Description
An easy no-bake recipe for white chocolate caramel cashew clusters using only 4 simple ingredients. They’re creamy, chewy, crunchy, and buttery!
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/2 cups (375g) cashew halves*
- 8 ounces (226g) white chocolate, coarsely chopped*
- sea salt for sprinkling
Easy Caramel*
- 30 caramel squares, unwrapped (I like Kraft caramels)
- 1/3 cup (80g) heavy cream
Instructions
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Arrange 35 clusters of cashews each with 1-2 inches between them. Use about 11-12 cashew halves per cluster. Set a couple extra cashew aside if you have any. You can crush them up to sprinkle on top of the clusters in step 4.
- Place the caramels in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Pour cream on top and microwave for 3 minutes total, stopping and stirring every 20 seconds. It’s a lot of stirring, but it’s imperative to prevent the caramels from scorching. If the caramel seems too thick after 3 minutes, stir in 1-2 more Tablespoons of cream. Spoon 2 teaspoons of caramel onto the center of each cluster. Set aside as you melt the chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave or use a double boiler. If using the microwave, place chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes, stopping and stirring every 20 seconds until completely melted and smooth. Spoon melted chocolate on top of each cluster, then top each with any crushed cashews (from step 2) and a sprinkle of sea salt.
- Allow the chocolate to completely set in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before enjoying. Store leftover clusters in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Clusters can made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months. Simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Double Boiler | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon
- Cashews: You can use whole cashews instead, though you might need less cashews per cluster.
- White Chocolate: Use pure white chocolate. I prefer either Ghirardelli, Baker’s, or Lindt brands, all found in the baking aisle. Do not use chocolate chips; they are not ideal for melting or coating.
- Homemade Caramel: If you’d rather make homemade caramel from scratch, use my Caramel For Dipping recipe found on page 93 in Sally’s Candy Addiction. You’ll need the full recipe for these white chocolate caramel cashew clusters. If you don’t have the book, use this shortcut method with store-bought caramels. Both caramels are fantastic! I’ve gotten some questions about using my salted caramel recipe. Don’t use that—it’s liquid caramel drizzle, not thick caramel like the Caramel For Dipping in my cookbook or the Easy Caramel recipe above.