Peanut clusters need only 4 ingredients and make the perfect holiday homemade treat! These clusters are loaded with crunchy peanuts coated in chocolate, butterscotch, and creamy peanut butter. You might also know it as crockpot candy. They’re so easy to make!
4-Ingredient Peanut Clusters
These peanut clusters are made from peanuts mixed with melted chocolate and peanut butter, then dropped on a baking sheet to harden. They’re like pralines or drop cookies, only you don’t need to bake them!
This recipe couldn’t be easier. All you need to do is melt the baking chips with peanut butter, then stir in the peanuts. If you don’t love peanuts, you can also make them with Almond. My mom always made them on the stovetop, but you could easily make them in the crockpot as well.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick to make. This recipe calls for less than 30 minutes of hands-on time.
- Makes a huge batch. This recipe makes a large batch, so they go a long way. It can also easily be scaled for a smaller batch.
- You only need 4 ingredients. This one speaks for itself.
- They’re a crowd favorite. Serve these at your next holiday party and just watch how fast they disappear! Peanut clusters are also great for gifting and cookie exchanges.
Like buckeyes and rum balls, peanut clusters are a staple at Christmastime. This is one of my mom’s favorite holiday recipes and I sent her home with a whole batch every year!
Ingredient Notes
You need only 4 ingredients to make the best peanut clusters! Nothing fancy, and you may have what you need in the pantry already. Check out my notes here, and scroll down to the printable ingredients list in the recipe card after the post.
- Chocolate Chips – I like to use a combination of semi-sweet or dark chocolate baking chips. You can use any high-quality chocolate chips that you prefer. Chopped chocolate bars, like the kind from Ghirardelli or Lindt, also work well here.
- Butterscotch – Butterscotch chips add extra richness and flavor. You can replace these with more chocolate chips if you’d like.
- Peanut Butter – Make sure to use creamy peanut butter like Jif or Skippy. Avoid using an all-natural peanut butter as it’s too oily.
- Peanuts – Growing up, we always made these with Spanish peanuts. Now that Spanish peanuts are a bit harder to come by, unsalted, roasted peanuts are my favorite. You can make this recipe with another nut, like almonds or pecans, even though they technically won’t be peanut clusters. They’ll still taste great! Keep in mind that larger nuts will yield fewer clusters.
How to Make Peanut Clusters
I always considered peanut clusters a kind of Christmas cookie, mostly because they were rarely missing from our holiday cookie plates! Even though peanut clusters are technically candy, you don’t need any double boilers or candy thermometers to make them.
These chocolate peanut clusters are easy to prepare, very similar to making drop cookies. Don’t forget to scroll to the recipe card for the printable recipe instructions.
- Melt the chocolate. First, melt the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter in a saucepan. Stir frequently until it’s nice and smooth.
- Add the peanuts. Next, fold in the peanuts and stir to coat.
- Form the clusters. Now, use a spoon to drop the chocolatey peanuts into clusters on a lined baking sheet. Allow the clusters to harden at room temperature, and enjoy!
How Long Does It Take for Peanut Clusters to Set?
It can take up to a couple of hours for the peanut clusters to set up. Keep in mind that this does depend on the conditions and temperature of your kitchen, so double check that the clusters are hardened before you grab one. Otherwise, you may end up with a big mess of chocolate on your hands! If you need to speed up the process, place the tray with the clusters into the fridge or freezer.
Recipe Tips
- Melt slow, stir frequently. I know it can be tempting to crank the heat up in the hopes that the chocolate will melt faster, but trust me. All that’s going to do is burn it! Stir frequently on medium-low heat so everything goes smoothly.
- Line the pan. Whether you use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, lining the pan will make it so much easier to remove the peanut clusters once they’ve set and can make clean up a breeze.
- Gift them! Pile a few of them in festive cookie tins or cellophane bags tied with pretty ribbons. They make the perfect festive gift for friends, family, neighbors, etc.
- If you’re gifting the clusters or serving them at a party, you could try portioning them out into cupcake liners instead of just dropping the clusters onto a baking sheet.
Can I Make Crockpot Peanut Clusters Instead?
You certainly can! The advantage of making crock pot peanut clusters is that you don’t have to watch over and stir the mixture as it melts on the stovetop. To make these peanut clusters in the crockpot:
- Add everything to the crockpot.
- Cover and let it cook on low for 1.5-2 hours. Stir it every once in a while just to make sure the chocolate doesn’t burn.
- Once everything is melted, portion the mixture out and let it set!
How to Store
- At room temperature (or in the fridge). Once the peanut clusters are completely set, they can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week. They’ll also last for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. I prefer to keep them in the fridge so the chocolate doesn’t melt. To store them, add the clusters to an airtight container with pieces of parchment or wax paper between each layer.
- Freeze. Let the peanut clusters harden completely, then transfer them to an airtight container with pieces of parchment or wax paper between each layer if you’re stacking them. They will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Holiday Desserts
Peanut Clusters
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 40-48 cookies
- Category: Candy
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Peanut clusters need only 4 ingredients and make the easiest holiday treat! These clusters are loaded with crunchy peanuts coated in chocolate, butterscotch, and creamy peanut butter.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark chocolate)
- 12 ounces butterscotch chips
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 4 cups roasted peanuts (salted or unsalted works, your preference)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the chocolate and butterscotch chips together with the peanut butter. Heat over medium to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
- Add the peanuts and stir together until the peanuts are well combined.
- Using 2 spoons, drop the peanuts into clusters on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Allow the chocolate to harden at room temperature (this can take a couple hours).
Notes
- Storing: Once completely set, store in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer. These can be stored at room temperature, but I prefer to store them in the refrigerator.
- Freezing: Be sure the chocolate is completely set first, than freeze in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper between the layers. Note that freezing these may cause slightly discoloration or potentially cracking of the chocolate if the chocolate is not properly set.
- Total yield will depend on how large or small you make the clusters
- Substitute peanuts for almonds or pecans, but as these are larger, the yield may be smaller.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cookie
- Calories: 153
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 4.3mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 3.6g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2.2g
- Protein: 4.5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Yummy recipe, super easy! Next time I would allow to dry before putting them into cupcake liners to prevent the bottom of the liner from getting wet..
Hi Van, I am so glad you tried them. I would definitely let them set before placing them into any liners or containers
I am looking forward to making this scrumptious recipe ….. mmmm Chocolate ❤️
Enjoy!
If you manage to get salted Spanish peanuts do you have to take the skins off the peanut?
I don’t usually do that
Want 2 know if I can use peanut butter w/ nuts?
I have not tested it but I would think it should be okay as long as it’s not a natural peanut butter
Just wondered – if I wanted to make a thicker chocolate covering, maybe double dip them, would I need to double the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips & peanut butter? Thank you!!
To double dip them, you would first want to make the recipe as is, wait for them to set and then dip them again. So I guess you could double the recipe for the chocolate, butterscotch and peanut butter, but I would make the 2nd batch after the others have already set.
I can’t wait to make these as gifts at Christmas
They make a perfect gift!
These are so yummy and we’re quick and easy to make! I am packing them up for Xmas gifts at work. Will definitely make them again!
Woohoo! Thank you Meredith!
We don’t get butterscotch chips here… What can I replace it with?
Hi Therese- you can use a different flavor of chips and it should be fine.
You said Spanish peanuts but the recipe says unsalted peanuts. Do you use unsalted Spanish peanuts?
Spanish peanut can be hard to find, I personally like unsalted roasted peanuts, but you really can make these with any type of nut
Why say Spanish peanuts when you say “I use dry roasted peanuts “ ? Your instructions are not CLEAR. Raw Spanish peanuts? With skins or without? Raw not raw? Why even mention Spanish peanuts when you prefer dry roasted unsalted if they work best? I live in a rural town and drove 50 miles RT to find Spanish peanuts, and this recipe SUCKED! Ruined a batch because your instructions or lack of Smh . Be clear! And these ads! Not worth my time
Hi Julie, gosh you sounds super upset, I would be too if I drove 50 miles round trip just for peanuts. Which is EXACTLY why I specifically said in my blog post: “Growing up, we always made these with Spanish peanuts. Now that Spanish peanuts are a bit harder to come by, unsalted, roasted peanuts are my favorite. You can make this recipe with another nut, like almonds or pecans”
Because Spanish peanuts are hard to find!
And so someone like yourself specifically wouldn’t have to drive 50 miles roundtrip when they could simply use a traditional roasted peanuts, salted or not that might be available more locally. I am also not sure why you felt you needed to do that, when the recipe indicates “unsalted or roasted peanuts” not Spanish peanuts?
The reason they are written as simply “Spanish Peanuts” is because that is how the most popular nuts brands label the peanuts. Planter’s Nuts do not indicate skinned or not skinned, salted or not, and it doesn’t specifically say roasted or not. In this case, the more specific you get, the harder it is to find. And the fact that you can truly use any type of nut basically comes down to the taste and personal preference.
“This recipe SUCKS”? It’s peanuts and chocolate. Did you burn the chocolate?