Crock Pot Salty Sweet Candy is the easiest dessert around! Add festive sprinkles for a tasty Christmas treat packed with peanuts and pretzels!
Crockpot Salty Sweet Candy is one of my go-to holiday treats. It’s crazy easy to make and everyone loves it. It’s a great DIY gift for neighbors, a yummy addition to any Christmas cookie tray, and a perfect poppable treat for your holiday party! I usually find myself munching on sweet and salty candy with a Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha all winter long.
CROCK POT SALTY SWEET CANDY
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My family loves cookie platters. We have about 20 families we like to deliver treats to each holiday season. One recipe I can always count on to mix it up is Crockpot Candy.
This year, I went with white candy instead of my regular semi sweet chocolate and. I love the red, green, and white colors together so much! This is one of my family’s favorite crockpot Christmas candy recipes and it makes a HUGE batch!
Some people like to use unsalted peanuts in this dessert. I really like to use dry roasted peanuts they have a slightly salty coating to them for this candy. The pretzels aren’t too salty either and work perfectly. I am a huge fan of all things salty and sweet!
Crockpot Candy Ingredients
CHOCOLATE: I like to use milk chocolate for this recipe, but you can definitely swap for dark or milk chocolate. For this crockpot candy recipe, I use a combination of white chocolate. White chocolate candy coating (AKA candy melts or white almond bark), white chocolate baking bars, and white chocolate chips are the perfect mix for a smooth, creamy coating.
ADD-INS: Dry-roasted peanuts and pretzel pieces are my go-to ingredients for crockpot chocolate candy. That being said you could also use roasted walnuts, almonds, or even pistachios!
I would love to say this is a “dump it and forget it” kind of recipe. Alas, because we’re working with chocolate and candy, it requires a bit more attention. You can put the ingredients in your slow cooker and leave them for an hour to do other things! I usually set a timer because I don’t want to forget the crockpot Christmas candy and ruin the whole batch.
If you loved this recipe, be sure to try some of my other best crockpot recipes. They’re sure to be a hit with your family!
How to Make Crockpot Candy
- First, add all the white chocolate to your slow cooker on low and cover. Leave the mixture alone until it’s fully melted.
- Next, stir the white chocolate mixture and add your peanuts and pretzels. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon until it’s fully covered in white chocolate.
- Then, I used a small cookie scoop to portion the candy onto parchment paper (a silicone mat works fine too). And because I can’t leave things alone around Christmas, I put sprinkles on to make them extra festive! This really is the easiest crock pot candy recipe!
I would not use waxed paper when these candies. The chocolate is still quite warm when it comes out of the slow cooker. You don’t any wax transferring to the bottom of your clusters.
Can Crockpot Candy Be Frozen?
This slow cooker candy will last up to 3 weeks in an airtight container in your pantry or refrigerator. It’s a great treat to make early in December and nibble on until Christmas.
If you want to freeze Crockpot Candy, you can do that too! Make sure it’s completely set before freezing on baking sheets covered in parchment paper or a silicone mat.
After a few hours, transfer the candy to a freezer-safe container for up to 18 months! I’ve never made it a full year and a half with frozen Crockpot chocolate candy, but you can!
When you’re ready to eat it, just thaw and enjoy!
Can You Make Crockpot Candy in the Microwave?
The slow cooker is definitely the best way to make this crock pot candy clusters recipe. If you don’t have a crockpot, you can totally use the microwave in a pinch, too!
Put all the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and melt for 10 to 15 seconds at a time. After 2 to 3 rounds, everything should be melted. Stir the chocolate to make it super smooth and add the peanuts and broken pretzels to the mix.
Combine everything and drop spoonfuls of candy on parchment paper. Garnish with sprinkles or leave plain!
Want more easy bite-sized dessert recipes?
- Pretzel Turtles
- Coconut Cream Truffles
- Irish Cream Mousse Cups
- Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Covered Pretzels
- Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
- Slow Cooker Chocolate Turtles
- More dessert recipes…
Tools used to make Crock Pot Salty Sweet Candy
Slow Cooker: I love this crock pot! The lid is very secure and I can pack it up and take it on the go without worry. This slow cooker is a workhorse in my kitchen and has worked great for years!
Baking Sheet: A nice big baking sheet is a must have for any kitchen. This half pan sheet is large than a regular cookie and works great for anything you’re baking.
Silicone Mat: I use a silicone mat on my baking sheet practically every time I bake. The mat makes for easy cleanup and my foods don’t stick to the pan.
Cookie Scoop: Cookie scoops are my favorite way to portion dough and batter when I’m baking. This set has 3 different sizes so I get the right amount in each scoop.
*This post originally posted on 12/02/2016.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds white chocolate candy coating
- 6- ounce white chocolate baking bar
- 12 ounces white chocolate chips
- 3 cups dry roasted peanuts
- 2 ½ cups pretzel twists broken in small pieces
- Festive sprinkles if desired
Instructions
- Place white chocolate candy coating, white chocolate baking bar, white chocolate chips in a slow cooker. Put lid in place.
- Heat candy for 1 to 1.5 hours on LOW until melted. Uncover and stir the chocolate mixture.
- Stir in peanuts and broken pretzels until completely coated in the candy.
- Drop by spoonfuls (I like to use a small cookie scoop) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. If desired, top candy with sprinkles while chocolate is still soft. Allow candy to set for at least one hour to set up.
Nutrition
Julie says
This was a total waste of money and ingredients. There is no way this should be cooked for an hour and half. The chocolate burned and was a lumpy mess. I stirred it every 10 minutes and even tried adding vegetable oil, nothing worked. I finally gave up and dumped the whole mess in the garbage. I remade it melting the chocolate the way I have done for the last 20 years. It was perfect. This recipe went straight in the trash.
Kathy says
I made these for the first time tonight. They turned out great! My crockpot does seem to run a bit hot. I checked my chocolate at 45 minutes and caught it right before it started to scald. The combination of the three white chocolates is delicious! The crunch of the pretzels with the peanuts is wonderful. I wouldn’t change a thing with this recipe!
Asheley W. says
Can vanilla Almond bark be used for additional chocolate for a larger yield?
Cathy says
Not sure what went wrong. Tried this recipe twice. Chocolate burned or would not melt and was a dry lump.
Even went out and bought a new crock pot because I thought my old one temperature gauge was broke.
Real Housemoms JK says
Hey Cathy! Sorry this happened. I wonder if your crockpot is too hot? Are you stirring it frequently? Make sure not to let it cook too long.
Amelia says
I didn’t realize pretzel twists were plain ole pretzels and bought sourdough nibblers which are a bit thicker …do you think these would be OK
Amy says
I was wondering if this would work as a bark?
Aubrey says
Absolutely!
adela Uribe says
Hi is a 7 quart to big thanks
Michele says
Do you use unsalted peanuts?
Aubrey Cota says
All I care about is that they are dry roasted. Up to you whether you prefer salted or unsalted. You can control how much salt by even just doing half and half.
Pam says
Where do you find white chocolate candy coating and white baking bar?
Aubrey Cota says
You should be able to find it at your local grocery store. Some of the places I generally pick it up from are Walmart, Target, World Market, Michael’s…
Karen says
What is the reason for adding the nuts and pretzels after the chocolate is melted? Could they go in in the beginning? Thanks
Aubrey Cota says
Sometimes the nuts can let off an oil, and adding them early could make it so the chocolate won’t coat everything nicely.
Stephanie says
These look super delicious! Would adding a bit of peppermint extract work with this?
Aubrey Cota says
Sure, if that’s the flavor profile you would like to have. Use a very light hand to start, you can always add but it would definitely be tough to take away for this recipe.
Charlotte says
I wasn’t able to find pretzel twists so I will use regular pretzel sticks for now. What about honey wheat twists?
Aubrey Cota says
If you like honey wheat twists, you are indeed welcome to use them. We use the regular because they offer the salty-sweet flavors.
Ashley says
Do you have to use all three different types of chocolate or can you use just chips?
Aubrey Cota says
You can use just chips, keep in mind it will change the taste and texture slightly since all three offer something different to add.
Roberta Redenbaugh says
Wondering what size crockpot is needed? I tried making the chocolate covered peanuts in my 4 quart one time and it wasn’t big enough.
Aubrey Cota says
Believe it or not 5 quart should be plenty. 6 quart is a great size to have on hand especially for social gatherings and would also work well.
Cassie says
Shared with my readers and pointed them here for direcitons. Thanks for the recipe!
Terrie says
would this work with just the peanuts, our family does not like pretzels at all, and would you double up on the peanuts if you cut out the pretzels
Julie Kotzbach says
That should be fine Terrie. You may not get quite as many candies, but you can definitely adjust the mix-ins to your liking. 🙂