Close your eyes for a minute and imagine yourself walking into a candy shop. If you’ve ever visited these delightful establishments, the smell of the chocolate candy and confections will come to mind. And that’s exactly what you get when you make these Peanut Chocolate Clusters.
When you make crockpot candy, your entire house will smell just like that old-fashioned candy shop. These peanut clusters are absolute decadence. They feel so luxurious. The perfect combo of sweet and salty.
The first time I made this Christmas crack, it was for a work party. I knew the food would have to be sitting out all morning before we had our party in the afternoon. So I needed to be sure it was something that would stay good at room temperature. Suffice to say, it disappeared FAST. Some of it even before the party started!
Oh, and Christmas crack is a slow cooker dessert. Just layer everything into the slow cooker and let it work its magic. So your crockpot candy will be melting and coming together while you cozy up with a novel or watch Christmas movies with your kids. Nobody has to know you were watching holiday movies while these melted down.
They’re perfect as holiday gifts, too. Wrap them in cellophane bags, tie a ribbon on top, and people will think you ordered them from a candy shop.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There’s a lot to love about this crockpot candy.
- So few ingredients: You probably already have most of what you need in your pantry.
- Barely any hands-on time: Your slow cooker does the heavy lifting while you do literally anything else.
- Sweet and salty delight: The salted and unsalted peanuts, adding in all that chocolate. Just the perfect contrast.
- Holiday gifts: These peanut clusters look impressive and people love getting them. It’s an affordable gift that anyone is happy to receive.
- Crowd approved: Anytime I take them to a party (work or with friends), half of it disappears before all the guests have even arrived!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
You can tweak this pretty easily depending on what you’ve got on hand.
- Unsalted and salted peanuts: The combo (with the chocolate) is what gives these clusters that sweet and salty balance.
- Other nuts work, too: If you need a peanut free slow cooker dessert, you can use any type of nuts. Wanuts, pecans, almonds.
- Chocolate chips: You’re using 2 kinds of chocolate chips: semi-sweet and milk chocolate. But honestly, it can be any combo, or even just one flavor. Or chop up a chocolate bar for the exact same experience.
- Extra add-ins: If you want more crunch, break up some pretzels. Add them to the mix and make sure they’re completely coated with the chocolate.
- Peanut butter chips: For a Reese’s flavor everyone loves, add these to the mix!
- White chocolate bark or candy wafers: Melts down, helps bind everything into the clusters you need. Almond bark can do the job, too.
Tips for Success
Some things I do to get the perfect Christmas crack:
- Don’t rush it: Keep the crockpot on low. High heat can scorch the chocolate and you’ll end up with a grainy mess.
- Stir well: When you take the lid off at the one-hour mark, really get in there. You want all that chocolate and peanut butter fully combined.
- Parchment paper: Wax paper can stick to the bottom of your clusters. Parchment paper is your best bet. We buy a box of parchment paper sheets on Amazon, already cut into rectangles. Super cheap, and easy to use.
- Try cupcake liners: For tidier clusters, you can use cupcake liners.
Storage and Reheating
Keep leftover peanut chocolate clusters in an airtight container at room temperature. A cool, dry spot like your pantry works best and they’ll stay fresh for up to a week. Of course, kitchen counter is fine as long as they’re not too close to the stove when you’re cooking. Don’t refrigerate unless you have to, because moisture can make them tacky.
To freeze, place clusters in a freezer-safe bag with parchment between layers so they don’t stick. They’ll keep for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature when you’re ready. No reheating needed.
Serving Suggestions
Christmas crack is classic snacking food. Serve it for dessert after making traditional Christmas burritos!
Or if everyone sleeps late the day after Christmas, you’ll be making brunch. Maybe something like Christmas huevos rancheros. Have a plate of this chocolate candy sitting out ready to balance out the spiciness of the eggs.
For a party dessert table, set them out with Christmas cookies and a variety of traditional holiday treats.
When it comes to holiday gifts, you can put bags of Christmas crack in a gift basket with some teabags or gourmet coffee mix.
FAQs
Can I make this Christmas crack on the stove instead of a crockpot?
You can, but it takes more babysitting. Use a double boiler on low heat and stir constantly. The crockpot method is way less fuss.
How do I keep the peanut clusters from getting all stuck together?
They’ve gotta be completely hard before you stack them up. Put parchment paper between layers in your container and they’ll stay perfect.
Notes
Christmas crack has become a holiday tradition in my family. The weekend after Thanksgiving, my daughter and I make a double (or triple!) batch. The fam munches on it all weekend around the house, but we also make up candy bags to give as gifts. Then one of us walks around the neighborhood handing them out to our neighbors.
Peanut Chocolate Clusters | Christmas Crack for Holiday Gifts
Ingredients
- 16 oz. Salted Peanuts
- 16 oz. Unsalted Peanuts
- 12 oz. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- 12 oz. Milk Chocolate Chips
- 20 oz. White Vanilla Baking Chips
- 2 lbs. White Almond Bark Broken into squares
- Festive holiday sprinkles Optional garnish
Instructions
- Pour both the salted and unsalted peanuts directly into the bottom of a cold 4 to 6-quart slow cooker. Pro Tip: This forms a crucial “heat armor” layer. Peanuts contain heavy natural oils that can withstand direct contact with the hot ceramic walls much better than delicate chocolate, which scorches easily.
- Layer the semi-sweet, milk chocolate, and white vanilla baking chips directly over the bed of peanuts. Do not stir.
- Top the entire mixture with the broken squares of white almond bark. Crucial: Almond bark and vanilla chips contain palm oils and stabilizers. Placing them at the very top creates a heavy insulation blanket that traps rising steam, helping the chocolate layers below melt uniformly without drying out.
- Cover with the lid and turn the slow cooker to Low. Set a timer for 1 hour and do not open the lid during this time.
- At the 1-hour mark, remove the lid and use a heavy silicone spatula to thoroughly stir the mixture from the bottom up, completely blending the fluid chocolates with the peanuts. If some almond bark squares on top aren’t fully melted, they will quickly dissolve into the warm mixture as you stir.
- Replace the lid and let it cook on Low for another 30 to 60 minutes, stirring once or twice more. The Glossy Rest: Once completely smooth, turn the slow cooker off or to the “Warm” setting and let the candy rest uncovered for 5 minutes. This drops the temperature slightly, allowing the vegetable lipids to stabilize so the final candy sets with a glossy finish instead of a dull, chalky surface.
- Line your counter or baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a cookie scoop or a large spoon to drop bite-sized clusters onto the paper. Shower immediately with festive sprinkles while the chocolate is tacky. Let them sit undisturbed for 1 hour at room temperature until fully hardened.
