Blog Categories

Popular

Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts

Jump to recipe

Although macadamia nuts didn’t grow naturally in Hawaii until about 100 years ago, visions of the Hawaiian islands may come to mind when you think about these delicious, buttery nuts.

Maybe you’re sitting in a beach chair sipping a cocktail with a small bowl of mac nuts, or perhaps you’re relaxing poolside in Maui when your Hawaiian host or hostess presents you with the islands’ finest macadamias.

Either way, there’s something special about macadamia nuts. And if you think it’s hard limiting yourself to only a handful of these yummy tree nuts, try having them dipped in dark chocolate or creamy milk chocolate.

But be careful — once your friends and family discover how delicious these chocolate macadamia nuts are, they’re going to be on everyone’s wish list.

These chocolate macadamia nuts are:

  • Buttery
  • Sweet and salty
  • Crunchy
  • A great keto snack option

The main ingredients are:

Optional additional ingredients:

3 Health Benefits of Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts

#1: Supports Brain Health

Your diet is directly related to your brain health — especially your long-term brain health.

And macadamia nuts are packed with brain-supportive nutrients. They contain healthy fats like palmitoleic acid (the rare omega-7 fatty acid) and oleic acid and are a rich source of B vitamins.

B vitamins are essential for energy production and brain health, and macadamia nuts happen to be a great source of one particular brain boosting B vitamin — thiamine.

In one study, when a group was given either a placebo or 50mg of thiamine, the thiamine group showed an increase in mental clarity, higher energy, and better reaction times[*].

Chocolate also has brain benefits, mostly from their high flavanol content.

Flavonols may help treat blood flow issues, which can lead to heart and neurological diseases.

In one study, a group of volunteers was given cocoa for five days to determine if there was any effect on blood flow to the brain. They found that not only did blood flow increase to the brain, but it increased in the grey matter of the brain — the area responsible for intelligence and learning skills[*].

#2: Supports Heart Health

If you’re looking for heart-healthy foods, then nuts should be at the top of your list.

A meta-analysis done in 2015 found that regular nut consumption was correlated with a 26% decrease in the development of cardiovascular disease[*].

Another study showed that eating nuts four times a week was correlated with a 37% decrease in the incidence of heart disease as compared with those who rarely consumed nuts[*].

While there are many healthy components to nuts, this recipe can claim the health benefits of palmitoleic and oleic fatty acids found in macadamia nuts.

Palmitoleic acid has been shown to support heart health in many ways including; lowering inflammation, lowering blood lipids, preventing metabolic syndrome, and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease[*].

Oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat found in abundance in macadamia nuts, may help reduce the risk of stroke due to its ability to lower your blood pressure[*].

The antioxidants in chocolate may also improve heart health.

Dark chocolate has been found to raise good cholesterol (HDL), and protect your LDL cholesterol against oxidation — which is one of the initial stages of heart disease[*].

#3: Boosts Immunity

Keeping your immune system healthy means getting the right nutrients from whole foods sources.

And maintaining a balance between free-radical damage and antioxidant activity is essential for preserving immune health.

When researchers compared the antioxidant contents of chocolate to other well-known “superfood” fruits, chocolate came out the winner.

It not only had the highest levels of flavonoids (antioxidants), but it also had the highest rates of free radical scavenging[*].

Oleic acid from macadamia nuts can also help decrease inflammation and even activate different immune pathways[*].

Coconut oil is rich in medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), the most abundant MCT being lauric acid.

Lauric acid forms an immune-boosting substance called monolaurin when it’s digested. Both lauric acid and monolaurin have been found to kill harmful bacteria, pathogens, and fungi, which is great news for your immunity[*].

Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts

Surprise and delight your taste buds with these sugar-free, gluten-free, crunchy, dark chocolate covered macadamia nuts.

Print

Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts

chocolate covered macadamia nuts

Make your own gluten-free, chocolate-covered macadamia nuts sprinkled with sea salt with and dark or milk chocolate for a nutritious snack or dessert.

  • Author: Corina Nielsen
  • Total Time: 5 minutes + setting time
  • Yield: 2 cups 1x
Scale

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Add macadamia nuts and Perfect Keto Nut Butter to a small bowl.  Stir well to coat mac nuts.
  2. Pour them out onto on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes until nut butter has hardened.
  3. Place dark chocolate chips and coconut oil in a medium-sized bowl and melt in the microwave for 20-second increments until melted.
  4. You could also use a double boiler on the stovetop set to over medium heat.
  5. When chocolate is melted and completely smooth, stir in your sweetener. Mix until it dissolves.
  6. Add macadamia nuts to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  
  7. Working in small batches, add ⅓ cup of macadamia nuts to the melted dark chocolate.
  8. Using a fork, remove nuts and tap off excess chocolate. Place back on baking sheet.  Sprinkle tops of nuts with a little flaked sea salt.
  9. Place baking sheet in the fridge for 5-10 minutes if desired to set chocolate faster.
  10. Store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ¼ cup
  • Calories: 283
  • Fat: 29g
  • Carbohydrates: 5g (2g net)
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 3g

Keywords: chocolate covered macadamia nuts

117 Shares

Join the Internet's largest keto newsletter

We'll send you articles, product guides, and exclusive offers customized to your goals.