Crockpot Candy is the easiest candy you’ll ever make! Mounds of chocolate, nuts and caramel perfect to add to holiday cookie trays. Everything cooks together on low heat in just a few hours. Super easy recipe perfect for the holiday season! Only four simple ingredients needed.
Move over Divinity and Rum Balls, there’s an EASY candy recipe in town! No candy thermometer or fussy steps required. It’s often called Crockpot Christmas Candy because it’s easy to decorate with holiday sprinkles but it’s great any time of the year.
With zero minutes of prep time it’s easy to make a big batch of this easy slow cooker candy recipe at a time. And who doesn’t love homemade candy?!
Chocolate peanut clusters with pecans and caramel are delicious sweet treats to share in cellophane bags or cute tins for gifts or for a holiday party. It’s a low effort delicious treat to add to your holiday baking list!
We think once you make this crockpot candy recipe it will become part of your (easy) holiday traditions!
Jump to:
Recipe Ingredient Notes
Salted Peanuts. You’ll use 16 ounces of salted peanuts. These give the candy just a bit of salt to complement the sweetness and some crunch that’s delicious.
Chopped pecans. You can use purchased chopped pecans or chop them yourself. You’ll need 16 ounces.
Caramel bits. This product is made by Kraft. They are small pieces of unwrapped caramels that look like small chickpeas and are sold in a bag. They melt great and add a caramel touch to the crock pot candy recipe.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips. Classic baking chips like you’d use in chocolate chip cookies! These melt to become the base of the candy.
How to make Crockpot Candy
STEP 1. Combine ingredients
Add the peanuts, pecans, and caramel bits to the bottom of the slow cooker. Stir to mix.
Top the nut mixture with the chocolate chips.
STEP 2. Cook
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 1-2 hours. Stir occasionally.
When the chocolate has melted, turn off the slow cooker and remove the lid. Stir until all the nuts are coated in chocolate.
STEP 3. Make individual candies
Use a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon cookie scoop) or tablespoon to scoop heaping a spoonful of chocolate covered nuts onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet (photo 5).
When the sheet is full, place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes, until the chocolate is hardened (photo 6).
Variations
Add some sprinkles! If you want to decorate these for a special occasion or holiday add some sprinkles on top of the melted chocolate after the individual candies are scooped.
Sea salt. You can also sprinkle a bit of sea salt on the tops after scooping the candies.
Using different types of chocolate:
- Swap in dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips if preferred.
- If you want to use white chocolate chips we recommend white almond bark. Almond bark is designed for successful melting and coating. White chocolate can seize when heated which means it dries out and cannot be recovered when that happened.
- You can use butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips too.
How to store
Once the candies are set store in an airtight container with layers separated by a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper. Store in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Allow it to fully set then add it to a freezer bag or airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Transfer to the refrigerator to allow it to thaw before serving.
We made this in a 6 quart slow cooker however a 4 quart crockpot should work too.
More recipes you’ll love!
Recipe
Crockpot Candy
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 ounces salted peanuts
- 16 ounces chopped pecans
- 1 cup caramel bits
- 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add the peanuts, pecans, and caramel bits to the bowl of the slow cooker. Stir to mix.16 ounces salted peanuts, 16 ounces chopped pecans, 1 cup caramel bits
- Top the nut mixture with the chocolate chips.3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 1-2 hours.
- When the chocolate is melted, turn off the slow cooker and remove the lid. Stir until all the nuts are coated in chocolate.
- Use a small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon scoop) or tablespoon to scoop heaping a spoonful of chocolate covered nuts onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- When the sheet is full, place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes, until the chocolate is hardened.
Notes
- Swap in dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips if preferred.
- If you want to use white chocolate chips we recommend white almond bark. Almond bark is designed for successful melting and coating. White chocolate can seize when heated which means it dries out and cannot be recovered when that happened.
- You can use butterscotch chips or peanut butter chips too.
Liza says
I am crazy about your fabulous variation of this classic recipe. The addition of pecans and caramel bits is brilliant, and the flavors are amazing.
Kathryn says
I had no idea you could make candy in a crockpot until now! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, it was delicious.