My peanut clusters recipe is a dream! Think sweet and salty, crunchy and chocolatey perfection. Plus, they’re SO easy! Chocolate satisfaction in mere minutes.

Chocolate Peanut Clusters in a square ceramic bowl.

Plus, these scrumptious confections have been a hit at every gathering where I’ve shared them. Chocolate Peanut Clusters look and taste like you’ve slaved in the kitchen to create them.

In reality, peanut clusters take only minutes to make. They require just three ingredients readily available in any grocery store. And best of all, peanut clusters are delectable.

They’re perfect for holiday gift trays and boxes. They’re a perfect addition to any dessert or snack buffet table. And they’re a satisfying bite when you want just a little something sweet.

For decades now, I’ve made these peanut clusters for our family as a holiday treat. And I add them to gift boxes for friends and neighbors, as well as having them out at almost any winter gathering.

After all, what could be better than an easy, no-bake peanut cluster that makes me (and now you!) a confectionary hero!?!! And I’ve always used the same two-ingredient recipe.

This year, however, I added one ingredient. I’m so excited with the results that, now, I’ll always make them this way. I love the glossiness and creamier texture I achieved.

I’m not the expert chemist who can tell you why or how adding that little bit of real chocolate with cocoa butter to the almond bark makes even creamier chocolate deliciousness. I only know it does. So that’s the recipe I’m going to share with you today.

In This Post:

The Ingredients

Chocolate Almond Bark
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Dry Roasted Peanuts

Ingredients for chocolate peanut clusters recipe: chocolate almond bark, semi-sweet chocolate chips and dry roasted peanuts.

What is Almond Bark?

Almond bark is commonly used to coat things like cake pops, candy clusters, homemade confectionaries and even cookies.

It’s a confectionary ingredient that can be purchased in different flavors. Almond bark is made from vegetable fats and has flavoring and color added.

Chocolate almond bark is not really chocolate as it has no cocoa butter in it. Just as white almond bark is not white chocolate.

Chocolate almond bark in its commercial packaging on a white countertop.

Almond bark is very similar to the flavored and colored candy coating discs you may be familiar with for baking. Like the ones I used in this Oreo Cookie Recipe for Valentine Love Bugs. However, almond bark usually comes in a large block.

When making large batches of no-bake candy, cookies and confections, like these delish white chocolate no-bake cookies, almond bark is a more affordable way to make delicious treats and stretch the more costly real chocolate in your recipes.

Use almond bark all on its own. That’s perfectly fine. (That’s exactly how I made my chocolate peanut clusters recipe for decades.) And it was much beloved.

BUT, you can also combine it with a lesser amount of real chocolate, as I’ve done in this peanut clusters recipe, for an even creamier and more high-gloss coating option.

How to Serve Chocolate Peanut Clusters

As I mentioned previously, chocolate peanut clusters are a fantastic homemade gift option. I’ve never met anyone who hasn’t loved them, and I’ve been serving them for more than 30 years.

Add peanut clusters to cookie trays for gifting and for holiday gatherings.

They pair beautifully with so many holiday cookie options like Chai Spiced Pumpkin Snickerdoodles, my copycat Costco Raspberry Crumble Cookies, my famous Drop Sugar Cookies or these scrumptious Orange Shortbread Cookies.

For snacking, they’re a delicious one- or two-bite way to satisfy your sweet tooth. And the protein and healthy fats from the peanuts will help you to feel full and satisfied for longer than just a cookie or piece of candy.

But if you don’t eat chocolate, have no fear. There’s holiday candy for everyone! Why not try this divinity cand y by my friend Heidi from The Real Life of Lulu blog?

How to Store Homemade Peanut Clusters

Store your peanut clusters in an airtight container with a sheet of parchment or wax paper between the layers.

Keep the container in a cool, dry place for up to two weeks! Yup. This peanut cluster recipe is a fantastic make-ahead gift and dessert option.

These yummy peanut clusters can also be frozen for a quick and easy solution to chocolate cravings in the future. Be sure they are completely cooled and solidly set before tossing them into a ziptop freezer bag or freezer container.

They’ll keep in your freezer for about 2 months.

If you don’t want to eat the chocolate peanut clusters from frozen, thaw them in the fridge to help prevent condensation from forming on the outside.

How to Make Chocolate Peanut Clusters

Add the chocolate almond bark and semi-sweet chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave on 50% power until all the chocolate is completely melted and you can stir it together easily and it is creamy, homogenous. How long to heat them will depend on the wattage of your personal microwave. I heated mine in intervals of 1 1/2 minutes at a time, for a total of 4 1/2 minutes. Stir in between each interval and determine if more heating will be needed. The chips will melt before the almond bark. Just keep going until it’s easy to stir together.
Add the peanuts to your melted chocolate and stir until all the nuts are coated.
Use a spoon to drop dollops of the chocolate/peanut mixture onto parchment paper, waxed paper or a silicone baking mat. The size you decide to make them will determine the quantity you get. I usually get about 4 dozen peanut clusters from this recipe.
Allow the peanut clusters to cool completely and set up solidly before moving them to any container.

The Recipe

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