With just 5 ingredients and 15 minutes, this Christmas crack recipe is the best sweet and salty treat made with a layer of saltine crackers, sweet toffee and chocolate!
Grandma’s Saltine Cracker Toffee
This delicious Christmas crack is one of my favorite Christmas desserts at the holidays and it only takes about 15 minutes to make, much easier even than my toffee recipe or toffee cookies.
I have shared my grandma’s saltine cracker toffee before and this is a glorified version with chocolate and M&Ms on top. You could also top Christmas candy crack with crushed saltines, sea salt, toasted coconut, slivered almonds, pecans or Heath bits.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Sweet and salty. Two of my favorite flavors come together in this chewy and crunchy saltine cracker candy treat.
- Holiday tradition. Christmas crack toffee is always the first homemade treat to disappear on the cookie plate along with divinity candy and chocolate fudge!
Ingredient Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Saltines: The saltiness of this beloved cracker works perfectly with the caramel and chocolate.
- Butter: I use salted butter to add a salty balance to the sweet. Real butter is key not margarine!
- Brown sugar: The deep flavor brown sugar provides is key to making this toffee really shine.
- Chocolate chips: I use milk chocolate chips to make the melted chocolate layer, but you can opt for white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, peanut butter chips or even chopped chocolate bar.
- Toppings: I choose red and green M&Ms to keep the candy festive, but nuts, candy canes, toffee bits, pretzels or sprinkles are also really great!
How to Make Christmas Crack
Beware…this candy crack toffee is seriously addicting! You may want to make two batches as it will disappear fast.
- Prepare: Line a pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. Then spread saltine crackers out in an even single layer.
- Make the caramel: Boil the brown sugar and butter for 3 minutes.
- Bake: Pour evenly over crackers and bake for 8 minutes.
- Spread: Once it’s done cooking sprinkle chocolate chips on top and let melt. Spread out until smooth and top with M&M’s or nuts. Then try not to eat all in one sitting.
Expert Tips
- Candy thermometer. Though it isn’t necessary, if you are worried about getting the caramel right and avoid chewy Christmas crack, you can use a candy thermometer to make sure it reaches a temperature of 270°F to 290°F.
- Pan size. A large jelly roll pan works best for this recipe, but any type of large, rimmed baking sheet will work.
- Prevent separation. If your caramel layer has cooled down when adding the chocolate, it will separate into layers. Ensure the caramel is still warm.
- Melting chocolate chips. If your chocolate doesn’t melt once you place it on the caramel layer, place back in the oven for a few minutes just until they start to melt.
Christmas Crack Flavor Variations
This Christmas crack is so versatile and can be modified so many different ways! Below are a few of my favorite ways to make it.
- Peppermint graham cracker: Graham crackers with white chocolate and crushed candy canes.
- Chocolate Ritz Christmas crack: Ritz crackers with chocolate and sliced almonds.
- White chocolate pretzel: Pretzels crisps with white chocolate and Rudolph candies or sprinkles.
- Graham cracker toffee: Graham crackers with chocolate and chopped almonds.
- Vanilla: If you would like to add vanilla extract to the caramel layer it would add even more depth of flavor to the brown sugar.
Storage
- Room temperature storage: Store saltine cracker candy in an airtight container at on the counter for about a week. Just ensure your house isn’t too hot or the chocolate will start to melt.
- In the refrigerator: If your house is warm, store Christmas crack in the refrigerator for up two weeks. If you live in a colder climate, you could also just keep it in the garage or covered porch!
- Freeze: Break into pieces and store in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag in the freezer up to 3 months. Place parchment paper between layers so they don’t stick.
More classic holiday cookie recipes include my soft molasses cookies, traditional Christmas sugar cookies and peanut butter blossoms.
More Holiday Candy Recipes
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Christmas Crack Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 48 saltine crackers , 1 1/2 sleeves
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter , cubed
- 1 cup light brown sugar , packed
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ – 1 cup M&M’s , or chopped nuts or sliced almonds
Optional toppings: m&ms, sprinkles, chopped nuts or sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a large jelly roll pan (15×10) with parchment paper or foil (spray foil with non stick spray).
- Line the bottom of the pan evenly with 48 saltine crackers. You may need a break a few on the sides to fill in the gaps.
- In a medium pot, combine 2 sticks butter and 1 cup sugar over medium-low heat. Stirring occasionally, bring to a rolling boil and cook 3 minutes, or until bubbling and amber in color. Remove pan from heat and pour evenly over saltine crackers. Spread brown sugar mixture quickly with a spatula.
- Bake 8 minutes (caramel should be bubbling). Remove pan from oven and sprinkle 2 cups chocolate chips evenly over the top and let sit until chocolate chips are shiny (you can turn off oven and place inside for 30-60 seconds to speed up, but don't leave in long or it will burn). Remove and let sit a minute. Once the chips are soft, spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle desired toppings over the top and place in the freezer 15 minutes, or until hardened.
- Let sit 15 minutes on the counter. Flip over onto a cutting board and remove the foil. Break into pieces.
Notes
- Use ritz or graham crackers as the base
- Use a white chocolate or drizzle white chocolate over the top of the chocolate
- Add chopped nuts
- Add sprinkles for holidays or color
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: 5 Ingredients Or Less, American, Candy + Fudge, Chocolate, Christmas, Desserts, Freezer-Friendly, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Reader Favorites, Sheet Pan, Stovetop, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I’m kinda glad to see that I wasn’t the only one with the issue of the toffee not hardening…are we supposed to let the toffee come to a rolling boil and then start stirring constantly for 3 min? Or is it just a matter of cooking it once it’s poured over the crackers?
Yes, let it come to a rolling boil and stir constantly for 3 minutes! :)
Being a caramel maker I believe there may be an issue with hardening toffee in relationship to the humidity in the air. Lower humidity will help the hardening process.
My daughter makes this recipe all the time. It is the best. I decided to give it a go this year and it turned out great. Only problem is that it DOSENT last long enough for gift giving. It barely makes it to day two. My family LOVES it way to much. LOL. Me thinks me will be making a few mor batches before Christmas for gift giving. Hands off family!
I made these tonight for a cookie exchange and they’re delicious. I forgot the M&M’s but they weren’t missed. Once the chocolate was hard I flipped them over on to a cutting board and was able to cut them into equal portions using the cracker as a guide. I can’t wait to share them with my friends at our Christmas party tomorrow. P.S. I followed the directions to a T (minus the M&M’S) and they turned out perfectly.
Revision……. My first batch I let cool in the refrigerator just until the chocolate set. I don’t know if it was the time I let it set but it was very easy to cut into equal portions. The second batch I made and went to bed while they cooled. In the morning I tried to cut them like the other batch and they were so hard they shattered and broke into very uneven pieces. I’m not sure if it’s because they set over night or maybe the toffee was coked a little longer than the original batch. They’re still delicious no matter the shape. However, next time to appease my OCD I will cut them the same night :)
Thanks for your comment Sindi! I’m glad that your first batch cut into equal portions…I am a little OCD about that too! ;)
The first time I made it, I think I didn’t boil it long enough. The recipe I used said the toffee should start to pull away from the pan when it’s ready. It didn’t the first time and that batch never got hard enough. The bottom was messy. The next batch (thank goodness for the practice batches) was perfect and it did start to pull away on the sides. Mine didn’t look as pretty. I used club crackers because I heard they tasted better.
I’m glad it worked for you the second time! It is always a little hard to know when the toffee is ready in the pan. It definitely takes a little practice to get it perfect!
YUM!! Never made this before and can’t wait to try! :D
Dorothy made me a batch of this last Christmas, and I have been dreaming about it all year!!!! I might just have to make a batch of my own this year. And with M&Ms to boot! Brilliant :)
This is on of my favorite Christmas treats! I could eat a whole batch, just myself!
very good only problem i can`t seem to make it fast enough
i used all the small broken chocolate & toffee crumbs from the first batch to put on the top of the next batch. very yummy !!!!!!!
What a great idea Anne, that sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing! :)
Where did you did those cute little containers that you packaged them in?
Hobby Lobby! Michael’s has them too I think!
I tried this today and it is definitely crack! The only thing I couldn’t get was how to harden the chocolate. Even after it being in the fridge for 1 hour, the chocolate melts instantly when I touch it so it’s all over our fingers. Any tips on how to harden the chocolate properly or what I’m doing wrong? Thanks for the recipe!
Weird, that has never happened to me before! Hmm..I used Nestle chocolate chips, maybe try using a different kind of chocolate!
Love, love, love the toffee bars (crack) lol but mine didn’t break so evenly and although they taste great they don’t look great? Any hints on how to get them to break better and more even? Should I use a knife? Should I not overlap crackers? THanks for sharing this great recipe!
Hmmm…I usually will run a knife over it and then break it with my hands. I don’t overlap them, so you could try that to see if it looks better! Hope that helps!! :)
This is delicious! Thank you so much for the quick and amazing holiday recipe. I brought it into work today for treat day and it has been very successful.
I’m so glad it turned out for you Danielle! It is such a yummy treat! :)
Where did you get the cute containers for the Christmas crack? They are adorable!
I found mine at Hobby Lobby, but I think Michael’s has them too!
Cleaning, relaxing and baking! Yum Thanks for sharing!
mmmmmm!!! looks delish!!
Mine didn’t turn out very well, the toffee was so soft I had trouble breaking it and most of the m&m’s fell off/broke off.
I’m sorry you had trouble with it Shirley. I would try cooking the toffee mixture a little longer and putting them m&ms on sooner so they have time for the chocolate to melt on them. It may be different depending on the altitude! Hope it works better next time!
Does this freeze well?
I’ve never tried freezing it, but I would probably recommend eating it within a few days!
i have frozen it or just put it in fridge up to two weeks