This easy crock pot candy is creamy chocolate peanut clusters, all made with the help of a slow cooker! The perfect treat for the holidays that serves a crowd.
Peanuts and chocolate are a classic combination that never goes out of style. This easy candy can be made in the crock pot with just 5 minutes of prep time, it’s great for holiday parties or to give as gifts.
The holidays are here, which means there’s a lot of celebrating and gift giving going on! There are times when I have the energy and patience to sit and decorate intricate holiday cookies by hand, and times where I need a quick hostess gift or party food contribution without a lot of effort. This crock pot candy is SO simple to make, tastes delicious and looks impressive. It’s perfect for gifts, parties and any time you just need a bite of something sweet. These chocolate peanut clusters will become a tradition in your house!
How to make crock pot candy
This slow cooker candy only has 4 ingredients – peanuts, chocolate chips, white almond bark and holiday sprinkles. I use a combination of salted and unsalted nuts for best flavor.
The peanuts go into the slow cooker along with the chocolate chips and almond bark and they cook for about an hour until everything is melted. Give it a good stir, cook for 30 minutes more, then dollop onto a piece of parchment paper and top with sprinkles.
This recipe serves a crowd, it will make anywhere from 25-40 pieces depending on the size of your clusters. If you’re not familiar with almond bark, it typically comes in one pound bricks and is a white candy coating. It’s found near the chocolate chips in most grocery stores. If you can’t find almond bark, you can use white candy melts instead.
How to serve crock pot candy
These peanut clusters make such a fun and unique homemade gift. I package them up in tins or cellophane bags to give to friends, teachers and neighbors. If you’re not a peanut fan, you can substitute another nut like almonds or pecans.
Another fun way to decorate this crock pot candy is with a drizzle of white chocolate. You can switch up the colors of the sprinkles and serve this candy for almost any occasion, it’s not just for Christmas.
This may be the easiest holiday treat around, but it looks and tastes like you spent hours on it! Your friends and family will be so impressed that you made your own candy, no one needs to know how easy it was!
More holiday candy recipes
Crock Pot Candy Video
Crock Pot Candy
Ingredients
- 1 lb roasted salted peanuts
- 1 lb roasted unsalted peanuts
- 16 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 lbs white almond bark broken into pieces, or can use white candy melts
- 1/2 cup holiday sprinkles
Instructions
- Place the peanuts in a crock pot. Add the chocolate chips and almond bark on top.
- Cook on LOW for 1 hour. Remove lid and stir. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Drop tablespoon sized dollops of the candy onto parchment paper, top with sprinkles. Cool until firm, then serve.
Teresa Bowman says
My children wanted me to make this with no nuts. Will it set up ok if you add a little salt to the rest of the ingredients minus nuts?
Sara says
I wouldn’t recommend making this without nuts. You could try something else to hold it together like stirring in pieces of cookies or graham crackers during the last few minutes. Or even let it cool a bit and then fold in mini marshmallows.
Fran says
Can I use all white chocolate and some m& m ;s
Sara says
That will work, just press the M&Ms into the clusters when you spoon them out.
Samantha says
We just made this today! It’s still warm, but from all the chocolate and peanuts I just licked from the bottom (shh!), it is delicious!
I was honestly adding up the cost as I was dolloping them onto the paper. This would easily be $50+ at the store premade. I found vanilla white chocolate at ALDI in a 24oz container, so I made 3/4 the recipe. Still made a nice amount for our Christmas dessert tray this year!
Thanks for the recipe!
Sara says
So happy to hear you enjoyed it, Happy Holidays!
Ann Heffernan says
I usually throw craisons and a jar of mixed nuts also any other chocolate I have and after done a sprinkle of course salt.
Ends up like the chunky bars from long ago.
Sara says
Love this idea, I’ll try it next time!
Holly says
What if you don’t have a crock pot? Can you do this on the stove top? What would be your recommendations for a stove top recipe? There is a Christmas party coming up and I would love to make this.
Thank you
Sara says
Yes, I’d cook it over low heat just until all the chocolates are melted together. Keep an eye on it and stir on occasion, then drop spoonfuls on parchment to make the candy!
Monique Walters says
I love making this.. instead of dropping onto parchment I use those tiny muffin liners. Make giving away much easier!!
Pat says
I think I might try this with almonds.Thanks so much for this easy recipe! The added benefit: the house smells like Christmas!
Sara says
This will work perfectly with almonds!
cindy says
once made and packaged with twist ties how long will they last? do they have to be refrigerated so they won’t melt?
Sara says
They should be good for at least a week, if it’s warm out you could refrigerate, but on a cool day they should be fine at room temperature!
Mariel says
Can shredded coconut be added to this?
Sara says
Yes that will work, I’d stir it in towards the end!
karen richards says
can the candies be frozen and for how long?
Donna says
Silly question……the package of almond bark is 24 oz. ( at my store) I read each square is 2 oz. Did you just use 1 package or did you have to buy 2?
Sara says
The almond bark I typically buy comes in 1 lb packages. If you only want to buy 1 package of the 24 ounce almond bark, you can scale back the number of servings in the recipe to 23 using the slider bar when you click on the servings number in the recipe card.
Debbie says
I made these without the holiday sprinkles since the holiday is over. They were amazing and all of my friends who tried them wanted the recipe!
Laura says
Can this be frozen or refrigerated to stay longer. How long does it stay? Making it for part of a Christmas gift. Thank
Sara says
You can refrigerate it for up to a week!
Meg A says
The only place I could find white almond bark was at walmart and the ingredients were awful. Would like to add some coconut oil instead. Will that work? How much? And we like dark chocolate. Thanks much!
Sara says
Coconut oil won’t work, you can try using real white chocolate, or even milk chocolate chips.
Amy says
So simple and delicious! Easy clean up too!
Gladys says
Could I just use chocolate..why the white melts in recipe?
Sara says
The white melts make the chocolate creamier and help stabilize the chocolate so that it stays shiny and doesn’t get that gray film on it that sometimes happens. You could try it without to see how it comes out!
Diane says
These look delish and so easy. Any idea how many hours it takes for them to set once on the parchment paper, before they can be safely put into a storage tin for a party?
Sara says
They set up quite quickly, they’re ready in about 45 minutes to an hour.
Julie Jo Phillips says
wondering about adding pecans if so should they be salted or unsalted?
Sara says
Yes you can use pecans. I like to use half salted, half unsalted because the bit of salt balances out the sweet chocolate. That being said, you could use all unsalted pecans and just add a pinch of salt to the mix! I wouldn’t use all salted pecans, might be overly salty.
Gloria Serio says
I was going to try using pecans as well. Can you tell me if I should halves and cut the in half or just leave them.
Sara says
You can do it either way, whatever you prefer!
Mary says
In the instructions the second step says to cook for one hour then stir. During the additional 30 minutes is the cover to remain off? It wasn’t mentioned that the cover was to be put back on, so I’m just checking Thanks
Sara says
The cover goes back on, I will update the recipe!
Becky D says
Can cashews be substituted for the peanuts? My husband has a peanut allergy
Sara says
Yes you can use whatever kind of nuts that you like!