Description
Christmas Crack (Cracker Toffee) is a simple, delightful holiday treat made by layering saltine crackers with a buttery brown sugar toffee, topped with melted chocolate and festive sprinkles. This crunchy, sweet, and salty dessert is perfect for holiday gift-giving or enjoying with family and friends during festive gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cracker Base
- 40-48 saltine crackers (about 1 1/2 sleeves)
Toffee Layer
- 1 cup butter (salted or unsalted, 2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed, dark brown sugar preferred)
Toppings
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate chips, white chocolate, or a combination)
- ½ cup sprinkles (or M&M’s, crushed candy canes, or other candies of choice to decorate)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃) to prepare for baking the toffee.
- Prepare Baking Tray: 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 of the toffee.
- Arrange Crackers: Place the saltine crackers in a single, even layer on the bottom of the lined tray. Break a few crackers if needed to fill any gaps, covering the entire tray surface.
- Make Toffee: In a medium pot over medium-low heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar. Stir occasionally and bring to a rolling boil. Continue boiling for 3 minutes until the mixture bubbles and turns an amber color. Remove from heat and carefully pour evenly over the crackers. Quickly spread with a spatula to cover all crackers.
- Bake Toffee: Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 3-5 minutes, or until the toffee mixture starts bubbling.
- Add Chocolate: Remove the tray from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the hot toffee. Let them sit for 1-2 minutes to soften, then spread melted chocolate evenly over the surface using a spatula. If the chocolate isn’t melting easily, return the pan to the oven for 1-2 minutes and then spread again.
- Decorate: Sprinkle your chosen sprinkles or candies over the melted chocolate to decorate the toffee.
- Cool and Set: Allow the toffee to cool completely at room temperature or refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour until hardened.
- Finish and Serve: Once solid, flip the tray to remove the toffee from the baking sheet and peel off the parchment or foil. Break or cut into pieces as desired. Serve immediately or store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Using dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar enhances the rich toffee flavor.
- If you want a candy thermometer reading, cook toffee mixture between 270℉ and 290℉ for perfect consistency.
- For easier chocolate spreading, allow chocolate chips to soften fully before spreading; briefly reheating in the oven helps.
- Store the Christmas Crack in an airtight container to keep it fresh and crunchy.
- Feel free to customize the toppings with crushed candy canes or M&M’s for different flavors and festive looks.
