Snacky Clusters

These salty sweet snacky clusters are a copycat version of the ones you get at Trader Joe’s but with a twist. Crunchy, salty chips and pretzels coated in rich dark chocolate make the ultimate sweet treat!

Let’s talk about snack cravings for a hot minute. Do you prefer sweet, salty, crunchy, spicy, or a combination of all these?

Personally, I tend to grab something sweet but it usually has a hint of salty with it like this buckeye snack mix. Chocolate covered potato chips are my new go-to, but I recently found a few one when they opened a new Trader Joe’s by us.

I love this store! Especially all their treats they conveniently stick at eye level above the frozen meals and vegetables. I normally reach for their caramels or chocolate bark.

But then I saw the bag of “Snacky Clusters!” Chocolate clusters filled with pretzels, chips, and corn chips. Yes, please!!

So, I just had to make them! Basically, I just want to eat as many as I want without having to go to the store.

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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.

Ingredient Notes

• Chips – Kettle chips are the best because they are thicker and hold up in the melted chocolate. Sea salt potato chips are best but use your favorite brand!
• Pretzels – Trader Joe’s uses a custom small pretzel nuggets that I could not find so I tested pretzel sticks, twists, and nuggets. Most nuggets I find are filled with peanut butter (which might be delicious) but too thick. The “itty bitty” mini twists are best in my opinion and when chopped up best mimic the original nuggets TJ’s uses.
• Corn chips – Trader Joe’s also uses their own Organic Corn Chip Dippers but feel free to use Frito’s or your favorite corn chip.
• Chocolate – The original uses milk chocolate but I found it a little sweet so I decided to try dark chocolate. You can also use semi-sweet if you prefer. Just be sure to use chocolate for melting like a baking bar or melting wafers.

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How To Make Trader Joes Snacky Clusters

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

How long do they last?

Once these are completely cooled and the chocolate is set, you can move them to a storage container. They will last for up to 2 weeks at room temperature, if you don’t eat them all first. My husband ate them all within a 24 hour period.

I don’t recommend storing them in the fridge unless the temperature of you house is more than 74 F. These hold up well because they are made with dark chocolate.

Can I freeze them?

You can make these snacky clusters and then freeze them. Same thing as regular storage, just cool completely and then store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

Now, fair warning, when you thaw them, they may turn an ashy-greyish color. Not as much as if they were made with milk chocolate.

This happens because the cocoa butter crystalizes and comes to the surface. It is still safe to eat, although the texture might turn slightly grainy.

Variations To Try

• Switch out the chocolate for semisweet, milk chocolate, or even white chocolate.
• Want to spice them up? Try a jalapeno flavored potato chip or add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper to the chocolate when melting it.
• Turn this into a bark and break apart instead of scooping it into small clusters.
• Top with sprinkles or a little extra flaky sea salt if you want a little more salt flavor. This works well if you use plain potato chips.
• Take out some of the crushed chips/pretzels and add back in some nuts or dried fruit to add different flavors and textures to the clusters.

Tapas Tips & Tricks

• For more uniform clusters, lightly crush the chips and pretzels by hand rather than using a food processor, which might make them too fine.
• Use a fork to drop the clusters onto parchment for a more rustic look.
• Chill the baking sheet briefly before scooping to make the mixture easier to handle.
• If the chocolate is pretty warm when you add to the crushed chips/pretzels then let the mixture sit for a few minutes and let it cool. If the chocolate is too hot/thin the clusters won’t stay in a heap, they will flatten out.
• Tap the baking sheet gently on the counter after forming clusters to flatten them slightly for more stable treats.

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These irresistible Snacky Clusters are the perfect combination of salty, crunchy, and sweet. Full of texture and rich dark chocolate flavor, they’re ideal for casual parties, holiday cookie exchanges, after-school snacks, or as a edible gift for neighbors and friends.

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