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This easy crockpot peanut cluster has only 4 ingredients! Just throw everything in the crockpot or slow cooker and you are done.
Featured with this recipe
- Easy Crockpot Peanut Cluster Ingredients
- How to Make Peanut Clusters in the Crockpot
- Peanut Cluster Cooked in the Microwave
- Try These Substitutions
- Tips for the Best Crock Pot Peanut Clusters
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storing Perfect Peanut Clusters
- More of Our Favorite Christmas Treats
- How to make Crockpot Peanut Clusters
- Crockpot Peanut Clusters Recipe
Make the best Christmas treat this year using this crockpot peanut cluster recipe! It is so simple to make and to prepare. The crockpot does all the work and the results are perfect every time! It is definitely a family favorite! It is the perfect combination of chocolate combined with crunchy, salty peanuts. These easy crockpot peanut clusters will delight anyone on your Christmas list!
Crockpot peanut clusters make a great treat to pass around to friends and neighbors at Christmas time. They have a creamy, gourmet taste. You can refrigerate these in an air-tight container or even freeze them. I like them best at room temperature because they are soft and creamy.
Easy Crockpot Peanut Cluster Ingredients
Get ready to make a delicious treat that everyone loves in minutes! You only need the baking aisle at the grocery store to pick up all your ingredients and have them ready to dump in the crockpot. This sweet and salty treat your friends and family will be raving about!
- Chocolate chips – You will need white chocolate chips and semisweet chocolate chips. They will melt together in the crockpot.
- Almond bark – White chocolate almond bark gives a sweeter taste to the clusters. This white almond bark will have a smooth and creamy texture over the peanuts.
- Peanuts – Lightly salted peanuts that are dry are best. The chocolate will stick better to the dry roasted peanuts rather than an oily type.
How to Make Peanut Clusters in the Crockpot
Making crockpot peanut clusters is a simple task and tastes so good when melted together. The slow cooker will do all the work. Once it is ready place on the baking sheet with wax paper and enjoy this easy candy recipe. Get ready to share these clusters for the holiday season!
- Combine – Combine all ingredients in a large crockpot. Stir together.
- Slow cook – Cook on LOW heat for 1 hour, stirring once halfway through.
- Scoop – Using a spoon or cookie scoop, scoop clumps of peanut mixture onto parchment paper and allow to cool to room temperature. You may refrigerate or freeze them. Be sure to serve at room temperature for the best texture.
- Topping – This is optional to melt white chocolate almond bark and drizzle over the top of the set clusters.
Peanut Cluster Cooked in the Microwave
If you need these peanut clusters quickly, you can make them in the microwave. Place all the ingredients except the peanuts in a large microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30-second intervals. When you melt chocolate, you want to make sure not to overheat it. If you heat the chocolate too much, then it will get clumpy.
Stir the mixture well after each interval and stop when the chocolate is smooth and all the pieces are melted. Pour melted chocolate over the peanuts and follow the rest of the recipe as written.
Try These Substitutions
Create a few different variations for these crockpot peanut clusters. The possibilities are endless!
- Nuts – If you aren’t a fan of peanuts, don’t worry. These beautiful, festive treats can be made with almonds or cashews in place – or in addition to — peanuts. And while we’re branching out, consider walnuts, pecans, and macadamia nuts.
- Chocolate – You can also change up the chocolate chips! Try milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or even butterscotch chips.
- Fruit – For those who love the flavor of fruit in their chocolate, add some dried cherries, Craisins, raisins, or other dried fruit to the mix.
- Marshmallows – If you added marshmallows to your peanut clusters, well I think you can see what Rocky Road we’re heading down.
Tips for the Best Crock Pot Peanut Clusters
We love making these crockpot candy peanut clusters! This simple dessert idea has minimum ingredients and work. Use these helpful tips to make this crockpot candy recipe even easier!
- Liner – Use a slow cooker liner to help with clean up. It also helps prevent the chocolate from sticking to the sides.
- Stirring – Throughout the day stir the slow cooker ingredients together to coat the peanuts and have even distribution.
- Size matters – Try making the peanut clusters all the same sizes to give a more professional and appealing look.
- Low and slow – Chocolate can not be heated up quickly. It is a low and slow process that will have a better outcome and won’t clump up in the slow cooker or microwave.
- Baking sheet – A lined baking sheet helps with clean up and not sticking to the pan.
- Ingredients quality – Use high-quality chocolate ingredients for best results.
- Cupcake liners – Give this crockpot chocolate peanut clusters recipe the perfect shape by placing them in cupcake liners. Each cluster is in the same shape and form.
- Toppings – Drizzle melted white chocolate over top the peanut clusters or add holiday sprinkles to the top.
- Gifts – Share the love with your friends, family, and neighbors by giving an edible gift this holiday season. It is the easiest candy recipe that comes together quickly and can be plated so pretty.
“I make these clusters every year for friends and family! The best and so easy made in my slow cooker!”
-Anna
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Customize your crockpot peanut clusters with the type of nut that you prefer or make several different variations!
It depends on how big the clusters are but they usually take a few hours to cool and harden. If you need to speed up the process you can place the baking sheet in the fridge.
Almond bark is a type of chocolate that is sugar-coated and has the same flavor as white chocolate but is an imitation. White chocolate is a little more expensive because it contains cocoa butter. Either of these chocolates will work for this recipe.
For sure! We have a couple of ways you can make them without a crockpot. You can melt the ingredients using a double boiler or in the microwave. The crockpot allows for a more hands-off approach and allows for a slower more even process.
Storing Perfect Peanut Clusters
Store the peanut clusters in an airtight container with a lid at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If you need to layer or stack the clusters, use parchment paper between the layers. These also freeze well! Make these ahead of time or double your batch to start preparing for the holidays. Store the clusters in an airtight freezer bag that can be stored in the freezer for a long period. When ready to enjoy, let thaw in the refrigerator.
More of Our Favorite Christmas Treats
Once you have made these peanut clusters, try some of our other favorite treats!
How to make Crockpot Peanut Clusters
Crockpot Peanut Clusters
Video
Equipment
- Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 12 ounces white chocolate chips
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 pound white chocolate almond bark or 8 2-oz. cubes, plus more if you want the white chocolate drizzle on top
- 2 pounds peanuts (lightly salted)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a large crockpot.
- Cook on LOW heat for 1 hour, stirring once halfway through.
- Using a spoon or cookie scoop, scoop clumps of peanut mixture onto parchment paper and allow to cool to room temperature. You may refrigerate or freeze them. Be sure to serve at room temperature for the best texture.
- Optional: Melt white chocolate almond bark and drizzle over the top of the set clusters.
How much butter? Was shown with butter in the video but not in the written instructions.
It’s not butter in the video, it is white chocolate almond bark cut into cubes. It does look like butter though. 🙂
Do you think you could use unsalted mix nuts?
Yes, you can! They will still taste great.
Could you make these with Rice Krispies added? Sort of like a Nestles Crunch bar.
You can, but I would add the Rice Krispies at the end right before you make the clusters on wax paper. If you put them in at the beginning, they will get soggy.
I make these clusters every year for friends and family! The best and so easy made in my slow cooker!
This looks so delicious and scrumptious! I can’t wait to give this a try! My husband and daughter are going to love this recipe!
This is such an easy way to make these! We do a lot of food gifts during the holidays, and I can make a TON all at once using this method.
This looks great but can it be made with sugar free choclate
I haven’t tried it that way, but let us know how it turns out if you do try it!
Yummy 😴☺☺☺☺☺
Plan on trying this soon. Now trying to figure out what varition with all these wonderful suggestions.
I’m not able to find white chocolate almond bark, will Vanilla CandiQuick work? Thanks, Karen
I’ve never used CandiQuik, but it is advertised as a candy coating like almond bark so I think it should work just fine. Thanks for asking!
could mini marsmellows also be added?
Yes, but stir them in just before you make the clusters so they don’t melt. Great idea!
I have made this once already and LOVED it. Question: can I double this recipe?
Absolutely! You just need a crock pot that is big enough to hold it all. Hope this helps!
Can this be done with dried cherries and almonds?
Absolutely! Dried cherries and almonds will be delicious!
These are awesome. Can someone tell me how to freeze them please?
They are super easy to freeze. Just allow to harden and throw them in an air-tight container with wax paper between the layers. 🙂
Can you use chocolate melts instead of chocolate chips?
I haven’t done it that way but I am sure they would be fine
Eo you let them cool before you drizzle the melted white chocolate chips? Thanks, Aly
Yes, I just let them harden a little.. it doesn’t take very long for them to cool
Is there a dark chocolate variation for this?
Of course, you can use dark chocolate chips instead of the semi-sweet and that should do it! If you want it REALLY dark you can use dark chocolate bark as well.
I’m making this right now for a cookie/candy exchange tomorrow. Super excited because this looks amazing!!
My slow cooker tends to run a little hot, and I am worried about this mixture burning or seizing up. Could this be made in a double boiler or a microwave instead?
Yes, a double boiler would work
Can you use a bit of baking wax to harden the chocolate instead of the almond bark?
We have never tried it that way.. if you try it let us know how it turns out!
Today I tied this recipe using about a 1/4 of a block of Gulf Wax instead of the almond bark and it turned out great! I love this recipe. It’s a huge hit with my family. Thank you so much.
what can you substitute for the
1 Lb. white chocolate almond bark (or 8 2-oz. cubes)
Choc chips and peanuts easy to find where do we get the 1 Lb. white chocolate almond bark (or 8 2-oz. cubes)
THANKS
You can usually find the white almond bark in the grocery store in the baking isle. You could try using white chocolate chips but I don’t think it will quite set up the same. The bark helps it harden up just right…
I just use the plain White Chocolate Dipping Bark (cubes).
Could you switch out the nuts (for like pecans or walnuts)?
YES! My boss made these with cashews added. YUM!