Description
Christmas Crack, also known as Cracker Toffee, is a delightfully simple holiday treat featuring saltine crackers covered with a rich, buttery toffee layer, topped with melted chocolate and festive sprinkles. This sweet and salty snack is perfect for holiday parties, gifting, or cozy nights in.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Layer
- 40-48 saltine crackers (about 1 1/2 sleeves)
Toffee Mixture
- 1 cup butter (salted or unsalted, 2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed, dark brown sugar preferred)
Topping
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate chips, white chocolate, or combination)
- ½ cup sprinkles (or M&M’s, crushed candy canes, or candies of choice for decoration)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350℉ to prepare for baking the toffee and crackers.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a rimmed 15″×10″ sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray, or use a nonstick silicone baking mat to ensure easy removal later.
- Arrange Crackers: Lay the saltine crackers in a single, even layer on the bottom of the pan. Break a few crackers if needed to fill gaps along the edges for a complete base.
- Make Toffee: In a medium pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally, and cook for 3 minutes until bubbling and turning an amber color. Remove from heat and quickly pour the toffee evenly over the crackers. Spread with a spatula to cover all crackers thoroughly. (Optional: Use a candy thermometer and cook until the mixture reaches 270℉-290℉.)
- Bake Toffee: Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for 3-5 minutes, or until the toffee starts to bubble.
- Add Chocolate: Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the hot toffee. Let sit for 1-2 minutes to soften, then use a spatula to spread the melted chocolate evenly. If the chocolate doesn’t melt easily, return the pan to the oven for 1-2 minutes and spread again.
- Decorate: While the chocolate is still soft, sprinkle your choice of sprinkles, crushed candy canes, or candies evenly over the top for a festive finish.
- Cool and Set: Allow the toffee to cool completely at room temperature or refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to harden.
- Break and Serve: Once hardened, flip the tray over and peel off the parchment or foil. Break the toffee into pieces by hand or cut with a sharp knife. Serve and enjoy immediately or store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Use dark brown sugar for a richer toffee flavor.
- If you don’t have parchment paper or foil, a nonstick silicone baking mat works great and makes clean-up easier.
- Be careful when pouring the hot toffee mixture, as it is very hot and can cause burns.
- Optional candy thermometer helps ensure the toffee reaches the perfect temperature.
- Store leftover Christmas Crack in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Variations include using white chocolate or a mix of chocolate chips, and topping with crushed candy canes or M&Ms instead of sprinkles.
