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.
So, so easy to make and so, so delicious!
If using the 11×15 baking sheet instead of the jelly roll pan, do you need to up the amount of ingredients?
No, just fold up the sides of the foil to box in the crackers and make the recipe as is. I hope that helps and happy holiday!
I made some of this today to give all the teachers at my child’s daycare. I’ve never made this before, so I had take a little test bite to make sure it turned out ok. Oh my goodness, it is delicious. I will probably be making another batch soon to keep at home!
Yes, who would have thought such a simple candy would be so delicious! Thank you for your lovely comment and have a very merry Christmas!
I have made a similar batch every Christmas and tried yours this holiday. I always have the same issue, that the caramel doesn’t quite soak the crackers, and makes a layer on top of them instead. Any suggestions!?
Make sure the caramel is bubbling when you remove it from the oven or perhaps try baking it for another minute or two. I hope that helps and happy holidays!
I have a daughter who has to eat gluten and dairy free. Was wondering why you mentioned that vegan butter wouldn’t work. I use the Miyoko brand that’s made with cashews.
I had a reader try to make it with Becel’s vegan butter and it didn’t work.
I used Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks and it turned out well! The flavor was different than with butter or I cooked it a bit too long. Next time I’ll reduce the time a min and add vanilla extract for good measure!
That is excellent to know that this recipe works with Earth Balance vegan butter! I’m going to try it for myself to see what it’s like. Thank you for sharing and thank you for the star rating, Kelly. Happy Holidays!
What heat setting for a rolling boil? Mine boiled but it turned out too soft. Not like the crack a coworker gave me at work (lol).
Hi Cori,
I usually melt my butter and brown sugar at medium-high heat, bring it to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium and let it continue to boil for 5 minutes. Perhaps let it boil for another minute or two to make it less soft. I hope that helps and have a great week!
I made this and my caramel is very sugary/grainy not smooth. What did I do wrong? Thanks
Tough to say because I wasn’t there to see what happened. The toffee does have a sugary texture to it, but it shouldn’t be overly grainy like sand. How did it taste?
Love this recipe, i used light brown sugar (so it was a lot like caramel) and i added vanilla as well. For the chocolate chips i used a combination of dark chocolate and mint chips. It gave it a Christmassy look and taste. I will be making this all season. Thank you.
You’re very welcome, Toni! I love chocolate and mint together, great idea and thank you for your lovely feedback:)
I’m trying this with a chocolate ganache on top. Will have to chill for a while but hopefully will turn out great.
Sound delicious! Let me know how it is with chocolate ganache.
Another excellent substitution of the crackers is Matzo crackers. They are are slightly thinner and I think make a better toffee. Just another idea.
Great idea and thanks for sharing!
I ‘ve made this recipe with graham crackers that is just wonderful. Breaks apart great and not chewy. This recipe didn’t break apart like that one and I timed everything accurately. I wonder if letting it bake a little longer might have helped. What do you think?
Yes, you could try that. Let me know which recipe you used for the graham cracker version so I can see the difference and perhaps better answer your question. Thanks!
What is the cup measurement for the chocolate chips? I don’t have a scale. TIA!
Great question, it’s about 1 3/4 – 2 cups. Enjoy!
Have you made this with salted butter and salted crackers? Just wondering if they are both salted if it will taste too salty?
It won’t be too salty at all because the toffee and chocolate are quite sweet, they balance one another.
Thank you for making the instructions so thorough. Foolishly I made this from another blogger’s website and ended up having to throw the whole lot away, as she didn’t explain how to boil the syrup to almost crack stage. I am not a novice cook, nor a novice candy maker. If I had thought it through, I would have known it had not cooked long enough. I did try to cook it in the oven, but it didn’t turn out. I printed this and will keep this one! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Tracey! I hope you enjoy my recipe:)
Do you think I could use Splenda Brown Sugar?
I would say no because I don’t know what Splenda brown sugar is made out of.
First time making this recipe. Taste was delicious, however my caramel was chewing. Is there any way to fix this? Or is is it supposed to be chewy?
Yes, the caramel does have a slight chew to it. It’s not supposed to be like a hard candy.
I used to make this all of the time but tonight it did not turn out! The toffee was so tacky, I couldn’t chew it. What happened??
Hi Lannan,
Was this the same recipe you used before?
We have used a very similar recipe in my family for a number of years. The only difference in ours is that we also add a bag of butterscotch chipits when putting the chocolate chips on. (The butterscotch chips have to be melted in the microwave first, since they won’t melt on the cracker/toffee mixture like the chocolate chips do.) So yummy!
I absolutely love these…..too much! I have to keep these in the fridge cause my chocolate never hardens. Even after a few days, if I take a piece out, the chocolate will get super soft.
Made these with graham crackers and Crown Royal whiskey. Didn’t last long enough to share with family!
Wow! How did you incorporate the whiskey?
That is so funny Kat, how much whiskey did you use, did you pour it in the sugar and butter mixture, I’m sure you did, but how much did you use?
Just made my very first batch, turned out perfect and very yummy.
My little sister gave me this exact recipe over 25 years ago and I think of her every time I take a pan of these addictive treats out of the oven. Thanks, Poofie, I love you!!!
Aww, that’s sweet! Do you remember where she got the recipe? I would love to know the original source.