Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters
3 ingredients for the perfect classic crockpot chocolate peanut cluster. Great for the holidays, these sweet and salty FOOL PROOF candies are the easiest edible gift this Christmas. Make ahead, this peanut cluster is the best chocolate treat- and because of the simple slow cooker melt, is nearly a hands off dessert.
Servings: 24 peanut clusters
Calories: 184kcal
Ingredients
- 16 oz. dry roasted peanuts
- 3 cups chocolate chips
- holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Add dry roasted peanuts and chocolate chips to a slow cooker and place cover on top. Heat on low for 30 minutes.
- Stir the chocolate mixture and cover and heat for an additional 30 minutes. (Check at 20 minutes just to be sure).
- Stir well to evenly coat chocolate and peanuts.
- Place wax paper or parchment paper onto baking sheets and use a 2 tablespoon portion scoop to scoop candy onto baking sheets.
- Sprinkle clusters with jimmies while chocolate is hot.
- Let stand to harden, or place in fridge or freezer to cool and harden chocolate quickly.
Notes
Should I use salted or unsalted peanuts?
For this recipe, I suggest using dry roasted salted peanuts. Dry roasted is a must because any extra moisture in the nut can affect the chocolate coating. Having that saltiness is one of the best things about these clusters, as it is a nice contrast to the sweetness of the chocolate. I've also made these with unsalted peanuts; sprinkle coarse sea salt over the clusters at the same time you add the sprinkles.
Storing Chocolate Peanut Clusters
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for a month, or at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze your clusters, and thaw in the fridge.
Expert Recipe Tips
- You can use an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop to measure out the clusters onto the wax paper.
- Watch your heat! The only thing that can go wrong with this recipe is the heat. Make sure your crockpot is on low and that you are stirring the chocolate every so often to ensure it doesn’t burn.
- Whatever style of chip you decide to use, whether it be white, dark, semi-sweet, or something else, better quality chocolate will taste much better in this recipe. I really like using a good brand of chocolate like Ghirardelli, Trader Joe’s, or Bakers.
- If you don’t have a crockpot or it’s in use already, you can make Chocolate Peanut Clusters using the stovetop. Melt chocolate by placing a small bowl over the top of a pan of boiling water. Stir continuously for several minutes until chocolate is melted, then pour over nuts and mix well.
- Make sure to add sprinkles while the chocolate is still hot so that they will stick.
- Skip the colored sprinkles and instead add an optional sea salt sprinkle for sweet and salty holiday gifts.
Nutrition
Serving: 2clusters | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg