These Caramel Nut Clusters are an easy, delicious candy recipe that you can make in the microwave or stovetop! With caramel, almonds, peanuts, pecans and chocolate these candies are nutty and so flavorful.
These are so simple that they are hard to resist! I absolutely love sweet-and-salty stuff together.
– Nora
This recipe was originally published in August 2013. I updated the photos and recipe notes in September 2025.
Aimee’s Recipe Notes
Homemade candy is one of my favorite things to make for people, especially around the holidays. A plate of peanut butter fudge or a bag filled with Saltine toffee created with love feels extra special!
Taste & Texture: chewy and nutty candy with a crunch!
Ease: A microwave and a few basic ingredients is all you need to make this pecan cluster candy.
Budget Tip: Don’t want to buy all the various nuts? Use mixed nuts for a new flavor, same great concept.
Ingredients Needed
Scroll down to the recipe card for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
- Nuts – I used a combination of peanuts, almonds and pecans. You can swap out these with other nuts you like, just make sure they are roasted and salted for best flavor. I like to toast the nuts for extra flavor.
- Caramel bits – If you can’t find caramel baking bits, substitute unwrapped caramel candies.
- Milk chocolate – Substitute melted dark or white chocolate if preferred.
- Butter – The nuts will already be salted so be sure to use unsalted butter so the clusters don’t get overwhelmingly salty.
How to Make Caramel Nut Candy
- Melt the caramel in a microwave save dish with the butter and cream. Start with one minute, stir, then add another 30 second intervals until smooth.
- Add nuts and drop by spoonful onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
- Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Stir until smooth.
- Spoon melted chocolate over the top of each caramel nut cluster. Allow to set.
Tips and Tricks
- Clean Up: Line your baking sheet with parchment paper before placing the nut clusters on it to set to prevent sticking and make clean up easier.
- Shape: Use your fingers to shape the clusters into a more attractive round shape after plopping them on your baking sheet and before adding the melted chocolate.
- Gifting: Place a batch of these Caramel Nut Clusters in a mason jar topped with a ribbon for an easy holiday gift!
- For stovetop use: pan melt the butter, caramel, and cream until smooth. Mix in the nuts and continue recipe as directed. You can also melt chocolate on stovetop in a double boiler.
- Store- keep caramel nut candy in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- Freeze candy in airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on counter overnight.
More Candy Recipes
Whether you love making homemade peppermint patties, or you want an easy candy like my rocky road fudge, I’ve got all the tips and tricks in every recipe to give YOU success!
- Make some Crock Pot Candy and impress your friends and family this holiday season!
- This Tiger Butter makes a great treat for your kids after school or in their lunches!
- Make some Peanut Butter Cups at home and never go back for the store-bought kind again! Same with these from-scratch Copycat 3 Musketeers!
- Serve candy on a plate with some Pecan Praline Candy and a few squares of Candy Cane Fudge or all on their own. It really is THAT easy to create your own delicious candy at home.
- If you love easy candy, my sugar free date bark recipe is here for you!
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Caramel Nut Clusters Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 bag Premium Caramel Bits, or 25 caramel candies, unwrapped 11 ounce
- 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
- 1 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
- ½ cup Almonds chopped
- ½ cup Dry Roasted Salted Peanuts
- ¾ cup Halved Pecans
- 6 ounces Milk Chocolate melted
Instructions
- Lay a piece of parchment paper over a large cookie sheet. Set aside.
- In a large, microwave safe bowl, add caramels, butter and heavy cream. Microwave on high for one minute.
- Stir and microwave an additional 30 seconds. Stir (if not yet completely melted, add another 30 seconds).
- Fold in nuts.
- Drop by large tablespoon onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Shape scoops with fingertips so they look nice.
- Spoon a dollop of melted chocolate onto each cluster. Refrigerate until set (about 15 minutes). Store in airtight container in refrigerator for one week. ENJOY.
Notes
- Clean Up: Line your baking sheet with parchment paper before placing the nut clusters on it to set to prevent sticking and make clean up easier.
- Shape: Use your fingers to shape the clusters into a more attractive round shape after plopping them on your baking sheet and before adding the melted chocolate.
- Gifting: Place a batch of these Caramel Nut Clusters in a mason jar topped with a ribbon for an easy holiday gift!
- For stovetop use: pan melt the butter, caramel, and cream until smooth. Mix in the nuts and continue recipe as directed. You can also melt chocolate on stovetop in a double boiler.
- Store- keep caramel nut candy in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- Freeze candy in airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on counter overnight.
Nutrition
Easy Candy Recipes
Skip the expensive box of holiday chocolates, put down the candy thermometer and make these Caramel Nut Clusters instead!
Wish the recipe was here with the good picture. Candy looks very Yummmmmyy
If you click the link above it will take you to the recipe to print it out!
I love candy of any kind too. This looks amazing and I love how easy these are to make!!!
I, too, am a fanatic of the candy variety. These look perfect to hand out during Christmastime!
These look so delicious! they are so cute and simple. <3 Pinned!
These look like they’d be right up my alley! Definitely must try!
My kind of dessert! Love nuts so I am all over this lovely recipe…Pinned!
Thanks for pinning Cathy!!
Oh, wow…these are so simple that they are hard to resist! I absolutely love sweet-and-salty stuff together.
I love candy like this — crunchy, chewy, sweet, and salty! These look delicious!
All my favorite nuts covered in caramel? I like the idea of putting a warning label on them – “make at your own risk!” I would eat the whole batch, it’s just the way I am with nuts. Looks so delicious!
Oh man, these look extremely addictive , maybe I’ll add a warning label when I make them 😉
CANNNDDYYYYYY!
Candy that’s done in the microwave!! Okay that’s just awesome!!
You need to sell these in a candy store, Aimee! They are gorgeous!
Thanks Eva! Can I call the candy shop “Shugary Sweets?” hehe
They look wonderful! I love caramel and with the chocolate and peanuts, so good! Like a Snickers meets Turtle!
Yes! Love that comparison. Snickers meets turtle!! Thanks for stopping by Averie!