Homemade Clodhoppers: An accurate replica recipe for a Canadian Favourite. Includes info to make all of the variations that came out for them!
Originally posted December 12, 2011. Updated 12/5/2020
Here's another one of those recipes that is so minimalist in both ingredients and preparation, I'm a little embarrassed to post it.
Much like my Honey Dill Dipping Sauce Recipe, it may be simple and easy, but it's a delicious hometown memory for me.
I always enjoy exposing people to "new" ideas - even if only new to them!
What are Clodhoppers?
These are a very well known candy back home in Canada. One Winnipegger wanted to market his grandmother's candy, got together with a childhood friend of his, and got to work.
Within a few years, the candy was selling all over Canada.
The candy is apparently no longer made in Winnipeg, having been sold to a company on the West Coast - and I've since become allergic to gluten, rendering these treats toxic to me - but I'll never forget em. Super, super addictive stuff.
Was thinking of them, the other day. I've never seen them here in the USA, so I decided to create a homemade recipe for my husband. The proportions turned out beautifully!
How to Make Clodhoppers Candy
This recipe has only 3 simple ingredients - white chocolate, cashews, and graham crackers - and they whip up in no time.
Have bowls of this out at holiday parties, or package them up for a hostess gift, stocking stuffer, or "Thank you" that your friends and family will love!
Clodhoppers Ingredients
This recipe only has 3 ingredients, so it’s super simple to make. With so few ingredients, though, it’s important to pay attention to them!
Graham Crackers
To get the right amount of graham chunks - and you want chunks, not “crumbs” - you’ll want to smash up about a sleeve worth of graham crackers, into bite sized pieces.
When making this batch to photograph, I I measured out chunks AND the fine particles, which makes them look as shown in these pics.
For a “prettier” candy, don’t include the fine particles in your measurement.
Cashew Pieces
This may be a matter of taste, but I recommend making sure your cashews aren’t too big or too small.
Whole or half cashews would be too big, in my humble opinion.
“Chopped” cashews may be too small, depending on the brand.
I usually buy “cashew pieces”, which tend to average about ½ the size of a cashew half. I find this to be about perfect.
If you can’t find cashew pieces, you can rough chop whole or half cashews... just don’t go too wild with it!
White Chocolate Chips
The white chocolate chips coat everything and hold it all together, so it contributes a big chunk of the flavour here.
So - don’t cheap out on your white chocolate chips, if at all possible!
I generally pay the buck or two more and get the nicer brand name chips in stores.
You don’t need to go all the way to a Callebaut or anything, but something like a Ghirardelli will definitely make a difference over Hershey’s.
Just please, whatever you do... don’t use “candy melts” instead of white chocolate chips!
Technique
Before really getting started, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
This will make the whole thing easier, cleaner, and resulting in a nicer yield. (You won’t lose any candy to being stuck on your work surface!)
You also don’t want to be fussing with the parchment paper as your candy is setting up in the bowl. Things go quickly once the chocolate is melted, so be prepared!
I like to melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. I’ll go 30-45 seconds for the first blast, then stir it well and see where it is.
Stopping before it’s FULLY melted goes a long way to preventing scorching. You can’t rescue burnt chocolate, so best to avoid it!
Once the chocolate is melted, you just stir in the graham cracker bits and cashew pieces, and spread the mixture out on your prepared pan.
You can let it set up at room temperature, but I generally don’t have the patience for it. Into the fridge it goes!
Once it’s all set up, break it up into smaller pieces if necessary, and store in an airtight container - a tub or bags.
Then enjoy!
Clodhoppers Variations
This recipe is an accurate replica of the original candy put out... but they eventually put out other flavours, as well!
Here are some ways that you can customize this recipe to your tastes.
Gluten-Free Clodhoppers
Swap out the graham crackers for a gluten-free variety.
Because commercially available graham crackers don't tend to actually taste like graham crackers, I highly recommend using my recipe for Gluten-Free Graham Crackers.
Change out the Chocolate
Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and peanut butter were later variations, and they’re easy to make - just swap out the white chips for the same amount of either milk, dark chocolate, or peanut butter chips.
Same advice about using a nice brand of chocolate chips applies here, too!
The Cookie Variation
Swap out the cashews for an equal measurement of crushed up Oreo cookies.
If you want to be accurate, use milk chocolate for this version.... but really, this will work with any flavour of chocolate or peanut butter chips.
Homemade OMGs
OMGs were a later candy put out by the same company, sold off, and - I think? - discontinued. Very similar, though.
For these, omit the cashews. Add ½ cup chopped almonds and ½ cup toffee bits - you can usually buy these in the same section as chocolate chips.
For authenticity, these came in either white chocolate or milk chocolate varieties.
Pretzel OMGs
Referring to my base recipe, not the OMGs variation above:
Omit the cashews and graham crackers, use 3 cups of chopped up pretzels instead.
Use peanut butter chips instead of white chocolate chips.
After the candy is spread out on your pan, melt some milk chocolate chips and drizzle it over everything.
This recipe - with a different name, anyway! - is one of many fantastic Canadian recipes in my cookbook, "More Than Poutine: Favourite Foods from my Home and Native Land”. "More than Poutine" is a Canadian cookbook like no other - written by a Canadian living away, it includes both traditional home cooking recipes, as well as accurate homemade versions of many of the snacks, sauces, convenience foods, and other food items that are hard to come by outside of Canada! Order your copy here on this site, through Amazon, or through any major bookseller!
More Canadian Comfort Food!
Whether you’re a Canadian in the US or not, we could all use some comfort food these days. Here are some Canadian Favourites!
Back Bacon / Canadian Bacon
Beep
Canadian Popcorn Seasoning Recipes
Confetti Bars
Dill Pickle Dip
Doughnut Holes - Timbits!
French Canadian Pea Soup
Halifax Meat Paste Egg Rolls
Homemade Deep N Delicious Cake
Homemade Wunderbars
How to Make Peameal Bacon and Back Bacon
Maple Butter Tarts
Montreal Bagels
Persians
Poutine, My Way!
Puffed Wheat Squares
Replica Swiss Chalet Sauce
Tiger Tail Ice Cream
Looking for even more Canadian recipes? Check out our full Canadian Recipes list!
Share the Love!
Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you instagram it, be sure to tag me - @CelebrationGenerationCA - or post it to My Facebook Page - so I can cheer you on!
Also, be sure to subscribe to my free monthly email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense.
Well, the published nonsense, anyway!
Anyway, on to that recipe!
Homemade Clodhoppers
Ingredients
- 2 cups Smashed Graham Crackers
- 1 Cup Salted Cashew Pieces
- 11-12 oz Bag of Good White Chocolate Chips
Instructions
- Prepare a baking sheet or other flat surface with a large piece of parchment paper.
- Smash up about a sleeve worth of graham crackers, into bite sized pieces. Measure two cups of the graham bits into a large bowl. I measured out chunks AND the fine particles, which makes the Clodhoppers as shown. For a “prettier” candy, don’t include the fine particles in your measurement. Add cashews, stir lightly to distribute.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips – I usually do 45 second increments, stirring in between each.
- When chocolate is fully melted, pour over graham/cashew mixture, stir well to coat everything. Turn mixture out onto parchment paper, spreading mixture out to form bite sized chunks.
- Cool until set, store in airtight bags / containers.
Nutrition
More Recipes that Remind me of Gramma
Since originally writing this post, my gramma has sadly passed... but her memory lives on.
Here are a few recipes that remind me of her, whether as something she taught me to make, a replica of a retail treat we used to enjoy together, or one of my own recipes that she would request whenever I’d visit, as an adult.
Gramma's Perogies Recipe
Homemade Marshmallow Cones
Puffed Wheat Squares
Honey Dill Dipping Sauce
Paska - Ukrainian Easter Bread
Baking Powder Biscuits
Grandma's Potato Salad
Easy Butterfly Cupcakes
Breakfast of Champions
French Canadian Pea Soup
Beep Drink Recipe
Sponge Toffee
Hiyasmin
Hi Marie! I'm from Winnipeg and I used to buy clodhoppers all the time. Thanks for your homemade version. The founders of Clophoppers, Chris and Larry, now have a new candy on the market, made in Winnipeg again. It's called OMG's and it's made with graham crackers, almonds and toffee bits covered in either dark or milk chocolate. Very yummy! If you're ever in Winnipeg, pick up a bag for your family!
Nathalie
Hi Marie,
Thank you for this post! I have been craving Clodhoppers for months now and can't find any in Montreal. It's just one of those nostalgic treats that can't be substituted for anything else. I have tried OMG's and while they are good... they are not clodhoppers. Can't wait to try your recipe. 🙂
Marie Porter
Hi Nathalie,
What are OMGs?
You'll have to let me know what you think of my Clodhopper recipe - depending on the white chocolate you use, it can be *bang on*!
Carley
Hi, I have a little problem with mine. I’ve used dairy free white chocolate Chips and they ended up crumbly since I put them in the oven to set. Is there any way to fix this to make them smooth enough to set right?
Thanks
Marie Porter
I'm not sure when it comes to the dairy free chocolate chips, but for normal chocolate chips... putting them in the oven probably burnt/seized it. If that's the case, there's not really anything you can do to fix it, and should start over.
These set at room temperature or in the fridge - they need to cool, not cook!
Maurice Poirier
Can these be made with peanuts?
Marie Porter
Yes, it'll just have a different flavour profile.
Christy
Thank you for your recipe!
OMG's are essentially the new Clodhoppers made by the old Clodhoppers guys with chocolatey graham clusters with almonds and toffee bits! They are awesome, you must pick up a package or two when you're back in Canada (I've seen them in loblaws, metro, shoppers, pretty much anywhere in Canada)!
betty
Hi Marie, ladies. I love OMG's but they are all but cost prohibitive. However, they do sell them in the U.S. I found both flavors at Walmart but couldn't find them on the cookie aisle today. I forgot which section they were in before, so they have may have been in the candy area.
I read they were formerly called Clodhoppers, but I see on here the ingredients are a bit different. I'm looking forward to trying your recipe --- with walnuts.
Janine
How long will they store for? Should you freeze them?
Marie Porter
Probably a few weeks? I don't know, they're always gone long before they can go bad.
Jill Willoughby
You can buy Clodhoppers in the Bulk Barn. They are delicious.
Liz
only thing wrong with this recipe is that it says it serves 10... i think i have it in me to finish it all by myself :))
Len
Hi, Sorry but this a the simplest version I've seen. A little boring actually. I like a mixture of sweet, crunchy, salty, nutty and chocolate flavors. Add some toffee, peanut butter you need to Jazz up your recipe. Please try adding some of the other ingredients you mentioned.
Marie Porter
This may be "simple", but it's an accurate replica of the source material.
Feel free to add whatever you'd like, if you're not looking to make Clodhoppers as they were originally sold.