Home > Holidays > Christmas > Christmas Crack Christmas Crack December 1, 2021 | No Comments SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Jump to Recipe This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy. 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 FAQs1Can I use chocolate bars to make Christmas Crack?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. 2Why is my Christmas Crack gritty?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. 3Why does my Christmas Crack separate?Chocolate chips or “chocolate flavored” 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. 4Why did my Christmas Crack come out soft?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! 5Does Christmas Crack have to be refrigerated?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! 6Why can’t I refrigerate the Christmas Crack as I make it? You may be tempted to put the pan in the fridge in between layers or after it’s finished, but this will change the chocolate temperature too rapidly and may result in a streaky appearance. 7How do you cleanly cut Christmas Crack?To cut pieces of Christmas Crack, you’ll want to use a large and very sharp 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! FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content. Christmas Crack 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe 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, candies, sprinkles--the sky's the limit! SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe Christmas Crack 5 from 1 vote - Review this recipe SAVE TO RECIPE BOX Print Recipe 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, candies, sprinkles--the sky's the limit! Course Dessert, Snack Cuisine American, Vegetarian Keyword Christmas Crack, christmas crack recipe Prep Time 15 minutes minutes Cook Time 5 minutes minutes Total Time 20 minutes minutes Servings 20 servings Calories 181kcal Author Chelsea Lords Cost $5.89 Ingredients▢ 50 saltine crackers (or use graham crackers instead!)▢ 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into cubes▢ 1 cup light brown sugar, packed▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional▢ 2-1/4 cups chocolate chips (Note 1)▢ Optional toppings: sprinkles, M&M's, chopped roasted and salted nuts, sliced almonds, etc. InstructionsPREP: Read Note 2 for some general tips before starting! Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed 15x10-inch baking sheet with heavy duty foil and generously spray all over with cooking spray. Cover the pan with an even layer of saltine crackers.TOFFEE MIXTURE: In a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the cubed butter and brown sugar. Set over medium-low heat. Don't be tempted to increase the temperature even though it takes a long time and seems like nothing is happening--your patience will be rewarded! Stir constantly with a silicone spatula (stir in one direction and stir gently--not vigorously) until the mixture reaches a full boil then stop stirring; let boil exactly 3 minutes. TOFFEE CONT.: After 3 minutes, remove from heat and add in vanilla (it will crack and sputter so be careful). Stir through once, and then immediately pour this mixture evenly over the crackers. Spread with spatula as needed (doesn't need to be perfect, it evens out as it bakes).BAKE: 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 (add to preference).LET STAND: Transfer pan to fridge and let chocolate harden, about 30 minutes, or freeze for 15 minutes. Remove from fridge, lift cracker from foil and break or chop (with a very sharp knife) into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks (I like to refrigerate because I enjoy it cold!) Video Recipe NotesNote 1: Chocolate: 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, know that the better the quality of chocolate, the better the flavor will be (plus less likely to experience separation or streakiness). Note 2: Tips: 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 (this will help avoid crystallization). 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. Nutrition information does not include the toppings, since those will vary. Nutrition FactsCalories: 181kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 42mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 296IU | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.5mg We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed. DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.
