Crockpot Peanut Clusters are the perfect way to give your oven a break during all the holiday baking. This easy crockpot candy is made right in the slow cooker and is perfect for gift giving or on a dessert tray!
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Homemade candy is one of my favorite things to make for the holidays. With all the Christmas cookies being baked, it is nice to add some no-bake treats to the menu. These crockpot dark chocolate peanut clusters are incredibly good and dangerously easy!
With only four ingredients (plus sprinkles!), they whip up in no time.
Added to homemade hard candy, crockpot salted caramel fudge, peanut butter fudge, and candied almonds, these treats are perfect to bag up and gift to family, friends, and neighbors.
INGREDIENTS
PEANUTS – You’ll want to use a roasted peanut. Other nuts will work too – almonds, cashews, etc.
CHOCOLATE CHIPS – You’ll want to use a good quality chocolate chip here. I use Ghirardelli semi-sweet.
GERMAN CHOCOLATE BAR – German chocolate is a dark chocolate baking bar. It is sweeter than semi-sweet and good for balance.
ALMOND BARK – I used dark chocolate almond bark. You can use white chocolate as well.
SPRINKLES AND/OR COARSE SALT – Though optional, I like to finish my chocolates off with either sprinkles or a coarse salt flake.
TOOLS FOUND ON AMAZON TO HELP YOU
- Crockpot – Melting the chocolate in the slow cooker makes this process super simple.
- Cookie Scoop – I use a medium cookie scoop (1.5 Tb) to portion out the chocolates and it works beautifully.
- Baking Sheets – I like to have lipped baking sheets so nothing slides off the edge.
- Sprinkles! – Colorful Christmas sprinkles are optional but encouraged.
HOW TO MAKE CROCKPOT PEANUT CLUSTERS
They’re so easy to make. You ready?
STEP ONE: Spread the peanuts into the bottom of the slow cooker.
STEP TWO: Layer the chocolate over the top.
STEP THREE: Cover and cook on low for 1.5-2 hours. Give it a stir to make sure it’s fully melted.
STEP FOUR: Use a cookie scoop to portion out the peanut clusters onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper. As you scoop, sprinkle on colorful sprinkles or coarse salt.
STEP FIVE: Let the chocolates set and harden for approximately 30 minutes.
THAT’S IT! And I honestly stretched that process out. It’s really only a couple simple steps.
WHAT CAN I SUBSTITUTE FOR A GERMAN CHOCOLATE BAR
If for some reason you can’t find a German chocolate bar, you can sub more semi-sweet chocolate chips OR for every ounce, substitute one tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa, one tablespoon plus one teaspoon of granulated sugar and one teaspoon of vegetable shortening.
WHAT IS ALMOND BARK?
Quite the conundrum, almond bark is not made from almonds….or bark. It is a “chocolate-like confection” that is sometimes called candy coating or candiquik. I opt for the dark chocolate version in my peanut clusters, but you can also use “”white” or “vanilla”.
The beauty of it is it melts wonderfully. The ingredients include sugar and palm oil instead of cocoa butter so it doesn’t seize up like chocolate can.
WHAT OTHER NUTS CAN I USE?
If you don’t want to use peanuts, you can use cashews or almonds or whatever other nuts you like – you can even blend them. Just opt for roasted and not raw. You could also throw in some pretzels, dried fruits…
CAN I DOUBLE IT?
As written, this recipe, using a medium cookie scoop to portion it out, makes 30 peanut clusters. You can easily double it in a 6qt crockpot to make twice as many.
HOW TO STORE THEM
Store these chocolates in an airtight container and they’ll stay fresh for a long time making them perfect as a make-ahead treat, but they don’t last long in my house!
NEED MORE HOMEMADE CANDY RECIPES? TRY THESE:
Peanut Butter Balls (“Buckeyes”)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Saltine Toffee (“Christmas Crack”)
Chocolate Cranberry Clusters
Nutter Butter Balls
Christmas Oreo Bon Bons
Click to view my entire collection of Christmas recipes.
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Crockpot Peanut Clusters
Ingredients
- 16 oz roasted peanuts
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 oz German chocolate bars
- 16 oz dark chocolate almond bark
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Lay peanuts into the bottom of a 6qt slow cooker. Layer chocolate chips, German chocolate, and almond bark on top.
- Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 1.5-2 hours. Stir after 1.5 hours to see if fully melted.
- Line lipped baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper. Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out the chocolate clusters onto the prepared cookie sheets. Top with sprinkles or coarse salt.
- Let chocolates set and harden for approximately 30 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container.
Would this same method work with other types of nuts too I wonder?
Yep 🙂 I mention it in the text but any roasted nut will work well.
Doyou use salted or unsalted peanuts?
Whichever you prefer. I use unsalted.