The holidays feel a little sweeter when the kitchen fills with the smell of melting chocolate. Picture a crock pot gently bubbling away while you wrap gifts or sip cocoa. That’s the beauty of Christmas Crock Pot Candy: it cooks itself while you enjoy the season. A handful of ingredients, a warm slow cooker, and suddenly you have a batch of festive peanut clusters ready to share.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Christmas Crock Pot Candy
This recipe is a holiday lifesaver. It takes just 5 minutes to prep, and the slow cooker does the rest. The ingredients are simple and affordable, but the result tastes like a treat from a candy shop. Each cluster looks beautiful with sprinkles or sea salt, making it perfect for cookie trays or homemade holiday gifts.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 16 oz lightly salted, dry-roasted peanuts (the crunch and salt balance the sweetness)
- 22 oz white chocolate chips (or swap with almond bark if you prefer)
- 5 oz dark chocolate chips (adds depth, but you can use milk or semi-sweet)
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter (smooth texture, but crunchy works too)
- ⅓ cup toffee bits (for caramel-like crunch)
- Festive sprinkles, optional
- Sea salt, optional
Ingredient Swaps & Variations
You can swap white chocolate with almond bark or baking chocolate. Dark chocolate can be replaced with milk, semi-sweet, or German chocolate. Peanut butter can be creamy or crunchy. After cooking, stir in fun extras like pretzels, Rice Krispies, marshmallows, or crushed cookies. For Christmas clusters, try adding dried cranberries or crushed candy canes.
How to Make Christmas Crock Pot Candy (Step-by-Step)
- Place peanuts at the bottom of your crock pot.
- Add white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, peanut butter, and toffee bits.
- Cook on low for 1 hour, then stir to coat the peanuts.
- Continue cooking for 30 minutes.
- Drop spoonfuls onto parchment paper or into cupcake liners.
- Top with sprinkles and sea salt if you like.
- Let them cool completely for 30–60 minutes until set.
Pro Tips for Best Results
Add sprinkles right after scooping so they stick. Use mini muffin liners to keep them neat and gift-ready. If you’re planning to give these as presents, pack them into cookie tins or cellophane bags with a ribbon. This small touch makes your candy look as thoughtful as it tastes.
Stovetop Method (Alternative Option)
Melt the chocolate over low heat in a large pot, stirring often. Mix in the peanut butter and toffee bits until smooth. Let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes, stir in the peanuts, then drop spoonfuls onto parchment paper. Let cool for 30–60 minutes.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
At room temperature, these candies stay fresh for several days. In the fridge, they last a couple of weeks in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 2 months. Place parchment between layers to avoid sticking. Thaw in the fridge before serving. These also make excellent gifts because they keep well during holiday travel.
FAQ About Christmas Crock Pot Candy
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes, this candy is perfect for making in advance. Store it in the fridge or freezer until you need it.
How do I prevent the chocolate from burning?
Always cook on low and stir halfway through. Avoid the high setting, which heats too quickly.
What’s the best way to package for holiday gifts?
Use cookie tins, small boxes, or clear cellophane bags. Add tissue paper or parchment to separate the clusters. A ribbon or gift tag makes it extra festive.
Christmas Crock Pot Candy Recipe Card
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Christmas Crock Pot Candy | Easy & Amazing Holiday Treat
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 20 candies (about twenty 2-inch pieces) 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Creamy, crunchy Christmas Crock Pot Candy peanut clusters made in the slow cooker with white and dark chocolate, peanut butter, toffee bits, and salted peanuts. Festive sprinkles make them perfect for gifting.
Ingredients
16 oz lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts
22 oz white chocolate chips
5 oz dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup toffee bits
Festive sprinkles, optional
Sea salt, optional
Instructions
1. Place peanuts in the bottom of a crock pot.
2. Add white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, peanut butter, and toffee bits.
3. Cook on low for 1 hour, then stir to fully coat the peanuts.
4. Cook on low for another 30 minutes.
5. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto parchment paper or into cupcake liners.
6. Top with sprinkles and sea salt if using.
7. Let cool 30 to 60 minutes until set.
Notes
Ingredient swaps: use almond bark or white baking chocolate instead of white chips; swap dark for milk, semi-sweet, or German chocolate; use crunchy peanut butter for extra texture.
Add-ins after cooking: pretzels, Rice Krispies, Chex, crushed cookies, mini marshmallows, candy pieces, dried cranberries, or crushed candy canes.
Finish with a caramel drizzle and sea salt for a sweet-salty hit.
Pro tip: add sprinkles while clusters are still warm so they stick; scoop into mini muffin liners for neat gifting; pack in tins or cellophane bags.
Storage: refrigerate in an airtight container for a couple of weeks; freeze up to 2 months with parchment between layers; thaw in the fridge.
Stovetop option: melt chocolate over low heat, stir in peanut butter and toffee, cool 5 minutes, stir in peanuts, then portion onto parchment and let set.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Easy & Decadent Christmas Desserts
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 candy (about 2 inches)
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 162 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.03 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 11 mg
More Such Recipes
Looking for more holiday treats? Try these:
- Easy Christmas Brownies for Holiday Dessert Trays
- Christmas Tree Cake Macarons – A Festive Baking Project
- Christmas Crack Saltine Toffee – Quick & Addictive
- Christmas Popcorn Candy – Sweet & Salty Snack Mix
Final Thoughts
Christmas Crock Pot Candy proves that you don’t need fancy tools or hours of baking to create something joyful. These clusters are simple, versatile, and full of holiday spirit. Make them for your family, wrap them for gifts, or keep a stash in the freezer for when guests stop by. For more festive ideas, visit my Pinterest or join the fun on Facebook.