These Almond Dragees are crunchy, caramelized almonds tossed in chocolate, then dusted with cocoa powder or powdered sugar.  They’re gluten and dairy free!

Almond dragees in a white bowl with a linen

Almond dragees are the most unassuming, yet highly addictive treats I’ve ever eaten.

They aren’t very eye-catching as they’re brown and bumpy, but don’t let these little gems fool you. 🙂

Just one of these caramel coated, chocolate dipped, cocoa dusted almonds will have you reaching for more. 

A lot more. 🙂

Before cooking school, I never knew what almond drageés were.  I’d heard of silver drageés, but they’re not the same at all.  I’ll get into those a bit more below.

We made this recipe for almond dragees for our cooking school Christmas party, and that was the first time I’d ever tried them.  

Some were dusted in powdered sugar, and some with cocoa powder.  I was lucky enough to get to take some home, and I loved them more than most of the other treats we served at the party.  

In fact, I hid them from the rest of family.  No shame!

Overhead shot of almond dragees in a white bowl with a linen

What are almond dragees?

Almond dragees are toasted almonds coated in a hard, caramelized sugar coating.  They’re tossed in chocolate, then dusted with cocoa powder or powdered sugar.

Maybe you’ve seen hazelnut dragees in candy stores before?  They’re amazing as well.

Of course, almond dragees aren’t to be confused with silver dragees, which are used to decorate cakes, pies and cookies.  

Almond dragees in sheet pan lined with parchment paper

How to make almond dragees

These are really easy to make, but there’s a little elbow grease involved.  You may not want to do an upper body workout the day you make these. 🙂

  • First, stir the water and sugar together in large pan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to a boil.
  • Add the almonds and cook over high heat, stirring constantly until all of the water evaporates, and the sugar becomes sandy.  Reduce the heat to medium, and continue cooking and stirring until the crystallized sugar melts and caramelizes.  As the sugar melts, it will coat the almonds.  
  • Once the almonds are caramelized, immediately pour onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  Allow to cool, then break apart and place in the freezer while you melt the chocolate.
  • Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a heat proof bowl over simmering water.  Place the almonds in a bowl and pour 1/3 of the chocolate over them, stirring until coated.  Repeat in two more additions, allowing the chocolate to harden between each addition, and breaking up any clusters that form.
  • Toss with cocoa powder and try not to eat every last one.
How to make almond dragees collage

Recipe notes

  • Almond dragees keep well in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
  • Dragees may be coated in the same amount of powdered sugar if you prefer that over cocoa powder.
  • Hazelnuts are a great substitution for almonds!
Close up of almond dragees in a white bowl with a linen

More chocolate recipes you’ll love:

Front view of almond dragees in a white bowl with a linen

Almond Dragees

Servings: 16 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Almond Dragees are crunchy, caramelized almonds dipped in chocolate, and dusted with cocoa powder or powdered sugar. They’re gluten and dairy free!
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cups whole raw almonds
  • 8 ounces dark chocolate dairy free or regular
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted

Instructions 

  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
  • In a medium pan, stir the sugar with the water over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved, and bring to a boil. Increase the heat to high and add the almonds, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. During this process, you’re crystallizing the sugar and toasting the almonds. Continue cooking until all of the water evaporates and the sugar becomes very sandy.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, and continue to stir until the crystallized sugar begins to melt and caramelize. As the sugar melts, it will begin to coat the almonds. When the nuts are caramelized, immediately pour out onto the prepared pan and spread in a single layer and cool. Once the nuts are cool, place in the freezer while you melt the chocolate.
  • Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water and melt until smooth.
  • Remove the almonds from the freezer and break up any nuts that are stuck together. Place the almonds in a bowl and pour 1/3 of the melted chocolate over the nuts and stir immediately. Repeat in two more additions, allowing each addition of chocolate to become firm and break up any clusters before adding more. The almonds will appear dry and chalky at this point.
  • Sift the cocoa powder or powdered sugar over the almonds and stir to coat completely. If you’re using powdered sugar, make sure the almonds are in a clean bowl before dusting. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Recipe adapted from Tante Marie Cooking School, San Francisco, CA.
  • Almond dragees keep well in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
  • Dragees may be coated in the same amount of powdered sugar if you prefer that over cocoa powder.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 242kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 4mg, Potassium: 268mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 6IU, Calcium: 61mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Sweets
Cuisine: French
Author: Marcie
All recipes and images © Flavor the Moments.
Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

**This post was updated with new photos, text and recipe in May 2019.

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