Crockpot Christmas Candy
47 Comments Nov 15, 2021
Updated Dec 26, 2023
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Make Christmas candy in your slow cooker. It’s a decadent peanut chocolate treat with the addition of peanuts and pecans. Add some holiday sprinkles, and you have another treat for your holiday cookie trays.
Forget oven baking all your treats this year and put your slow cooker to use. Also, try my candied pecan recipe to go along with this Christmas Candy!
Table of Contents
What is Crockpot Candy?
- Crockpot candy is a blend of almond bark and peanuts. There are many variations and mine has the addition of peanut butter to make it less hard and easier on the teeth.
- Christmas Candy is perfect for gift giving in trays or tins and also for having around on Christmas Day.
How to Make Crockpot Candy
Ingredients
- Almond Bark – You can usually find the almong bark on the baking aisle during the holiday season. If you can’t find it there I always have luck finding it a craft store such as Micheal’s. You can also use candy melts that are found at craft stores.
- Dark chocolate chips – If you prefer you can use milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Creamy Peanut butter – Adding peanut butter will keep the candy from being rock hard.
- Peanuts – Find dry roasted peanut or regular salted peanuts.
- Pecans – Adding chopped pecans will add another layer of flavor and texture.
- Sprinkles – You can use Chrismas sprinkles or even fall sprinkles.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Add the almond bark, chocolate chips, peanut butter, peanuts, and pecans to your slow cooker.
Step Two – Cook on LOW for 2 hours or HIGH for 1 hour. Stir every 20 minutes.
Step Three – Once the cooking time is up, give the mixture another stir.
Step Four – Place the muffin liners into muffin tins; doing this will help the muffin liners keep their shape. Spoon two tablespoons of the peanut mixture into each muffin paper. You can use a two-tablespoon cookie scoop if you have it, or two spoons work well too.
What is almond bark?
- Almond bark has a similar texture and flavor to chocolate. Almond bark is made with vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter.
- Almond bark is cheaper than chocolate and is great for bulk recipes like crockpot candy.
- You still need to stir almond bark often for it can burn just like chocolate.
How to package crockpot candy for gifts
- You can prepare crockpot candy in muffin liners OR just scoop directly on wax paper into clusters.
- Place in clear bags with ribbon.
- Put on cookie trays or in tins with your other cookies or fudge. This candy makes perfect gifts for friends and neighbors.
Recipes FAQs and Variations
Yes! Add the almond bark and chocolate chips to a large pot set it on low heat. Let the almond bark and chocolate melt, stirring often. Stir in the peanut butter, peanuts and pecans, then spoon into the muffin liners.
I store these in ziplock bags or Tupperware, just as I do with homemade fudge.
Crockpot candy can last in the fridge for two weeks. You can also put it in the freezer though it may not look as pretty when thawed.
Rice Krispies – Replace the peanuts with Rice Krispies, though you’ll want to stir them in after the chocolate melts.
Pretzels – Use 2 cups of slightly crushed pretzels instead of peanuts.
Chow mein noodles (crunchy) – You can make this candy with crunchy chow mein noodles; wait to add them until after the almond bark and chocolate have melted.
Yes! If you want this recipe to stretch more, use mini muffin liners and mini muffin tins to assemble these.
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Crockpot Christmas Candy
Equipment
- 36 Cupcake liners
- Muffin tins
- A 2 tablespoon cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 2 cups peanuts, dry roasted or regular salted.
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 1 lb. vanilla almond bark
- 1 lb. chocolate almond bark
- 12 oz. dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup Christmas sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Toss all ingredients, except for the sprinkles, into your slow cooker. Place on low for 2 hours or high for one hour, stirring about every 20 minutes.
- Once your candy is completely melted and combined, place 2 tablespoons into each cupcake liner in a regular sized muffin tin. This helps to keep the candy’s shape. Top with desired Christmas sprinkles and place into your fridge for 1-2 hours until firm.
- Once they are set, enjoy!
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- Rice Krispies – Replace the peanuts with Rice Krispies, though you’ll want to stir them in after the chocolate melts.
- Pretzels – Use 2 cups of slightly crushed pretzels instead of peanuts.
- Chow mein noodles (crunchy) – You can make this candy with crunchy chow mein noodles; wait to add them until after the almond bark and chocolate have melted.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Would the crock be easier if it were lightly sprayed before adding the ingredients? Just curious.
I’m sure it would help!
Can you use chocolate bars instead of almond bark?
You can though, it will burn VERY easily and the entire pot will seize up.
So easy and delish! I put mini marshmallows in after last batch cooled. Worked out great! Thanks for the recipe. A definite keeper!
Best thing you can do in candy like this is grt honey roasted nuts! You get an added sugar crunch.
This is delicious! It made so much more than 36. I got 44 cups. And that doesn’t include what I ate while filling cups!
This is wonderful! I made a few slight adjustments to amounts so all would run out together, with nothing wasted. I also used pretzel pieces instead of pecans because pecans were very expensive when I make this. Everyone said they loved it and didn’t think it would be any better had I used pecans. The peanut butter made the mixture smoother than just melted chocolate, making it easier to fill the paper baking cups and being sure the chocolate filled in the area at the bottom. Using a cookie scoop made a world of difference in the ease of this recipe. I doubt I’ll find one I like better!!
Can’t wait to try this! Can you add caramel bits? I have 2 bags of those and haven’t found a great way to use them.
Yes, I think those would work well, I would let it cool down a bit before stirring them in.
Can you use mini marshmallows in this recipes? Thank!
I think if you let the chocolate mixture cool a bit first you sure could!
Do you have to use dark chocolate chips? Or could you use semi sweet or milk chocolate?
You can use any, will work great.
Have you tried making this with real chocolate? Either all chocolate chips or the big chocolate bars from trader joe’s? I’m not a fan of almond bark but would like to try this recipe. Thank you
You can do real chocolate. But it can burn very very easily. Be sure to cook on low.
Is it the same amount of chocolate instead of almond bark? And I imagine if one was wanting to use real chocolate instead of almond bark, you could use different kinds, such as milk and dark? Also, have you tried this using dried fruit as an addition?
You can use chocolate but it burns VERY quick in the slow cooker. You can add anything, dried fruit would be great.