Slow Cooker Easter Peanut Clusters
No Comments Mar 27, 2023
Updated Apr 03, 2024
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Whether you’re hosting a gathering or have been invited to a potluck this holiday season, these Slow Cooker Easter Peanut Clusters are the perfect delicious treat to make. Just five ingredients and a couple of hours of cooking time are all you need to make this homemade candy.
Clusters can be a big hit at any time of the year. Satisfy your sweet tooth anytime with my Slow Cooker Peanut Clusters or my Sea Salt Chocolate Almond Clusters.
Table of Contents
Why you should try this peanut clusters recipe
Not only is this a super simple recipe to make, but it’s also perfect for the Easter holiday. You’ll be able to make a dessert that’s both yummy to taste and appealing to the eyes. The colors scream all things spring and Easter while the taste is everything creamy (thanks to the white candy melts) and chocolatey (thanks to the white chocolate chips and M&M candies).
This is a great chocolate peanut clusters recipe to include your kids in as well. They can add everything to the crockpot or do the spooning of the individual servings onto the baking dish once everything has melted and cooked together. In fact, this would be the perfect candy to gift to teachers, grandparents, and/or friends. Keep reading to see just how easy it is to make this easy peanut clusters recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
- White Chocolate Chips: Not only do these provide a milk chocolate taste but they help with creating the white base color.
- White Candy Melts: Candy melts do not need tempering which makes them ideal to use in recipes like this.
- M&M Candies: During the Easter season you can easily find a bag of bright and pastel-colored candies to use.
- Roasted Salted Crunchy Peanuts: Peanuts help add a crunch to the clusters as well as a salty taste that helps offset some of the sweetness from the other ingredients.
- Sprinkles: Similar to the M&M candies, you can find Easter-colored ones during this time of year. They are used as a garnish on the clusters.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Add the candy melts, chocolate chips, and peanuts to your slow cooker.
Step Two – Cover and cook on LOW for 1-1.5 hours until the chocolates are completely melted and smooth. Give the candy mixture a stir every 20 Minutes.
Step Three – Turn off the heat and gently stir in 1 cup of the M&M’s.
Step Four – Using a lightly greased tablespoon, spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the candy mixture on the prepared baking sheet. (You can use more than one parchment-lined baking sheet.) Decorate with the sprinkles and the other ½ cup of M&M’s. Allow the candy clusters to sit at room temperature until the candies have fully set. (about 45 minutes to 1 hour) Serve and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs and Variations
Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or lined with wax paper.
Vanilla almond bark or white almond bark can be used in place of the candy melts. Peanut clusters with almond bark taste just as amazing.
Roasted unsalted peanuts can be used in place of the salted peanuts, though salted does taste better.
The candies can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months in a freezer safe zip top bag or airtight container. Note that they won’t look quite the same after being frozen.
The candies can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week in an airtight container or Ziploc bags.
If you are gifting them, I suggest preparing an Easter basket similar to what is pictured below. You can also serve them in individual baggies with a cute name tag. Or, serve them on a platter as part of a holiday dessert spread.
I recommend sticking with the white chocolate chips for this particular recipe, both for taste and color. All melted chocolate isn’t created equal.
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Slow Cooker Easter Peanut Clusters
Ingredients
- 20 oz. vanilla flavored candy melts, (I use two 11-oz. bags of vanilla Ghirradelli candy melts)
- 11 oz. white chocolate chips
- 8 oz. roasted salted peanuts
- 1 ½ cups M&M candies, Easter Colors
- Easter colored sprinkles
Instructions
- In a 4 quart or larger slow cooker, add the candy melts, chocolate chips and peanuts. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or wax paper.
- Cook on LOW for 1-1.5 Hours until the chocolates are melted and smooth. Stirring every 20 Minutes.
- Turn off the heat and gently stir in 1 cup of the M&M’s.
- Using a lightly greased tablespoon, spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the candy mixture on the prepared baking sheets.
- Decorate with the sprinkles and the other ½ cup of M&M’s. Allow to sit at room temperature until the candies have fully set. (about 45 minutes to 1 hour)
- Store the candie clusters in airtight containers or zip top bags. Enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
- Vanilla almond bark can be used in place of the candy melts.
- Roasted unsalted peanuts can be used in place of the salted.
- The candies can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months in a freezer safe zip top bag or airtight containers.
- The candies can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week in airtight containers or zip top bags.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
