This Easy Christmas Crack Recipe is the ultimate holiday treat-crunchy, buttery, and covered in rich chocolate with festive sprinkles on top. It's quick to make, totally addictive, and the perfect sweet snack for gifting or snacking all season long.
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Why This Recipe Works
Simple Ingredients: Made with pantry staples-no candy thermometer required!
Perfect Texture: A mix of crisp, buttery toffee and smooth chocolate.
Quick to Make: Comes together in just minutes and is great for last-minute treats.
Festive & Customizable: Dress it up with sprinkles, crushed candy canes, or nuts.
I love to whip up a batch of this Christmas Crack, along with some Gingerbread crinkle cookies, Christmas Chex Mix, Gingerbread Men, and Grinch Cookies, for a fun and diverse plate of treats. Your family and friends will love this recipe and ask for it year after year!
What This Recipe Needs
Saltine Crackers: These crackers are the perfect crunchy salty base for this dessert!
Butter: I use unsalted since we get so much salt from the crackers. Melt this with the brown sugar for the toffee!
Brown Sugar: Light or dark brown both works. This melts with the butter to make a delicious toffee that you pour over the crackers!
Chocolate Chips: I love using semi-sweet which forms a tasty layer over the toffee, but you can experiment with other flavors too!
Optional Toppings: Red and Green M&Ms, Peppermint Pieces, Toasted Pecans, Christmas Sprinkles- there are so many fun ways to customize this candy!
Substitutions
- Saltines: Use graham crackers, Ritz crackers, or pretzels for a fun twist.
- Chocolate Chips: Swap for white chocolate, dark chocolate, or almond bark.
- Brown Sugar: Light or dark -both work; dark gives a deeper flavor.
How to Make Christmas Crack Recipe?
- Step 1: Preheat oven and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then spray with cooking spray. Place saltines in a single layer in rows, set aside.
- Step 2: In a medium-sized saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously for 3 minutes.
- Step 3: After boiling, pour the mixture over the saltines. Carefully spreading it out with a spatula to coat all the crackers.
- Step 4: Bake until the butter mixture is bubbling.
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- Step 5: Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Step 6: Let the chocolate chips sit for 1-2 minutes, then gently spread them over the crackers.
- Step 7: Top with nuts or sprinkles, then refrigerate until hardened. Then cut or break the candy into pieces and enjoy!
Don't these other favorite Christmas Recipes: Christmas wreath cookies, Christmas Tree Cupcakes, Christmas Holiday Popcorn!
Expert Tips
- Aluminum Foil: Line your baking tray with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. This will make cleanup so much easier and help you get the candy out of the pan!
- Don't Walk Away from the Toffee: It cooks quickly and can burn fast - watch closely.
- Spread Chocolate Gently: The chocolate is ready to spread once it starts to look shiny and is softened from the heat of the baked cracker/toffee. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
- Melting Chocolate: If your chocolate chips don't melt because you forgot to add them in time, don't worry! Stick the toffee crackers back in the oven for 1-2 minutes, then spread the chocolate. Make sure not to leave the toffee in the oven for long, or it can burn the chocolate and cause it to clump or seize.
- Toast for Flavor: If adding nuts, toast them first for way more flavor.
- Chill Before Breaking: Let it fully harden for clean, crisp pieces.
- Store Properly: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerate for up to a week.
Variations
- Peppermint Crunch: Add crushed candy canes or peppermint bark on top for a minty touch.
- Nutty Delight: Sprinkle chopped pecans or almonds for extra crunch.
- Sweet & Salty: Add a light sprinkle of sea salt over the melted chocolate.
- Holiday Swirl: Drizzle white and dark chocolate for a marbled look.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because it's so addictively delicious-you just can't stop at one piece!
Yes! Graham crackers or Ritz crackers both work beautifully.
Absolutely! It stays fresh for up to a week in an airtight container.
Store candy in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature or 2 weeks if refrigerated.
The candy will harden after being refrigerated for 2 hours.
Yes! Freeze in layers separated by parchment paper for up to 2 months.
More Related Recipes
If you like this recipe, make sure to check these other fun Christmas Recipes like Peppermint Marshmallow Wands, Christmas Hot Cocoa Bombs, Christmas Oreo Ball, Snowman Oreo Balls, and this Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes Dip.
Video
Easy Christmas Crack Recipe
Equipment
- Cooking Spray like Pam
- Foil
- Rimmed Baking Sheet 10x15
Ingredients
- 45 Saltine Crackers* (40-50 crackers)
- 1 cup butter unsalted
- 1 cup brown sugar light or dark
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 12 oz
- ½ cup chopped pecans optional
- ½ cup Red and green sprinkles optional
- 4 Candy Canes crushed, optional
Instructions
- If using pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Coarsely chop your pecans and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Toast the pecans in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. They should be fragrant but not burned.½ cup chopped pecans
Christmas Crack
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Place saltines in even rows in a single layer. Set aside.45 Saltine Crackers*
- In a medium sized saucepan, over medium high heat, melt better and brown sugar. Whisk together, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low and boil for 3 minutes, stirring continuously.1 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar
- After 3 minutes, pour the butter sugar mixture over the saltines evenly.
- Bake for 5 minutes, or until the butter mixture is bubbling.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let the chocolate chips sit for 1-2 minutes then gently spread over the crackers. The chocolate is ready to spread once it starts to look shiny.2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Top with nuts, candies, or sprinkles, then refrigerate for 2 hours to harden.½ cup Red and green sprinkles, 4 Candy Canes, ½ cup chopped pecans
- Once hardened cut or break the candy into pieces and enjoy!
Notes
- Can you use other crackers? Yes! Use Graham Crackers, Ritz, or any cracker you think is good!
- How to store cracker candy? Store candy in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature or 2 weeks if you refrigerate it.
- Can you freeze Christmas Crack? Yes! Make a batch ahead of time, let it cool, break it into pieces, then store in a freezer safe container/Ziploc baggie for up to 1 month. I recommend layering the pieces with parchment paper in-between so it doesn't freeze in a huge clump, or flash freeze the candy then place in a Ziploc baggie.
Lisa says
This stuff is so tasty! I love having it on hand!