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.
Line 2 sheet pans with silicone baking mats, wax paper, or parchment paper.
Using a tablespoon or a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out the warm candy from slow cooker and onto parchment paper 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.
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Notes
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 are a dark chocolate but you can use semisweet chocolate chips, if you prefer.
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.
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.