Looking for an easy bite-sized no-bake Christmas treat? Try these festive chocolate peanut butter clusters that are loaded with crunchy pretzels, corn Chex cereal, and coated in a peanut butter and chocolate mixture for a sweet and salty Christmas candy everyone will enjoy.
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One of my family’s all-time favorite no-bake treats is puppy chow aka muddy buddies (or monkey munch as we like to call it) But, no matter what you call it, if you’ve had it you will probably agree it’s so delicious and hard to resist.
So, when I was thinking of some easy Christmas treats to try this holiday season, I thought why not turn some of those same flavors into chocolate peanut butter clusters? Add in some pretzels for a little sweet, salty crunch, along with a few Christmas sprinkles for a fun holiday treat perfect for sharing.
Plus, the best part is that you don’t need to turn on the oven or spend too much time in the kitchen, making them ideal to make during the busy holiday season. All it takes is melting, mixing, scooping, and letting them set for the perfect Christmas candy that kids and adults will enjoy.
Why You Will Love These Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Clusters
- Easy no-bake treat that only has 5 ingredients and can be made in just a few minutes making them perfect for holiday parties, dessert trays, or adding to a holiday tin for a homemade gift.
- A sweet and salty flavor that everyone will love with a combination of chocolate, creamy peanut butter, and salty pretzels.
- Made with simple ingredients you may already have on hand in your pantry, these budget-friendly holiday treats are great for sharing.
- Perfect for the holidays, as they are decorated with festive Christmas colored sprinkles.
- Make-ahead friendly, as you can prepare them ahead of time so you have one less thing to think about during the busy holiday season.
Looking for more easy Christmas desserts?
- White Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Bites
- Christmas Peanut Butter Truffles
- 23 Easy Homemade Christmas Truffles
- 35 Easy Fudge Recipes for the Holidays
- 45 Decadent Chocolate Desserts
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Cluster Recipe
Ingredients for these Christmas Pretzel Clusters
These 5-ingredient bite-sized holiday treats are so simple to make and come together in minutes for a fun Christmas dessert that’s perfect for gifting and sharing throughout the holiday season.
You will need:
- creamy peanut butter
- semi-sweet chocolate chips chips
- vanilla extract
- mini pretzels (broken into pieces)
- corn Chex cereal
- Christmas sprinkles
How to Make These Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Clusters
- Start by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the mixture is smooth. Then, stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add the broken pretzel pieces and corn Chex into the chocolate mixture and stir until everything is coated.
- Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop small mounds of the mixture onto the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add your Christmas sprinkles on the top before the chocolate begins to set.
- Allow the clusters to sit at room temperature until the chocolate is completely firm. If you want to speed up the process, you can also chill them for 30 minutes.
Helpful Tips
- Break the pretzels into bite-sized pieces before adding it to your peanut butter/chocolate mixture.
- Gently stir in the corn Chex so they don’t get crushed.
- Add the Christmas sprinkles right after scooping them on the pan so they stick to the chocolate.
- If you find that the mixture starts to get too thick while you’re working, you can warm it for bit in the microwave so it’s easier to work with.
Variations
- Try swapping out the semi-sweet chocolate chips for white or dark chocolate chips.
- Stir in some chopped peanuts for some extra crunch or use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy.
- You can also drizzle with white chocolate instead of adding the Christmas sprinkles.
Storage
- Store the clusters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you prefer the clusters room temperature, you can remove them from the fridge 10 minutes before serving.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Clusters
Ingredients
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups mini pretzels broken in pieces
- 2 cups Corn Chex cereal
- Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
- Start by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the mixture is smooth. Then, stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add the broken pretzel pieces and corn Chex into the chocolate mixture and stir until everything is coated.
- Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop small mounds of the mixture onto the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add your Christmas sprinkles on the top before the chocolate begins to set.
- Allow the clusters to sit at room temperature until the chocolate is completely firm. If you want to speed up the process, you can also chill them for 30 minutes.
Notes
Helpful Tips
- Break the pretzels into bite-sized pieces before adding it to your peanut butter/chocolate mixture.
- Gently stir in the corn Chex so they don't get crushed.
- Add the Christmas sprinkles right after scooping them on the pan so they stick to the chocolate.
- If you find that the mixture starts to get too thick while you're working, you can warm it for bit in the microwave so it's easier to work with.
Variations
- Try swapping out the semi-sweet chocolate chips for white or dark chocolate chips.
- Stir in some chopped peanuts for some extra crunch or use crunchy peanut butter instead of creamy.
- You can also drizzle with white chocolate instead of adding the Christmas sprinkles.
Storage
- Store the clusters in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. If you prefer the clusters room temperature, you can remove them from the fridge 10 minutes before serving.
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