It's never been so easy to make candy at home, especially during the holidays! This Christmas crack is made with only 4 ingredients and is almost impossible to stop eating. Sweet and salty with a light crunch, this is a classic holiday recipe that everyone loves!
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I make this Christmas crack recipe every year during the holiday season. Not only is it easy to make, but it gets eaten very quickly. It's called Christmas crack for a reason...it's extremely hard to stop eating! Also known as cracker candy, this sweet and salty Christmas crack starts with a layer of saltine crackers covered in a rich and buttery toffee. Melted chocolate is then layered and spread evenly on top of the hot toffee. While the chocolate is still hot, sprinkle on your favorite toppings and then place it in the refrigerator so it can get cold. And that's all it takes to make one of the most loved holiday treats!
🛒 Ingredients You'll Need
The classic version is made with salted saltine crackers. That's the base layer for this Christmas cracker recipe. The salt on the crackers helps cut some of the sweetness from the toffee and chocolate. You'll make the toffee by using only 2 ingredients: butter and light brown sugar. Use butter for this recipe, not margarine. Using salted butter helps balance out some of the sweetness. If you want your crack candy to be extra sweet, use dark brown sugar. I use dark brown sugar in my Halloween crack candy recipe because I like it super sweet. Molasses is added to dark brown sugar for added sweetness and color.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
🔪 How To Make Christmas Crack
Start by preheating the oven to 400°F. Then, line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Put the saltine crackers side-by-side on the cookie sheet so they are touching. Ensure the crackers are laid out evenly and touching on all sides, but not overlapping. Set aside.
Next, make the toffee. The key to getting that soft and easy to chew toffee when making this Christmas crack recipe is to cook the toffee for a certain amount of time. This will eliminate the candy from tasting grainy. Place the salted butter and brown sugar into a large saucepan. Set the stovetop burner to medium-high heat.
When the brown sugar and butter start to melt, the mixture will start bubbling. Have a large wooden spoon ready to start stirring. The goal is for the toffee to stay at a rolling boil until it starts to thicken.
From there, let the mixture boil for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure the toffee is not sticking or burning. During that 3 minutes, the toffee mixture should remain at a slow rolling boil. The rolling boil helps some of the moisture evaporate, which helps make the toffee softer.
After the toffee is at the consistency above, pour it onto the tray of salted crackers.
At this point, the toffee should have a caramel texture. Using a spatula, spread the warm toffee as evenly as possible onto the salted crackers.
Now that you have the toffee spread evenly, put the cookie sheet of salted crackers topped with the toffee into the preheated oven. The goal is to let the mixture get hot and bubbly. This usually takes about 5 minutes, so keep your eye on this process so it doesn't burn!
While the toffee is getting hot, put the chocolate morsels into a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1-2 minutes until melted, ensuring to stop every 20 seconds to stir. Once the toffee is hot and bubbly, pull the baking sheet out of the oven and evenly spread the melted chocolate on top of the toffee until all the crackers are covered.
From there, add on the toppings. You can use one topping or a variety of many. For this Christmas crack recipe, I like a variety of chopped pecans, M&Ms, sprinkles, and crushed pretzels.
Now the Christmas crack candy needs to get cold so it can become hard. Place a potholder or kitchen towel in the refrigerator and then put the baking sheet into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (preferably 12-24 hours) so these candy crackers can harden.
Once hard, it's ready to cut. Or, you can break the Christmas crack with your hands. To do so, start pulling up the crackers from the aluminum foil and break into small pieces. Place each piece on a serving plate and enjoy!
🍫 Variations and Substitutions
There are so many different ways to make Christmas crack! It's fun to get creative with different crackers, types of chocolates, and toppings. While saltine crackers are the most popular, club crackers, ritz crackers, or gram crackers can also be used. Milk chocolate morsels tastes great with the toffee, but feel free to substitute dark chocolate or white chocolate. You can even mix in some peanut butter!
The topping choices are endless! I struggle to choose just 1, so I typically separate the toppings into 4 different sections on the baking sheet. Some of the best topping varieties for making Christmas crack are:
- crushed peppermint
- broken pretzel pieces
- M&Ms
- peanut butter morsels
- butterscotch chips
- pecans
- almonds
- walnuts
- hazelnuts
- sprinkles
- crushed oreos
- sea salt
- coconut flakes
- toffee bits
To turn this Christmas crack into a mixture of both milk and white chocolate, all you need to do is drizzle on melted white chocolate. To do this, melt ¼ cup white chocolate morsels in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 20 seconds. Stir, then heat again for 10-15 seconds until completely melted. Take a whisk and dip it into the bowl of white chocolate and then drizzle on the melted white chocolate into lines. If the white chocolate starts to thicken while drizzling it onto the cracker candy, sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of paramount crystals and it will help keep the consistency of the chocolate fluid.
👩🍳 Expert Tip: Melted chocolate can be difficult to work with and doesn't stay soft for very long. Using paramount crystals come in handy when dealing with melted chocolate. Paramount crystals are chips of hydrogenated palm kernel oil combined with lecithin and citric acid (as a preservative) for the use when making different types of chocolate. When used, it keeps the chocolate fluid. I use these a lot when making cake balls and chocolate truffles.
🙋 Recipe FAQs
Technically, no. It can stay on the counter at room temperature. But I enjoy it so much better cold! When left at room temperature, the chocolate tends to become soft. Crack candy tastes great chilled and keeps the ingredients and flavors tasting fresh!
The texture is supposed to be firm and when you bite into it, there should be a soft and sugary texture. If the brown sugar and butter don't boil long enough, then you will have chewy toffee. The key to getting the perfect texture is to boil the brown sugar and butter for at least 3 minutes. Also, double check to ensure the crackers have not expired.
There are a couple of methods you can use to help prevent the chocolate and toffee from separating. Instead of using chocolate morsels, use chopped chocolate. Allow the toffee layer to cool for 1 minute before spreading on the chocolate. Cooling overnight in the fridge instead of just 2 hours will also help prevent the layers from separating.
💭 Expert Tips
- Any size cookie sheet will work when making this Christmas crack recipe. Most cookie sheets are 18"x 26" and will work great! The crackers don't have to span across the entire sheet.
- If lining the cookie sheet with aluminum foil, use a heavy duty aluminum foil. It makes it easier to remove once you cut the cracker candy. Parchment paper can also be used.
- There is no need to spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray before placing the crackers. It's easy to peel off the foil once the candy has cooled.
- Use a good quality chocolate such as Ghirardelli. Enjoy Life brand is also excellent to use if you are looking for a vegan chocolate.
- Cool this Christmas candy in the refrigerator, not the freezer. While 2 hours is enough to harden this crack candy recipe if you are in a hurry, you'll get better results if you allow it to cool for 12-24 hours.
- For best results, store this crack candy in an airtight container. It will last for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze cracker candy!
- This Christmas crack recipe makes the perfect gift! Surprise teachers, coaches, and friends with a bag of different assortments of this crack candy!
🎄 More Christmas Desserts
I have so many amazing Christmas recipes that the entire family will love! Check out my most loved holiday desserts below!
🌟 Browse my entire collection of Christmas recipes where you will find everything from ham, turkey, and prime rib, to mashed potatoes, salads and desserts! 🌟
Easy Christmas Crack Recipe
Ingredients
- 50 saltine crackers, (2 sleeves)
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 12 ounces chocolate morsels
- sprinkles, optional
- M&Ms, optional
- chopped pecans, optional
Instructions
- Preheating the oven to 400°F.
- Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Put the saltine crackers side-by-side on the cookie sheet so they are touching. Ensure the crackers are laid out evenly and touching on all sides, but not overlapping. Set aside.
- To make the toffee, put the salted butter and brown sugar into a large saucepan. Set the stovetop burner to medium-high heat.
- When the brown sugar and butter start to melt, the mixture is going to start bubbling. Important Note: Have a large wooden spoon ready to start stirring. The goal is for the toffee to stay at a rolling boil until the toffee starts to thicken.
- Let the mixture boil for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly to ensure the toffee is not sticking or burning. During that 3 minutes, the toffee mixture should remain at a slow rolling boil. The rolling boil helps some of the moisture evaporate, which helps make the toffee softer.
- Next, slowly pour the hot toffee on top of the saltine crackers.
- Using a spatula or basting brush, spread the warm toffee as evenly as possible onto the salted crackers.
- Once the toffee is spread evenly, put the cookie sheet of salted crackers topped with the toffee into the preheated oven. The goal is to let the mixture get hot and bubbly. This usually takes about 5 minutes, so keep your eye on this process so it doesn't burn.
- While the toffee is getting hot in the oven, put the chocolate morsels into a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1-2 minutes until melted, ensuring to stop every 20 seconds to stir.
- Once the toffee is hot and bubbly, remove the baking sheet from the oven and evenly spread the melted chocolate on top of the toffee until all the crackers are covered.
- From there, add on the desired toppings.
- Place a potholder or kitchen towel in the refrigerator and then put the baking sheet into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight) so the candy crackers can harden.
- Once hard, the Christmas crack is ready to cut. Or, you can break the it with your hands. To do so, start pulling up the crackers from the aluminum foil and break into small pieces. Place each piece on a serving plate and enjoy!
Notes
- Any size cookie sheet will work when making this Christmas crack recipe. Most cookie sheets are 18"x 26" and they works great for this recipe. The crackers don't have to span across the entire sheet.
- If lining the cookie sheet with aluminum foil, use a heavy duty aluminum foil. It makes it easier to remove once you cut the cracker candy. Parchment paper can also be used.
- There is no need to spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray before placing the crackers. It's easy to peel off the foil once the candy has cooled.
- Use a good quality chocolate such as Ghirardelli. Enjoy Life brand is also excellent to use if you are looking for a vegan chocolate.
- Make sure you spread the toffee quickly because it will start to thicken and solidify. You can even use a basting brush to help spread.
- Melted chocolate can be difficult to work with and doesn't stay soft for very long. Using paramount crystals can come in handy when dealing with melted chocolate. Paramount crystals are chips of hydrogenated palm kernel oil combined with lecithin and citric acid (as a preservative) for the use when making different types of chocolate. When used, it keeps the chocolate fluid. Just add 1-2 tablespoons of the crystals the chocolate when it first starts to thicken and it will add more moisture and soften the texture.
- Cool this Christmas candy in the refrigerator, not the freezer. While 2 hours is enough to harden this crack candy recipe if you are in a hurry, you'll get better results if you allow it to cool for 12-24 hours.
Zhen
Love how sweet salty and crunchy these were! Made them as a door gift for a dinner with friends and everyone loved them!
Amanda Mason
So glad everyone loved the cracker candy!
Maggie
I've been wanting this recipe for years. It's always at all the potlucks and holiday parties. Thanks for sharing.
Amanda Mason
So glad you found it!! It's so good and you are going to love every bite!
Amy Liu Dong
Such easy and delicious Christmas treats to make for my kids. I am so excited to make this for them!
Amanda Mason
They are going to devour it!
Jamie
Awesome! This Christmas crack recipe looks so yummy! I love the crispy texture making this an instant favorite for kids and kid's a like! It's so perfect for this Holiday season!
Amanda Mason
Yes! Enjoy!
Michele
I’ve seen Christmas crack before but have never tried it. Your instructions make it look and sound so easy and delicious. I’m looking forward to making it and giving as gifts for the holidays! Thank you so much for sharing!
Amanda Mason
I'm so glad the instructions and article was so helpful!
Moop Brown
This Christmas crack is so festive and I like how simple it is to make and that it only requires 4 ingredients.
Amanda Mason
I hope you enjoy it!
Katie Crenshaw
The sweet and salty combination of this Christmas crack treat is so DELICIOUS! I can't stop eating it. It is so good.
Amanda Mason
It is delicious, for sure! I'm so glad you like it!!
Leslie
I have made christmas crack in the past but your recipe with adding in the pretzels is AMAZING and so much better!!
Amanda Mason
Oh good! I love hearing this!!!