These small batch chocolate peanut clusters are the easiest no-bake dessert ever! All you need are 2 ingredients and about 30 minutes for a crunchy, sweet, and chocolatey dessert. I love making these as a quick weeknight treat, but you can also whip them up for movie nights!
Did anyone else lose their actual minds over a box of See's when they were a kid? It seems like every holiday, a box of chocolates would pop up from my grandma or one of my dad's clients. And if it was a box of Nuts & Chews, I became feral.
I know most kids don't go for nutty chocolates and caramel flavors, but as we've already established, I was a weird kid lol. I gladly gave up anything bubblegum or cotton candy flavored in exchange for pistachio or butter pecan.
Anyways, these clusters are inspired by the box of See's we know and love. But, this is a super simple, completely fuss-free version made with just two ingredients: chocolate and peanuts!
Chocolate-covered peanuts have always been one of my favorite treats, and these are like a meta version. In this recipe, I'll show you how to temper chocolate like I did when I was in pastry school. Trust me, it's super easy, and it'll give you that chocolate 'snap' you get from a candy shop.
If you're a fan of no-bake treats like classic puppy chow or my chewy Rice Krispie treats, then you're going to love these candies. I make a batch every week, and it's my go-to midnight snack!
Chocolate bars
If you're going to temper the chocolate, you will want high-quality chocolate bars, not chocolate chips! (But if you want to use chocolate chips, you can. More on this later.) I like semi-sweet chocolate, but dark or milk will work too.
My go-tos are Guittard or Ghirardelli, because they're easily available at my grocery store. But of course, any high-quality chocolate will work in this recipe!
Tempering chocolate
After you spoon the clusters onto the parchment paper, feel free to add toppings! I like a sprinkle of flaky salt, but cacao nibs, freeze-dried fruit, or even sprinkles would be amazing too.
Using chocolate chips
If you want to use chocolate chips and skip the tempering, that's totally fine! Just keep in mind that the chocolate will be softer and won't have that pretty shine. You'll also want to store them in the fridge so they don't melt too easily.
To use chocolate chips, melt them in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Add the peanuts, spoon the mixture into mounds, and refrigerate until the candies are set!
When it comes to small-batch baking, I always recommend using a scale to measure the ingredients. If you don't have a scale, here are all my tips on how I measure ingredients for small batch baking.
If you try this recipe, I would love if you left a star rating and review. I read every comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thanks so much for supporting Midnight Bake Club!
Two-Ingredient Small Batch Chocolate Peanut Clusters
Equipment
- Microwave safe bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Cooking thermometer
Ingredients
- 225 gram semi-sweet chocolate bar see Recipe Notes for using chocolate chips (8 ounces)
- 140 grams dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts (1 cup)
- Flaky salt for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Using a sharp knife, roughly chop 155 grams (5 ½ ounces) of the chocolate. Finely chop the remaining 70 grams (2 ½ ounces) of chocolate into shards.
- Transfer the 5 ½ ounces of roughly chopped chocolate to a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until the chocolate is completely melted and reaches 115°F (46°C).
- Add half of the finely chopped chocolate (this is called the "seed".) Stir the chocolate with a rubber spatula until it's completely melted. Continue adding the remaining seed chocolate, small amounts at a time, making sure it's completely melted before adding more. Stir constantly, until the chocolate is completely smooth and reaches 84°F (29°C). This can take up to 10 minutes, so be patient!
- Add the peanuts to the tempered chocolate and stir well to make sure they're completely coated. Using a Tablespoon, scoop the mixture into 12 mounds on the parchment-lined sheet pan. Sprinkle with flaky salt, if using.
- Let the candies harden completely at room temperature, about 20-30 minutes. Once they're set, enjoy the chocolates or store them in an airtight container for 1 week.
Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear what you think!