Easy Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons Recipe (2024)

These easy fruit & nut chocolate buttons (also known as mendiants) make a fab quick and easy homemade gift idea that's easy enough for kids to make themselves!

It's day three of the Eats Amazing Advent Calendar, and today I'm bringing you the first of several delicious homemade gift ideas that are super easy and perfect for children to make, all by themselves.

Today's recipe is for Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons, a really simple recipe that takes no time at all to make but looks really impressive and of course is completely delicious!

Easy Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons Recipe (1)

As I mentioned above, this post is part ofthe Eats Amazing Fun Food Advent Calendar. Every day from now until Christmas I’m sharing a new festive food idea and I’m announcing them over on thenewAdvent Calendar pagetoo, so do click on the link, bookmark it and pop back each day to see what’s new!

Yesterday I shared some yummy snowman smoothies, today it’s these fruit and nut chocolate buttons and tomorrow… you’ll have to come back for that one!

Easy Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons Recipe (2)

I've specifiedthe fruit and nuts that I used to make oursin the recipe, but this is a very adaptable recipe so you can use whatever fruits and nuts you have to hand, or even just fruit, or just nuts if you prefer.

You might well have everything you need for this in your cupboards already - have a hunt around and see if you can find any dried fruit or nuts lying forgotten at the back of a kitchen cupboard - it's a great recipe to use them up and you'll get some money-saving presents made at the same time - now that's multitasking!

I used a mini tart tray to mould my buttons, but you can also use a silicone muffin tray, individual silicone cupcake cases or even a fun shaped chocolate mould - star or flower shapes would be particularlypretty!

If you don't have any kind of mould, you can also make them free-hand by dropping the chocolate onto a baking sheet or tray lined with baking paper - they might not be quite as neat but they'll be every bit as delicious! This is the traditional way to make mendiants too, so they'll be beautifully authentic!

Easy Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons Recipe (3)

Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons

Ingredients:

  • 150g dark or milk chocolate
  • 7 walnut halves
  • 8 pecan nuts
  • small handful mixed jumbo raisins
  • small handful cranberries
  • small handul shelled pistachios

Method:

Break up the chocolate and place it in a microwave safe bowl.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between each one to ensure it melts evenly. Be careful not to overheat or burn the chocolate, heat only until just melted and smooth.

Drop small spoonfuls of the chocolate into a silicone tart tray or cupcake cases, swirling it around with the spoon to cover the bottom of each cup. Place a walnut half or pecan nut in the middle of each chocolate button, then add a few each of the raisins, cranberries and pistachios around the edges.

Easy Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons Recipe (4)

Repeat until you have used up all the chocolate.

Once finished, place the chocolate buttons in the fridge to set - 15 minutes or so should do it.

Once set, remove from the fridge, pop out of the moulds and serve, store in an air-tight container or bag up in cellophane bags to give as gifts.

Enjoy!

NOTES: This recipe is naturally gluten free and is easily adapted to keep it allergy friendly. You can makeit dairy free by using dairy free chocolate, and of course omit the nuts and just used a variety of dried fruits for a nut free treat.

Easy Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons Recipe (5)

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow to see thenext fun project in the Eats Amazing advent calendar!

Looking for more Christmas gift ideas to make with kids? Check out this collection of 30 easy edible gift ideas that kids can make for Christmas!

Or you might also like these similar gift recipes:

Giant Chocolate Jazzies

Easy Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons Recipe (6)

Easy Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons Recipe (7)

Sweet Chocolate Mendiants

Easy Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons Recipe (8)

Giant White Chocolate Rainbow Jazzies!

Easy Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons Recipe (9)

For more delicious and fun food ideas for the festive season,check out the Christmas Food section here on the Eats Amazing blog or pop over and follow my ChristmasPinterest boards for lots more fun ideas from around the web; Christmas, Cute Christmas Food Ideas and Healthy Christmas Food.

Grace

Easy Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons Recipe (10)

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons

Fruit & nut chocolate buttons make a fab quick and easy homemade gift idea that's easy enough for kids to make themselves - perfect for Christmas presents!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Chilling Time15 minutes mins

Total Time10 minutes mins

Course: Gift, Snack

Cuisine: British, Christmas

Servings: 15 buttons

Author: Grace Hall

Ingredients

  • 150 g dark or milk chocolate
  • 7 walnut halves
  • 8 pecan nuts
  • small handful mixed jumbo raisins
  • small handful cranberries
  • small handul shelled pistachios

Instructions

  • Break up the chocolate and place it in a microwave safe bowl.

  • Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between each one to ensure it melts evenly. Be careful not to overheat or burn the chocolate, heat only until just melted and smooth.

  • Drop small spoonfuls of the chocolate into a silicone tart tray or cupcake cases, swirling it around with the spoon to cover the bottom of each cup.

  • Place a walnut half or pecan nut in the middle of each chocolate button, then add a few each of the raisins, cranberries and pistachios around the edges.

  • Repeat until you have used up all the chocolate.

  • Once finished, place the chocolate buttons in the fridge to set – 15 minutes or so should do it.

  • Once set, remove from the fridge, pop out of the moulds to serve and store in an air-tight container.

Notes

This recipe is naturally gluten free and is easily adapted to keep it allergy friendly. You can make it dairy free by using dairy free chocolate, and of course omit the nuts and just used a variety of dried fruits for a nut free treat.

Love this recipe idea? Why not save it to Pinterest so you can easily find it again!

Easy Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons Recipe (11)

Easy Fruit & Nut Chocolate Buttons Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in fruit and nut chocolate bar? ›

MILK**, sugar, dried grapes, cocoa butter, ALMONDS, cocoa mass, vegetable fats (palm, shea), emulsifiers (E442, E476), flavourings.

Is fruit and nut chocolate healthy? ›

The way this sweet treat can present itself is endless. However varied your fruit and nut chocolate is, the health benefits remain largely unchanged. As long as the sugar content in the chocolate itself is relatively low (as far as milk chocolate is concerned), it would be considered a healthy, antioxidant-rich snack.

What nuts pair best with chocolate? ›

Peanuts, pecans, almonds, and hazelnuts have distinct flavors that go well with dark chocolate. Walnuts are a little bit milder and therefore work better with milk chocolate. Finally, nuts such as macadamias taste best with rich white chocolate due to their even milder flavor.

How to make nut chocolate? ›

Combine melted chocolate and nuts in a medium bowl. Scrape the mixture onto the foil and spread it into an approximate 12-by-9-inch rectangle. Sprinkle with additional finely chopped nuts, if desired. Refrigerate until set, about 20 minutes.

What is in a Cadbury fruit and Nut Bar? ›

A delicious combination of crunchy almonds and dried grapes, scattered through the classic, creamy taste of Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate. It's a much-loved Cadbury favourite for a reason. Made with sustainably sourced cocoa.

What are the ingredients in nuts chocolate bar? ›

Ingredients. sugar, glucose syrup, nuts, hydrogenated vegetable fat, cocoa butter, whey powder, cocoa mass, skimmed milk sweetened condensed skimmed milk powder, glucose syrup, fructose, lactose, anhydrous milkfat, albumin egg, emulsifier: soya lecithin, E476, aroma-deextrose.

What is the unhealthiest chocolate to eat? ›

White chocolate not only has more saturated fat than any other type of chocolate, but lacks the healthy phytochemicals found in cocoa and dark chocolate.

Is chocolate inflammatory or anti-inflammatory? ›

70% cocoa dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, which have some major anti-inflammatory effects. Flavanols help to reduce inflammation and keep the cells that line the arteries healthy. Antioxidants fight inflammation and free radicals, which can help your immunity and reduce your risk of disease.

What berries taste good with chocolate? ›

Raspberries: The tartness of raspberries provides a beautiful contrast to the intensity of dark chocolate. The pairing of raspberry and dark chocolate is a classic for a good reason. Strawberries: The natural sweetness of strawberries pairs well with dark chocolate, creating a balanced and indulgent treat.

Which nut tastes like chocolate? ›

Chocolate Pecans are a royal treat for those who love the mild taste of Pecans combined with the rich flavour of chocolate.

What are the ingredients in fruit and nut chocolate? ›

Sugar, Whole Milk Powder, Cocoa Butter, Raisins (12%), Cocoa Mass, Honey (3%), Milk Fat, Almonds (1.6%), Emulsifier (Soy Lecithin ), Egg White, Flavouring (Vanillin ), Milk Chocolate Contains Cocoa Solids 28% Minimum.

What chocolate to use for candy molds? ›

Ingredients for Candy Molds

The short answer is quality or couverture chocolate. The better your product is, the easier it will be to melt and temper to create unforgettably delicious confections. It's possible to use chocolate bars or chips, but they may not melt as well as chocolate made for baking like baking discs.

What are the benefits of fruit and nut bars? ›

They are also high in fibre and the fats are usually from nuts, which contain healthier unsaturated fats, unlike the saturated fats found in chocolate, cakes and biscuits. They are quite filling so can be good if you are hungry and it's a long time until your next meal, or if you're doing something active.

What is the ingredients of chocolate bar? ›

The primary ingredients—cacao beans, sugar, milk, and cocoa butter—play crucial roles in defining the flavor profile and type of chocolate being created, be it dark, milk, or white.

What are the ingredients in fruit tingle chocolate? ›

Milk Chocolate (62%) [Sugar, Milk Solids, Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Mass, Emulsifiers (322 (Soy), 476), Natural Flavour], Sugar, Fruit Tingle Pieces (11%) [Sugar, Mineral Salt (500), Acidity Regulator (296), Tapioca Starch, Glucose Syrup, Thickener (1401), Natural Flavours, Colours (141, 160a, 120, 160c)], Vegetable Gum, ( ...

Are fruit bars healthy? ›

There's no protein, there's no healthy fat, there's no fibre in those bars to keep you feeling fuller longer.” The only time a fruit bar might be a good option, she said, is if you're doing a high-intensity activity for over an hour that requires a quick source of energy.

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