FOOL PROOF Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters are not only crazy delicious but are SO easy for the ideal make ahead, stress free holiday gifts or dessert!
Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters are easier than you think! I’ve included special tips and tricks and detailed instructions on how to make these Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters so your peanut clusters will be a decadently delicious success every time!
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Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters Video
Chocolate Peanut Clusters
Happy December! While it’s still paddleboard weather here in Carlsbad during the day – it’s sock weather at night. That’s how I know it’s December 🙂 I also know it’s December by all the goodies in my Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram feed – talk about treats galore! But even with all the fancy sweets and treats in my feed and on my “to make list,” I knew these simply satisfying Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters were at the top of my “to make” list this year.
As a little girl, Chocolate Peanut Clusters were my “special treat” I always picked out and have long been on my bucket list of “to make” recipes. And this recipe did not disappoint! They are easy, delicious and make a ton. I especially wanted to make these Chocolate Peanut Clusters in time for the holidays because I LOVE an easy gift and holiday dessert.
For as long as I can remember, I have always made goodie plates for neighbors and friends at Christmas time. And while it is a fun tradition, rolling and baking that many cookies is a LOT. of. work. I finally got smart and decided I would only make goodies that can be poured into a pan – Snickerdoodle Cooke Bars, Red Velvet Swirl Brownies, Butterscotch Coconut Blondies, Chocolate Toffee, Poke Turtle Brownies. These have become my go-to holiday desserts because they are dump, bake and slice. Last year I made 7 batches of toffee and it was painless and this year it’s all about these Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters!
There are a lot of Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Cluster recipes out there, but this recipe is fool proof! So let’s get started!
What Ingredients do I need for Chocolate peanut Clusters?
- Nonstick Cooking spray: This gives our chocolate a layer of protection from easily scorching.
- White Almond Bark: Almond bark is located with the rest of the chocolate at your grocery store. It contains sugar, milk powder, vanilla and usually palm oil instead of cocoa butter. The palm oil is hydrogenated to make it more solid at room temperature. Almond bark is developed specifically to melt beautifully and not easily seize or burn. Other chocolates can be temperamental to work with and burn, and turn hard and grainy quite easily. When we combine almond bark with our other chocolate, we have a winning combination.
- Chocolate Chips: Your chocolate chips will melt better and taste better if you use quality chocolate; I prefer Ghirardelli . Semi-sweet chocolate is technically dark chocolate but if you prefer darker chocolate, use bittersweet chocolate chips – it is totally up to you!
- Salted Dry Roasted Peanuts: the roasted peanuts add a wonderful dimension of flavor to the Chocolate Peanut Clusters as opposed to using all cocktail peanuts.
- Cocktail peanuts: the cocktail peanuts round out the salted dry roasted peanuts.
- Sea Salt: the sea salt to balances the sweetness of the chocolate.
- Sprinkles. If you want more festive Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters the you can add sprinkles to the clusters after they are formed but before they harden.
How to Make Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters
- Use nonstick cooking spray. First, we spray the inside of our slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Use enough white almond bark. Next, we add our white almond bark. I’ve read many recipe reviews of other Chocolate Peanut Cluster recipes complaining that their chocolate did not solidify. This is caused by the ratio of almond bark to chocolate being too low. You need enough almond bark to ensure ensure your Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters harden.
- Add chocolate. We add 12 oz. quality semi sweet chocolate chips or dark/bittersweet chocolate chips to our almond bark.
- Cover the top of the slow cooker with a kitchen towel or paper towels before adding the lid. This step is crucial as it will catch condensation that can drip onto the chocolate when you lift the lid to stir which will cause the chocolate to seize.
- Cook on LOW and stir often. Melt chocolate on LOW for 1 ½-2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes, until completely melted. Every single crockpot is different, so make sure you are paying attention to your chocolate.
- Temper the chocolate. The chocolate we are adding to our slow cooker is already tempered, meaning it has undergone a process which increases shine and durability. When we melt it, however, it loses its temper because the crystal structure breaks down above 90°F. Untempered chocolate when cooled can develop white streaks and a crumbly texture and can stay soft at room temperature.
- To bring our chocolate back into temper is super simple, all we have to do is add tempered chocolate to our untempered chocolate! We do this by adding our German chocolate bar after out chocolate is already melted and stir and stir until it is completely melted. Now, our tempered chocolate will harden quickly, lose some of it shine as it dries but maintain an even color and not become streaky, will snap cleanly and not become crumbly.
- Add the peanuts after the chocolate is melted. Many recipes add the peanuts with the melting chocolate but this is completely unnecessary and can cause the peanuts to scorch, especially if they are dry roasted. We add our peanuts once the chocolate is completely melted and then stir until evenly coated.
- Use parchment paper or mini cupcake liners for easy dropping and cleanup. All that’s left is to line your counter with a very long row of parchment paper OR if gift giving, line with mini cupcake liners. Drop peanuts by the tablespoon (or whatever size you prefer) onto parchment/liners.
- Sprinkle with sea salt. I like to sprinkle my Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters with sea salt to balance the sweetness but that is optional. If you are sprinkling with sea salt, be sure to not wait until the very end, or the first few peanut clusters will already have hardened and the salt won’t stick.
How Long Will homemade peanut clusters last?
Store in a cool place. The Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters store amazingly well and is one of the reasons they are a favorite for gift giving! You can make them and then give them when you get to it 🙂 Store the peanut clusters in a cool place, in an airtight container, with rows separated by parchment paper for up to two weeks….if they last that long…
Can you freeze peanut clusters?
Yes! Make sure Chocolate Peanut Clusters are completely solid before adding to a freezer size bag.
Thaw frozen Chocolate Peanut Cluster in refrigerator and not at room temperature, otherwise condensation will form.
Looking for more Chocolate recipes?
- Chocolate Eclair Cake
- Chocolate Fondue
- German Chocolate Cupcakes
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Easy Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes
- Chocolate Raspberry Cake
- Easy Churros with Chocolate Sauce
- 5 Minute Chocolate Ganache
Looking for more holiday dessert recipes?
- Gingerbread Brownies with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting
- Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
- Marcia’s Famous Chocolate Toffee
- Triple Chocolate Turtle Cookies
- Eggnog Cranberry Cheesecake
Want to try these Crockpot Chocolate Peanut Clusters?
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Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
- 2 lbs. white almond bark
- 12 oz. QUALITY semi-sweet chocolate chips like Ghirardelli
ADD LATER
- 4 oz. German sweet baking chocolate bar chopped (or milk chocolate)
- 16 oz. salted dry roasted peanuts
- 16 oz. cocktail peanuts
Garnish
- coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Lightly spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add almond bark followed by semi-sweet chocolate chips to slow cooker. Cover the top of the slow cooker with a kitchen towel or paper towels before adding the lid. This will catch condensation that can drip onto the chocolate when you lift the lid to stir which can cause the chocolate to seize.
- Melt chocolate on LOW for 1 1/2-2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes, until completely melted. Add German chocolate and stir until completely melted (this will temper the chocolate). Add all of the peanuts and stir until evenly coated.
- Line your counter with a long row of parchment paper OR if gift giving, line with mini cupcake liners. Drop peanuts by the tablespoon onto parchment/liners. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired but DON'T wait until all the chocolate clusters are dropped before sprinkling with sea salt or the first few will have already hardened. Allow to set completely, approximately 45-60 minutes.
- Store the chocolate peanut clusters in a cool place in an airtight container, with rows separated by parchment paper.
Video
Notes
*The semi-sweet chocolate and German Chocolate can be replace with whatever chocolate you prefer but DO NOT replace the almond bark.
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Amanda says
Do you think it would be okay to 1/2 the recipe? Would the cook time 1/2 too?
Jen says
You can certainly half the recipe but yes, the cook time would be significantly less so I would keep a close eye on it so the chocolate doesn’t burn.
Leona Buffa says
I am using this recipe for the first time. I want to get my baking done a few weeks before Christmas, including these chocolate peanut clusters. Will they last in an air tight container for a couple of weeks?
Jen says
Hi Leona, yes! Make sure to store the in an airtight container and you’re all set!
Tricia says
Can you use the chocolate bark instead of vanilla ?
Stores are out
Jen says
I Tricia, I have never seen a recipe using chocolate bark – I think the chocolate would be too strong, but you can certainly try it!
Lisa says
I have and I’ve always got rave reviews. I also only use one package of the bark and 12 oz bag semi sweet chocolate chips and a 12 oz bag of milk chocolate chips. My peanuts have scorched in the past that is why I tried this method. They came out perfect.
Barb says
Tricia … I use chocolate almond bark and white chips to make peanut clusters.
Joan says
Ref: Chocolate Peanut Clusters
I used 40oz of the almond bark in this recipe however it wasn’t near as good as the original recipe using 32oz of almond bark..Surprisingly a very weak chocolate flavor..Won’t do that again..Almond Bark stores well in a zipline bag to use next time.
*I did like your idea to put the German Chocolate bar after all other has melted.
Jen says
Yes, you definitely need the combination of almond bark and chocolate. Hope it turns out perfectly next time!
Heidi says
Would it be safe to try this in a double boiler?
Jen says
Hi Heidi, I think that would work fine but you would need a very large one!
Lori Cullen says
Great easy to follow recipe! Delicious.
Jen says
I’m so glad you thought so! Thanks!
Sheryl says
Can I use almonds instead of peanuts? If so salted, unsalted, roasted or non roasted?
Jen says
Yes! I recommend roasted salted almonds. Enjoy!
Maggie says
So excited! Made my husband help stir and drop on the parchment because he’s a choco/peanut-a-holiday and they turned out perfect!!! Thanks for the recipe!
Jen says
You’re so welcome Maggie! I’m so pleased they turned out perfectly!
Rachel Medina says
Can I use pecan halves instead of peanuts?
Jen says
Hi Rachel, it all comes down to personal preference. You can certainly use pecans if you wish, just make sure they are salted or add some salt yourself. Enjoy!
Susan says
Sweetened or Unsweetened German chocolate baking bar?
Jen says
My apologies, I’ve never seen unsweetened! You want sweetened such as Baker’s German’s Sweet Chocolate Bar with 48% cocoa.
Denise Rice says
I have made these two years in a row now and they are one of my favorite things to make and give as gifts. They are so very easy to make and your recipe is perfect. It really is foolproof and your tips and trips are so helpful. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes- thanks so much!
Jen says
You’re so welcome Denise, I love hearing these have become a holiday tradition! I hope you enjoy exploring my site and hopefully discover many new favorites!
Brandy says
Yum! I realized that I only had 1 1/2 pounds of white almond bark so had to modify my remaining ingredients to fit the recipe: 9 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 3 oz. milk chocolate bar, and 12 oz. of each of the peanuts. I couldn’t find my crockpot so used my electric pressure cooker on KEEP WARM mode instead. They were done in a jiffy. If you go this route, don’t wait 20 minutes in between stirs. Maybe 10 and it’s done in 30. Keeper recipe. Thanks!
Jen says
Thank you so much for your tips Brandy, I’m so glad that worked out!
Mairi-a says
Hi, I would like to try out this recipe…
but am not sure I can find almond bark, for us living in Europe.
Also, is there another method for the clusters,as I don’t have a slow-cooker..
Is it possible to make in a cast iron casserole dish with lid (Staub)
awaiting your suggestions.. thanks
Jen says
Hi Mairi-a, I have not experimented with chocolates other than almond bark so I can not guarantee success, but the top almond bark substitutes are white candy melts, candiquik, and white chocolate. If using white chocolate, I would add a couple tablespoons of corn syrup. You can use your cast iron casserole dish and melt the chocolate on low, stirring often until melted. Let cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the nuts. Best of luck!
Susan Albertson says
How do you print the crockpot chocolate peanut clusters recipe?
Jen says
You can use the print button at the top of the post or the print recipe within the recipe card. Enjoy!
Denise says
This review is very late but I have to tell you how much I love it!! I’ve been making these every year for Christmas gifts and just can’t believe how easy and good they are. Thank you so much for an easy and delicious recipe. Going to check out some of your other recipes ☺️
Jen says
Thank you so much Denise, I love hearing this recipe is a Christmas tradition! I hope you enjoy exploring my other recipes and hopefully discover some new favorites!
Diane says
Hi Jen, I have been wanting to make peanut clusters, and was wondering why most all peanut cluster recipes call for almond bark. Why is almond bark important in a peanut cluster recipe when almond bark is not real chocolate and is a much lower quality for eating than chocolate with cocoa butter? Also, would chocolate melting wafers work as a substitution for almond bark? I’ve just been curious as to why all peanut cluster recipes call for almond bark. Thank you so much.
Jen says
Great question! I’ve addressed this in the post 😉
Diane says
Oh, sorry; I guess I should have read the entire post before asking, lol. Thank you so much, Jen. I’m glad I know now why the almond bark is important. Thank you for your quick response. Happy Great Friday.
Jen says
Enjoy!
Angie D. says
Love this recipe! There’s never been a recipe of yours that I didn’t love!! I add some holiday sprinkles on top of mine to make them festive
Jen says
Thank you so much! And I love the sprinkles idea, such a fun touch!
Lori Cullen says
Your instructions were perfect and the nut clusters turned out great! This is a keeper – thank you!
Jen says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear it!
Jeri says
I cannot find almond bark at any grocery stores near me. BTW, I live in Carlsbad!
Jen says
Hi neighbor! Have you tried Walmart? Otherwise, you can order from Amazon here: https://amzn.to/48sXglr