Just 5 minutes, 3 ingredients, and a little time in a crock pot or on a stovetop will get you great chocolate peanut clusters for holiday giving, a cookie exchange, or the office holiday party. This will become a family tradition.
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Introduction and My Rating
It is the holiday season, and we are all rushed. Or at least you are. I’m retired now, YEA.
So I have for you a buffed up version of mone of our favorite recipe. It will take you only 5 minutes preparation time mostly spent breaking up the chocolate and almond bark. 2 hours on low in the crock pot, and a few minutes scooping. Use your two hours any way you want. I took a nap.
I will use the Food.com version as my stated inspiration reco[e; but there are many similar recipes, but all seem to vary. It is always interesting to read the comments on recipes. The comments on this one will tell the story. Everybody gave it 5 stars.
This is a very forgiving recipe. Change the nuts, add some coconut, switch out the almond bark for something else. It just always works.
My Rating
An easy 5. These are evil good.
The Chocolate
Use a good quality of chocolate chips or chunks. You can use semi-sweet, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate.
I like to add a bar of Baker chocolate. This is higher in cocoa butter and will add more flavor to make up for using the candy melts or almond bark (which help in the hardness.)
The amount of chocolate can vary. By weight, the total amount of chocolate should be about ¾ of the amount of almond bark (or candy melts). You can use as little as half the amount or up to an equal amount.
Candy Melts/Almond Bark
Candy melts and similar things are like almond bark and are basically the same or close enough. You can use the same weight of either.
Almond bark and candy melts are usually vanilla-flavored candy coating made with vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter. They also have some coloring and flavors added. These are added to make the candy harder and a better covering for the nuts.
Almond bark comes in bars and chunks, and it is very chocolate-like in uses texture and tastes but tends to be harder. Almond bark is a bit “old school,” and the more common form now is candy melts.
Almond bark is sometimes hard to find. Smaller markets will usually have during the holiday season. Walmart, I believe, usually has it in stock.
If you use almond bark, be sure to break it up some to help it melt easier.
✔️Tips
Peanuts
I suggest standard skinless dry roasted peanuts. They do need to be dry roasted to eliminate all water, which will affect the chocolate.
Some recipes use part or all unsalted. I like a little salt there, and I usually will use the lightly salted peanuts. I find this made with unsalted nuts lacking some taste. Use full salted if you want.
The size of the recipe and servings
My original recipe was double this size and had no variability. I have republished this at half original size and provided options making it much friendlier for most homes.
The serving size is about one tablespoon, which is about one heaping kitchen teaspoon. Make them a little small says the guy who has eaten hundreds of these.
❄️Storage
These candies are good at room temperature for about 5 days.
♨️Cooking
I prefer a crockpot for this. It can be done on the stovetop, but you will need to be very careful about overheating, or there will be texture issues.
Crock Pot
As written, this needs to be made in a crock pot of 3-quarts or bigger. A double recipe will fit in a 6-quart cooker.
If you use a large crock pot for the smaller recipe, it can heat faster, so in addition to my recommended check at 90 minutes into cooking, please also check at 60 minutes. But it will probably still take the full 2 hours.
The crock pot needs to be on low. This is not a recipe to be cooked on high. On low, most crock pots slowly will get to 200 degrees over 4 or more hours. So a great slow heat to melt chocolate. On high, some crock pots may run 250+ degrees. They shouldn’t, but they do. Also, the run-up to full temperature is much faster on the high setting. This adds a good chance to overheat the chocolate.
Stovetop
You can do this in a large, heavy pot on the stovetop over low heat. You will need to add everything but the nuts. Stand there and frequently stir until the chocolate melts and comes together completely. This will take about 15 minutes to complete. Stir in the nuts at the end.
The crock version takes only a few minutes. Then you come back when done. I always do the crock pot method.
📖Crock Pot Candy Recipes
Crock Pot White Chocolate Almond Clusters
Crock Pot Fudge
🖼️Instructions
Note: All images are for double batch which is what we normally make. All discussion is for a smaller amount which is half the previous published recipe.
Only a few ingredients.
Use a 3-quart crock pot or bigger. Add one pound of lightly salted dry roasted peanuts. Add 12 oz. of chocolate chips or chunks (See the discussion above or in the recipe card about the chocolate amount and types.) Top with 1 pound of vanilla almond bark (broken up) or candy melts.
Cook on low with the cover on. DO NOT cook on high. Crock pots can vary, so check the chocolate at 90 minutes into cooking. It is done when you can mix everything completely. It will take about 2 hours normally.
Allow to cool for a few minutes to firm up slightly. Then spoon heaping spoonfuls onto parchment paper. Try not to make them too big. It is candy, not cookies.
Allow to cool for about 2 hours.
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📖 Recipe
Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Clusters
Just 5 minutes, 3 ingredients, and a little time in a crock pot or on a stovetop will get you great chocolate peanut clusters for holiday giving, a cookie exchange, or the office holiday party. This will become a family tradition.
Ingredients
Instructions
Stovetop Version
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Throw the chocolate and the almond bark (or candy melts) into a heavy based pot or pan over low heat.
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Cook while stirring occasionally until melted and smooth (about 10-15 minutes). Stir in nuts at the end then let it cool for 5 minutes before spooning the candy out.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- For the chocolate, use brand name chips or chunks. I like to add a bar of Baker’s chocolate which will add more cocoa butter to help the almond bark.
- The amount of chocolate can vary. By weight, the total amount of chocolate should be about ¾ of the amount of almond bark (candy melts). You can use as little as half the amount or up to an equal amount.
- If you use almond bark in a large bar, cut it up to help it melt.
- Cook on low with the cover on. Do not cook on high.
- For the recipe as written, this fits nicely in a 3-quart crock pot. A double recipe, which I usually make, needs 6-quart or larger.
- Crock pots can vary, so check the chocolate at 90 minutes into cooking. It is done when you can mix everything completely which is usually about 2 hours.
- If you use a large crock pot for a smaller recipe, it may cook a bit faster. So check the crock pot at 60 and 90 minutes into cooking.
- You may use candy “melts” or almond bark. Get the vanilla flavor since the chocolate flavor can taste odd.
- The serving size is about one tablespoon which is about one heaping kitchen teaspoon. Make them a little small.
- Store in an airtight container on the countertop or in the fridge for up to 5 days. I do not suggest freezing chocolate.
Original Recipe: 2 pounds dry roasted peanuts, 2 pounds vanilla almond bark, 1 pound chocolate chips or chunks, one 4 oz Baker German chocolate bar.
TO ADJUST THE RECIPE SIZE:You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition
Calories : 109 kcalCarbohydrates : 9 gProtein : 2 gFat : 7 gSaturated Fat : 3 gSodium : 67 mgPotassium : 62 mgFiber : 1 gSugar : 7 gCalcium : 5 mgIron : 1 mg
Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
Editor’s Note: Originally Published November 25, 2016. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
