This easy Christmas Crack recipe is one of my favorite holiday indulgences. I mean really, it is basically hardened caramel covered in chocolate with a slightly buttery and salty twist. How could you go wrong?
Why Is Our Christmas Crack Recipe Different?
With so many versions out there, how do you know ours is the best?
- Butter Crackers– Most recipes use a single layer of saltine crackers but I like using Ritz crackers. They are essentially a buttery version of saltine — still flaky and salty, but with loads more flavor.
- Festive Toppings– Christmas crack has historically been topped with shredded coconut or chopped nuts but any type of chopped candy also works well. M&Ms are a family favorite but I also like to top my saltine toffee off with a spread of chocolate.
- Year Round! As the name suggests, Christmas is the most popular time of year for this Christmas crack candy — it’s a holiday favorite and the perfect addition to your spreads of cookies. But it’s also ideal for making ahead and taking to potluck parties.
What Do I Need?
These simple ingredients can all be found at your local grocery store!
- Crackers – My favorites to use are either Ritz crackers or Saltine crackers. I haven’t personally used them, but I know some people have also used Club crackers.
- Butter – This is one of the few recipes that I will tell you it doesn’t matter if you use unsalted butter or salted. This is an inherently salty treat already, so I usually use unsalted.
- Light brown sugar – When mixed with melted butter and heated to a specific temperature, brown sugar makes a toffee that hardens into a delightfully crispy texture.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla helps to bring all of the flavors of this easy Christmas crack recipe together. You could use almond extract for nuttiness.
- Chocolate chips – I like to use semi-sweet chocolate chips but feel free to use milk chocolate, white chocolate chips, or even dark chocolate for the chocolate layer if you prefer.
- Fleur de sel – This is optional but highly recommended! It adds an extra element of salty flavor, and if you’ve been around for a while, you know how much I love salt!
Variations on Christmas Crack
There are plenty of ways you can make this Christmas candy your own.
- Chocolate – As mentioned above, you can switch up the type of chocolate you use for the chocolate layer. If using white chocolate, you can even dye it red and green. Dark chocolate chips would give a richer flavor, while milk chocolate chips are sweeter. You could even try peanut butter chips.
- Topping – While the chocolate is still melted, top your saltine cracker candy with some crushed candy canes, coconut flakes or fun and festive holiday sprinkles!
- Candy – If not made for Christmas, you can add smaller pieces of any type of candy on top of the chocolate. Heath bits, toffee bits, or even M&M’s would all be a great addition.
- Nuts – You could add even more crunch and variety by adding chopped nuts on top. Try something like pecans, peanuts, or almonds.
- Crackers – Use any type of crackers you’d like to. In fact, you can even use graham crackers for a fun, sweet twist.
If you like this butter toffee, also check out my Candy Toffee and Bacon Chocolate Saltine Toffee.
How to Make Christmas Crack Candy
The best part of this Christmas treat is how easy it is to make.
- Prepare sheet pan and oven. Preheat the oven and line a baking dish with parchment paper, carefully folding the edges so you can easily lay the crackers flat.
- Line the baking sheet with a single layer of crackers. If using Ritz, the circles won’t line up perfectly, so break a few into halves and do a second layer to cover the holes. It doesn’t need to look pretty.
- Make a brown sugar mixture. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring frequently until fully combined and smooth. Allow it to reach 285 degrees using a candy thermometer.
- Pour over crackers. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla. The mixture will spit a little, this is normal. Pour over crackers while hot. It will start to set immediately.
- Bake. Bake, remove, and turn off the oven.
- Add chocolate chips. Sprinkle top with chocolate chips, then return to the warm oven (oven is off, but warm). Allow to sit in the warm oven until the chocolate melts starts to glisten slightly. Use an offset spatula to smooth it out.
- Top with fleur de sel. Remove, sprinkle with fleur de sel, and allow to cool slightly before putting the fridge to set. This will take several hours before the toffee is easily cut.
Common Questions About Christmas Crack
There could be a few reasons why your Christmas crack turned out grainy:
– Overcooking the caramel: If the caramel mixture is cooked for too long or at too high of a temperature, it can result in a grainy texture. It’s important to follow the recipe instructions carefully and cook the caramel to the desired consistency.
– Improperly melted chocolate: If the chocolate used for topping the Christmas crack is not melted properly, it can become grainy when it cools. Make sure to melt the chocolate gently and slowly, either using a double boiler or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring frequently to ensure smoothness.
– Use of low-quality ingredients: The quality of the ingredients used can affect the final texture of the Christmas crack. Using high-quality chocolate, butter, and sugar can help achieve a smoother consistency.
– Insufficient stirring: Proper stirring during the cooking process is essential to prevent sugar crystals from forming and resulting in a grainy texture. Ensure that you stir the caramel mixture continuously until it reaches the desired consistency.
If your Christmas crack turned out chewy instead of crunchy, there could be a couple of reasons. Undercooking the caramel, not allowing enough time for cooling, and using low-quality ingredients are all possible reasons for chewy toffee bars.
The caramel must be cooked to the appropriate temperature — make sure to use a thermometer. Another reason could be that it’s not been baked long enough — bake longer for it to harden.
Storage
Now you’ve made it- how do you store Christmas Crack?
Make Ahead and Refrigerate
Christmas crack is make-ahead and freezer-friendly. To store, simply place it in an airtight container at room temperature in a dry and cool place. It can be refrigerated as well, but toffee tends to get a little hard.
Can You Freeze Saltine Toffee?
Christmas crack does freeze well. Wrap in freezer paper and then place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw at room temperature and store like freshly made toffee.
More Easy Christmas Dessert Recipes
Enjoy even more delicious Christmas recipes!
Easy Christmas Crack
Equipment
Ingredients
- 50 Ritz Crackers or Saltine Crackers
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoons fleur de sel , optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper, carefully folding the edges so you can easily lay the crackers flat.
- Line the baking dish with crackers. If using Ritz, the circles won't line up perfectly, so break a few into halves and do a second layer to cover the holes. It doesn't need to look pretty.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring frequently until fully combined and smooth. Allow it to reach 285°F using a candy thermometer and then let it stay at this heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. The mixture will spit a little, this is normal. Pour it over the crackers while hot. It will start to set immediately.
- Bake the Christmas crack for 8 minutes. Remove it and turn off oven.
- Sprinkle the top with the chocolate chips, then return to the warm oven (oven is off, but warm). Allow it to sit in the warm oven for 1-2 minutes or until the chocolate starts to glisten slightly. Using an offset spatula, smooth it out.
- If desired, sprinkle the top with the fleur de sel, and allow to cool slightly before putting in the fridge to set. This will take several hours before toffee is easily cut.
- Remove the parchment paper and cut into squares.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings.
Nutrition
This we usually eat at Christmas time, there’s no need to wait for Christmas time to eat this it tastes good at any time of the year! we usually bake it for movie nights or such occasions, it tastes so good whenever you eat it. So this my recommendation for it. Although l do not like the peanut butter version of it.
Margaret Jones from The beautiful shores of Georgian Bay. On. Canada
OOOO…You lucky ducky! Spent every summer on the Georgian Bay for over 33 years. Now too old to travel and Passport and such is also too much in todays world. Sit back eat Christmas Crack and look (10000’s of photo’s!) and think back on the waves, the Pickerel, moss and the rocks and a Big Slice of Heaven; Parry Sound Britt area.
Oh! And THIS recipe is THE BEST!
Love this version of Christmas crack. I’ve tried it with pretzels but much prefer the way you make them. Can’t wait to whip up a batch this holiday season.
This was amazing and such a treat! Thank you! Everyone in my family loved it.
This is one of my favourite treats, and I can admit without shame that I made it in the middle of August and enjoyed it for days with a cup of coffee! Really good recipe, easy and quick! Would highly recommend it!
The best Christmas Crack recipe there is! So tasty!
Yes! I’ve been looking for this recipe and this is perfect. I used the ritz which I thought was a fun change from the traditional saltines!