooooooooooooo good!!!!!!!!!!! I have a ton of other things I want to try, but I just let myself try out one a week. Gives me something to look forward to! Thank you again sooooooo much for all of the time you put into this and in helping us all stay healthy!
Brenda
I am so happy! I love hearing how my recipes are helping others with their life choices and eating healthy! Thank you so much for the compliments!
Aggie
Good for you for "smiling" 🙂
I have a sweet craving every night. An intense one that I can successfully cure with one square of dark chocolate. This little snack needs to get into the rotation 🙂 It looks so good!!
Brenda
It really will fill you up too, if you use a high fiber cereal. So you could have like 3 instead of that one piece of chocolate LOL!
Kim
Both of my children are allergic to tree nuts and coconut. Can you suggest another oil that might work as well?
Brenda
I'm sorry I haven't experimented with anything else. I couldn't say whether substituting something else would work as well.
Robert Encarnacao
Macadamia nut oil.
Heather
Macadamia's are tree nuts. Coconuts are not tree nuts unless they have a separate allergy
Can't wait to try these!!
xealia
Need a "like" button! For this comment. Many people think coconut is a tree NUT! Its not! My oldest has tree nut and dairy allergies! Pretty hard to make things here too! What can I sub for liquid Stevia and how much? Can't find that stuff here in hick town nor in the bigger cities. Plus I'm not so sold on the health benefits of stevia vs agave
or honey!
Brenda
You can really use whatever sweetener you like since you can just add and taste and adjust the chocolate syrup before adding it into the cereal.
The Better Baker
Oh Yes! Something I will definitely be making soon. Thanks for sharing another tasty creation. MMMMMM!