Slow Cooker Peanut Clusters
Are you ready for Christmas baking? December is absolutely my favorite time of the year, and I love nothing more than baking Christmas cookies and goodies. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without the classics and a few other new finds sprinkled in for good measure. While I love eating nut clusters, I had never actually made them myself; once I saw this insanely easy slow cooker recipe, it was only a matter of time!
My aunt shared this recipe on her Facebook page and I immediately saved the link. Two types of peanuts, two types of chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, AND you can make it in a slow cooker? I was immediately sold, and I think you will be, too.
It took me literally five minutes to make this. Everything gets dumped into the slow cooker, cover, turn on low, and let it go for 2 hours. At that point, it’s likely that everything will be melted (mine was), but if you need more time, an additional 30 minutes should be all you need. I experimented with scooping the nut clusters out in a variety of ways – with a large spoon, with a medium cookie scoop, and then I just poured the mixture into a parchment-lined pan and broke it into pieces. My verdict? I liked the clusters scooped with a cookie scoop the best – they were the most uniform and by far the most pleasing to the eye, which is important when it comes to Christmas cookie trays, right?! :)
While I am immensely partial to peanuts, you could absolutely make this with any type of nut you like, or a combination of them. My father-in-law even suggested skipping the nuts and using coconut for coconut clusters. There are tons of possibilities, and these little clusters would make fantastic holiday gifts – just place in a clear cellophane bag and tie with a pretty ribbon!
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Watch How to Make Crock Pot Peanut Clusters:
Slow Cooker Chocolate-Covered Peanut Clusters
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (453.59 g) unsalted peanuts, or dry roasted peanuts
- 16 ounces (453.59 g) salted cocktail peanuts
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) milk chocolate chips
- 20 ounces (566.99 g) peanut butter chips
- 32 ounces (907.19 g) white almond bark or vanilla candy melts
Instructions
- Layer all of the ingredients in order in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. [NOTE: While I have made this multiple times without an issue, it seems that many people have experienced the ingredients burning. I would recommend stirring all of the ingredients together and checking on it and stirring every 30 minutes to avoid an issue.]
- Remove the lid and stir to combine. If not all of the chocolate is melted, cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes on low.
- Using a spoon or cookie scoop, scoop mounds of the clusters onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Allow to sit at room temperature until completely set, 1 to 2 hours. The clusters can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. They also freeze very well!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Super excited to make this! My first great granddaughter is about to be born and these will be perfect to take to the hospital waiting room!
MERRY🎅🏻CHRISTMAS!!!
Congratulations to you Becky! Prayers for a quick and easy, and healthy delivery for mom and baby! :)
Hello – I have burned other recipes by using a crock pot that was too big. Just a thought – recipe looks great!
Can. You sent. The. Recipe. On. That. Looks. So. Good. Fun. To. Make. Please. Thank. You. God. Bless
I make these all the time. I have never used the peanut butter chips but I will this time. all so I have melted it all in the micro and turns out well it makes over 100 candies
I have made chocolate clusters for years with my crockpot. The only think I do different when melting is placing a large glass mixing bowl on top of my old tall narrow crock pot and set it on high. Turn it down to warm if you have alot of time before you will be using the chocolate. Stir once and a while. Have also used raisins, pecans, and coconut for coconut peaks. Rice krispies also work in a pinch. Once I went off and forgot to turn it off. When I returned 2 hours later it was melted but not scorched!
Very yummy! I love the enhanced taste with the peanut butter chips. Good idea.
Is this recipe ABSOLUTELY gluten-free? I need to be very sure………Thanks so much!
You’ll need to read the labels on the actual ingredients that you purchase to be sure.
My husband and I are both from Western PA – his people, czech/hungarian from Pittsburgh and I am Pennsylvanian Dutch from northern Butler County. I can prepare my family’s german recipes, but I don’t have any recipes of his hungarian grandma. He misses her mushroom/dough – bo bi kie (spl) ??? Can you help ?
Hi Pegg, Oh no, I’ve never heard of that!! :(
Is this what you are looking for? https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-life/food-recipes/hungarian-mushroom-turnovers
Excellent recipe!!!!
My husband and granddaughter made these clusters as a bonding project for Christmas festivities. They were so easy and really great. Everyone was grabbing them any chance they had. Only bad side was there weren’t any left-overs.
If you’re using an oversize newer pot, yes, it will burn, since low on the new pots is approximately high on the older pots. Either use a smaller pot or an older pot.
QUESTION , WHEN SUBSTITUTING Wanuts or pecans how many do you put to make the crockpot candy?
I would use the same amount as the peanuts that are called for in the recipe (32 ounces total).
I’ve made this for the last couple of years. Each time someone asks for the recipe. Yummy!
The crock pot candy was the easiest candy I have every made. Beside it makes a bunch!
I have given the receipe to about five people now and they have made it. It is a keeper for sure!
Thanks!
I’ve read so many comments about the peanuts burning. I many have an idea as to why. If you are using dry roasted peanuts (those with the coating that have all the added ingredients) and you put them in first, the coating is probably burning! I’ve made this with unsalted peanuts, and lightly salted peanuts. Neither one of them have a coating on them. The candy came out fine. It stands to reason to me that peanuts covered with added ingredients would tend to burn when coming into direct contact with a very hot surface for 2 hours. I was concerned that mine might over cook so I checked on it at 1 hr. 40 minutes and the almond bark wasn’t but half soft. When the 2 hours was up, everything was melted perfectly.
Good luck, Merry Christmas and happy goodie gift giving everyone
This version of these peanut clusters is by far the best and most amazing. My husband and I make these every Christmas and my co-workers can’t wait until I bring them in. We live in New Mexico so we sprinkle them with red chile powder, the sweet and that little kick are perfect together. Someone once said if it was good enough for the Mayans then why not.
There is a “disclaimer” about the appliance to use at the very bottom of the comments. I would DEFINITELY move that up into the recipe!!
Should have followed my instincts and melted all the candy chips in the micro wave and then poured the mixture over the nuts. However, I followed your directions to a “T” and watched the clock for the exact timing….the mixture burned and had to all be thrown out. This was a costly recipe to discard due to directions followed and the outcome being horrible. I read comments about people adjusting the recipes and I chose not to do that. Next time, I will go by a tried and true method rather than trust a recipe seen on line. Not good at all.
I was so excited to make these. I bought all ingredients and followed the recipe. Making these for my clients for gifts. After an hour or so, I smelled something burning….I stirred the ingredients and all the peanuts on the bottom were burned and BLACK!!!! All those expensive ingredients down the drain! So upset and sad. You can’t put peanuts on the bottom of a crockpot for 2 hours and not expect them to burn!!! So upset!
I read this comment a while back regarding the peanuts burning. Make sure your crockpot doesn’t run too hot.
**NOTE: There seems to be discrepencies in the terms crockpot and slow cooker. This recipe is for a crockpot which, when on low, will only melt the ingredients. A slow cooker will get hotter and start to cook the ingredients, thus resulting in an inferior product. Please be aware of what kind of appliance you have. It seems the older “crockpot” works best. There have been some who have burned their ingredients because their appliance is too hot. The makers and manufacturers of these appliances seem to interchange the description of their appliances calling slow cookers crockpots. It seems that Rival owns the name crockpot, therefore, others can’t use the name crockpot, they are slow cookers. It’s very confusing, but slow cookers, indeed, cook hotter, which could result in burning of this recipe. There are many discussions and explanations of this subject within the comments.
***NOTE I’ve been asked to add this note. If your crockpot appliance is below 275 watts, you should not have any problem with the candy burning if you follow the ingredients and the directions, however, all crockpots are different, so please pay attention to your cooking process. Look on the bottom of your appliance to see the wattage. The new crockpots get hotter than the older crockpots and the slow cookers get even hotter.
These notes can be referenced in:
http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/candy/crock-pot-candy-mr-bud-candy-4.html?p=10
The 275 watt thing is not true. I just made this in a crockpot (NOT a slow cooker) that is 240 watts and the peanuts burnt horribly. I’m so upset. You’d think it’d be easy to put 4 ingredients in a crockpot. I did put the peanuts in first.
I have exactly the cooker shown in the directions and my peanuts burned and I even stirred after the first 30 minutes. The recipe does not state to start in low or any other setting . . . For the record, with the cooker shown in the directions, start it on WARM only!! I am now trying to figure out how to attempt to salvage $15 to $20 worth of candy making supplies . . . At this point, I am considering melting another bag of chips with a little shortening and work portions of the seized choc into it. Any other suggestions?
Only problem I encountered is that these melt in fingers while eating!!
You need to eat them faster. Lol
i am dying to try this for holidays BUTTTT, can i add other things like raisins, pretzels, mini mash mellows…?
Hi Shelly, Yes, you could definitely use other add-ins!
I used step by step directions and it seized up please help! What happened
Oh no! I’m wondering if your slow cooker got too hot? It’s the only thing I could think of!
Could you change out the peanut butter chips for more chocolate chips, add peanut butter chips to the still warm scoops on parchment paper? Just stick 4-6 chips to the top of scoops. Sort of like Reeser’s Peanut butter cups. :)
Oooh yes, I don’t see why not! Sounds great! :)
I would like to try adding toasted pecans and toffee bits. Has anyone ever tried it this way? Should to toffee bits be added after all the chocolate has melted? Any thoughts or advice?
Hi Carla, Sounds awesome! I would save the toffee bits for the end, as you suggested.
Well have to make a comment , It turned out very good, I ended up with 110 pieces, I used a 1 1/4″ cookie scoop,and I used the little candy papers. I was worried that it was not going to set up but it is very nice. I have used another recipe, and it had some 60% Cacao bittersweet chips and I might like to take and replace one of the bags of peanut butter chips for a bag of the bittersweet. and my other recipe called for 3 packages of white baking chips so guess that would work too. that was used instead of the almond bark. Anyway it is very good and will make it again makes a huge batch for gift giving.
I have made these and they are the BEST! So easy – I now want to try with caramel – has anyone attempted this? If so, did you you use caramel sauce or candy? Thanks!
ohmyYUM! Anything peanuty gets my vote, and double points for adding choc.
These candies are fantastic! I made them this past Christmas and they were a huge hit. My husband says they taste like peanut butter cups. I ended up making two batches and I had no issues whatsoever.
My chocolate didn’t get hard! Any suggestions?
Hi Debbie, Did you scoop it out and let it sit? If it’s still not firming up, I would try popping it in the refrigerator, it just might be too warm in your kitchen.
Can you add coconut? When in the process would you add/change?
Sounds yummy and want to try.
Hi Natalie, Sure! I would add it on top of the peanuts or just mix in at the end.