Our Homemade Caramel Peanut Clusters recipe is easy to make and costs a fraction of the price of the iconic pecan turtles candy from a fancy chocolatier. Crunchy roasted peanuts and chewy caramels covered in melted chocolate make a delicious sweet and salty snack and are great for gift giving too!
Caramel Peanut Clusters Recipe
This easy Salted Caramel Peanut Clusters recipe has just the right ratio of salty and sweet. It’s prepared with mini piles of caramel-coated peanuts that are coated in melted milk chocolate and topped with a sprinkle of salt.
When you merge Chocolate Cashew Clusters covered with toffee bits with Chocolate Turtle Candy prepared with pecans, what do you get? The most irresistible homemade candy with a mix of contrasting textures and tastes that set into melt-in-your-mouth morsels.
Ingredients Notes
- Caramels: Square caramels have the expected soft, chewy, stuck-in-your-teeth texture. Caramel bits also have a chewy texture, but they’re not sticky. Choose whichever you prefer to cover the peanuts or make your own homemade caramels.
- Heavy cream: Makes the caramel mixture extra creamy.
- Salted butter: You can substitute unsalted butter for the salted butter. When making the caramel mixture, make sure to slice it into pats.
- Pure vanilla extract: I prefer to use pure vanilla extract, but imitation vanilla will work as well.
- Salted dry roasted peanuts: You can substitute unsalted peanuts for dry roasted salted peanuts if you prefer.
- Milk chocolate candy wafer melts: You can substitute dark chocolate candy melts for the milk chocolate or use chocolate almond bark instead of candy wafer melts.
- Flaky sea salt: You can substitute coarse kosher salt for the flaky sea salt.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Caramel Peanut Clusters
- Make The Caramel Mixture: Microwave the caramels and heavy cream at full power, in 30 second intervals, stirring after each until completely melted. Stir in the butter and vanilla until melted and smooth.
- Coat and Cool The Peanuts: Stir the peanuts into the caramel. Rest for 30 minutes at room temperature to continue cooling.
- Prepare The Piles: Scoop mounds of caramel and peanuts and place them 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Melt: Microwave the chocolate on full power for 45 seconds, stir, and continue heating in 30 second intervals until the melted and smooth.
- Cover The Clusters: Dip each peanut caramel cluster into the melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt.
- Serve: Serve and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
This homemade candy is great for packaging and giving as gifts and homemade hostess presents. Place them on holiday candy trays beside the other finger food or crumble the clusters and use them as a topping for yogurt, oatmeal, and ice cream.
Tips & Variations
- Prepare the Pan: I highly recommend using waxed paper, a Silpat baking mat, or parchment paper-lined baking sheets and spraying them with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pass On The Peanuts: While they might not be traditional peanut and caramel clusters, you can replace the peanuts with pecans, cashews, almonds, or walnuts.
- Sprinkle With Salt: If you choose to sprinkle the tops of the clusters with the sea salt, you will need to do this while the chocolate is damp, as the chocolate will set up quickly.
- Make More: You can double or even triple this peanut chocolate clusters recipe to make homemade candy for friends and family.
- Create Christmas Clusters: For a festive holiday flair, add some chopped dried cranberries and sprinkle some red and green sprinkles or nonpareils on top.
How To Coat The Clusters In Chocolate
Quickly drop the peanut caramel cluster into the melted chocolate. Then, use either a table fork or a candy-dipping fork to roll and remove each peanut cluster. Be sure to tap the fork gently against the bowl to remove any excess chocolate before placing the chocolate-covered clusters back on the baking sheet. You can use either a toothpick or a bamboo skewer to help move the chocolate-covered cluster onto the baking sheet.
Proper Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in a cool area. I do not recommend storing these candy clusters in the refrigerator unless absolutely necessary. I also do not recommend freezing the chocolate covered peanut clusters as it will cause the chocolate to “fat bloom,” or in other words, the cocoa and fat in the chocolate will separate.
Other Easy Homemade Candy Recipes
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Caramel Peanut Clusters
Ingredients
- 11 ounces (or 311g) Kraft individually wrapped caramels unwrapped (There were 40 caramels in the package I used)
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons salted butter sliced into pats
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2½ cups salted dry roasted peanuts
- 3 cups milk chocolate candy wafer melts I weighed my candy melts 18 ounces -or- 512g
- 1-2 teaspoons flaky sea salt I used Maldon sea salt for optional garnish
Instructions
- Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper, silpat baking mat or parchment paper lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the unwrapped caramels and heavy cream to a microwave safe medium size mixing bowl. Heat at full power, in 30 second intervals, stirring well after each interval until completely melted.11 ounces (or 311g) Kraft individually wrapped caramels, ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- Once the caramels are completely melted, stir in the sliced butter pats and ½ teaspoon of vanilla until the butter is melted and smooth.3 tablespoons salted butter, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Stir in peanuts. Allow the mixture to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature to continue cooling.2½ cups salted dry roasted peanuts
- Next, use a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop up mounded tablespoons of the caramel and peanuts. Place the caramel and peanuts 2 inches apart. Repeat for the remaining caramel and peanuts. Once all clusters have been scooped, place the clusters in the refrigerator for 1 hour to chill before dipping in the chocolate.
- Add the chocolate candy melting wafers to a microwave safe bowl. Heat on full power for 45 seconds, stir, and continue heating in 30 second intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth.3 cups milk chocolate candy wafer melts
- Remove the clusters from the refrigerator. Quickly drop the peanut caramel cluster into the melted chocolate. Using either a table fork or a candy dipping fork to roll and remove the peanut clusters. Be sure to tap the fork gently against the bowl to remove any excess chocolate before placing the chocolate covered clusters back on the baking sheet. (You can use either a toothpick or a bamboo skewer help move the chocolate covered cluster onto the baking sheet)
- If you are wanting to sprinkle the tops of the clusters with the sea salt, you will need to do this while the chocolate is damp, as the chocolate will set up quickly. Repeat for the remaining clusters.1-2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
Jenn’s Notes
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in a cool area. I do not recommend storing these candy clusters in the refrigerator unless absolutely necessary. I also do not recommend freezing the chocolate covered peanut clusters as it will cause the chocolate to “fat bloom,” or in other words, the cocoa and fat in the chocolate will separate.
- I highly recommend using waxed paper, silpat baking mat or parchment paper lined baking sheets and spraying them with nonstick cooking spray.
- While they might not be traditional peanut and caramel clusters, you can replace the peanuts with pecans, cashews, almonds, or walnuts.
- If you choose to sprinkle the tops of the clusters with the sea salt, you will need to do this while the chocolate is damp, as the chocolate will set up quickly.
- You can double or even triple this peanut chocolate clusters recipe to make homemade candy for friends and family.
- For a festive holiday flair, add some chopped dried cranberries and sprinkle some red and green sprinkles or nonpareils on top.
