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.
What a wonderful gift this would make. I can’t wait to try it with the kids.
Can milk chocolate chips be substituted for semisweet choc?
Yes that’s fine!
Are the roasted peanuts used in the recipe the dry roasted peanuts that come in a jar?
Yes that’s correct!
I love nuts but not peanuts
Can I substitute pecans or walnuts?
Would I need to add salt?
Either should work fine, you can add 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt!
I am allergic to nuts. Do you think Rice Crispes would work? Have any other ideas for a nut substitute?
Esther
I think that would work fine!
Where can I find white almond bark? I’m having a tough time finding it
It comes in a block near the chocolate chips, white candy melts will also work.
Is it calories per one piece?
Yes that’s correct!
I know this recipe says serves 30. But so you know how many it makes by individual pieces?
It’s 30 pieces!
Would candy melts work for any part of this?
Yes candy melts will work for the almond bark!
Is it better to keep these in the refrigerator or in containers at room temperature…for a week or maybe a little more.
I’d keep at room temperature if it’s cool in your house!
When I have seen friends make this the chocolate has a whitish film look to it. It doesn’t look shiny like your pic. What would cause that?
The whitish film is called bloom and it happens when chocolate gets too hot. When the cocoa butter in the chocolate cools and solidifies it leaves that film. There are a few things in this recipe that help prevent that. First, the chocolate cooks over low heat so it doesn’t get too hot. Second, the chocolate is combined with a larger amount of white almond bark. The almond bark does not contain cocoa butter so it won’t bloom. Hope this helps!
Do you cool at room temperature or put in refrigerator?
I cool at room temperature!
Are these stable at room temperature ? I’m
Wanting to mail some . Also I have white chocolate chips will that work ?
I recommend using the almond bark as there are some brands of white chocolate chips that don’t melt well depending on the ingredient list. They are fine at room temperature!
Can you make ahead and freeze?
Yes that will work!
Hello–how long will these keep? Can I make them a week ahead of Christmas and then store in an air-tight container? Thank you.
Yes they will last a week!
I just took my elderly mother in to live with me and I would love to get some help with meal’s that are crook pot easy
Here is a list of the crock pot meals on my site, hope some of them work for you! https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/category/slow-cooker/
Will this work in an instant pot?
If will work if you use the slow cooker setting!
I have an extra chocolate almond bark, can I use that instead of the white?
Yes that’s fine!
I added 1/2 pound of coconut in place of 1/2pound peanuts. It was great.
Can you use peanuts and pecans together – not sure if pecans are dry roasted.
Yes that will work fine!