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These Easy Caramel Peanut Clusters taste just like the gourmet candies you’d find in a high-end chocolate shop right next to the mounds of homemade fudge—but they take less than 40 minutes to make at home. With layers of smooth milk chocolate, salty roasted peanuts, soft buttery caramel, and a final chocolate drizzle, these no-bake treats are the perfect combination of crunchy, gooey, sweet, and salty.
If you love homemade candy but don’t want the hassle of thermometers or boiling sugar, this recipe is the ultimate shortcut. A few minutes in the microwave melts the chocolate and caramel perfectly, and the clusters set right on a baking sheet. They’re great for holiday gifting, game day snacking, or keeping in the fridge for a just-because chocolate craving. Serve with some hot chocolate for a decadent snack!
These are a top-tier treat for any chocolate + peanut lover!
Why You’ll Love These Peanut Clusters
- They taste like expensive candy-shop chocolates but cost a fraction of the price.
- No candy thermometer or tricky steps are needed, making this a perfect recipe for beginners.
- You only need 4 ingredients! Simple pantry staples come together in minutes.
- It’s customizable! Add sea salt, swap nuts, or use dark chocolate.
- They’re perfect for gifting because they pack beautifully in tins or treat bags. Pack some brownie bites and chocolate crackles in there too!
Ingredients Needed:
- Milk chocolate chips: Sweet, creamy, perfectly melty.
- Peanuts: Roasted, salted peanuts give the best sweet-salty crunch.
- Caramels: Get the wrapped caramels.
- Heavy cream: It will be combined with the caramel to soften and stabilize it so it’s not too chewy.
History of Peanut Clusters:
Yes, there is a story behind how peanut clusters began! The combination of sweet and salty has always been a desired combination, so it’s no surprise that salty peanuts were eventually added to chocolate to create a delicious treat. The peanut cluster surfaced in 1912 when Standard Candy Company in Nashville invented a mound of chocolate, peanuts, caramel and marshmallow that they called the goo goo cluster (still around today!) During WWII, peanut clusters were sent in bulk to soldiers fighting on the front line.
How to Make Homemade Caramel Peanut Clusters
- Make the Chocolate Bases: Melt half of the chocolate in the microwave. Spoon small “puddles” onto a wax-paper-lined sheet—this is your foundation.
- Add the Peanuts: While the chocolate is still warm, spoon peanuts onto each base so they stick.
- Create the Caramel Layer: Melt caramels with cream in the microwave until smooth. Let cool slightly (so it doesn’t melt the chocolate), then spoon onto the peanut piles.
- Top with More Chocolate: Melt the remaining chocolate and spoon it over the caramel centers, sealing everything in a glossy, chocolate shell.
Refrigerate briefly to set, and they’re ready—no waiting overnight!
Tips for Perfect Peanut Clusters
- Let the caramel cool a bit before spooning—it should be pourable but not hot.
- Use roasted salted peanuts for the best flavor contrast.
- If your chocolate seizes, add ½ teaspoon oil and stir.
- Dark chocolate works great if you prefer a less-sweet version.
- Top with flaky sea salt for a gourmet finishing touch.
- How to Store Peanut Clusters: Store them at room temperature in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days. You can also keep them in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks. Or freeze for up to 2 months—thaw in the fridge for best texture.
They make amazing holiday gifts or snack-drawer treats.
Fun Variations
- Use almonds, cashews, pecans or a mix instead of peanuts.
- Add 1 teaspoon espresso powder to the melted chocolate.
- Stir toffee bits into the peanut layer.
- Use dark or semisweet chocolate for a richer version.
Chocolate Caramel Peanut Clusters
Video
Equipment
- Baking Sheet (for setting the candies)
- Wax Paper (to prevent the candies from sticking)
- 2 Microwave-Safe Bowls (for microwaving the chocolate and caramel separately)
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips, divided
- 1½ cups peanuts
- 28 wrapped caramels (unwrapped!)
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
- Put 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring after each burst until melted and smooth. Spoon chocolate by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet. Immediately place a spoonful of peanuts onto each puddle of chocolate.
- Place the caramels in a microwave-safe bowl with the cream. Microwave for one minute, then stir, and then microwave another minute- stir until melted and smooth. Let cool a bit or the caramel will melt the chocolate! Spoon the caramel onto the middle of each peanut cluster.
- Melt the remaining chocolate chips in the same manner; stir until smooth. Spoon the chocolate over the caramel. Let stand until set, or immediately put in refrigerator to set.
Nutrition
This recipe comes from RecipeBoy.com
