Have you made enough Christmas cookies this year to choke Santa AND his reindeer?  Are there bits of flour and sugar stuck in your hair and dusting your kitchen floor? Are you feverishly scanning all your holiday recipes looking for that perfect hostess gift that proves beyond a doubt that you ARE a Kitchen Princess?

Look no further.  This is a simple, time-tested and beloved recipe that will bring squeals of delight from every happy recipient.  I guarantee it!  I’ve been making it for 25 years and it is my most requested goodie at Christmas time.  If you make it, please leave a comment and let me know how it comes out.  Heck, just leave a comment to say hi and share what your favorite Christmas goodies are!

Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch

I got the recipe 25 years ago from a tattered old copy of Yankee Magazine. Those northeasterners know what they’re doing.  Forget the sugarplums, visions of Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch will be dancing in their heads!

Butter, sugar, almonds, pecans and chocolate chips.  Yes!

In a food processor, chop the almonds and set aside then grind the pecans or walnuts and set those aside.

Add the sugar to the melted butter.

The butter and sugar happily boiling.

Add the chopped almonds to the butter and sugar.

Lightly grease the jelly roll pan.  I use Pam.

Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch all dark and beautiful and  ready to pour into the pan.

Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch poured into the pan.  Tilt the pan to help it spread.

Scatter the chocolate chips all over the butter crunch.

The chocolate is all melty and wonderful.

It’s even better now that you’ve sprinkled the chopped pecans onto it.

Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch

There you go.  You are a star!

Kitchen Princess Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch – Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter (do NOT substitute margarine, it won’t turn out)
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup chopped almonds
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup finely ground pecans or walnuts

Kitchen Princess Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch – Method

If you are new to candy making here are a few tips:

1. A good candy thermometer is a must-have.
2. The ingredients will be VERY hot.  Keep small children out of the kitchen.
3. Work quickly as this will begin to harden pretty soon after you pour it.

Here’s how you do it.

1. Melt the butter over very low heat in a heavy saucepan.  Do not let it boil.
2. Add the sugar.  Boil over medium heat, stirring frequently, until candy thermometer registers 260 F.
3. Add almonds and continue to cook, stirring constantly.  Mixture will be very thick.  The candy will become a dark caramel color.
4. When the thermometer reaches 295 F, pour the candy into your lightly greased jelly roll pan. Work quickly. Spread the candy thin with the back of a spoon.  Candy should just about fill the pan.  You can also tilt the pan to let gravity spread the candy.  The pan will be HOT so wear oven mitts.
5. Spread the chocolate chips evenly on top of the candy.  Wait a couple of minutes and let them melt.  Spread evenly across the surface of the candy.  I use a small off-set spatula to do this.
6. Sprinkle with the pecans or walnuts while the chocolate is still melted.
7. Allow to harden for several hours.  I put mine in the fridge for about an hour.
8. Break into pieces.
9. Prepare to go into chocolate, sugar heaven!

Princess Tips

• Once you add the sugar and nuts, it will boil pretty vigorously.  Keep stirring.
• You don’t want it to burn.  Sugar can go from cooked to burned very quickly.  Watch your thermometer closely.
• I store this in the refrigerator once it’s made.  I have to hide it from my husband though, he goes crazy over Chocolate Almond Butter Crunch!  I break it up into lovely little pieces and keep it in a tupperware.  Then it’s ready to be put in cute little boxes for gifts.
• The recipe can easily double.  Use a bigger pot to cook it in and use about 2 tablespoons less butter than 3 cups.
• If there is melted butter that didn’t incorporate, just soak it up with a paper towel.
• Don’t eat it all yourself although you’ll be tempted to.  Share with the ones you love!