Homemade Chocolate Peanut Clusters are a delicious and easy treat to have on hand whenever you’re craving something sweet. These chocolate covered peanuts are a simple recipe are made with semi-sweet chocolate chips and roasted peanuts in less than 15 minutes.
Love easy no-bake desserts? You may also want to make these homemade easy oreo balls, these cream cheese mints, and these peanut butter bars. They all use simple ingredients for more homemade candy for the holiday season.
Table of contents
Peanut Cluster Recipe
Homemade candies are really fun to make and are a perfect sweet treat for holiday parties and exchanges. Anyone who loves chocolate and peanut butter will love the crunchy peanuts paired with sweet chocolate. They are also wonderful to pack in a gift bag with a pretty ribbon as holiday gifts for neighbors, friends and co-workers.
I decided at the last minute to kick it up a notch and add raisins and a sprinkle of coarse salt on top of mine. It’s completely optional but really good as well!
Ingredients/shopping list
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – I do recommend using quality chocolate as it is going to offer the stand out flavor of the peanut clusters. But you can use dark chocolate chips or bars, milk chocolate chips or chocolate almond bark
Roasted Peanuts – You can use salted peanuts or unsalted peanuts. The choice is yours.
Vanilla – Reach for vanilla extract to help enhance the flavor of the chocolate.
Coarse Salt – Add a sprinkle of coarse salt to help bring out all the flavor of the nuts and chocolate. You can leave this out if you’d like.
Raisins – These are optional as well but wonderful if you enjoy the chewy flavor of raisins.
Variations/ Substitutions
1. Swap the chocolate with white almond bark or white chocolate chips for a white chocolate peanut clusters recipe.
2. Add colorful sprinkles with holiday colors once you place your clusters on the parchment paper.
3. Use half semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips, or a blend.
4. Add in ½ cup butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips or toffee bits for a twist of flavor.
5. Add in any kind of nuts like macadamia nuts, Spanish peanuts, etc.
6. Add in ½ cup pf crushed pretzels or rice krispies cereal.
7. Swap the vanilla extract for mint extract.
How to Make These Easy Peanut Clusters
Step 1: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Then set it aside
Step 2: Melt the chocolate chips using a double boiler or in the microwave. I share directions on how to do both below in the recipe card.
Step 3 – Then add the peanuts into the melted chocolate (and raisins if using), and stir to coat.
Step 4: Use a cookie scoop to scoop out and place the clusters on the lined baking sheet.
Step 5: After scooping, place the tray in the refrigerator for an hour to let them set completely.
Tips
- Add in a tablespoon of coconut oil or canola oil to give them a little more shine.
- Add the ingredients into a crock pot and melt it on low heat for around 2 hours until the mixture has melted.
- This is an easy recipe and you are welcome to make a double recipe.
- A cookie scoop is key that way you get evenly shape peanut candy.
- Place some waxed paper in the bottom of a cookie tin if you are going to gift to keep them from sticking.
FAQ’s
Store the clusters in an airtight container at room temperature for a week. Just use parchment or wax paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together.
You are welcome to freeze any leftover peanut clusters that you do not plan to eat right away. They will freeze for 3-4 months easily. Place them in freezer bags or freezer containers. Thaw on the counter for about an hour and then enjoy.
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Chocolate Peanut Clusters
Ingredients
- 16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 6 ounces roasted peanuts salted or non-salted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 6 ounces raisins
- ½ Teaspoon coarse salt optional topping
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper.
Melting the chocolate.
- Double boiler method:
- In a double boiler pot (or place a medium glass bowl in a large pot filled with just enough water so the bowl with chocolate chips starts to float slightly.) Add the chocolate chips to the top pot or bowl.16 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Heat uncovered over medium heat until the chocolate chips have completely melted, stirring often. Be very careful not to let any water droplets get into the chocolate or it will seize and harden.
- Microwave method:
- Add the chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Then remove and stir. Repeat for 2 more 30-second intervals, stirring the chocolate between each interval. Again, be very careful not to over heat the chocolate. The chocolate will continue melting as you stir it after removing from the microwave as the bowl usually is still warm.
- Once the chocolate is completely melted, add the peanuts, vanilla extract, salt, and raisins, if using.6 ounces roasted peanuts, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 6 ounces raisins
- Stir well until thoroughly mixed and all of the peanuts and raisins are covered with chocolate.
- Scoop 1 ½ – 2 tablespoons at a time and place onto the prepared cookie sheet.
- Then place they sheet the refrigerator for 1 hour or 15 minutes in the freezer until firm.½ Teaspoon coarse salt
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
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Suzanne
What would happen if I mixed a little milk or heavy cream in with semi sweet chocolate chips before melting the chips?
Sherri
It may not set well unfortunately. 🙂