Crockpot Candy is a classic holiday recipe that is sure to be a hit at your holiday gathering. It’s the perfect combination of chocolate, nuts, and creamy goodness and is a hassle-free treat without slaving away over your stovetop.
This Christmas crockpot candy is a set-it-and-forget-it method and is perfect for holiday cookie exchanges and homemade Christmas gifts. So this holiday season put away the oven mitts and get ready for some sweet holiday treats with Crockpot Candy!
Crockpot Peanut Clusters (Crockpot Candy)
Our chocolate Crockpot Candy recipe makes a big batch of slow cooker candy using only 5 ingredients that you simply dump, stir, and walk away while the appliance does the work – the perfect make-ahead Christmas candy.
The sweet chocolate mixture melts smooth and creamy and coats the crunchy peanut clusters perfectly!
I especially love that I can make this without a candy thermometer or turning on the oven; the slow cooker keeps it warm while you scoop spoonfuls of chocolate-coated peanut piles onto the parchment paper and dress them up with colorful decorations.
When you’ve had your fill of Christmas cookies, crockpot chocolate candy adds a fun and festive flair to any dessert display or party platter.
Why You’ll Love Crockpot Christmas Crack
- Quick and easy to prepare in 5 minutes.
- Only uses 5 ingredients plus an optional sprinkle topping.
- Sweet and salty, smooth and creamy contrast of flavors and textures set into the tastiest, melt-in-your-mouth morsels.
- Create your own candy with your favorite mix-ins to make your own taste and texture combinations.
- Crock pot Christmas candy is addictively delicious!
- Great for edible gift-giving, homemade hostess presents, holiday celebrations, and Christmas parties.
Crockpot Candy Recipe ingredients
- Lightly salted, dry roasted peanuts: Feel free to use your favorite type of nuts for this recipe like chopped walnuts, almonds, cashews, or pecans.
- White chocolate chips
- Dark chocolate chips
- Creamy peanut butter: You can also use crunchy peanut butter for added texture.
- Toffee bits
- Festive sprinkles (optional garnish)
- Sea salt (optional garnish)
Crockpot Candy substitutions and additions
- Choose Your Chocolate: Instead of white chocolate chips, try some white baking chocolate or almond bark instead. Instead of dark chocolate chips, you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate or German chocolate if you’d like, but I love how the dark chocolate balances the sweetness of the other chocolates.
- Prepare Without Peanuts: If you don’t like nuts or have a nut allergy, try using chopped pretzels or graham cracker pieces!
- Change The Chips: You can use butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips for a different flavor candy.
- More Mix-Ins: Feel free to add your favorite sweet or salty ingredients for more flavor and texture contrasts. Some ideas include pretzels, candy pieces, cereal (like Rice Krispies or Chex), mini marshmallows, crushed cookies, or pumpkin seeds. It’s best to add your mix-ins after slow cooking the chocolate mixture to ensure they maintain their texture.
- Customize Your Colors: Decorate your candy with festive sprinkles and assorted colors to match a holiday or party theme. Use red and green colors for Christmas, pink and red for Valentine’s Day, and orange for Halloween.
- Christmas Clusters: For an extra festive flair, sprinkle some chopped dried cranberries, crushed candy canes, or green and red nonpareils on top.
Christmas Crockpot Candy Recipe Tools
- Crockpot or slow cooker
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
How to make Crockpot Peanut Clusters
- Place Ingredients In The Crock Pot: Place the peanuts at the bottom of a crock pot and top with the remaining ingredients.
- Cook: Cook on low for one hour and stir to completely coat the peanuts. Cook for another thirty minutes.
- Drop and Decorate: Drop spoonfuls of the chocolate and peanut mixture onto the parchment paper. Top with sprinkles and sea salt, optional.
- Serve: Cool for 30-60 minutes or until set before plating and serving. Enjoy!
PRO-TIP: You can pop it in the fridge to help it cool and set faster)
Christmas Crock Pot Candy Recipe Tips
- If you’re decorating your candy with holiday sprinkles, make sure to add them while the clusters are still melted and warm. This will ensure the sprinkles stick to the chocolate as it hardens.
- You can scoop your candy clusters into mini muffin liners instead of onto parchment paper. Then arrange your candy in a pretty presentation on a dessert platter among the cookies and other treats.
- Fill a cookie tin or cellophane bag with your crock pot candy and give it as a gift for the holidays.
- You can drizzle your cooked candy with some caramel to make it extra special.
Can I make Crockpot Christmas Crack on the stove?
Yes, if you don’t have a slow cooker, you can definitely make this candy on the stovetop. Just add all of the chocolate ingredients to a large pot. Melt the chocolate on low heat, be sure to stir it frequently.
Add it the peanut butter and toffee bits and stir until the peanut butter is melted and fully incorporated into the melted chocolate. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool (about 5 minutes).
Stir in the peanuts and make sure they are completely coated. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop the candy onto the parchment paper.
Top with sprinkles and sea salt and let cool for 30-60 minutes or until fully set.
How to store Crock Pot Candy
- To Store: Store your candy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few weeks or slightly less at room temperature.
- Freeze: You can make your candy ahead of time and freeze it for a couple of months. Store it in an airtight container (or in a ziplock – be sure to get as much air out as possible) and place parchment between each layer to prevent the candy from sticking together. Thaw in the refrigerator.
More Easy Christmas Treat Recipes
Other Easy Chocolate Treats
- Chocolate Turtles
- Chocolate Coconut Balls
- Peanut Butter and Chocolate Pretzel Bites
- Hot Chocolate on a Stick
- Easy Chocolate Fudge
- Mexican Ice Cream
- Chocolate Mint Fudge
- Chocolate Christmas Candy
Christmas Crock Pot Candy Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounce jar lightly salted, dry-roasted peanuts
- 22 ounces (2 11-ounce bags) white chocolate chips
- 5 ounces (½ 10-ounce bag) dark chocolate chips
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ⅓ cup toffee bits
- Festive sprinkles optional garnish
- Sea salt optional garnish
Instructions
- Place the peanuts at the bottom of a crock pot.
- Add the white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, peanut butter, and toffee bits into the crock pot.
- Let it cook on low for one hour and then stir everything together so that the chocolate mixture completely coats the peanuts.
- Cook for another thirty minutes and prepare a sheet pan or two by lining them with parchment paper.
- Once the thirty minutes has passed, drop spoonfuls of the chocolate and peanut mixture onto the parchment paper and sprinkle with festive sprinkles and sea salt, optional.
- Let cool completely, about 30-60 minutes or until set, before plating and serving.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store your candy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few weeks or slightly less time at room temperature.
- If you’re decorating your candy with holiday sprinkles, make sure to add them while the clusters are still melted and warm. This will ensure the sprinkles stick to the chocolate as it hardens.
- You can scoop your candy clusters into mini mini muffin liners instead of onto parchment paper. Then arrange your candy in a pretty presentation on a dessert platter among the cookies and other treats.
- Fill a cookie tin or cellophane bag with your crock pot candy and gift it as a gift for the holidays.
- You can drizzle your cooked candy with some caramel to make it extra special.
Can you use milk chocolate chips?
Yes, you can use whatever type of chocolate you prefer!
Once completely set, they are completely solid, right? The pic above, it’s quite “gooey” in the middle. That pic was taken before they were fully set, right?
Sounds like a great project for the grandkids to make for their parents.
I haven’t tried this but will be making this very soon
I make a similar recipe using chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter chips. I also use Honey roasted peanuts instead of regular peanuts.. I use the microwave instead of the crock pot . I like the idea oabusing the sprinkles For decorating . When you mix the 3 different chips it gives it a very interesting flavor.
Can this Crockpot Candy be frozen?
Yes! It can be frozen. Just put in a ziplock (get rid of as much air as possible) and freeze and thaw in the fridge!
Is the peanut butter necessary? Not all my family likes peanut butter and chocolate.
Love this! Been looking for this! Thank you Jen!!
Come back and let me know what you think!
everything is so delicious 😋
awwwww thank you!
I haven’t tried yet Going no this week
Can I leave out the toffee or replace it with something else?
Yes, you can!!