Christmas Crack Recipe (video)
This cracker candy is chocolaty, crispy and highly addictive! That’s why it’s popularly known as Christmas Crack. This fool-proof Christmas Crack recipe is just 4 ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to make.
What is Christmas Crack?
It is a type of candy made with saltine crackers coated in toffee and topped with chocolate. It is one of the easiest methods of making candy because you don’t need a candy thermometer or exact measurements. You just need to cook the toffee long enough for it to set. Please note that the toffee is not a hard toffee. It’s firm but when you bite into it, it’s got a soft-sugary texture to it.
Why this recipe is so great:
- Just 4 ingredients. All you need to make this Christmas Crack is butter, brown sugar, saltine crackers, and chocolate – that’s it! Who would have thought to add saltine crackers to toffee, but it’s brilliant. The crackers are what give the toffee its light and crispy texture.
- No candy thermometer required. You just need to boil the butter and brown sugar mixture for 5 minutes exactly. You don’t need to concern yourself with the temperature of the toffee in this recipe, especially since you’ll be baking it in the oven as well.
- It’s so good, you won’t be able to stop eating it! Anyone who has ever had Christmas Crack will tell you that you can’t stop at one. There is just something about the combination of sweet and salty, toffee and chocolate, and a crispy texture that makes it irresistible.
- Here is what some of my readers have to say:
“Best Christmas Dessert EVER!!!! I make this every year and it’s amazing and oh so easy! It usually goes in 10 min:)” – Violet
“So easy, so delish. I’ve made this several times, especially at Christmas, makes for a great hostess gift.” – Suzanne
“Love this recipe! I made it for my office Christmas party and it was the first thing gone. People were raving about it and asking for more! I guess I’ll have to make a double batch next year, lol.” – Amanda
How to make Christmas Crack:
(the ingredient amounts are listed in the printable recipe card further below)
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Spread the saltine crackers out in a single layer and fold up the edges of the foil to box in the crackers. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat on the stovetop. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and let it continue to boil for exactly 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Quickly pour over the crackers and spread to cover evenly.
- Bake for 5 minutes (minimum) in the oven or until bubbling. The crackers will expand slightly and shift around a little.
- Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Let stand for 1-2 minutes until about half of the chocolate chips look shiny (see picture above).
- Once the chocolate begins to look shiny, it is soft enough to start spreading over the toffee.
- Top with any additional toppings if desired and place in the refrigerator for about 2 hours for the candy to harden.
- Once it has set, peel away the foil. Break the candy by hand or use a sharp knife to cut into pieces.
Expert tips:
- Pan size – A 10×15″ jelly roll pan works best for this recipe. However, any type of baking sheet this size or larger will work. My pan is actually 11×17″ so I just fold up the edges of the foil to keep the crackers in place and prevent the toffee from spilling out onto the pan.
- Lining the pan – Heavy-duty foil works best because it’s easy to peel away. You can use regular foil – just lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray to make it easy to remove. You can also use parchment paper. There is no greasing required if you’re using parchment paper, but just make sure to completely cover the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Cooking the toffee. Once the butter and brown sugar reaches a boil, set a timer, and let it boil for 5 minutes. You want it to be a rolling boil to evaporate some of the moisture, so it becomes like caramel.
- Baking the cracker candy. Bake the saltine toffee in a 350F oven for a minimum of 5 minutes or until bubbling so that the toffee reaches its second boiling point and absorbs into the crackers.
- Melting the chocolate chips. As soon as you remove the tray from the oven, immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. The bubbling toffee should be hot enough to melt the chocolate. Once about half the chocolate chips look shiny, you can start spreading the chocolate to cover the saltine toffee. If you have trouble with this, you can use mini chocolate chips or melt the chocolate in the microwave then spread it on top.
Substitutions
- Saltine crackers – Salted saltine crackers are best. You can use unsalted saltine crackers, but I would suggest sprinkling some salt on top to balance the sweetness. You can substitute with Ritz crackers or even graham crackers (add salt) if you wish.
- Brown sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar. I personally prefer dark for more flavor.
- Butter – You can use salted or unsalted butter. You can also use vegan butter sticks like Earth Balance, Miyoko’s, or Country Crock’s avocado plant butter sticks.
- Chocolate – I like to use milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can use dark chocolate chips, but I wouldn’t go any higher than 60% cacao or it might separate from the saltine toffee layer.
- Toppings – Christmas crack is great on its own, but I usually do add additional toppings like chopped nuts, candy, or sprinkles. Some of my favorite toppings are chopped pecans, shredded coconut, crushed candy canes, and festive sprinkles.
How long can you store Christmas Crack?
You can store the cracker candy in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature or 2 weeks in the fridge. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
You might also like:
- White Chocolate Christmas Crack
- Chocolate Dipped Rice Krispie Treats
- Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies
- Whipped Shortbread Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Make sure you add this irresistible saltine cracker toffee to your holiday dessert tray and share in the happiness that a good treat can bring.
Did you make this recipe? Please kindly leave a comment with your star rating below.
PrintBest Ever Christmas Crack
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: about 40 pieces
- Category: dessert
- Method: bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
This cracker candy is crispy and chocolaty with a sweet buttery toffee finish.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted or salted butter
- 1 cup (220g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 40 salted saltine crackers (about 1 sleeve)
- 1 pkg (270g-300g) milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- additional toppings like nuts, candy or sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil (if using regular foil, spray with non-stick cooking spray for easy removal). Spread the crackers out on the foil in a single layer and fold up the edges of the foil to box in the crackers. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar over medium heat on the stovetop. Bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to boil for 5 minutes (set a timer), stirring frequently. Quickly pour over the crackers and spread to cover completely.
- Bake for 5 minutes in the oven. Turn off heat. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.
- Let stand for 1-2 minutes or until the chocolate starts to look shiny and is soft enough spread evenly over the toffee. If the chocolate is still not warm enough to spread after 4 minutes, place it back in the oven for a minute to help soften it.
- Top with any additional toppings if desired.
- Chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours to harden. Peel away the foil and break into pieces.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days or 2 weeks in the fridge. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
Expert tips:
- Pan size – A 10×15″ jelly roll pan works best for this recipe. However, any type of baking sheet this size or larger will work. My pan is actually 11×17″ so I just fold up the edges of the foil to keep the crackers in place and prevent the toffee from spilling out onto the pan.
- Lining the pan – Heavy-duty foil works best because it’s easy to peel away. You can use regular foil – just lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray to make it easy to remove. You can also use parchment paper. There is no greasing required if you’re using parchment paper, but just make sure to completely cover the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Cooking the toffee. Once the butter and brown sugar reaches a boil, set a timer, and let it boil for 5 minutes. You want it to be a rolling boil to evaporate some of the moisture, so it becomes like caramel.
- Baking the cracker candy. Bake the saltine toffee in a 350F oven for a minimum of 5 minutes or until bubbling so that the toffee reaches its second boiling point and absorbs into the crackers.
- Melting the chocolate chips. As soon as you remove the tray from the oven, immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. The bubbling toffee should be hot enough to melt the chocolate. Once about half the chocolate chips look shiny, you can start spreading the chocolate to cover the saltine toffee. If you have trouble with this, you can use mini chocolate chips or melt the chocolate in the microwave then spread it on top.
This post was originally published on Dec 2nd, 2016. It has been recently updated with new photos and more information.
First time making this. It was fabulous! We did a section with crushed candy cane and one with chopped pecans and crushed Heath bar topping. So easy and festive. Crowd pleaser!
Everyone loved this treat at my family’s Christmas gathering. Very addictive and they all wanted the recipe. Quick & easy to make too. Thank you!
You’re welcome and thank you for your kind words, Diana! Enjoy and happy New Year!
Hello, this looks amazing! Can you omit the crackers and just make it with the toffee and chocolate for a gluten free dessert?
Thank you!
You can, or just use GF crackers. If you are omitting the crackers, cook the toffee for 5 mins longer on the stovetop and skip the oven. Enjoy and happy New Year!
Some of my family members have Celiac so I needed a gluten free alternative. I used Tate’s gluten free chocolate chip cookies and they came out super yummy!
This is the best and easiest recipe for Christmas Crack that I have seen and used!!
Super easy and delicious!
I tried this for the first time. It was delicious. I added pistachios and Heath toffee bits before putting in the freezer. I had trouble fitting the saltines smugly in the pan and when I poured the butter and sugar mixture over the saltines they moved out of position and I had trouble getting them to fit together. I wonder if I could use a 9 x 13 pyrex dish so as to keep the saltines in place. The bark was delicious, but I did lose a lot of the butter brown sugar mixture on the jelly roll pan. Would a pyrex dish work?
Hi Anne, thank you for your feedback:) You could use a 9×13 glass dish but would end up with less crackers. I would use your jelly roll pan and line it with foil and fold up the edges of the foil to box in your crackers. That’s what I do and it really helps keep the crackers in place.
Oh my !!!! Amazing, I did half sheet of saltines and the other half Graham crackers .
I’m addicted. So easy, quick and delicious.
Thank you👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
These are so addicting and EASY! Currently making a second batch because everyone enjoyed them so much. I would definitely keep a close eye on the toffee mixture because mine almost burnt at the 4 minute mark but luckily I pulled it off and it was still good.
Great recipe. I made it with Schar gluten free table crackers and it is delicious. It’s a perfect GF treat!
So easy to make and lives up to its name. Crack isn’t just an abbreviation for the crackers. … this stuff it’s addictive!
I like the toppings a little thicker, so I used approximately 10-13 less crackers.
Just finished making this. I made a sample piece to try. It was yummy!
Can’t wait to bring to Christmas potluck.
I make this every Xmas. Easy recipe, great images to guide you on this site. This year I used peanut butter chips for one of my 3 batches. I had some extra white chips which I melted in the microwave and drizzled on top. Looked great..and tasted great too. Today I’m making one more batch to make up for all that I ate this week! When I’m asked for the recipe I recommend this site. Good job, thanks Lily!
Aww, thank you so much for your kind words and for recommending my site to others, Arleen! Enjoy the toffee and have a very merry Christmas!
Easier to make than I expected and is absolutely scrumptious. I made mine in two trays, one with crushed nuts and the other with 100s & and 1000s. I used Salada biscuits, salted butter, rich brown sugar and milk chocolate bits. I will definitely be making it again. Thank you for the recipe 😊
You’re very welcome, Toni! Thank you for your kind words. Enjoy the toffee and have a very merry Christmas!
I made this yesterday and it came out AMAZING! I boiled the sugar/butter mixture for 5 minutes as suggested, and left it in the oven for 8 minutes, after comparing two recipes. Once the chocolate was spread, I topped it with a light sprinkling of coarse salt. The results was like a Skor bar! Totally addictive! I love the texture of the toffee and how it doesn’t break your teeth to eat it! I will make this again!
I made the recipe and it turned out good. If you use a 10 x 15 jelly roll pan, you can only fit around 27 crackers on the pan plus a row of half crackers. Very simple, easy and tasty.
This was an easy recipe to follow. Came out perfect! I used shredded coconut as a topping!
Love the sweet and salty!
So excited to try these when they cool! I added some flaky sea salt on the top of mine which I think will be perfect! My only tip is make sure to spread the Carmel mixture out because it cools and sticks to the crackers pretty fast, but other then that this is a super simple great recipe!
Can’t wait to cut this scrumptious smelling treat!!!