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    Home » Handmade Gifts

    Homemade Chocolate Candy Drops for the Holidays

    by Patti Estep · Dec 6, 2019

    Jump to Recipe

    These homemade chocolate candy drops are super quick and easy to make. Topped with your favorite nuts or dried fruit for a festive holiday treat.

    Homemade chocolate candy drops on a plate

    Giving out treats during the holiday for those of you who like to cook or bake is always a nice idea and a welcome gift. This particular treat is super easy.  I especially love the way you can customize it and give your own flair.

    bowls of chocolate, nuts and dried fruit

    Making Homemade Chocolate Candy Drops

    I decided to make these candies using three types of chocolate, three kinds of nuts, and two dried fruit options.

    Melting chocolate in a pan

    What Kind of Chocolate Should You Use?

    I chose milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, and bitter-sweet chocolate. Dark chocolate and white chocolate would also be great candidates for this recipe.

    In addition, I used chocolate chips. You could use melting chocolate and that would help keep the candy from melting in warm hands. However, I don't think it tastes as good. 

    You could also temper the chocolate chips. Tempering the chocolate would help stabilize it and keep it from melting so quickly.

    I used a heavy-bottomed saucepan to melt the chocolate. You could use the microwave but I find it harder to do. You could also use a double boiler. A double boiler works well especially if you don't have a heavy saucepan. 

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    Note: If you use a saucepan it really needs to be one with a thick bottom to prevent the chocolate from burning. I like to turn the burner on medium-high heat and as soon as I see it start to melt I remove the pan from the heat and stir continuously until all the chips have melted.

    Spooning chocolate onto parchment

    Once you melt the chocolate start dropping it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.

    Use a tablespoon to easily make large round coins. After you've made a few, stop and sprinkle on your toppings.

    Don't worry if they are not perfect or some of the chocolate drops on the parchment. You can easily remove it later.

    Chocolate Candy Drop Topping Ideas

    • Nuts - peanuts, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds
    • Dried Fruit - apricots, cranberries, cherries, raisins, mango, pineapple
    • Cookie Toppings - rainbow sprinkles, silver balls, red hots, confetti, glitter, nonpareils
    • Others - pretzels, coarse salt, caramel drizzle, coconut flakes
    Chocolate drops with nuts and dried fruit

    Once you've filled the tray move it to the freezer. Then work on a new tray while the first tray hardens in the freezer.

    After 10 -15 minutes remove them from the freezer and let sit for another 30 minutes. 

    Store the chocolate candy drops in an airtight container with sheets of parchment between layers. Make sure to keep them in a cool dry place.

    Homemade chocolate candy drop with pistachios and cranberries

    Visually I really like the way the dried cranberries and pistachios look together on this semi-sweet chocolate.

    Tray of different chocolate candy

    However, the couple of taste testers that were around that day really loved them all. 

    Patti signature

    P.S. You may also want to make this Chocolate Bark Candy or this yummy Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Treat. Both make wonderful foodie gifts for the holidays.

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    Plate of homemade chocolate candies
    Homemade chocolate candy drops on a plate

    Homemade Chocolate Candy Drops

    These homemade chocolate candy drops are super quick and easy to make. Topped with your favorite nuts or dried fruit for a festive holiday treat.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Additional Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Course Recipes
    Cuisine Dessert
    Servings 48 pieces
    Calories 109 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
    • 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
    • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
    • 1/4 cup pistachios peanuts, and pecans
    • 1 cup pecans
    • 1 cup peanuts
    • 1/8 cup dried cranberries
    • 1 cup dried apricots

    Instructions
     

    • Chop the nuts and fruit into very small pieces.
    • Place in individual bowls.
    • Melt each chocolate in a heavy bottom saucepan. Start on high heat and remove as soon as the chocolate starts to melt. Stir until all the chocolate chips have melted.
    • Using a tablespoon, drop some of the chocolate on a piece of parchment or waxed paper that you place on a cookie sheet.
    • Spread the chocolate around to form a round shape.
    • Once you have a few chocolate rounds stop and top them with any nut or fruit combination you like.
    • Continue until all chocolates have a topping and the cookie sheet is full.
    • Transfer the cookie sheet to the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
    • Remove from the freezer and allow to sit for 30 mins.
    • Remove and place in an airtight container with sheets of parchment between layers of chocolate.
    • Continue with more chocolate and cookie sheets until you run out.

    Notes

    You could use a microwave to melt the chocolate or a double boiler. I like to use a heavy saucepan because to me it's quicker and less mess.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 109kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.003gCholesterol: 0.3mgSodium: 5mgPotassium: 128mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 104IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although attempts have been made to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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    About Patti Estep

    Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. MrsSW

      December 07, 2019 at 6:46 pm

      I've got bags of chocolate chips in the pantry; pecans, pistachios, cranberries and apricots in the freezer - I'm good to go. 🙂
      Maybe add a bit of crystallized ginger on a few. Wish I had some nonpareils.
      Thanks, Patti,
      Sheila

      Reply
      • Patti Estep

        December 08, 2019 at 6:55 am

        Yes, you are all set to get creative Sheila. Enjoy!

        Reply
        • MrsSW

          December 08, 2019 at 9:52 am

          Patti, I'm planning a dessert tray for C'mas Day - any guess as to how far ahead I can make these?
          Thanks,
          Sheila

        • Patti Estep

          December 08, 2019 at 10:19 am

          Sheila, I think they will last in a container for over a week at least. Keep them somewhere cool and put some wax paper or parchment between the layers. I did freeze some in a tin. Here's a pic of them today that shows one of the milk chocolate chip drops changed color a bit. The others look pretty good. You could also refrigerate them. In hindsight that may have been a better idea but we were getting ready for Thanksgiving and there was no room.

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