Description
Delightfully festive Christmas M&M Peanut Butter Clusters combine creamy peanut butter, rich chocolate, and colorful holiday M&M’s to create an easy no-bake treat perfect for the holiday season. These crunchy, sweet clusters come together quickly and are great for parties, gifts, or enjoying yourself.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Add-ins
- 1 cup M&M’s (Christmas colored)
- 1/2 cup salted peanuts (optional, for extra crunch)
Instructions
- Melt the Chocolate Mixture: In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the peanut butter, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and butter. Stir constantly until the mixture is smooth and fully combined, ensuring none of the ingredients burn or separate.
- Add Powdered Sugar: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the powdered sugar until it is completely incorporated and the mixture thickens slightly.
- Cool the Mixture: Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes at room temperature. This helps it to thicken so that it can hold shape when mixed with the add-ins.
- Fold in M&M’s and Peanuts: Gently fold in the Christmas-colored M&M’s and the optional salted peanuts, distributing them evenly without breaking the candy shells.
- Form Clusters: Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, creating small clusters that will hold together once chilled.
- Chill to Set: Refrigerate the clusters for at least 1 hour or until they have hardened completely and are ready to be served.
- Serve or Store: Enjoy immediately after chilling or store the clusters in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week to maintain freshness and texture.
Notes
- For extra crunch, salted peanuts add a delightful contrast to the sweetness, but you can omit them for a smoother texture.
- Ensure the mixture is cooled before adding M&M’s to prevent the candy shells from melting.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep clusters firm.
- These clusters are perfect for holiday parties and gift-giving.
