Christmas Crack (aka Saltine Toffee) is a favorite treat around the holidays! This simple toffee can be made without a candy thermometer and decorated however you like–with nuts, M&Ms, sprinkles–the sky’s the limit!
Or try our white chocolate covered Christmas Crack Mix!
What Is Christmas Crack?
A type of candy made with crisp saltine crackers, coated in toffee, topped with chocolate, and finished off with candy or nuts.
Unlike regular Toffee, which is very precise and often hard to get right, this Christmas Crack recipe is much easier to make. In fact, you don’t need to use a candy thermometer or any special tools!
Christmas Crack Recipe
Growing up, my mom and I (plus my siblings) baked almost every day of December. We’d make just about every holiday treat imaginable. My favorite? Hands-down Carmelitas! And a close second? These Christmas crackers (as we called them!).
My favorite part was decorating the top–we’d do everything from chocolate candies and sprinkles to a white chocolate drizzle to toffee bits. Double the toffee is always a good idea, right?!
This treat makes a great snack for the holidays (especially when entertaining) and makes a great gift to give out to friends or neighbors.
Why Is It Called Christmas Crack?
When you take a bite of this candy, it cracks in your mouth. The crackers plus thin toffee layer deliver a pleasant crunch and “crack” with every bite!
What Is Christmas Crack Made Of?
There are only four ingredients needed in this recipe for Christmas Crack, plus the option to add some toppings!
- Saltine crackers: These salty crackers (also called soda crackers) make up the base. You can also make Christmas Crack with graham crackers!
- Butter: Saltines are already pretty salty, so be sure to use unsalted butter so this candy isn’t too salty.
- Brown sugar: If you’d prefer, dark brown sugar also works great here.
- Chocolate chips: Use whatever chocolate you like best–dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate. We’ve tried all kinds of chocolate in this recipe and honestly love it each way! My kids favorite is milk chocolate. Whatever chocolate you choose to use, keep in mind that the better the quality the better the flavor will be (plus less likely to experience separation or streakiness).
- Toppings: More on this below!
Toppings For Christmas Crack
- Nuts. Coarsely chopped pecans, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, or almonds are all delicious here. We recommend using dry roasted and lightly salted for the best possible flavor. If the nuts aren’t roasted, toast them in a dry skillet until fragrant before chopping and adding to this crack.
- Sprinkles. Whatever holiday or event you’re making this for, consider adding complementary sprinkle colors. For Christmas, add your favorite red and green sprinkle blend.
- Flaky sea salt. If you’re a total salt lover, you may like a tiny sprinkle of sea salt flakes on top of the chocolate.
- White chocolate drizzle. Melt about 1/2 cup white chocolate in the microwave. Transfer to a bag, cut off the tip and drizzle over the chocolate layer.
- Toffee bits. This might seem repetitive, but we love crushed toffee bits on top.
- Crushed peppermint/candy canes. For a minty twist, add a sprinkle on top!
Quick Tip
When we make this recipe, we’ll often cover half with one topping and another half with a different topping–that way everyone gets exactly what they’re hoping for!
Here are our top tips for being successful with making this Christmas Crack recipe!
How To Make Christmas Crack
- Make sure to use a rimmed sheet pan or the toffee will spill off the pan and all over the oven! Also, take time to line the pan–you’ll be so grateful when it comes to washing dishes!
- Do not increase the heat until the sugar is completely dissolved over medium-low heat. This will take a good amount of time and requires patience, but you’ll be rewarded! Brush the sides of the pot with a wet pastry brush if sugar is clinging to the sides.
- Stir steadily and consistently, always stirring in the same direction, at a slow speed. If you whisk or stir too quickly, the toffee will separate.
- Wait two minutes before adding the chocolate to the toffee layer. This will ensure the chocolate doesn’t get too hot and end up streaky.
Variations
Change It Up
- Christmas Crack with white chocolate. Use white chocolate chips instead of milk/semi-sweet/dark. With a white chocolate top, add a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon on top.
- Oreo Christmas Crack. Crush up regular or flavored Oreos and sprinkle on top!
- Add candied nuts on top. We love adding honey-roasted sliced almonds on top. Another fun option is to coarsely chop Candied Pecans or Candied Walnuts and add these on top.
Christmas Crack FAQs
Absolutely! The chocolate chips can be replaced with chocolate bars or melting wafers. Before using the chocolate bars, be sure to coarsely chop them into small pieces first.
Gritty Christmas Cracks happens when the sugar has crystallized. This usually happens if the temperature gets too high (too hot).
Another way this happens is if sugar crystals form on the side of the pot while cooking and then get added to the candy–they’ll cause a chain reaction of crystallization.
Quick Tip
To prevent crystallization, take care to completely dissolve all the sugar before you bring the mixture to a boil. If there is sugar adhered to the side of the pan before the mixture has come to a boil, use a wet pastry brush dipped in water and brush any sugar off the sides.
Chocolate chips or โchocolate flavoredโ chocolates typically contain palm kernel oil which will inhibit the bonding of the layers. Without this bonding, the two layers will separate when you break or cut the bark.
Be sure to use high-quality chocolate chips to avoid the separation and if you’re still having issues, try using chocolate baking bars instead.
Another way to avoid the separation is to add the chocolate chips promptly and before the toffee has cooled too much.
If the Christmas Crack doesn’t have a hard texture (a snap or “crack” when bit into) this is because the toffee layer didn’t cook long enough. Be sure to cook the sugar mixture until it’s the color of a brown paper bag!
No, it does not, but it can be, if desired. (It’s really tasty when served cold!) Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry, dark area or in the fridge/freezer for a cold treat!
You may be tempted to put the pan in the fridge in between layers or after itโs finished, but this will change the chocolate temperature too rapidly and may result in a streaky appearance.
To cut pieces of Christmas Crack, youโll want to use a large and very sharpย knife. Run the knife under very hot water, dry it off with a kitchen towel, and then make one quick and decisive cut. Repeat this process for each cut you make.
More Delicious Candy Recipes To Try:
- Peppermint Bark Pretzels with only three ingredients
- Turtle Candy with pretzels, Rolos, and pecans
- Honeycomb Candy with chocolate topping
- Healthy Crunch Bars with only three ingredients
- Fudge Recipe made in the microwave!
Christmas Crack
Equipment
- Sheet pan 15 x 10-inch, lined
- Medium pot
Ingredients
- 50 saltine crackers or graham crackers
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter cubed
- 1 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 2-1/4 cups chocolate chips
- Toppings as desired see note 1
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400โ. Line a 15 x 10-inch sheet pan with heavy duty foil and generously coat with cooking spray. Cover the pan with an even layer of saltine crackers. See note 2 for some tips before you get started.
- In a medium pot, combine the cubed butter and brown sugar. Set the pot over medium-low heat. Resist the urge to raise the temperature, even if it seems slow to start. Stir constantly with a silicone spatula, moving gently in one direction, until the mixture reaches a full boil. Once boiling, stop stirring and let it boil for exactly 3 minutes.
- After 3 minutes, remove the pot from heat and carefully add the vanilla; it may crackle and sputter. Stir once, then immediately pour the mixture evenly over the crackers. Use a spatula to spread it as needed; it doesnโt have to be perfect, as it will even out during baking.
- Bake for 5 minutes and then very carefully remove pan from oven. Let stand for 2 minutes and then sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over crackers. Let rest without touching for 5 minutes. Use a clean offset spatula to gently spread and coax the chocolate into an even layer. If adding toppings, sprinkle on immediately.
- Transfer pan to fridge and let chocolate harden for about 30 minutes, or freeze for 15 minutes. Remove from fridge, lift cracker from foil and break or chop into pieces.
Video
Recipe Notes
- Make sure to use a rimmed sheet pan or the toffee will spill all over the oven! Also, take time to line the pan carefully so that washing is easy after.
- Do not increase the heat until theย sugar is completely dissolved over medium-low heat. This will take a good amount of time and requires patience.
- Stir steadily and consistently, alwaysย stirring in the same direction, at a slow speed. If you whisk or stir too quickly, the toffee will separate.ย
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.