White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Clusters are dense yet light, crispy, crunchy, chewy, and very addictive. I give them a 1 on work, 10 on reward. I wish all cookie recipes delivered those results.
Sometimes no-bake cookies feel like cheating.
And if that’s how you look at it, I’m very happy to be called a cheater.
With the warmer weather approaching, I wanted something sweet that didn’t involve turning on the oven.
Additionally, I wanted something supremely easy and not at all fussy. These ridiculously easy little clusters fit the bill and are a 10 minute project.
They combine two of my favorite ingredients, white chocolate and peanut butter. When melted together, they make the most amazing sauce. Anything that’s coated with it automatically becomes phenomenal.
Both White Chocolate Buttery Waffles Snack Mix and White Chocolate Vanilla Peanut Butter Puppy Chow use melted white chocolate and peanut butter, and since I love those, I knew the clusters would be a win.
I used peanuts in them, which is usual for me. I love handfuls of peanuts on their own, and of course I love peanut butter, but usually am not fond of peanuts in desserts.They tend to be like hard rocks embedded in soft cookies.
However, here the peanuts add so much crunch, texture, and flavor. I love them.
While peanuts add a hearty crunch, Rice Krispies add lighter, softer crispiness and texture.
They act like little sponges in any kind of batter or recipe you don’t want to use flour in yet need something to take the edge off the sog-factor, such as in Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars or in Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Miracle Cookies, They’re the perfect solution.
The nuts and cereal are balanced by soft, squishy, puffy marshmallows. I love using marshmallows in bars because their fluffiness is a wonderful contrast to the crispier and crunchier nuts and cereal. Biting into a soft marshmallow coated in white chocolate and peanut butter is how I want to eat all marshmallows forever.
If you wanted to work in chopped pretzels, raisins, popcorn, diced peanut butter cups, other candy, or your general odd and ends, mix-and-match with what you have.
I loved these clusters and wish the pictures conveyed just how good they are, but they were exceedingly difficult to photograph. Lumpy, bumpy, light in color, shiny, small in size, and reflective. Fun times.
They’re one of those treats on the work-reward scale that is a 1 on work, 10 on reward. They remind of these pretzels for that reason. So easy, but exceedingly good, and addictive. Just one more.
They’re dense yet light, and the peanut butter-white chocolate has a melt-in-your mouth quality. They’re crispy and crunchy, yet soft and chewy.
The white chocolate is sweet, yet there’s hints of saltiness from the peanuts and peanut butter for a salty-and-sweet element. And unlike some treats where either white chocolate or peanut butter dominates, you get both loud and clear.
If no-bake is cheating, you can call me a cheater as much as you want.
Enjoy!
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White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Clusters
Ingredients
- one 1-pound package, 16 ounces vanilla Caniquik, coarsely chopped (white almond bark or white chocolate chips may be substituted)
- heaping 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, do not use natural or homemade; use conventional Jif, Skippy, or similar
- 1 cup Rice Krispies cereal or similar gluten-free crispy rice cereal, plus 1/4 cup cereal, only if necessary; see directions below*
- 1 cup peanuts
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
Instructions
- Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment or wax paper; set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine Candiquik, peanut butter, and heat on high power for 1 minute to melt. Stop and stir. As necessary, heat in 15-second bursts until mixture can be stirred smooth. Be very careful not to overheat the mixture because white chocolate is notorious for scorching and seizing up.
- To the melted white chocolate-peanut butter mixture, add 1 cup cereal, peanuts, marshmallows, and stir to coat. Mixture will be runny and you want to keep it loose and not too cluttered with add-ins. But if your mixture is extremely runny and would benefit from extra bulk, add 1/4 cup cereal.* Adding a pinch of extra peanuts or marshmallows also works.
- Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop or with a spoon, drop mounds onto prepared baking sheets (I made 24). Allow cookies to firm up for about 2 hours at room temperature, or expedite by placing trays in the refrigerator or freezer is you have the space.
- Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for at least 2 weeks, in the refrigerator for at least 1 month, or in the freezer for at least 6 months. Take care any ingredients used are appropriate for your dietary needs.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Do you have a favorite no-bake recipe?