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 along with other treats such as buckeye balls and peppermint bark.
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! You can also make a Christmas dessert platter with this candy, Christmas crack, rum balls and Christmas wreath cookies.
Table of Contents
Crock Pot Candy Ingredients
This crock pot candy recipe only has 4 ingredients – roasted peanuts, semisweet chocolate chips, white almond bark and holiday sprinkles. See the recipe card below for amounts and details.
- Roasted Peanuts: Look for roasted and shelled peanuts. I like to use a combination of salted and unsalted peanuts.
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips: I use chocolate chips that melt well like Ghirardelli’s and Guittard.
- Almond Bark: 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 the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
- Holiday Sprinkles: Pick any sprinkles you like. I use red and green sprinkles with white snowflake sprinkles. You can use different colors to make crock pot candy all year round. For example, orange and black sprinkles for Halloween or pink and red sprinkles for Valentine’s Day.
How Do You Make Crock Pot Candy?
To make this crock pot candy recipe you will first place peanuts in a slow cooker, then add dark chocolate chips and almond bark on top. Cook everything for an hour, then remove the lid and stir it together. Cover the pot, and cook for a little longer until everything melts together. Stir well, then drop the candy mixture by the spoonful on to a sheet pan. Add a few sprinkles, then let the candy sit until it cools to room temperature and becomes completely firm. Enjoy these Christmas candies!
Tips For The Perfect Crock Pot Candy
- If you can’t find almond bark, you can use white candy melts instead.
- Use parchment paper or a baking mat on your sheet pan or baking sheet to make the crock pot candy easy to lift from the sheet pan.
- Use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to make your dollops of candy.
- This recipe serves a crowd, it will make anywhere from 25-40 pieces depending on the size of your clusters.
- To cool the candy more quickly, after your baking sheet gets close to room temperature, place your baking sheet in the refrigerator to finish cooling.
Quick Tip
You will need a crock pot that has a capacity of at least 4 quarts for this recipe.
Recipe FAQs
The candy will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also freeze your candy for 2 months.
The best way to melt almond bark in a crock pot is to cut it into chunks, then cook it for at least one hour over low heat. The almond bark may still look formed after an hour, but when you stir it, it will reveal a liquid interior and will melt into the rest of the ingredients.
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Flavor Variations
While this crock pot candy is delicious as-is, you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your liking.
- Nuts: Feel free to substitute other types of nuts. Some great options include almonds, pecans and walnuts. If you like your candy really sweet, you can try honey roasted peanuts.
- Chocolate: For a sweeter version of the candy you can use milk chocolate chips or try white chocolate chips.
- Add-ins: You can stir in 1/2 cup of rice krispy cereal at the very end of the cooking time to add a little extra texture. Another great option for a last minute add-in is 1/2 cup of raisins.
- Flavorings: You can add a few drops of vanilla extract or peppermint extract for a different flavor.
- Toppings: Instead of sprinkles, you can top your candy with a drizzle of white chocolate, toffee bits, crushed candy canes, mini marshmallows, a pinch of sea salt or finely diced peanuts.
- Peanut Butter Chips: You substitute half of the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips.
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 give the candy in a tin, try placing each candy in a cupcake liner for an elegant look.
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
Buckeye Balls (Peanut Butter Balls)
1 hr 2 mins
Candy Cane Hearts
16 mins
Rocky Road Fudge
12 mins
Peppermint Patties Recipe
11 mins
Crock Pot Candy Video
Love This Recipe?
Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.
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.
Notes
- 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.
- You will need a crock pot that has a capacity of at least 4 quarts for this recipe.
Can i use crock pot liners ???
Yes that’s fine
Is it possible to use milk chocolate and not semi sweet chocolate chips?
Yes that’s fine!
I have an extremely easy recipe also–I use the microwave, though!! 2 lbs choc almond bark and 1 lb white almond bark–melt together in microwave, then stir and mix in nuts, as many as you want, then drop by tablespoons on to parchment, foil, or wax paper, let them harden up and ENJOY!!!!!
How about adding some mini marshmellows to top. Can also use cashchews peanuts/walnuts/almonds/pecans. Whippee I am making these for Christmas day!! Easy to make. Thank you. Can even stick some small pieces of thin pretzels in some sort of design. and can drizzle white chocolate on then too. I’m getting more ideas! Awesome! These will be dazzling!
Can I use all semi sweet chocolate?
If I want this to be white chocolate would these chocolate chips be white ? Are they available usually? Thx!
Yes but you should use white chocolate chips that contain cocoa butter, not palm oil.
Can I use white chocolate chips in place if the almond bark?
You can, look for white chocolate chips made with cocoa butter instead of palm oil as they will melt better.
I love this recipe it’s so easy to make but sooooo delicious!
What if I’m short 1/2 pound almond bark? Do I add more chocolate?
Yes you can add more chocolate!
I love this recipe…Just made them yesterday..It was so easy..They do take a while to set so don’t get impatient..I will make more of these for Christmas…Thank you for such a wonderful recipe…
I only have the dark almond bark. Can I use that rather than the white??
That’s fine!
Is this on high or low in the crock pot??
It’s on low.
I have a slow cooker , not a crockpot. Are the instructions the same?
Exactly the same, a slow cooker is the same thing!
How far ahead can I make the crockpot candy? And how long can it be stored. Normally I would not freeze this recipe, chocolate can get funny looking. Like to make this for Christmas, want to do this now. Is this too far ahead of time to make now. If I
can make now, how to I store them.
Thanks,
Angie
They’re best when eaten within 2-3 weeks of being made. You are correct that if you freeze this candy, it will get some condensation on it when it thaws. I’d recommend waiting another week or two, then doing it!
Do you spray your crockpot with Pam before cooking?
I do not!
How do you store these?
How long do they keep?
They stay fresh for 2-3 weeks in an airtight container at room temperature!
I have made this several times but would like to try almonds what do you think?
It would be delicious with almonds!
Can you substitute raisen instead of peanut
I think that would work although I haven’t tried it myself!
What is the serving size?
2 pieces
My biggest challenge with chocolate candies is the darn /bloom’ that occurs! These look spectacular in color and form! Open to any and all advice! thanks for a great image and recipe…
IF I SUBSTITUTED THE CARMEL SQUARES FOR THE WHITE BARK, WOULD I USE THE SAME AMOUNT? THE NUTS WITH CHOCOLATE ANDCARMEL SOUNDS WONDERFUL!! LOL
I think using only caramel and leaving out the white bark would probably be too much caramel for the candy to properly set. I’d use 1/2 white bark, 1/2 caramel!
Why so much almond bark vs. choc.?
Chocolate typically does not hold up well to the extended cooking time and the clusters of candy will get a gray color on them as the chocolate dries.
Can you use caramel squares?
I think that would work fine!