Yes, I’ve got another Christmas Crack recipe! If you’ve tried our saltine cracker Christmas Crack Recipe and gotten hooked, you’ll want to try this Crockpot Candy recipe. But you have been warned — this one is just as easy to get addicted to! It might be even more addictive because it’s SO easy to make!
If you’re looking for a last minute Christmas candy idea, Crockpot Candy Crack is the answer!
**Recipe photos updated November 2024.
CROCKPOT CANDY AKA CROCKPOT CHRISTMAS CRACK
It’s no secret that I love my Crockpot. You can check out all of our favorite slow cooker recipes to see just how true that is! It’s so easy to use that I can’t help but break it out, especially during the Fall and Winter.
But it wasn’t until a few years ago that I started trying dessert recipes in my Crockpot. Dump cakes are my favorite but making Crockpot Peanut Clusters during the holiday season is a close second to the cakes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crockpot Candy is too easy to make.
- Chocolate + peanuts = love.
It’s really that simple. Plus, this candy always goes over well with everyone! If you need a big batch, it’s easy to make happen so it’s great for gift giving if you’re into making your own gifts for teacher, co-workers, and other friends.
Check out the simple ingredient list and be sure to pick everything up before Christmas arrives! You have plenty of time for this easy recipe, I promise!
Crockpot Christmas Crack Ingredients
I mentioned that the ingredients were simple and I wasn’t lying.
All you need to make this crack candy recipe is:
- Jar of unsalted peanuts,
- Jar of salted peanuts
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Milk chocolate chips
- Peanut butter chips
- Vanilla candy coating
All the good things, right?
Full meaurements for each ingredient can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Equipment
You’ll also need a few things from your kitchen:
How to Make Crockpot Candy
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- Pour both jars of peanuts into a 6 QT Crockpot.
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- Add the semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips.
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- Break the vanilla candy coating into blocks and layer on top.
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- Cook on LOW for 2 hours.
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- Remove lid and stir well.
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- Spoon the mixture onto wax paper or parchment paper and allow to cool completely.
It’s really that easy to make! Once they’ve cooled, you can package them to share using cute holiday tins or Saran Wrap!
Holiday Candy Packaging
Here are some of my favorite finds for packaging this holiday candy:
- Cookie Boxes with Windows
- Christmas Foil Containers
- Cellophane Bags (these work well for smaller amounts)
- Christmas Tins
- Mason Jars with Christmas Ribbon tied around neck of jar
Crockpot Christmas Crack Variations
What I love about this recipe is that the basic candy peanut clusters are delicious, but it’s so easy to tweak this one to change it up.
You can use different nuts to really add a different flavor. Some ideas include:
- chopped walnuts
- chopped pecans
- chopped hazelnuts
- a mix of nuts!
You can also play around with the chips that you use to create it. I love the peanut butter and peanut combination but I’m a fan of that combo in any candy. Some other ingredients you might try including:
- peppermint chips
- toffee bits
- Nutella
- Rice Krispies cereal (it will remind you of a certain candy bar that’s one of my favorites too!)
- pretzels broken into small pieces
You can even skip the semi-sweet and milk chocolate chips and just go with white chocolate chips for a white chocolate version of this crack candy recipe that’s so gorgeous for the holidays!
For a festive look, sprinkle your candy with holiday sprinkles after you scoop them out!
The possibilities are really endless if you like the salty and sweet combination!
Crockpot Candy
Ingredients
- 1 16 oz jar of salted peanuts
- 1 16 oz jar of unsalted peanuts
- 1 12 oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 12 oz bag of milk chocolate chips
- 1 10 oz bag of peanut butter chips
- 2 1 lb packages of vanilla candy coating
Instructions
- Pour both jars of peanuts into a 6 QT Crockpot.
- Layer the semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips on top of the nuts.
- Break the vanilla candy coating into blocks and layer on top.
- Cook on LOW for 2 hours.
- Remove lid and stir well. If your chocolate mixture needs more time to melt, allow it to cook on LOW for 15-20 minutes then stir again. Repeat as needed.
- Spoon the mixture onto wax paper or parchment paper and allow to cool completely.
- Enjoy and share!
Notes
If you need the candy to cool more quickly, place it in the refrigerator for 30 mintues to 1 hour.
You can store the Crockpot candy in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
FAQs
Can you make Crock Pot candy without nuts?
Absolutely! Try using pretzels broken into small pieces for another take on the salty and sweet combination!
Can I make Crockpot Candy with pecans?
You can use any kind of nut that you love. I’m a huge fan of pecans and walnuts with chocolate so they work well for this recipe too! Peanuts are just the more traditional nut used in this Crockpot candy recipe.
How do I make Crockpot Candy with caramel?
This recipe is versatile enough for you to turn it into a version of slow cooker chocolate turtles just by adding caramel to it!
I’ve made it before and left out the bags of milk chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Instead, I subbed in pecans for the peanuts and added a 24-ounce bag of unwrapped Rolo candy to get the caramel in the mix!
To do this, you put all of the ingredients in the Crockpot except for the Rolo candies. Once it’s all melted, scoop the chocolate nut mixture over a Rolo and allow to cool completely!
Can I use cupcake liners to make Crockpot Christmas Crack?
Cupcake liners are another great option if you want a different look to your peanut clusters. All you have to do is drop the melted mixture into the cupcake liners and allow to cool and harden. Then you can remove the liners and you’ll have a look that resembles a peanut butter cup.
There are tons of fun ways to change the look of your Crockpot candy. You can also use sprinkles on top, drizzle it with some melted white candy, or even used crushed peppermint!
If you want to make these for another celebration, leave off the sprinkles or change them up! Red, pink, and white sprinkles make this Crockpot candy recipe perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Do I have to use a Crockpot to make this candy?
You could do it all on the stove with a pan, a double boiler, or even melting batches in the microwave but it would involve a lot of watching and stirring. Using a slow cooker makes it a lot easier and you can make a huge batch that is melted through.
Can I make a smaller batch?
Yes, just cut the recipe in half if you don’t need as much Christmas crack! This recipe makes plenty for gift giving!
If you’re looking for an easy addition to your candy and cookie plates, or you want an easy holiday dessert for when the family comes over, Crockpot Candy is perfect for this time of year!
Make it to enjoy with your family or make it for gift giving for coaches, teacher, neighbors, and co-workers!
More Crockpot Desserts
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Lynn Thompson says
Hi, I am in the UK and cannot get almond bark or vanilla candy coating……….can I just use white chocolate?
Candace Martin says
You can use white chocolate, it’s the same thing.
RO says
Can u freeze it
Patricia says
So easy! Literally just layered and forgot about it for a couple hours. Very very convenient recipe for a busy mom of 5 trying to include all the teachers for the holidays! Thank you! These were a hit❤️
Karen Nance says
I can’t find peanut butter morsels, can I use peabut butter? If so, how much do you think?
Jen says
I’ve done this with no remarkable issues. I put a cup of peanut butter in mine because we love peanut butter.
Jenney Adams says
Made this today and it was so easy. I used a small cookie scoop and managed to make 120 clusters. Thank you for sharing the recipe. I’ll definitely be making these again.
Peggy Miller says
Can I use butterfinger chips or will they harden too much
Tracy says
I tried to make these today and mine were burnt. I put everything in the crockpot like it said and set it for 2hrs on low. With 4 mins left I decided to check it and the Peanuts and chocolate was burnt black.
Janice says
My crockpot cooks hot like yours. You have to stir it regularly to keep the peanuts from scorching. Its definitely not something you can walk away from for the whole cooking time.
Christy says
Instead of peanut butter chips, I’ve used salted caramel baking chips. I have a friend who doesn’t like chocolate. She used salted caramel chips and cinnamon chips with almonds and the white candy coating. They were very different but oh so good.
Wendy says
How do you clean your crockpot after?
Ginger says
Hi- how many servings in a batch using small scoop?
Thanks
Kim says
Can you store this in the fridge?
Maureen says
I made these for Christmas presents and they were a big hit. I did add extra semi sweet chips and it worked out great. My husband liked them so much he bought all the ingredients to make another batch and there is only 2 of us! More presents but now I have to find tins, it’s 8 days till Christmas 🎄.
Sally says
I made these last year, and they are addictive! I have a peanut allergy, so I subbed more chocolate chips for the peanut butter chips, and cashews for the peanuts. I have to hide some of them from my husband or they’d never make it to Christmas.
Maureen says
This was a BIG HIT ! I made them at Christmas for gifts. Everyone loved them. My husband loved them so much he asked me to make another pot so I did. Now they are on my list of things to make for the holidays.
Wendy R says
Can I use a crock pot liner when making this? My Crockpot is an older one that I have used alot for dinner meals.
Thanks
Mariah says
Absoutely, I have used Crockpot liners when I have them at the house!
Manda says
I want to use just white chocolate and peppermint…which ingredients would work best and how much of each?
Mariah says
Are you planning to use any nuts or just looking use only white chocolate and peppermint?
Tammy Rainbolt says
Can this fit a 5 quart slow cooker?
Mariah says
Yes you can. I typically use 6QT or bigger but 5 QT should work fine.
Traci Dietz says
I don’t have any peanut butter chips or anything. Can I use butterscotch chips instead?