All you need are five simple ingredients to make this crockpot candy recipe. These chocolatey treats are so easy to make, as everything is melted and blended in a slow cooker and then spooned out onto a baking sheet to set up. It’s a simple, mostly hands-off recipe that anyone can make which is what makes them perfect for holiday parties. The hardest part about this recipe is waiting for the candies to set up!
I love making this homemade candy for the holidays as they’re easy to make festive with colorful sprinkles and they make for a delightful edible gift at that time of the year. They also last quite a while (if you don’t eat them all in one sitting!), so they’re great to have around for any last-minute visitors dropping by. If you want another fun holiday treat, then try my toffee recipe, peanut brittle recipe, or potato candy recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Peanuts — I used both salted and unsalted peanuts in the recipe for the perfect salty and sweet combination with the chocolate. However, you can use just one if you prefer. I find using both to be a nice balance of saltiness.
Chocolate chips — I highly recommend buying good quality chocolate chips. I use Ghirardelli chocolate chips as they melt down extremely easily and with a super creamy texture. I use semi-sweet chocolate chips, as milk chocolate chips add a little too much sweetness.
German chocolate — this is a sweet chocolate that is similar to semi-sweet chocolate. If you cannot find a German chocolate bar, use semi-sweet chocolate in its place.
Almond bark — did you know that there is no almond in almond bark? Almond bark is essentially a block of vanilla-flavored white candy coating. You can use melting wafers as a substitute, but I like white almond bark as it melts easily and sets up quickly.
How to Make Crockpot Candy
1. Spread the salted and unsalted peanuts in the bottom of a slow cooker.
2. Layer in order on top with the chocolate chips, German chocolate, and almond bark pieces. Do not stir. Cover with the lid and cook on low heat for 2 hours.
3. Stir until well combined. Turn off the heat.
4. Spoon the mixture into mounds on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Decorate the tops with holiday sprinkles or flaked sea salt, if desired. Let stand until cooled and set for about 4 hours, or refrigerate for 1 hour.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- As this crockpot candy only requires five ingredients, I recommend buying good-quality ingredients for the best-tasting results!
- When removing the lid of the melted chocolate and peanuts, be careful not to get any liquid, such as condensation from the lid, into the slow cooker. Water can cause melted chocolate to seize.
- Some slow cookers run hotter than others. Keep an eye on your pot nearing the halfway point and the end to ensure the chocolate is not burning.
- Work in batches if you want to decorate the tops of the crockpot candies with sprinkles or flaked salt. Add the toppings after you spoon out the mounds, as once they’ve set, the toppings won’t stick.
- You can swap some of the semi-sweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate chips for a bit of bitterness or you could even use peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or white chocolate chips to change things up.
- To add a bit of crunch you can add rice krispies or toffee bits.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are not a fan of peanuts, you can try using almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans, and walnuts for these crockpot candies.
I love making candies in the slow cooker as I can make a large batch and have the chocolate melt evenly without having to keep a close eye on it. If you do not have a slow cooker, you can make these on the stovetop by melting the ingredients in a double boiler while stirring continuously.
I recommend storing the candies in an airtight container once set. Then, keep them in the fridge for up to a month. You can place wax or parchment paper between the layers to keep them from sticking together.
You can freeze the crockpot candies for up to a year! Place them in a freezer bag or container once they’ve set. Place wax paper or parchment paper between the layers so you can remove them individually whenever you’re craving a bite.
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If you’ve tried this easy Crockpot Candy recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Crockpot Candy
Equipment
- Crockpot or slow cooker
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone mat
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) jar dry roasted salt peanuts
- 1 (16-ounce) jar dry roasted unsalted peanuts
- 1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 (4-ounce) bar German sweet baking chocolate chopped
- 2 pounds almond bark cut into pieces (950g)
Instructions
- Spread the salted and unsalted peanuts in the bottom of a slow cooker. Layer in order on top with the chocolate chips, German chocolate, and almond bark pieces. Do not stir.
- Cover with the lid and cook on low heat for 2 hours.
- Stir until well combined. Turn off the heat. Spoon the mixture into mounds on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. (Decorate the tops with sprinkles or flaked salt, if desired.) Let stand until cooled and set, about 4 hours, or refrigerate for 1 hour. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Notes
- As this crockpot candy only requires five ingredients, I recommend buying good-quality ingredients for the best-tasting results!
- When removing the lid of the melted chocolate and peanuts, be careful not to get any liquid, such as condensation from the lid, into the slow cooker. Water can cause melted chocolate to seize.
- Some slow cookers run hotter than others. Keep an eye on your pot nearing the halfway point and the end to ensure the chocolate is not burning.
- Work in batches if you want to decorate the tops of the crockpot candies with sprinkles or flaked salt. Add the toppings after you spoon out the mounds, as once they’ve set, the toppings won’t stick.
- You can swap some of the semi-sweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate for a bit of bitterness.
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