Description

Christmas Crack, also known as Cracker Toffee, is a beloved holiday treat featuring a crispy saltine cracker base topped with buttery, caramelized toffee and melted chocolate, finished with festive sprinkles or candies. This simple yet indulgent dessert combines crunchy, sweet, and salty flavors in every bite, perfect for gifting or sharing at holiday gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

Cracker Base

40-48 saltine crackers (about 1 1/2 sleeves)

Toffee Topping

1 cup butter (salted or unsalted, 2 sticks)
1 cup brown sugar (packed, dark brown sugar preferred)

Chocolate and Decorations

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or a combination)
½ cup sprinkles (or M&M’s, crushed candy canes, or candies of choice to decorate)

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Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350℉ to prepare for baking the toffee-covered crackers.
Prepare Baking Tray: Line a 15″×10″ rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Alternatively, you can use a nonstick silicone baking mat.
Arrange Crackers: Place the saltine crackers in a single even layer covering the entire bottom of the baking tray. You may need to break some crackers to fill any gaps along the edges for a consistent base.
Make Toffee Topping: In a medium-sized pot over medium-low heat, combine butter and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Continue boiling for 3 minutes until the mixture is bubbly and amber colored. (Optionally, use a candy thermometer and cook until toffee reaches 270℉-290℉.) Remove from heat immediately.
Pour Toffee Over Crackers: Carefully pour the hot toffee evenly over the crackers and swiftly spread it with a spatula to cover all crackers thoroughly.
Bake Toffee Layer: Place the baking tray in the oven and bake for 3-5 minutes until the toffee mixture begins to bubble, indicating it is setting.
Add Chocolate Chips: Remove the tray from the oven. Immediately scatter the chocolate chips evenly over the warm toffee. Allow them to sit for 1-2 minutes to soften, then use a spatula to spread the melted chocolate evenly over the entire surface. If the chocolate is not melting well, return the tray to the oven for an additional 1-2 minutes and spread again.
Decorate: Sprinkle your choice of sprinkles, M&M’s, crushed candy canes, or other candies over the melted chocolate layer while it is still warm.
Cool and Harden: Let the entire baking tray cool at room temperature until the toffee is fully hardened, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to speed up the process.
Break into Pieces: Once fully set, flip the tray over to remove the toffee slab from the baking tray. Peel off the parchment paper or foil. Break or cut the toffee into bite-sized pieces using your hands or a sharp knife.
Serve and Store: Serve the Christmas Crack immediately or store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for longer freshness.

Notes

Use dark brown sugar for a deeper, richer toffee flavor compared to light brown sugar.
If you want a firmer toffee, ensure to boil the butter and sugar mixture to the higher end of the temperature range (290℉).
Sprinkles or crushed candy canes add a festive touch, but feel free to customize with any favorite candies or nuts.
Ensure even coverage of toffee across all crackers for consistent flavor and texture.
Cooling the toffee in the fridge shortens setting time and helps the chocolate harden faster.
Store in an airtight container to keep the toffee fresh and crunchy for up to one week.