Some recipes earn a permanent place in a home cook’s back pocket because they deliver big results with almost no effort. These Peanut Marshmallow Clusters are exactly that: a two-bowl, no-bake, crowd-pleasing treat.
These cookies hit every texture note—soft, chewy marshmallows, salty roasted peanuts, and a creamy two-chocolate coating that sets with a clean snap.
Peanut Marshmallow Clusters Ingredients
Q: Should I use salted or unsalted peanuts in this recipe?
A: These squares would taste best with unsalted dry roasted peanuts, but you can use any type of peanuts.
Q: Can I use dark chocolate instead of semi sweet chocolate/milk chocolate for these chocolate marshmallow peanut clusters?
A: The choice of chocolate is entirely up to you. Both dark, semi-sweet and milk chocolate are all delicious in this recipe.
Tips Based On Our Cooking Method
Microwave gently. Chocolate burns fast. We’ve tested these clusters using every shortcut possible, and the chocolate only melts properly when heated in short bursts with lots of stirring. If chocolate scorches, there’s no saving it, you’ll have to start over.
The vegetable oil is especially important when using two types of chocolate chips. Some candy recipes skip oil, but after testing both ways, adding three tablespoons of vegetable oil thins the chocolate to the right consistency and helps prevent seizing.
Let the chocolate cool slightly before mixing. If it’s still hot, the marshmallows soften and collapse, the peanuts soften and the clusters lose shape. Lukewarm chocolate gives you clean, rounded pieces.
Use a cookie scoop for consistent size. It ensures even chilling and makes the batch look polished if you’re gifting them.
Use parchment or wax paper so the clusters release cleanly. This seems like a tiny instruction, but it’s based on tested experience. Chocolate candies set best when air can circulate around them. A lined baking sheet keeps the bottoms from sticking while still letting the chocolate firm up with a smooth finish.
Setting the clusters in the refrigerator ensures the chocolate hardens quickly and evenly. When left on the counter, the chocolate can develop streaks or spots or stay tacky.
Storage Instructions
These clusters keep them exceptionally well. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to two months. If stacking, separate layers with parchment paper so they don’t stick together.
Gift-friendly: Once set, you can drop each cluster into a cupcake paper liner. It makes packaging tidy and prevents chocolate fingerprints. Pack them cold so they hold their shape. They should be kept chilled until serving.
More Homemade Sweets Great For Gifting
You could also serve your peanut marshmallow clusters with homemade peanut brittle or chocolate-covered graham crackers. For more easy confections, check out our chocolate peanut clusters, Ritz cracker cookies and butterscotch haystacks.
Peanut Marshmallow Clusters
Ingredients
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups milk chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups miniature marshmallows
- 1½ cups dry roasted cocktail peanuts
Instructions
- Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper and set them aside.
- Add the chocolate chips and vegetable oil to a large heat-safe mixing bowl. Heat the chocolate chips and oil in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
- Allow the chocolate to cool to lukewarm before stirring in the miniature marshmallows and peanuts until the marshmallows and nuts are completely coated.
- Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the candy clusters. Space the clusters about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Allow the candy to chill in the refrigerator to completely set before serving.
Notes
- Make sure to use parchment paper or wax paper when spooning out the clusters. They’ll lift easily off of the paper.
- Don’t heat for more than a 30-second interval at a time, and stir well between each heating so that your chocolate chips don’t scorch (if they scorch, they solidify and clump together, and there’s no saving them, you’ll have to start over).
- If giving for a holiday gift, you could also place each cluster into a cupcake paper once they are set.
Nutrition
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