Cashew clusters with almonds are crunchy, naturally sweet, and salty in one bite. They are made with only five ingredients and are vegan and gluten-free.
These bite-sized clusters are great when you want a little bit of something sweet; one cluster is enough to stop that sugar craving and you won't feel guilty about it.
This recipe is a homemade version of Costco’s cashew clusters. They may not look the same, but they taste just as delicious as the packaged version. And the best part? With only 3 tablespoons of maple syrup in the entire recipe, they are much lower in sugar.
If you like this recipe, try our coconut clusters recipe!
Why this recipe works
- Homemade coconut clusters have less added sugar than the store-bought version.
- They don’t crumble. When I buy cashew clusters packaged, there is always a big heap of crumbles on the bottom of the bag.
- They are so easy to make and taste fresher than the packaged version.
Here is what you will need
Ingredient list
- Raw unsalted whole cashews or cashew pieces
- Raw unsalted whole almonds
- Raw pumpkin seeds
- Maple syrup
- Sea Salt
Equipment list
How to make cashew clusters
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees f, and line mini muffin tins with liners or arrange mini silicone muffin cups on a baking sheet.
Step 1.
Add all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and combine.
Step 2.
Use a small spoon to drop the nut mixture into each cupcake/muffin liner, place into the oven, and bake.
Note: Allow the clusters to cool off completely so that the syrup hardens which will hold the clusters together making it easy to remove from the muffin liners.
Ingredient notes & substitutions
The complete list of ingredients to make this recipe is above. Below are notes about some of the ingredients, along with ideas for substitutes.
Nuts - You can use just about any combination of other tree nuts that you like in this recipe. Pecans, walnuts, pistachios and hazelnuts will all work.
Pumpkin seeds - Add crunch and can be substituted with sesame seeds, or sunflower seeds.
Maple Syrup - Look for real maple syrup, not pancake syrup to make this recipe. If maple syrup isn't available, honey or brown rice syrup can be used.
Serving Suggestions
Aside from eating them as they are, crumble one or two cashew almond clusters and use them to top ice cream or yogurt.
They also taste great crumbled and added to a salad or use them to replace the pistachios in this arugula and peach salad.
How to store cashew clusters
Store cashew clusters at room temperature in a sealed food storage container for up to a week.
Variations
Crunchy Cashew Clusters - Add 2 tablespoons of chia seeds or quinoa for extra crunch.
Spicy Clusters - Add ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper for a touch of heat.
Chocolate Cashew Clusters - Melt a ¼ to ½ cup of rich dark chocolate and drizzle over the top of the clusters, or add ¼ to ½ cup of chocolate chips to the mixture before baking.
Pan Method - Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the mixture out. Bake and allow the mixture to completely cool off. Break it into bits and enjoy!
Recipe tips
- If you don’t have mini silicone cupcake liners, use regular-sized or paper cupcake liners.
- Speed up the cooling process by placing the clusters in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
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You Might Also Like These
- Maple Glazed Cashews
- Chocolate Energy Bites with Dates and Peanuts
- Healthier Magic Cookie Bars
- Coconut Clusters
- Sweet and Spicy Pecans Recipe
If you like this recipe, please comment and rate it below!
Click on serving size to scale this recipe
Ingredients
- ¾ cup raw cashews
- ¾ raw almonds
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Place all of the ingredients into a bowl
- Mix to combine well, making sure the ingredients are entirely covered with the syrup
- Use a spoon to drop the mixture into mini muffin liners
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes
- Allow the cashew clusters to cool completely, and carefully remove them from the muffin liners.
Notes
- Use ¾ cup if any two of: walnuts, pecans, peanuts, pistachios
- Replace the pumpkin seeds with sunflower or sesame seeds
- Add 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
Check out healthier desserts here!
Chris says
Thank you for this. We picked up a bag to try from Costco and OMG these are dangerous things. They are also a 2 hr drive from me, so I’ll be giving this a try as I like to control my amounts and ingredients. I’ll let you know how it goes in the next few weeks. Again thanks for taking the time to do this one.
Anne says
You are welcome Chris, enjoy!