Slow Cooker Peanut Clusters
Are you ready for Christmas baking? December is absolutely my favorite time of the year, and I love nothing more than baking Christmas cookies and goodies. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without the classics and a few other new finds sprinkled in for good measure. While I love eating nut clusters, I had never actually made them myself; once I saw this insanely easy slow cooker recipe, it was only a matter of time!
My aunt shared this recipe on her Facebook page and I immediately saved the link. Two types of peanuts, two types of chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, AND you can make it in a slow cooker? I was immediately sold, and I think you will be, too.
It took me literally five minutes to make this. Everything gets dumped into the slow cooker, cover, turn on low, and let it go for 2 hours. At that point, it’s likely that everything will be melted (mine was), but if you need more time, an additional 30 minutes should be all you need. I experimented with scooping the nut clusters out in a variety of ways – with a large spoon, with a medium cookie scoop, and then I just poured the mixture into a parchment-lined pan and broke it into pieces. My verdict? I liked the clusters scooped with a cookie scoop the best – they were the most uniform and by far the most pleasing to the eye, which is important when it comes to Christmas cookie trays, right?! :)
While I am immensely partial to peanuts, you could absolutely make this with any type of nut you like, or a combination of them. My father-in-law even suggested skipping the nuts and using coconut for coconut clusters. There are tons of possibilities, and these little clusters would make fantastic holiday gifts – just place in a clear cellophane bag and tie with a pretty ribbon!
Two years ago: 50 Best Selling Cookbooks & Kitchen Gift Ideas
Three years ago: Classic Gingerbread Cake
Four years ago: My 10 All-Time Favorite Christmas Movies
Five years ago: Homemade Food Gift Ideas
Slow Cooker Chocolate-Covered Peanut Clusters
Ingredients
- 16 ounces (453.59 g) unsalted peanuts, or dry roasted peanuts
- 16 ounces (453.59 g) salted cocktail peanuts
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) milk chocolate chips
- 20 ounces (566.99 g) peanut butter chips
- 32 ounces (907.19 g) white almond bark or vanilla candy melts
Instructions
- Layer all of the ingredients in order in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. [NOTE: While I have made this multiple times without an issue, it seems that many people have experienced the ingredients burning. I would recommend stirring all of the ingredients together and checking on it and stirring every 30 minutes to avoid an issue.]
- Remove the lid and stir to combine. If not all of the chocolate is melted, cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes on low.
- Using a spoon or cookie scoop, scoop mounds of the clusters onto parchment-lined baking sheets. Allow to sit at room temperature until completely set, 1 to 2 hours. The clusters can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. They also freeze very well!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I will give this recipe a 10!! So easy, and delish!! I do use extra peanuts tho. I like more nuts in the cluster. I do use the mini cupcake liners when positioning them out. Easier for me to make them uniform. As not to have some big and some small. And it a nice presentation when giving them to others. They do not stick to the liners. Just an added touch. When I add the extra peanuts I use more salted dry roasted as I like the chocolate salty taste. I am going to try with pretzels. Will be more time consuming but worth a shot!! Everyone I have given them to LOVE them and want more!! So will be making for Valentine’s treats!! Again simle and so easy. Especially in the crockpot. I have run out of time and room so just reward. Turn out great!! My Aunt can’t chew the nuts so I experimented. And chopped up the clusters and remelted, and They turned out great!! She loved them !! Taste was still there, and was able to enjoy!! Thank You Again for an awesome versatile recipe!!!
My chocolate got hard….like moisture got in Can it be saved? Lots of wasted ingredients!
I needed more peanuts, dark chocolate would be nice but all in all they are very good.
I used to make these for my mom. She loved them! Going to bring them to a work party this year. Thanks for sharing the recipe :)
Can you taste the peanut butter cups? Just curious
I MADE IT AND EVERYONE LOVED IT GOING TO MAKE IT AGAIN ..SORRY NO PICTURE
These were a big hit for Christmas!
Can you substitute almonds for peanuts?
Made these last year and everyone loved them! Then I lost the recipe):
So excited to find this back!! Can’t wait to make these tomorrow:)
I was unable to find peanut butter morsels so I used Butterfinger Bits instead. They came out wonderfully.
So easy and it was a hit.
So sorry….can you put scoops of it in fancy cupcake liners while still warm?
Once everything has melted and you put scoops of it in cupcake liner?
Can I use caramel chips instead of peanut butter?
i can not find any peanut butter chips can i use just peanut butter????
I have done this recipe multiple times in the past and they are always a FAVORITE! Thank you! This year I am having trouble finding peanut butter morsels anywhere. Do you have any ideas of how to substitute for that? As in, could I use actual peanut butter in the recipe to add that flavor? Or will it be too oily to set up correctly? Thank you so much!
These peanut clusters were a hit with the neighbors.
I have made this and candied pecans every Christmas to give as gifts.
I love the peanut clusters.
I made these came out beautifully. I want to use coconut instead of peanuts. How do I go about it in the recipe.?Thank you
thats what I want to know…how to add coconut
I have all ingredients, except the peanut butter chips. Completely forgot them. I do have 40 oz of almond bark though. Do you think I could just use that and be okay? Not sure.
yes
OMG I just made these last minute to share with my neighbours and they are FANTASTIC!! I couldn’t find white chocolate on Christmas Eve so I got a bag of sea salt caramel chips. I will definitely make these again
I tried this today and unfortunately, my chocolate seized up!! I tried adding butter and cream and it was like a ball. I spread it out in as thin as I could get and put melted chocolate over it with some sea salt. I have them in the freezer right now. Hopefully all is not lost!
Is the two hr cook time to melt the chocolate or is it necessary for a successful cluster? As soon as the the chocolate was melted less than 30 minutes I made my clusters and although delicious they are a tad bit slimy to touch. Should I throw them all back into the slow cooker and cook for the full two hours?
It is to melt the chocolate; everything should be completely melted and smooth. I haven’t experienced these being slimy at all; did you make any substitutions to the ingredients?
These are fabulous! They only took about 45 min in my slow cooker.
These are grand….Thank you for such a nice addition to my cookie trays. I added dried cranberries to half
the batch!!! delicious
We’ve been using our slow cooker to make our chocolates for roughly 10 years now. It’s such an amazing hack! Plus, if you get tired or need a break, you can leave it on warm until you’re ready to go again or turn it off and re melt the next day. Such a huge time saver and so much less clean-up!
So excited to try this but we are a dark chocolate family. What substitutions should I make? Can you add caramel, or will substituting the PB chips for Butterscotch do the trick?
Hi Jennifer, You can swap the milk chocolate chips for dark chocolate (or use all dark chocolate if you’d like!). I wouldn’t add more liquid to these or they might not set up, so I would do butterscotch chips.
I’;ve used mint chips…I”ve thrown in coconut in original recipe..use your imagination..hard to ruin these
These are delicious and so easy to make! I read the recipe thoroughly and was surprised that people said it started to burn. I took the advice and stirred every 30 minutes. At the 1.5 hour mark, it was starting to burn, I couldn’t believe it. I caught it just in time, no burnt taste, I stirred like crazy, and everything was melted. They set up very well and they have a great texture.
If I want to make this with the dry roasted peanuts & pretzels, what quantity of pretzels would I use? Do the minis need broken? I can’t wait to make this! Sounds delicious.
Hi Bonnie, I would just swap out the 16 ounces cocktail peanuts for 16 ounces pretzels. I would break up the mini twists so you have uniform mounds. Enjoy!
Turned out delicious! And so easy!!
Looking forward to trying this! Being that you probably can be very generous with not measuring and subbing here and there and all will still work out, would the volume of 16 oz of pretzels be too much to swap in for the lesser volume of 16 oz peanuts?
Hey Michelle~I made these the first time you published it and have been making them all the time now for all occasions and people just go crazy over them so glad they make a bunch! Have a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.
I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying these, Sue! Merry Christmas to you! ❤️️
I have found that crock pots vary a lot in their temp settings and the actual temp they cook at (one of the reasons I don’t care for them). That being said, could this just be made in the microwave or on the stove over a double boiler?
Hi Juli, Yes absolutely, you can make it in any of those ways!
Can this be made with an instapot?
Hi Grace, I’ve never tried, but I assume so!
I just made these over the weekend! The only change up I made this year was swapping half of the peanut butter chips with butterscotch, only because I couldn’t find a second bag of peanut butter chips at the store! They are always a success and I can’t wait to package them up and spread some cheer to our neighbors!
I made these last week. Everyone loves them!
I’m thinking about making this soon for Christmas Gifts. We love Peanut Clusters anyways, I’ll need to hide these from my husband….haha
Has anyone tried adding toffee to this recipe?
Heath toffee bits in place of peanutbutter and was great!!
I wanted to give you five stars but your reply section wouldn’t work for me. These are super delicious and easy. I wanted to speed up the process so I made half a recipe using a double boiler. and it worked great. The yield was 50 pieces of candy using a medium-sized cookie scoop.
Second time making these, and they’re so easy! I must’ve followed a different recipe before, because I didn’t recall the candy melts/almond bark. For those who have inquired, it worked just fine with 2 bags of Ghiradelli white chocolate chips. They set up perfectly! My slow cooker runs hot, so they were done in under an hour. I stirred after 30 minutes, the again after another 15, and they were done after that. I used 2 jars of lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts. Makes a TON! I packaged several up for my husband’s co-workers and still have loads left to use throughout the holidays!
I put vanilla almond bark in a boiler on low and stir until melted. Then I add Cheerios, mini marshmallows and dry roasted nuts. Stir well to combine. Drop onto waxed/parchment paper using an ice cream scoop. Let sit several hours to set up. Sooo yummy!!
Made them for the first time today. They are so easy and soooo good. My family loved them . Will make them frequently.
First, I have made this recipe for several years and it always turns out perfectly. For those of you with burning issues, maybe your crockpot runs hot… consider using the warm setting? Second, Michelle – can this recipe be adapted for a nut allergy? I was thinking about substituting some kind of pretzel. Do you have a recommendation for one that would hold up through the melting process? What would be a good substitute for the peanut butter chips?
Would love to hear your thoughts :) Happy holiday baking season
Hi Annie, Pretzels sound delicious! You could try crushed sour dough or the mini twists or dipping sticks (those are my favorite two!). You could substitute butterscotch chips for the peanut butter – I think that would be a good complement flavor to the pretzels and chocolate. Let me know how it goes!
I have been making these since the recipe was first posted! They are a favorite and lend themselves to so many variations. This year I added some rice krispies which make them crispy and crunchy. Thanks for these and enjoy the season with your beautiful family!
I love that addition! Thank you for sharing; have a wonderful holiday season!
Has anyone added caramel?
I made these (1/2 batch) using a double boiler (for the chocolate) and then mixed the nuts and chocolate together in a big bowl.. Turned out great! I ate so many I have to make another batch! Question: Can you use white chocolate bits in place of the white almond bark? I think the quality of the Ghirardelli bits would be better. Can you do that? And what brand of peanut butter bits do you use? They seem hard to find. Thanks Michelle!
Hi Kathy, I’m so glad you enjoyed this!! I would not use pure white chocolate, but Ghiradelli does now make melting wafers, and you could use those! I buy Reese’s brand peanut butter chips.
Do you think something like the Ghirardelli white chocolate bars or white chips would work as well as the vanilla melts? Or are they too different? Thanks!
Hi Deb, I would advise against white chocolate, as it can clump and seize when melted. I do think that Ghiradelli does not make melting wafers, so you could try those!
Got this recipe from a friend that passed some time ago. Did I write it down? Of course not. Thank you for bringing it to the surface of my world again (with various versions) my experiments didn’t turn out too well. Bless you all for helping me
This was so easy and came out so well! I’m glad I followed the instructions fully. Our slow cooker runs a bit warm so the candy was ready 30 minutes earlier than the original instructions. I don’t know if I needed to or not, but I also put a clean cup towel over the top to catch any possible condensation – just in case. I set it up and wrapped gifts/did things in the kitchen near the cooker. Every half hour I stirred. It came out perfectly. My only “complaint” was it made so much every available flat surface in the kitchen and dining room was covered with candy as it set up. I even had to open up the microwave and stash some in it. (The perils of a too-small kitchen.) My ridiculously picky 97 year old grandmother even asked for the recipe. 6 stars out of 5 and will make again.
Yumm! Yumm! I tried this Slow Cooker Chocolate-Covered Peanut Cluster Recipe because my husband is a peanut cluster-aholic! It worked perfectly. I read that sometimes the peanuts burned; this did not happen to me. I literally dumped everything, left it and when I came back at the allotted time! It looked the same…but when I stirred, it was perfect. The clusters hardened up, but we felt we had to store them in the refrigerator. I assumed this was because I did not find the the white almond bark in 16 oz packages and only had used 24 oz. But it didn’t matter as we store them in the refrigerator anyway! But the second time we made them, we left the peanuts out until the chocolate was melted and added the correct amount of almond bark. They are the same and still perfect! What is especially great about this recipe is the ratio of chocolate to peanuts. The end result is not too many peanuts nor not enough. My husband is no longer buying peanut clusters, I converted him! Thanks for such a great recipe.
Mine took 1 1/2 hours in my slow cooker. I gave it away as a Christmas gift. People are now asking for the recipe. I can’t believe how easy it was to make. I stired mine every 30 minutes. I plan to make it again for my church.
Hi Michelle. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’ve made it for several years now. One question. Can I half the recipe I’m my large crockpot without it burning? Money is a little tight right now so I can’t afford a full batch, but still want to give some ya s gifts. Paula
So easy and delicious! I made these for friends and neighbors and they turned out great.
Is there a condensation issue? Water can ruin chocolate
I love this recipe. I have been making these candies for Christmas for the last 7 years. They are so easy and so tasty. They’re the only gift my brother requests from me.
My family fell in. Love with this. Candy… very simple and easy.. comes out perfect every time…..
I had mine all ready to go in the crockpot and after reading the reviews decided to not risk burning them. I stuck my entire crock pot crock in the microwave and after 12-1/2 min on medium (stirring twice in the middle) they were ready to go! It seemed too chocolatey so I added another entire 16 oz jar of peanuts and I could’ve probably added another one as they are plenty chocolatey. I got about 120 clusters. They haven’t set up yet, so I’m hoping they do. I would not go to the trouble or take the time to use the crock pot.
This is the best recipe you will ever try. Delicious & so easy.
Can be frozen, but I would put wax paper between layers.
You can place a thin cloth between the lid and the pot and it will catch any condensation.
Has anyone tried real peanut butter instead of the peanut butter chips?
These were fabulous. I added Heath bits to the recipe and it was amazing, but would have been great without too. I might try with dark chocolate next time just because. But seriously….this recipe is a HOMERUN!
This was an epic expensive fail!
Seriously, how many does it make. I need to know if I should cut it in half. I don’t need “a lot”.
Hi Lisa, It depends on how large or small you make the clusters. It’s about 6 to 7 lbs of candy, if that helps.
How far ahead can I make these clusters
Hi Sandra, You can keep them in the refrigerator for about a month!
I am curious. Why do these need to be stored in the refrigerator?
can you do this with raisons instead of nuts ?
Yes, for sure!
Hi Michelle, Just keeps them from getting too soft. If you keep your house at a cool room temperature, then they would be fine outside the refrigerator.
I’ve made this recipe for years and it is devine. In my crockpot, I’ve never had a problem but when I used my mom’s once, it did cook faster than mine and I almost lost my batch. It’s just a good idea to check after the first hour, then every 30 minutes. I would never do this in the microwave. I love the heating and melting together in the crockpot. Thank you for the awesome receipe!
Hi Michelle tqvm for sharing this simple yummilicious recipe. Just want to know why it needs to be done in a slow cooker for 2 hours. The nuts are all roasted.
Hi Lucy, You could do it on the stovetop over low heat if you’d prefer.
I tried the recipe and I had no problems with it. It makes sense to stir it occasionally. It is very easy to burn chocolate. Everyone that I gave some to loved it and wanted more. Thank you for such a good recipe.
I have made this several times; truly it is addictive!
Followed your directions and stirred every 30 minutes. Thanks for the tip, they turned out perfect.
It is a hit with my family. I only used 1 of everything. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi! Can I omit the almond bark or the vanilla chips?
Hi Lailani, I would not omit those, as it is what helps the candies set.
I made these and they were wonderful, easy and everyone wanted them. I just wondering if you could add coconut and almonds instead of t
he other nuts????
Hi Katherine, So awesome to hear this was a hit! And yes, you could definitely do coconut, almonds, raisins, anything at all!
My mother and I tried this recipe over the weekend. We wanted something to add to our annual treat tins. This recipe is quick and easy. We sprayed the crockpot bowl before melting and the chocolate came out perfect. We also added our nuts after the chocolate melted. It makes a lot. This candy is so addictive and a keeper.
Hi Sherice, So glad you enjoyed these, and thanks for sharing your tips!
I have almond bark vanilla flavored coating will this work.?
Hi Pamela, Yes that will work!
Can you use a cooking spray on the crock pot before adding chocolate chips and peanuts?
Hi Pam, Yes, you can do that! Enjoy!
I made this in my Instant Pot on slow cook -low. Worked perfectly. Super easy clean up. Love it!
Oooh awesome to hear how it worked in the Instant Pot! Thanks so much for sharing!
Best Christmas Cookies! Everybody loves them and they are so easy! One suggestion— translate the measurements into cups for those of us who purchase in bulk…
I have a NEW Hamilton Beach 6 qt SLOW COOKER, It has a KEEP WARM setting and a LOW setting. I am scared about what I should do after reading all the comments! I want to make this soon but do not want to burn it! Your advise please at your earliest convenience is most appreciated!
Hi Ashley, I would use low setting, but stir all of the ingredients together first, then stir every 30 minutes or so just to be safe. I still have never had an issue with it, but this should help alleviate any issues!
i loved the ease of making it. my mixture was not creammy as your video. it tasted alittle burnt. i did not put the peanutbutter chips in it but i think the next time i will. do you think due to the fack i left out the peanutbutter chips that AY BE THE FACT THAT IT WAS NOT CREAMMY? WHAT TYPE OF SCOOP SHOULD U USE. MINE WAS JUST SO BIG. THE TASTE WAS FINE
Hi Sue, Definitely if you omitted the peanut butter chips, it could have caused it to be not quite as creamy. Next time I would replace them with more chocolate chips. When I made these, I just used a spoon for scooping.
MADE THE candy. Very easy, made over 60 pieces. Will be great on my Christmas cookie tray!! I think next time I will use dark chocolate chips instead of the milk chocolate.
Hi Karla, I’m so glad you enjoyed these! Thanks so much for stopping back to leave a review, I appreciate it!
Made these and they are delicious! How long will they keep? Thanks!
Hi Edith, They will last for about 1 month. Enjoy! :)
The slow cook peanut clusters are wonderful, and so easy to make. My friends can’t get enough, so, I gave them your web site!
I’m so glad you and your friends enjoyed these Carol! Thanks so much for stopping back to leave a review, and for sharing the site with them! xo
Is the crock pot set on high or low for the first 2 hours?
Low
Can you put a liner in the crock pot and cook the chocolate covered peanuts?? Thanks
Hi Marcene, I don’t use crock pot liners, but I don’t see why you couldn’t do it.
Has anyone tried subbing the peanut butter chips for butterscotch?
I haven’t, but I don’t see why you couldn’t! It would just change the flavor a smidge.
Yes, I have subbed butterscotch when I couldn’t source peanut butter chips locally. I loved it. They reminded a bit of scotcheroos, my favorite sweet in the world. I also have done 6 oz of semi sweet and 6 oz of dark, used cashews and almonds, mixed in craisins and raisins. Yummy. This is a very versatile base recipe as long as you keep the chip and almond bark proportions the same.
Super excited to make this! My first great granddaughter is about to be born and these will be perfect to take to the hospital waiting room!
MERRY🎅🏻CHRISTMAS!!!
Congratulations to you Becky! Prayers for a quick and easy, and healthy delivery for mom and baby! :)
Hello – I have burned other recipes by using a crock pot that was too big. Just a thought – recipe looks great!
Can. You sent. The. Recipe. On. That. Looks. So. Good. Fun. To. Make. Please. Thank. You. God. Bless
I make these all the time. I have never used the peanut butter chips but I will this time. all so I have melted it all in the micro and turns out well it makes over 100 candies
I have made chocolate clusters for years with my crockpot. The only think I do different when melting is placing a large glass mixing bowl on top of my old tall narrow crock pot and set it on high. Turn it down to warm if you have alot of time before you will be using the chocolate. Stir once and a while. Have also used raisins, pecans, and coconut for coconut peaks. Rice krispies also work in a pinch. Once I went off and forgot to turn it off. When I returned 2 hours later it was melted but not scorched!
Very yummy! I love the enhanced taste with the peanut butter chips. Good idea.
Is this recipe ABSOLUTELY gluten-free? I need to be very sure………Thanks so much!
You’ll need to read the labels on the actual ingredients that you purchase to be sure.
My husband and I are both from Western PA – his people, czech/hungarian from Pittsburgh and I am Pennsylvanian Dutch from northern Butler County. I can prepare my family’s german recipes, but I don’t have any recipes of his hungarian grandma. He misses her mushroom/dough – bo bi kie (spl) ??? Can you help ?
Hi Pegg, Oh no, I’ve never heard of that!! :(
Is this what you are looking for? https://reformjudaism.org/jewish-life/food-recipes/hungarian-mushroom-turnovers
Excellent recipe!!!!
My husband and granddaughter made these clusters as a bonding project for Christmas festivities. They were so easy and really great. Everyone was grabbing them any chance they had. Only bad side was there weren’t any left-overs.
If you’re using an oversize newer pot, yes, it will burn, since low on the new pots is approximately high on the older pots. Either use a smaller pot or an older pot.
QUESTION , WHEN SUBSTITUTING Wanuts or pecans how many do you put to make the crockpot candy?
I would use the same amount as the peanuts that are called for in the recipe (32 ounces total).
I’ve made this for the last couple of years. Each time someone asks for the recipe. Yummy!
The crock pot candy was the easiest candy I have every made. Beside it makes a bunch!
I have given the receipe to about five people now and they have made it. It is a keeper for sure!
Thanks!
I’ve read so many comments about the peanuts burning. I many have an idea as to why. If you are using dry roasted peanuts (those with the coating that have all the added ingredients) and you put them in first, the coating is probably burning! I’ve made this with unsalted peanuts, and lightly salted peanuts. Neither one of them have a coating on them. The candy came out fine. It stands to reason to me that peanuts covered with added ingredients would tend to burn when coming into direct contact with a very hot surface for 2 hours. I was concerned that mine might over cook so I checked on it at 1 hr. 40 minutes and the almond bark wasn’t but half soft. When the 2 hours was up, everything was melted perfectly.
Good luck, Merry Christmas and happy goodie gift giving everyone
This version of these peanut clusters is by far the best and most amazing. My husband and I make these every Christmas and my co-workers can’t wait until I bring them in. We live in New Mexico so we sprinkle them with red chile powder, the sweet and that little kick are perfect together. Someone once said if it was good enough for the Mayans then why not.
There is a “disclaimer” about the appliance to use at the very bottom of the comments. I would DEFINITELY move that up into the recipe!!
Should have followed my instincts and melted all the candy chips in the micro wave and then poured the mixture over the nuts. However, I followed your directions to a “T” and watched the clock for the exact timing….the mixture burned and had to all be thrown out. This was a costly recipe to discard due to directions followed and the outcome being horrible. I read comments about people adjusting the recipes and I chose not to do that. Next time, I will go by a tried and true method rather than trust a recipe seen on line. Not good at all.
I was so excited to make these. I bought all ingredients and followed the recipe. Making these for my clients for gifts. After an hour or so, I smelled something burning….I stirred the ingredients and all the peanuts on the bottom were burned and BLACK!!!! All those expensive ingredients down the drain! So upset and sad. You can’t put peanuts on the bottom of a crockpot for 2 hours and not expect them to burn!!! So upset!
I read this comment a while back regarding the peanuts burning. Make sure your crockpot doesn’t run too hot.
**NOTE: There seems to be discrepencies in the terms crockpot and slow cooker. This recipe is for a crockpot which, when on low, will only melt the ingredients. A slow cooker will get hotter and start to cook the ingredients, thus resulting in an inferior product. Please be aware of what kind of appliance you have. It seems the older “crockpot” works best. There have been some who have burned their ingredients because their appliance is too hot. The makers and manufacturers of these appliances seem to interchange the description of their appliances calling slow cookers crockpots. It seems that Rival owns the name crockpot, therefore, others can’t use the name crockpot, they are slow cookers. It’s very confusing, but slow cookers, indeed, cook hotter, which could result in burning of this recipe. There are many discussions and explanations of this subject within the comments.
***NOTE I’ve been asked to add this note. If your crockpot appliance is below 275 watts, you should not have any problem with the candy burning if you follow the ingredients and the directions, however, all crockpots are different, so please pay attention to your cooking process. Look on the bottom of your appliance to see the wattage. The new crockpots get hotter than the older crockpots and the slow cookers get even hotter.
These notes can be referenced in:
http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/candy/crock-pot-candy-mr-bud-candy-4.html?p=10
The 275 watt thing is not true. I just made this in a crockpot (NOT a slow cooker) that is 240 watts and the peanuts burnt horribly. I’m so upset. You’d think it’d be easy to put 4 ingredients in a crockpot. I did put the peanuts in first.
I have exactly the cooker shown in the directions and my peanuts burned and I even stirred after the first 30 minutes. The recipe does not state to start in low or any other setting . . . For the record, with the cooker shown in the directions, start it on WARM only!! I am now trying to figure out how to attempt to salvage $15 to $20 worth of candy making supplies . . . At this point, I am considering melting another bag of chips with a little shortening and work portions of the seized choc into it. Any other suggestions?
Only problem I encountered is that these melt in fingers while eating!!
You need to eat them faster. Lol
i am dying to try this for holidays BUTTTT, can i add other things like raisins, pretzels, mini mash mellows…?
Hi Shelly, Yes, you could definitely use other add-ins!
I used step by step directions and it seized up please help! What happened
Oh no! I’m wondering if your slow cooker got too hot? It’s the only thing I could think of!
Could you change out the peanut butter chips for more chocolate chips, add peanut butter chips to the still warm scoops on parchment paper? Just stick 4-6 chips to the top of scoops. Sort of like Reeser’s Peanut butter cups. :)
Oooh yes, I don’t see why not! Sounds great! :)
I would like to try adding toasted pecans and toffee bits. Has anyone ever tried it this way? Should to toffee bits be added after all the chocolate has melted? Any thoughts or advice?
Hi Carla, Sounds awesome! I would save the toffee bits for the end, as you suggested.
Well have to make a comment , It turned out very good, I ended up with 110 pieces, I used a 1 1/4″ cookie scoop,and I used the little candy papers. I was worried that it was not going to set up but it is very nice. I have used another recipe, and it had some 60% Cacao bittersweet chips and I might like to take and replace one of the bags of peanut butter chips for a bag of the bittersweet. and my other recipe called for 3 packages of white baking chips so guess that would work too. that was used instead of the almond bark. Anyway it is very good and will make it again makes a huge batch for gift giving.
I have made these and they are the BEST! So easy – I now want to try with caramel – has anyone attempted this? If so, did you you use caramel sauce or candy? Thanks!
ohmyYUM! Anything peanuty gets my vote, and double points for adding choc.
These candies are fantastic! I made them this past Christmas and they were a huge hit. My husband says they taste like peanut butter cups. I ended up making two batches and I had no issues whatsoever.
My chocolate didn’t get hard! Any suggestions?
Hi Debbie, Did you scoop it out and let it sit? If it’s still not firming up, I would try popping it in the refrigerator, it just might be too warm in your kitchen.
Can you add coconut? When in the process would you add/change?
Sounds yummy and want to try.
Hi Natalie, Sure! I would add it on top of the peanuts or just mix in at the end.
I made this tonight and will have to say I am super disappointed, to say the least. I had to throw the entire batch out. Not a cheap night. Will not re moment this to anyone. I am a seasoned cook/baker.
Really? What happened? I’m about to make this and spent enough on ingredients that I don’t want to risk wasting. See,s like a very straightforward and basic recipe, melting chocolates and mixing in nuts…I need to know in what way it can go so wrong so I don’t do it! Only thing I can think is burning, but that’s easy to avoid by watching and stirring, and as a seasoned cook, you’d know that so it must be something else. Do share!
I used 2 jars of dry roasted peanuts & some of my peanuts burned. I didn’t cook them any longer than the recipe called for & the chocolate was melted.
My peanuts burned at the bottom! Smelled something burning after an hour, the peanuts were BLACK! The order is bad! All those expensive ingredients down the trash!!! I’m upset as all get out!
I had this problem because my crock pot cooked to hot on low setting & it didn’t have any other settings, just high & low. 😥 I finally asked for a new crock pot for Christmas! Yay! This recipe turned out perfect with my new HAMILTON BEACH Crock Pot! 😋 Most of you that are burning this candy recipe, probably have crock pots that cook too hot, like my old one did.
Instead of peanut butter chips, would peanut butter work??
Hi Maria, I’m not sure, I haven’t tried that. If you do, let me know how it turns out!
Hi, my batch burned a little which is likely a reflection of my crappy crock pot :) But, I am wondering, could I just made this in a double boiler on the stove? It would seem to be that it would cook pretty quickly and result in the same candies?
Hi Kelli, Yes, you could do this in a double boiler.
I made these yesterday. The chocolate seized and I added a little shortening as I stirred. They loosened nicely and made wonderful little candies. Do you think they seized because I cooked too long or too hot. Also what do you recommend for seized chocolate?
Thanks for a great recipe. This is a keeper.
Hi Molly, Yes, the chocolate definitely could have seized due to temperature. I try to gently melt into already-melted chocolate again, which it sounds like you did with success.
Would cooking time need to decrease if recipe was cut in half? Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Hi Linda, Yes, definitely cut down on the cooking time if you cut the recipe in half.
My friend cut the recipe in half and cooked it in half the time as well. It was grand! :-)
I was short about 10 oz of chips but the recipe still worked, and my batch made 12 dozen. Next time I’m going to add dried cranberries and coconut. They look fantastic and I can’t wait to give them away as gifts! I have never made a recipe from your site that I didn’t like. Thank you and Merry Christmas!
I love these! We make them every year and call it “crockpot candy”. One of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth.
I actually had found this recipe on a different site (didn’t present as nice as yours!) and had made these. Did you have any issues with your peanuts burning? I did it exactly as the recipe said, which is how your recipe is as well, and after 2 hours a lot of the peanuts were burnt! Thanks!
Hi Lauen, Oh no! None of my peanuts burnt at all. Perhaps your crock pot is running a little hot?
ADD peanuts LAST.STIR FOR 5 MIN AT END.
I made these last year and they were absolutely delicious! I have friends that love dark chocolate. Could I substitute the milk chocolate for dark and leave the peanut butter chips out?
Yes, absolutely, just make sure you keep the amount of chips the same.
I love the idea of this – will definitely have to to try it! I love making treats around the holidays and this will be perfect…not to mention EASY.
I wonder . . . do you know if you can temper chocolate in the crock pot?
Hi Elisabeth, I’ve never tried it!
these look fantastic! and they’re made in a slow cooker – I’m intrigued!
This sounds awesome
Wow! This recipe is awesome and I love that it can be done in a slow cooker. I cannot wait to make it. I also love the idea that it can be made in various combinations. Endless possibilities.
It is so dangerous how easy these are to make because you can literally make them any time you want without the hassle! YUM!
So simple and delicious! Can’t wait to try these in my slow cooker :)
Lovely!
I would use a crockpot liner when making these. I hate cleaning up chocolate in any
kind of pan!
For Christmas, I love making clusters of white chocolate with dried cranberries and macadamias or almonds or cashews. So pretty!
If you wipe it out with a paper towel while still warm, the crock pot is easy to clean with just a little soaking in warm soapy water.
Do you mke the white clusters in the crock pot as well?
Love peanuts and this recipe does not make as many as the ones I have read before. Sounds so good.
Oh MY! This is just too simple! I have to make these now. Going to the store this weekend! I love Christmas.
These look awesome and I bet my husband will LOVE them! What kind of almond bark do you use? Would nestles white chocolate chips work for this? My tight budget only allows walmart shopping and I wasn’t happy with the almond bark I found there. Thanks for your recipes I almost always save them!
If you have aldi I would look there for the bark, very reasonable.
Hi Sara, I used CandiQuik, which I bought at my regular supermarket.
I use Nestle white chocolate chips for this.
HA! I love that you put A LOT for how many it makes!! :0)
OH SNAP! I am the slow cooker queen at my house and I cannot WAIT to make these little babies! :)
Those look like a great Christmas gift. I’d like to try the recipe with almonds minus the peanut butter chips. Sounds tasty.
Hi!
This seems easy and delicious!
Have you noticed and problems of condensation from the crockpot lid getting into the chocolate? If so, did it make the chocolate seize?
Thanks!
Hi Janet, I didn’t notice any issues. Some of the chocolate around the edges seized, I think just from the heat, but as soon as I stirred, it melted right in.
Simply perfect candy for my lazy ways. I might switch out one of the peanut butter chip bags with a butterscotch then my son will definitely eat them (less for me is a good thing). Thanks for sharing!
Yum Yum Yum! These must go on my holiday treat list!
Wow, yet another use for a slow cookier! Who woulda thunk? I wonder if honey roasted peanuts would work in this? I love the recipe!
Honey roasted peanuts sound AWESOME!
I used honey roasted peanuts and they burnt – had to trash it.
Before you make this recipe, find out first if your slow cookie will burn the nuts and seize up the chips. Mine did and several others have written that their’s did, too. I lost a very expensive bunch of candy because of it. Made another batch just melting the chips in the micro wave and then stirring in the nuts. Worked much much better and gave me the great results I was hoping for in the recipe put on line here by BEB. Normally she puts out great recipes…however, this recipe should have explained that some units do burn the items. Just check it out first, before you spend $$$$$ for the ingredients like I did, and others, too.
I stirred my ingredients every 20 minutes. Never leave it for any extended time without stirring. Also, put a towel between the lid and top of the crockpot to prevent any moisture from collecting. Simple steps like this will correct the issues of the candy getting burnt or water dropping in.
Peanuts covered in chocolate are definitely my kind of snack! i love this!
These look amazing. I’m going to make them this weekend. I was reading some older posts and it looked like you have a peanut/peanut butter allergy? Can that be true? Tragic!!!
Hi Marla, I did actually develop a peanut allergy in my mid-20’s, abstained from it for nearly 5 years and had allergy shots, and it miraculously went away! My allergist said that adults can develop food allergies later in life, and you can also grow out of them. Thank goodness!