Homemade Valentine’s Day Candy
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Valentine’s Day Candy is sweet inside and out, from the melted candy coating to the colorful decorations on top. Roasted peanuts and mini pretzel twists add plenty of crunch too! This no bake dessert recipe makes a large batch of treats, perfect for packaging into gifts or freezing for later. And if you keep it all to yourself, I won’t tell!
Valentine’s Day Candy
Holidays are so much more fun with themed treats, but it’s easy to focus on the more notable occasions.
Since Valentine’s Day is all about celebrating the ones you love, it makes sense to put in some extra effort to make the day even sweeter.
I combined the best parts of my St. Patrick’s and pretzel crockpot candy recipes to create the sweetest Valentine’s Day candy around!
Creamy and crunchy textures can be found in every bite, and they’re extra cute with themed decorations on top.
Pair this recipe for Valentine candy with more swoon-worthy favorites like raspberry white chocolate chip cookies and old fashioned cream puffs.
Enjoying a romantic, date night in? Mix up some chocolate cherry heart cocktails! They’re great for Galentine’s Day too.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- White Baking Chips – Different from white chocolate chips, these do not contain cocoa butter.
This means they won’t melt quite as quickly, but they do set up faster and harder when cooled.
You can use white chocolate chips in a pinch, but white or vanilla melting candy/wafers are the closest substitute. - Almond Bark – Use the white or vanilla variety in this recipe for Valentine candy. It comes in a solid bar divided into smaller squares so you can break it apart easily.
Find it near the chocolate chips or in the specialty baking aisle. Vanilla candy melts are the best substitute. - Dry Roasted Peanuts – These give your candies shape and add a nice crunch too. Other nuts like cashews, macadamia nuts, or almonds would taste great.
- Pretzel Twists – Look for the mini variety so they mix into the candies better. Or, break apart larger twists if you can’t find those.
And if you can find X’s and O’s for this Valentine’s Day candy, that’s even better! - M&M’s & Sprinkles – They make special versions of both of these for every holiday!
The M&M’s will be pink, red, and white, and sprinkles may be shaped like hearts, X’s and O’s, or tiny cupids.
If you don’t want to buy the fancy shapes, you can always use colorful jimmies or nonpareils.
Tips and Tricks to Make Perfect Valentine’s Candy
- Layer the ingredients just right.
Start with some of the white baking chips, then the peanuts. Add the almond bark next, followed by the remaining baking chips.
This keeps the peanuts from burning on the bottom of the pot, and the cocoa butter in the bark will distribute more evenly as it melts.
Don’t cook the pretzels — stir those in just before scooping. Otherwise, they’ll become too hard and have a stale texture.
- Keep the temperature on Low.
Your homemade Valentine candy will likely burn if you try to use the High setting, and it won’t melt the chocolate much faster anyway.
- Use cookie scoops to portion out your Valentine’s candy.
It’s a lot easier to transfer the sticky mixture with a scoop than with a regular spoon — and a lot less messy too!
Use a 3 Tablespoon scoop to make larger candies as shown here, or use a smaller scoop if you care more about quantity.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Slow Cooker – A larger, oval-shaped crockpot will provide more surface area for the mixture to melt, which will also prevent lumps.
- Baking Sheets lined with Parchment Paper – For cooling your homemade Valentine candy.
- A sturdy silicone spatula can be used for scraping, stirring, and smoothing and is easy to clean too!
- Cookie Scoops – Makes it easier to scoop out the candies and ensures they’re all the same size.
Decorating Tips
Add M&M candies and sprinkles quickly, before the chocolate hardens, to ensure they stick to the surface.
I usually decorate in batches, scooping out a dozen candies at a time and then pausing to decorate before I continue.
But if you have a kitchen helper — a great job for the kids — they can sprinkle while you scoop!
For an even prettier finish, add some colorful drizzle to your Valentine’s candy. Melt some extra almond bark in the microwave and stir in some pink food coloring until smooth.
You don’t even need a piping bag! Dip a fork into the bowl, then wave it back and forth or in a circular motion over each candy.
Storing Homemade Valentine Candy
This crock pot candy is fine to keep at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, but it may soften if you’ve got the heater running or if it’s in direct sunlight.
In that case, keep it in the refrigerator and let it soften on the counter before serving.
Store in an airtight container with a piece of parchment between layers if needed. You can also freeze Valentine’s candy for up to 3 months.
Recipe for Valentine Candy FAQ
Sure! In order to achieve the right texture, replace the white baking chips with semi-sweet chocolate chips, or swap the white almond bark with chocolate almond bark.
If you try to use all chocolate chips, the mixture won’t melt down nice and smooth.
The flavor might be too intense if you use chocolate versions for both. I definitely prefer a mixture, like in my original crockpot candy recipe.
At room temperature, it can take an hour or two for the candies to become completely firm.
Speed up the process by placing them in the fridge or freezer — especially helpful if your kitchen is warm!
Yes, but do so when you mix in the pretzels. Gel coloring is the best choice since it’s very concentrated and won’t affect the texture of the melted chocolate.
Start with just a drop or two and mix really well before adding more. The color will continue to deepen as the treats cool.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Homemade Valentine’s Day Candy
Ingredients
- 3 cups white baking chips, divided
- 24 ounces white almond bark, 4 ounces for drizzle
- 32 ounces dry roasted peanuts
- 4 cups tiny pretzel twists, break some if you like
- 4 additional ounces white almond bark, for drizzle, optional
- pink food coloring
- 1/2 cup Valentine’s Day M&Ms
- 1/2 cup assorted Valentine’s Day sprinkles
Instructions
- Layer the ingredients in the crockpot: In a large crockpot, add 1 cup of white baking chips first. Then, add peanuts (salted and unsalted), followed by the 20 ounces of white almond bark (reserve about 4 ounces for the drizzle), and finally the remaining 2 cups of white baking chips on top.
- Cook the mixture: Place the lid on the crockpot and cook on low for 1 to 1.5 hours.
- While it’s cooking, prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. This will be where you place the candy.
- Stir and add pretzels: After cooking, remove the lid and stir the melted chocolate and peanuts together. Add the broken pretzel twists to the crockpot and stir until everything is well-coated in the chocolate mixture.
- Scoop the candy: Using a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons), scoop out candy balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
- Garnish the candy: You can either garnish immediately with M&Ms and sprinkles before the chocolate hardens, or proceed to add a pink drizzle before garnishing. Let the candy cool completely after decorating.
- Optional pink drizzle: If you’d like a pink drizzle, melt 4 ounces of almond bark in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring in between until smooth. Add 1-2 drops of pink food coloring and stir until the desired color is achieved. Use a fork to drizzle the pink almond bark over the candy, then immediately add M&Ms and sprinkles. Let the candy cool completely.
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published January 2025
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