Step-by-Step Instructions
First, layer everything except the white chocolate and brown sugar directly into the crockpot. This is my favorite part—just dump it in! I start with a base of all the peanuts, then add both kinds of chocolate chips and the peanut butter chips. I scatter the pretzel bites over the top. Then, crucially, I evenly sprinkle the entire box of brown sugar over everything. Do not stir! This feels wrong, but I promise it’s right. Put the lid on and cook on LOW for 2 hours. No peeking! You’ll let the heat work its magic.
After 2 hours, the kitchen will smell incredible. Remove the lid and you’ll see the chocolate and sugar have melted into a glorious pool. Now, take your spatula and give it a very gentle, thorough stir. You want to coat every peanut and pretzel without crushing them. I stir slowly and fold from the bottom. Once combined, immediately line your baking sheet with parchment and pour the mixture onto it, spreading it into an even layer. Let this cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes until set.
While the crack is setting, melt your white chocolate. I use the double boiler method because it’s foolproof. Stir it constantly until just smooth. Drizzle this luxurious white chocolate all over the top of the cooling crack in whatever artistic fashion you like. I go for zig-zags. Then, you must be patient. Let the whole pan set completely at room temperature, which takes a few hours. I sometimes let mine sit overnight. Rushing this leads to a messy break.
Pro Tips for Best Results
I tested this three different ways: on HIGH for 1 hour, on LOW for 3 hours, and my gold-standard LOW for 2 hours. The HIGH setting burned the edges and didn’t melt the center evenly. The 3-hour low was okay, but the pretzels got a bit too soft. The 2-hour low is the absolute sweet spot—perfect melting without compromising texture. Set a timer and trust the process.
Here’s what I learned the hard way about stirring: Do not stir at all during the cooking time. I was too curious once and lifted the lid halfway through, letting out crucial heat and moisture. It created a grainy texture in the chocolate. Wait the full 2 hours, then stir with purpose. Also, when you do stir, be gentle. Over-mixing will break all those lovely pretzel bites into crumbs.
For the perfect set and snap, room temperature cooling is key. I made the mistake of putting a batch in the fridge once to speed things up, and it caused the chocolate to bloom (get those white streaks). It tasted fine but didn’t look as pretty. Letting it set slowly on the counter gives you that glossy finish and a satisfying clean break when you snap it into pieces.
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