EASY! Slow Cooker Chocolate Peanut Clusters

These EASY! Slow Cooker [paid link] Chocolate Peanut clusters are super delicious and are a great holiday dessert and gift. Don’t stress over the holidays — eat chocolate!

A bowl of slow cooker chocolate peanut clusters on a Noel placemat with a red napkin

The holidays just wouldn’t be the holidays without homemade candy. Truffles, fudge, marshmallows (it’s easier than you think!), and holiday cookies galore! I enjoy it all.

One of my absolute favorites is this EASY! Slow Cooker [paid link] Chocolate Peanut Clusters (AKA Goo Goo Clusters). Roasted peanuts are stirred into a blend of rich chocolates and made entirely in the slow cooker [paid link]

The holidays are already stressful enough, these chocolate peanut clusters are absolutely STRESS-FREE! This recipe makes quite a few treats and is especially great for gift-giving, dessert trays, and holiday put lucks. So let’s get started.

What Ingredients do I need for Chocolate Peanut Clusters?

This recipe is absolutely fool-proof so don’t be afraid to let your kids help out in the kitchen!

  • Salted Dry Roasted Peanuts: The roasted peanuts add a deep roasted peanut-y flavor to the Chocolate Peanut Clusters as opposed to using cocktail peanuts. If you prefer cocktail peanuts, they can easily be substituted here or a blend of the two to create a flavor blend.
  • White Almond Bark:  Almond bark is located alongside the rest of the chocolates in the baking section of the grocery store.  It contains sugar, milk powder, vanilla, and palm oil. Because the palm oil is hydrogenated, it becomes solid at room temperature and this helps the clusters stay firm at room temperature as well.
  • Chocolate  Chips:  Using quality chocolate helps this recipe taste better and melt easier because of the lower wax content in the chocolate; My go-to brand is Ghirardelli – 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (affiliate link).   Bittersweet chocolate chips [paid link] are dark chocolate but you can use semisweet chocolate chips if you prefer.
  • Sprinkles.  For a more festive touch, add sprinkles to the clusters after they are formed on the trays but before they harden. You might also like a light sprinkling of sea salt for a sweet & salty flavor combination. Sprinkles and the alike, are also totally optional.

Expert Tip: Melting Chocolate

Chocolate can be melted in the microwave or a double-boiler on the stovetop. However, it is easy to overheat the chocolate, and it can seize up. It also cools quickly and can be difficult to get all the candies portioned out before the chocolate gets too cool. The slow cooker [paid link] version is by far the easiest version to work with when it comes to candy-making.

How to Make Slow Cooker Chocolate Peanut Clusters

Directions:

  • Add the peanuts. Pour the peanuts into the bottom of the slow cooker [paid link].
  • Add chocolate.  Add 12 oz. quality semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark/bittersweet chocolate chips [paid link] to our almond bark.
  • Use white almond bark.  Next, add all 20-ounces of the white almond bark. You need enough almond bark to ensure your Slow Cooker [paid link] Chocolate Peanut Clusters harden when cooled.
  • Warm on LOW.   Melt chocolate on LOW for 1 ½-2 hour, stirring after about 1 hour, until completely melted.  Every slow cooker [paid link] is different so heat level and melting times can vary.
  • Portion them out. With a small 1-ounce cookie scoop [paid link] or a tablespoon, portion chocolate-covered peanuts into clusters on a cookie sheet prepared with parchment paper [paid link]. If desired, garnish with sprinkles.
  • Cool Completely. Allow the chocolate to cool completely and harden before packaging up or freezing.

A slow cooker layered with ingredients for chocolate peanut clusters; peanuts, bittersweet dark chocolate, and almond bark.

Expert Tip: Water and Chocolate Don’t Mix

Condensation from the slow cooker [paid link] lid can drip into the chocolate when you lift the lid. This will cause the chocolate to seize.

Be very careful removing the lid not to shake any water collected on the lid into the chocolate.

If seizing occurs, all may not be lost, mix in 2 tablespoons shortening to chocolate to free it up.

A crock pot filled with peanuts, bittersweet dark chocolate and almond bark ready to be stirred into chocolate peanut clusters

How long will homemade peanut clusters last?

The Slow Cooker [paid link] Chocolate Peanut Clusters store very well and that is why they are a favorite for gift giving!  You can make them ahead and then give them to friends and family when you see them sometime later.

Store the peanut clusters in a cool, dry, place preferably in an airtight container. I separate the layers with parchment paper [paid link] or even paper towels to keep them looking their best.

These will stay fresh up to 2 to 3 weeks in the pantry and even longer in the freezer.

A slow cooker of easy chocolate peanut clusters and a scoop filled with chocolate and peanuts

Can you freeze peanut clusters?

Yes! Make sure Chocolate Peanut Clusters are completely solid before adding to a freezer size bag. I place parchment or paper towels between the layers to keep them looking great.

A sheetpan lined with parchent paper that has portioned choclate peanut clusters. The last porting is being added to the bottom right corned of the pan with a small scoop.

Thaw frozen Chocolate Peanut Clusters in the refrigerator. Thawing at room temperature causes condensation (water droplets) to form on the surface.

Festive sprinkles being added to a chocolate peanut cluster after it has been portioned but before the chocolate has set.

Sometimes chocolate that has been frozen can discolor and turn grey. When chocolate comes in contact with moisture, and then subsequently dries out, it causes the sugar in the chocolate to crystallize, leaving discoloration and splotches on the surface. This is why you want to make sure they are cooled completely before they go into the freezer.

A close of of finished chocolate peanut clusters on brown parchment paper.

LOOKING FOR MORE CHRISTMAS RECIPES?

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Crock Pot Peanut Clusters

Ronda Eagle | Kitchen Dreaming
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Course Candy
Cuisine American
Servings 60 + pieces of candy depending on size.
Calories 183 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 32 ounces dry roasted peanuts (2 jars)
  • 24 ounces Vanilla Almond Bark
  • 12 ounces dark chocolate chips (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
  • Sprinkles holiday decorating candies

Instructions
 

  • Layer ingredients into crockpot starting with the peanuts. Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours without stirring. 
  • After 2 hours, all the chocolate should be melted, stir until well combined. Turn off the slow cooker [paid link].
  • Line 2 sheet pans with silicone baking mats, wax paper, or parchment paper [paid link].
  • Using a tablespoon or a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop [paid link], portion out the warm candy from slow cooker [paid link] and onto parchment paper [paid link] about 1-inch apart.
  • Allow candy to cool completely before serving. I usually chill mine in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerate, if needed.

Optional:

  • After you've portioned them out and while the candy is still hot, top with your favorite sprinkles, decorating candies, or crushed peppermints for a festive touch.

Video

Notes

  1. White Almond Bark:  Almond bark is located alongside the rest of the chocolates in the baking section of the grocery store.  It contains sugar, milk powder, vanilla and palm oil. Because the palm oil is hydrogenated, it becomes solid at room temperature and this helps  the clusters stay firm at room temperature as well.
  2. Chocolate  Chips:  Using quality chocolate helps this recipe taste better and melt easier because of the lower wax content in the chocolate; My go to brand is Ghirardelli - 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (affiliate link).   Bittersweet chocolate chips are a dark chocolate but you can use semisweet chocolate chips, if you prefer.
  3. Salted Dry Roasted Peanuts: The roasted peanuts add a deep roasted peanut-y flavor to the Chocolate Peanut Clusters as opposed to using cocktail peanuts. If you prefer cocktail peanuts, they can easily be substituted here or even  a blend of the two to create flavor blend.
  4. Sprinkles.  For festive Slow Cooker Chocolate Peanut Clusters, add sprinkles to the clusters after they are formed on the trays but before they harden. You might also like a light sprinkling of sea salt for a sweet & salty flavor combination. Sprinkles and the alike, are also totally optional.

Expert Tips:

Melting Chocolate

  • You can melt the chocolate in the microwave or a double-boiler on the stove top.
  • It is easy to overheat the chocolate, and it can seize up.
  • If the chocolate seizes up, add 2 tbsp of shortening and stir until it frees up.

Water and Chocolate Don’t Mix

  • Condensation from the slow cooker lid can drip into the chocolate when you lift the lid. This will cause the chocolate to seize.
  • Be very careful removing the lid not to shake any water collected on the lid into the chocolate.
  • If seizing occurs, all may not be lost, mix in 2 tablespoons shortening to chocolate to free it up.
 

Nutrition

Serving: 2piecesCalories: 183kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 112mgPotassium: 135mgFiber: 1gSugar: 10gVitamin C: 0mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

4 thoughts on “EASY! Slow Cooker Chocolate Peanut Clusters”

  1. Can I use a slow cooker liner? Also could I put a dish towel between the lid and the pot to catch the condensation while cooking?

    Reply
  2. Mailed these to my son and his friends in the Marines who are stationed in Japan. My son reports they were gobbled down in less than 24-hours. Thanks so much!

    Reply
  3. MAde these for my dad for Father’s Day this weekend. Snuck a couple and they are so tasty. I’m very happy with how easy they were to make

    Reply

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