No-bake peanut butter pretzel clusters are easy to make! Chopped pretzels covered in peanut butter sauce and topped with melted chocolate.
You might also like my Chex Scotcheroo clusters, butterscotch haystacks, or brownie truffles!
I love simple no-bake treats, and these peanut butter pretzel clusters are made with a few simple ingredients and are absolutely delicious. Sweet, salty, peanut buttery and topped with chocolate----perfection.
Why I Like This Recipe
- Simple ingredients. You only need a few ingredients to make pretzel clusters: peanut butter, sugar, corn syrup, pretzels, and chocolate.
- Bite-sized. These are small, about the size of a tablespoon, making them a yummy bite-sized treat, perfect to add to treat platters during the holidays.
- Chewy. Peanut butter pretzel clusters are soft and chewy, with a bit of crunch in every bite from the pretzels. They stay soft for days.
- Easy to customize. Top with chopped nuts or sprinkles. Switch up the chocolate topping to use white chocolate, dark chocolate, butterscotch, or a combination!
Tips and Tricks
- Do not boil the peanut butter mixture. For best results, heat the mixture until smooth and creamy. It will be hot, but should not come to a boil.
- Don't overheat the chocolate. Microwaves vary, but I find that heating the chocolate chips for 30 seconds, stirring, then heating for an additional 15-20 seconds works great.
- Allow the clusters to air dry. These treats will start out sticky, but dry as they stand. I refrigerate mine until the chocolate hardens, then store them on the counter, rotating each treat to allow the bottoms to dry as well. Let them stand for an hour, uncovered, until they are solid and no longer sticky.
Ingredients
- Corn Syrup: You'll need 1 cup. I haven't tried making these with honey, syrup, or any sort of substitute so I don't know how they would be. I always make mine with corn syrup.
- Sugar: ½ cup is all you need for this recipe.
- Peanut Butter: 1 cup of creamy or crunchy peanut butter.
- Pretzels: Any variety, chopped into tiny pieces.
- Chocolate: I used milk chocolate chips, but you can use semisweet as well.
- Nuts or sprinkles: I used pecans, but you can use any kind of nut or sprinkles.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Peanut Butter Pretzel Clusters
Step 1: Combine corn syrup, peanut butter, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium heat, stirring, until melted and smooth. You do NOT need to bring the mixture to a simmer. It just needs to be warm, smooth, and easily pourable.
Step 2: Add pretzels to the peanut butter mixture and stir until evenly coated.
Step 3: Spoon in tablespoon-sized clusters onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Step 4: Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler or in the microwave. Spoon a small amount over each cluster.
Step 5: Top with chopped nuts or sprinkles. Refrigerate until the chocolate hardens.
Step 6: Rotate the chilled clusters to allow the bottoms to air dry.
Step 7: Continue to allow clusters to dry for at least an hour. When they are no longer sticky to the touch, they can be stored in the refrigerator or at room temperature in an airtight container, with parchment or wax paper separating the layers of treats.
Peanut Butter Cluster FAQs
These treats will start out sticky, but dry as they stand. I refrigerate mine until the chocolate hardens, then store them on the counter, rotating each treat to allow the bottoms to dry as well. Let them stand for an hour, uncovered, until they are solid and no longer sticky.
Microwaves vary, but I find that heating the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips together for 30 seconds, stirring, then heating for an additional 15-20 seconds works great.
Yes, you can freeze the clusters in freezer bags or a container. Thaw on the counter.
More No Bake Treats To Make
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Peanut Butter Pretzel Clusters
Ingredients
- 1 cup corn syrup
- 1 cup peanut butter creamy or crunchy
- ½ cup white sugar
- 3 ½ cups pretzels chopped
- 1 ¼ cup chocolate chips milk or semisweet
- chopped nuts or sprinkles
Instructions
- Combine corn syrup, peanut butter, and sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat on medium heat, stirring, until melted and smooth. You do NOT need to bring the mixture to a simmer. It just needs to be warm, smooth, and easily pourable.
- Add chopped pretzels and stir to coat evenly.
- Scoop tablespoon-sized clusters onto parchment paper or wax paper-lined baking sheets.
- Allow clusters to cool.
- Melt chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in a double boiler or microwave. I usually use my microwave and heat the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips for 30 seconds, then I stir and heat them for an additional 15-20 seconds. Every microwave is different, my advice is to go low and slow. Short intervals, stirring until smooth and creamy. DO NOT OVERHEAT CHOCOLATE.
- Spoon the chocolate mixture over the clusters.Refrigerate clusters until the chocolate hardens. Rotate clusters so that the bottoms are exposed to the air. This will allow them to dry and not be sticky.
- Continue to allow clusters to dry for at least an hour.
Brandy says
These are so flavorful. Love the sweet and salty combo!