Easy Crockpot Candy Recipe (Peanut Clusters) + Video

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Crockpot Candy is a staple of the holiday season in my house. Ooey gooey chocolate cascading over roasted nuts for a remarkably simple yet devastatingly delicious homemade Christmas candy! Even better, you can make these crockpot peanut clusters right in your slow cooker with simple ingredients!

crockpot peanut clusters stacked.


 



I’m not exaggerating here — watch the video in this post to see just how mouthwatering this easy recipe is!!

peanuts in crockpot.

Crockpot Candy

Sometimes the best sweets are the simplest, and does it get more classic than chocolate and peanuts? My crockpot candy recipe is no fuss with no funny business. 

This sweet treat is full of just wholesome, delicious flavors that you can share with your loved ones during the most wonderful time of the year!


The secret to homemade Christmas candy? Make a whole lot of it!! Saltine cracker candy and fudge are super shareable and could put a smile on even the Grinch’s face! 

This easy crockpot candy is a must have on your holiday cookie trays. It is such an easy candy to make this time of year with all the gifting and holiday parties. We enjoy taking time together to bake treats and these take so much less time that most other holiday baking.

peanuts and almond bark in crockpot

Ingredient Notes & Swaps for Chocolate Peanut Clusters

  • Peanuts – Honey roasted are my preference, but you’re not limited to just those!

    You can certainly use unsalted peanuts, I feel like the honey roasted really make this homemade candy special!

    Other nuts are great, too – almonds, walnuts, cashews, and macadamia nuts are some sweet subs your family will love. Or try stirring in some pretzels or rice krispies.
  • White Almond Bark – I recommend using vanilla for its sweet, subtle flavor. But you could certainly use white chocolate chips. You could even use candy melts.

    But, as I always say, the more chocolate the better! So use chocolate almond bark if you’d like.  
  • Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips – Using milk chocolate chips would be a tad too sweet, in my opinion, but you’re welcome to! You can use half semi-sweet and half peanut butter chips.

    Dark chocolate chips could also add a nice bitterness. Feel free to also mix and match to get a good balance!
  • German Chocolate Bar – Baker’s is my go-to! This is also a rather sweet chocolate, so you may want to substitute with a richer option if that’s your preference. 
  • (Optional) Garnishes – Crushed candy cane, mini marshmallows, holiday sprinkles, toffee bits – there’s almost no end to the holiday toppers you could use!
    You could even use a sea salt garnish.


    If you’re nuts for nuts, you could even add more crushed peanuts on top to finish! 
adding chocolate chips to crockpot.

Tips, Tricks, and Substitutions

  • Allergy Friendly Fixes – You don’t need nuts for texture! 

    There are plenty of pairs for chocolate: pretzel pieces, pumpkin seeds, candy cane chunks, or graham crackers. Just choose your favorite!
  • Cool Them Quick – Once you’ve laid the crockpot peanut clusters onto the baking sheets lined with parchment or wax paper, pop them in the fridge to help them chill faster. 

    If you’re planning on using this tip, you may want to use a tiered container or perhaps several smaller baking dishes to fit easily in your fridge.
  • Tips for Less Mess – Rather than using parchment paper, consider placing the candies in individual muffin liners. 

    Not only can you easily move them from one place to another, but you can serve them right in the liners!
  • Great For Gifts! A handful of crockpot Christmas candy bites in  cellophane bags are a great party favor or gift for friends during the holiday season. 

    I highly recommend it! 
  • Making in Bulk? Layer a baking sheet with multiple pieces of parchment paper. Once one sheet is full, move it to another area of your countertop and proceed placing the crockpot candy on the sheet below it. 

    You can work quickly and efficiently this way! You can also layer hardened candies like this in a single container, helping you store more in one container. 
peanuts coated in melted chocolate.

Storing Your Homemade Christmas Candy

Crockpot peanut clusters don’t necessarily need to be refrigerated – they’re a certified countertop candy – but they’ll last longer when chilled! 

And if your kitchen is on the warm side, they might get melty and messy if not kept in the refrigerator.

Let slow cooker candy cool to room temperature first if you’re going to store in layers or in the refrigerator. 

They’ll last at room temp for a couple weeks, a month in the fridge in an airtight container, and even longer in the freezer!

I toss them in a gallon freezer bag and pull them out as we want them. Thaw for 30 minutes and enjoy.

crockpot Christmas candy scoops on baking sheet

Crockpot Candy FAQ

How many crockpot peanut clusters does this recipe make?  

Using a small cookie scoop, you can make 12 dozen slow cooker peanut clusters!

Can I make crockpot candy on the stovetop? 

While I recommend using a slow cooker for ease, you can easily make this recipe on your stovetop if you’d like to.

Using your stove does, however, require maintenance. Heat the chocolate on a low, low heat while stirring constantly. Once melted, add the peanuts. Stir and transfer with a scooper the same as the original recipe.

You could also go with the double boiler method, helping to quickly melt the chocolate and lowering the risk of burning. 

Why isn’t my crockpot candy setting? 

It’s possible that the chocolate you chose doesn’t harden adequately. This often happens if you don’t use enough almond bark, which sets the hardest. 

If you don’t wish to use almond bark, then use candy coating discs instead – easily found in the baking or decorating aisle! It can’t be all chocolate chips as they just won’t harden right. 

slow cooker candy with festive sprinkles.

Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours. 

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homemade Christmas candy.

crockpot Christmas candy closeup.

Easy Crockpot Candy Recipe (Peanut Clusters) + Video

Donna Elick
Crockpot Candy is a sweet, nutty, festive holiday treat on a time crunch! This homemade Christmas candy recipe basically makes itself!
4.50 stars from 4 reviews
Tried this recipe?Please comment and review!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Method Slow Cooker
Servings 144 peanut clusters

Equipment

Ingredients
 

  • 34.5 ounces honey roasted peanuts, I use Planters
  • 32 ounces almond bark, vanilla flavored
  • 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
  • 4 ounces German chocolate bar, I use Baker's
  • optional garnish: sprinkles or crushed candy canes

Instructions
 

  • Layer ingredients into a 5-quart slow cooker; cover with lid.
  • Cook on Low for 1 hour. Do not stir!
  • After 1 hour, stir mixture and continue to cook, stirring every 15-20 minutes for another hour (a total of 2 hours).
  • Meanwhile, line countertop or table with a long piece of parchment paper.
  • Turn off crockpot. Use a 1 tablespoon scooper to portion out candy from crockpot and onto parchment paper.
    Be sure to leave space between each peanut cluster. While the candy is still warm, garnish with sprinkles or other desired toppings.
  • Allow to cool completely.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 94cal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 30mg | Sugar: 6g | Fiber: 1g | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
crockpot candy recipe.

Originally published December 2014, updated and republished November 2023

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157 Comments

    1. It is a semi sweett baking bar of chocolate. Looks like a large Candy bar. Get it at the grocery store or even Walmart. Sold in a 4oz bar.

    2. bakes chocolate is unsweetened, not semi sweet-you use it for brownies. otherwise, I imagine it would say to use 2 cups of semi sweet morsels

    3. I use peanut butter morsal chips instead of the German chocolate. Absolutely relish. I make it every year and send to my sons school for his teachers

    1. white almond bark is white chocolate (if you didn't know it is caffeine free) it comes in a block at WalMart for like $2.50… it is delicious~!

    2. Agreed. The stuff you get at Walmart barely resembles white chocolate; most of us couldn't afford it, and it can be very tricky to use. Sam's Club used to have 2-lb. chunks of their imitation white chocolate; much higher quality. Now they carry bags of – I've lost the word for it – small circles you can melt much more easily than chopping up the blocks.

  1. Oooh, Donna, I do hope you'll swing by to Food on Friday to add this to Christmas Favourites! Cheers from Carole from Carole's Chatter

    1. Almond bark is a white confectionery coating, similar to white chocolate, but it contains vegetable fat instead of cocoa butter. There are no nuts in it, but you could absolutely substitute white chocolate.

    2. There are no almonds in almond bark unless you add them. Ingredients: Sugar (Sugar, Cornstarch), Partially Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Whey Powder, Soy Lecithin (An Emulsifier) And Artificial Flavor. Contains Soy And Milk Products.

    3. White chocolate and almond bark are the same thing.double check the package for ingredients just to make sure.

  2. We made this before with a crockpot liner…big mistake! It was like the peanuts got so hot, they burned through the liner and everything was scorched!

    1. I have made this recipe for years and ALWAYS use a crock pot liner, never had a problem. Be patient and keep on low setting. Makes cleanup SOOOOO much easier.

    2. Half the joy of making this is to be able to scrap the crock pot, when it's cooler of course. It's one step better than licking the frosting bowl! There was very little to soak off the first time I made them!!

    1. Some brands call the almond bark, Candy Quik. It is usually on the baking aisle and comes in a little tray. You just break it up and add to the crock pot.

    1. Thank you for all of your great recipes! I'm going to make this for Christmas! How long can I store this in a container? Does it need to be refrigerated?

  3. Donna- email me at bellecooking at gmail dot com if you might be interested in doing link swaps each week.

  4. I had to add milk to it as it was a hard solid mass. Also could not find almond bark so I used white chips and some almond extract – we haven't tasted yet but it smells good!

    1. p.s. I also added coconut (for hubby) and some powdery almonds along w/ dry roasted unsalted peanuts (son won't eat salt) did not have red & green jimmies so I smashed red & white mints for sprinkling. Due to my changes they would not harden as individual treats so I returned to crockpot & melted it down again, lined 2 baking sheets w/ parchment paper & spread it as a solid mass. Left out to harden overnight & cut into small squares. They are AMAZING!!!!! Son works at a 1 star Michelin restaurant & crabby Exec Chef flipped out over the deliciousness! Thank you! Now looking to play around with a peanut butter/chocolate/peanut mixture 🙂

    1. I did not have a 1 TBS. scoop so dropped from a teaspoon and got about 90 candies so were a bit larger than those from the recipe. Doesn't matter, put three dishes of them around the side tables for Christmas Day and refilled the dishes at least 3 times and still had enough to send home with guests and to freeze. I recommend at least halving the recipe unless you are making for gifts or having a really large crowd of guests. DELICIOUS!

    1. I am with you on that. I am trying to figure it out myself. Let me know what you come up with and if I figure it out, I will let you share it.

    2. try after you place spoon of mixture on paper making I well in center before it can set up, then melt your camel as normal and fill the well with the carmel and let set up before packaging

    3. That would turn them into "turtles" Look for a recipe for them. I use to have one that used a can of condensed milk boiled in the can in a pot filled with water they were wonderful.

    4. Use pecans and caramel baking bits. Kraft has them, and I've seen Snickers baking bits as well. I'm sure there are others. If you can't find them locally, just look online.

    5. I've been making this for several years and like to vary the ingredients. I have added peanut butter morsels, caramel pieces, and chopped unsalted MIXED nuts! All turned out great, but my family's favorite is mixed nuts.

    6. My family also, but it is always eaten no matter the ingredients. I also use butterscotch chips which makes them even richer tasting.

  5. One bag semisweet choc chips one bag butterscotch chips, can of redskin peanuts. Melt the chips in your crock pot, stir in the peanuts and Use a 1 tablespoon scooper to scoop out candy from crock pot and onto parchment paper.

  6. One bag of semi sweet chocolate chips one bag of butterscotch chips and one can of redskin peanuts. Melt chips in the crock pot, stir in peanuts and Use a 1 tablespoon scooper to scoop out candy from crock pot and onto parchment paper.

    1. I was thinking by about the Clemson noodles and marshmallows, but, when I make mine i only use butterscotch chips. No chocolate chips. We call them haystacks.

    1. You need to be sure to use the chocolate or vanilla bark, that is what hardens nicely, the chips alone won't harden nearly as well without the bark, if you can't find bark use candy making chocolate.

    2. Yes, I haven't tried the posted recipe, but if chocolate hasn't been tempered properly (or has gotten too hot after tempering), it may not harden the way you want (chocolate can cool and crystallize in any one of 6 different forms, and only one is what you actually want).

      The easiest solution is to use products made for dipping and candy making, such as Wilton Melts, or items labeled as "bark" which can be bought at craft stores, such as Michael's.

      These candies and chocolates are made with other fats in addition to the cocoa butter, so they set up the way you want them to without having to be as careful with the temperature.

  7. I made this recipe but I put muffin paper liners in a muffin pan…scooped 1 1/2 tbls of mixture into each and allowed to cool! Worked out GREAT!

  8. Just got done making these candies but put them in mini baking cups instead of parchment paper hence less handling them with my hands. it was really easy to make but I will let you know how they taste. fingers crossed

    1. I have made these in the microwave. I use 1/2 block of chocolate (from Walmart) and 1 can of Spanish peanuts and it turns out great.

  9. When I make this stovetop, I never cook my nuts first. I've used all kinds of nuts, peanuts, cashews, canned mixed nuts, raisins, even mini marshmallows! What does cooking the nuts first do?

    1. The recipe doesn't say to cook the peanuts first. It does say to layer all the ingredients in the crockpot, starting with the peanuts.

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