Slow Cooker Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Clusters

Hi there and  Happy Holidays to you all, my sweet Shabby Creek friends!  It’s me Claire from A Little CLAIREification and it’s time for me to share one last slow cooker recipe until the new year is upon us and I am allll about some easy holiday baking, how about you?

These Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Clusters could not be simpler and they are the perfect combination of sweet and salty and the peppermint candies give them just the right amount of a holiday kick.

Yes, that is my not so subtle hint that you can make these all year ’round and just substitute peanut butter or whatever flavored candies float your boat.

We all know things get a little nuts about this time of year so the last thing we need is something complicated.  I like to keep the sweet treats simple and my crock pot is one of my best friends so it’s been working over time to help me out.

Who needs an elf??

These little treats are a great addition to your dessert table and also are perfect for holiday gifting.  We can start lean and mean in January but this month?  It’s all about a little indulgence.

Hope you enjoy these – the recipe is below – and I can’t wait to see you all back here in 2015.  I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Christmas and New Year and I’ll see you next month!

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Slow Cooker Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Clusters

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate peppermint, chocolate peppermint pretzel clusters, pretzel clusters

Ingredients

• 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 8 oz semisweet baking chocolate chopped or broken into squares
• 3 tbsp butter
• 8 oz pretzel nuggets
• 1 9.9 oz bag M&Ms Holiday Mint flavored candies divided
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Instructions

1. Combine all of the chocolate and the butter in the slow cooker
2. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 1 hour – do NOT over cook.
3. Stir the chocolate and allow to heat through until just melted – about 30 more minutes max.
4. While the chocolate is heating, prepare two cookie sheets by covering with parchment or wax paper and set aside.
5. Stir chocolate until smooth and remove from heat.
6. Add the pretzels, peppermint extract and all but 1/2 cup of the M&Ms and stir until thoroughly coated.
7. Drop pretzel mixture in large tablespoonfuls onto prepared pans.
8. Add on a few more of the peppermint M&M candies to each piece before they set.
9. Once completely cooled and firm, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to a month

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Slow Cooker Chocolate Peppermint Pretzel Clusters

Ingredients

• 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 8 oz semisweet baking chocolate, chopped or broken into squares
• 3 tbsp butter
• 8 oz pretzel nuggets
• 1 9.9 oz bag M&Ms Holiday Mint flavored candies, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Directions

• Combine all of the chocolate and the butter in the slow cooker
• Cover and cook on LOW setting for 1 hour – do NOT over cook.
• Stir the chocolate and allow to heat through until just melted – about 30 more minutes max.
• While the chocolate is heating, prepare two cookie sheets by covering with parchment or wax paper and set aside.
• Stir chocolate until smooth and remove from heat.
• Add the pretzels, peppermint extract and all but 1/2 cup of the M&Ms and stir until thoroughly coated.
• Drop pretzel mixture in large tablespoonfuls onto prepared pans.
• Add on a few more of the peppermint M&M candies to each piece before they set.
• Once completely cooled and firm, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to a month.

Notes:

This Recipe CAN be doubled.  Just keep the chocolate on LOW heat for an extra few minutes unless you have a helper adding the candies on top while you prep onto the cookie sheets because it does start to set pretty quickly one spooned out.