Introduction
I still remember the first time my kitchen filled with the scent of melting chocolate and toasting peanuts from this Crockpot Candy. It was a chilly afternoon, and I wanted a holiday treat that wouldn’t keep me tied to the stove. What emerged from that slow cooker hours later was nothing short of magic—a rich, layered peanut butter chocolate bark that shattered perfectly. It’s the easiest, most crowd-pleasing candy I’ve ever made, and it smells like pure joy while it cooks. Let me show you how to make your own.
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz) jar of dry roasted, salted peanuts
- 1 (16 oz) jar of unsalted dry roasted peanuts
- 1 (12 oz) bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 (4 oz) bar of good quality milk chocolate, broken into pieces
- 2 (10 oz) packages of peanut butter chips
- 3 lbs of high-quality white almond bark (or vanilla candy coating), broken into chunks
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
Okay, let’s talk ingredients because they really matter here. I learned the hard way that using all salted peanuts can make the final candy too salty, which is why I split it 50/50 with unsalted—it creates the perfect savory balance against the sweet chocolates. That vanilla extract? Don’t skip it; it makes a huge difference in rounding out the flavor. And for the white almond bark, trust me, the higher quality you can find, the smoother and less waxy your final candy will be. It’s worth a special trip to the baking aisle.
Equipment Needed
- A 6-quart or larger slow cooker (Crockpot)
- A sturdy wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula
- Large baking sheets (jelly roll pans with rims are ideal)
- Parchment paper or wax paper
- Measuring spoons
- A sharp knife for breaking the bark
Your slow cooker is the true hero here, doing all the gentle melting work. I’ve tried a smaller 4-quart model, and it was just too crowded—the 6-quart size gives everything room to melt evenly. Lining your baking sheets with parchment paper is non-negotiable; I’ve tried greasing them and even using foil, and the candy stuck terribly. Parchment is your clean-release best friend. That wooden spoon? Plastic can melt, and metal conducts too much heat. Wood is just right for the slow, steady stir.
(See the next page below to continue…)