Marlene Cornelis

Simple Pleasures ❅ A No-Bake Treat

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When my son Jonathan was a little boy we liked to make no-bake treats together at the holidays. Making these Chocolate Peanut Mounds for my Christmas sweet tray this year brought back nostalgic memories of the two of us working together in the kitchen, in happy anticipation of the first bites. Jonathan may tower over me today, but when I make treats like these he’s still my little boy.

While these clusters evoke the holidays for us, there’s no reason you couldn’t make them any time of year and for a variety of occasions. We all need a recipe or two like this in our repertoire: fast and easy, with the contrast of smooth chocolate and crunchy peanuts, sweet and salty.

Jon wasn’t able to attend our Christmas Open House this year, but he was happy to find these among the goodies that I packaged up for him. And who knows, making these with your family might just be a simple pleasure that’s the making of your own sweet memories that last a lifetime.

Chocolate Peanut Clusters
Chocolate Peanut Mounds

Chocolate Peanut Mounds

Makes 48 pieces. From The Canadian Living Christmas Book, 1993, my source for many of our favourite family recipes for the holidays and beyond. I’ve made some wording changes to the method.

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 2 cups Spanish peanuts (I prefer them salted with the skins on)

In top of a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips and butter. Take off the heat and stir with a large spoon until smooth and blended. Stir in the peanuts to coat completely.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets lined with waxed or parchment paper. Refrigerate until firm. (The mounds can be layered between waxed paper in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.)

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27 comments

  3. I’ve just “tucked” into reading and came here first.. what a treat to see! These are my favorite chocolate treat of all time. I have to bring something to Book Club tomorrow night.. you’ve got me craving these now! I think this was one of the first recipes I learned to make. I love that you see your son as still a small boy when it comes to baking these.. that is the beauty of food!! xx

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    • These would be great to take to something like Book Club. My guests at the open house enjoyed them, and I’m sure your fellow book enthusiasts will too!

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  6. My Mom made something very similar, Mar, though we never did find her cookbook with her candy recipes. Hers were tasty and I’d be willing to bet yours will be, too. I’m pinning this. If I see either of my siblings at Christmas, I’ll be sure to bring these. They’ll love them. Thanks for sharing and, in the process, the Blast from the Past. 🙂

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    • Oh, it would be such a treasure if your Mom’s candy recipes turned up. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. After all, you found a container of her sauce in the bottom of the freezer, so there’s always hope! I’m glad to hear this recipe would go over well with your sibs. Thanks for pinning it!

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  9. Hello I couldn’t help but drop by when I googled the name of my blog and your blog came up first! I have a large window in the kitchen and the inspiration for my blog name was staring me in the face. I too started my blog as a record of recipes and events, but mostly for the kids, just in case I was hit by a bus, they’d have somewhere to visit me when they missed me. Sounds morbid, but I really did want to leave them a small part of myself that was easily accessible. I’m not a regular blogger by any means, but I’ve enjoyed blogging and it’s taught me heaps, uploading photos, taking better photos and even my English has improved. Ooops, didn’t mean to go on, but just thought I’d touch base and let you know there’s another person living her blogging world through the kitchen window. Nice to meet you. Mariana.

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    • Mariana, thank you for dropping by! Our blog names are quite close, aren’t they? There are a few out there with similar sounding names, and even a book as I recall from the last time I googled the name (which was quite some time ago, and things do change quickly out there on the internet!).

      When I started my blog, my kitchen window overlooked my yard and herb garden. I’ve since moved, and now my window overlooks the side of my neighbour’s house. But I’ve kept the name because what I write about is a true representation of what’s happening in my kitchen.

      I’ve looked at your blog and it’s very pretty. I love your china, by the way – it makes me want to bake dainty cupcakes and cookies just to serve on that pretty pattern!

      I’m not quite sure where in the world you are (I’m in Canada), but I’m going to follow your blog so I can see what’s happening through your kitchen window!

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      • Thanks for that. I live in Australia – in the land of bushfires and floods. We are in the midst of a huge flood in parts of Queensland which have experienced the worst on record. I haven’t been to Canada but must say that it seems to be a gorgeous part of the world. As we Aussies would say; ‘ see ya later mate’.

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