Saltine Toffee (aka Christmas Crack Recipe) — They don’t call this stuff ‘Christmas Crack’ for nothing. It’s easy to make, extremely addictive, and combines salty, sweet, crunchy, and chewy into a holiday favorite.
Christmas Crack Recipe
I’ve heard this saltine cracker toffee called Christmas Crack. I think that name is most fitting, but others have more P.C. names for it and some variations on the recipe.
Debbie made Matzoh Caramel Buttercrunch, which inspired Chocolate-Covered Caramelized Matzoh Crunch, which inspired Chocolate Caramel Crackers. They all used matzoh, whereas I used saltines.
Paula Deen also uses saltines and she calls it Pine Bark. Really, Paula? With all that butter, sugar, and chocolate, and the best name you could come up with is Pine Bark?
I call it easy and amazing.
This Christmas crack recipe looks a little long, but I am just being extra thorough explaining the steps. It’s very easy: Boil sugar and butter, pour over saltines, bake, add chocolate chips. Done. But I want to make sure no one messes up their Christmas crack candy so I’m being very detailed.
I recommend making this for a holiday party or as a Homemade Holiday Food Gift for folks on your to-buy-for (or to-make-for) list. You may not necessarily want it all around your house. Because it’s really, really addictive. As the name would imply.
Note that there is no saltine cracker taste, despite its being saltine cracker bark. The crackers make for the perfect toffee base that holds all the gooey, caramely, wonderfulness together. But you definitely don’t bite into the toffee and say oh, this tastes like saltines.
Below is an iPhone picture taken in a very hot Aruba kitchen at about 11:17pm the other night as the chocolate chips were poured over the almost finished crack saltine toffee. Between the 86F degree evening, no A/C in the kitchen, the stovetop that I had on to boil the butter and sugar, and then the 350F oven that was on, I’m pretty sure you could have fried an egg on my forehead I was so hot.
Same thing when I was trying to take the pictures the next day. The Christmas candy crack was literally melting before my eyes.
The brown sugar + butter base and the chocolate top? Not exactly Caribbean heatproof. Best to keep this stuff chilled or at normal (wintertime in the U.S.) room temperatures
But this saltine toffee was well worth every hot, melty moment.
What’s in This Christmas Crack Recipe?
To make this saltine toffee recipe, you’ll need:
- Saltine crackers
- Unsalted butter
- Brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
How to Make Christmas Crack
Before making the saltine cracker toffee, line a 9×13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil. Do NOT try making this Christmas crack recipe without the foil — you’ll hate yourself later if you skip this step.
Place the Saltine crackers in a single layer in the baking dish. Then, add the butter and sugar to a saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture has thickened some.
Stir the vanilla extract into the thickened butter mixture, then pour over the Saltines in the baking dish. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the toffee topping is bubbly.
Once out of the oven, sprinkle the saltine cracker toffee with chocolate chips and wait for 3 to 5 minutes, letting them soften and melt a bit, and then spread and smooth them into an even layer with a spatula.
Let the Christmas crack cool completely on your countertop, then break into pieces and enjoy!
Why Won’t My Chocolate Chips Melt?
Chocolate chips are designed to resist melting, and some are less prone to melting than others. If your chocolate chips don’t seem to be melting, pop the saltine toffee back into the oven after it’s been turned off. Let the toffee sit in the oven for a couple minutes to speed up the melting process.
What Brand of Chocolate Chips Do You Recommend?
I like to bake with Trader Joe’s semi-sweet morsels. You could also use a chopped up chocolate bar.
Can I Make This Christmas Crack Gluten-Free?
Yes, you can easily make this saltine cracker toffee by using gluten-free Saltines.
Tips for Making This Christmas Crack Recipe
When boiling the butter and sugar, take care that your simmer is not too fast or too high because the mixture is prone to bubbling over or scorching. Stir the mixture frequently while it simmers to avoid either from happening.
After you’ve smoothed the chocolate over the saltine toffee, you’re welcome to add nuts, seeds, graham cracker crumbs, toffee bits, dried fruit, candy bits, or swirl in some peanut butter or other nut butter.
You can also use other types of baking chips — such as butterscotch, white chocolate, or peanut butter — either in addition to or in a half-and-half combination with the dark chocolate chips for your top layer.
How Long Does Christmas Crack Last?
If stored in an airtight container, this saltine toffee will last for up to 2 weeks at room temperature or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
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Chocolate Saltine Toffee
Ingredients
- 30 to 40 saltine crackers, I used about 32 crackers
- 1 cup unsalted butter, 2 sticks
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed (I used half light and half dark because that’s what I had)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ to 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, I used one 12-ounce bag of TJ’s semi sweet morsels
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9 x 13 pan or similar with aluminum foil and spray it very well with cooking spray. Do not try to make this without using foil; you will hate yourself.
- Place saltine crackers in a single layer on the bottom of the pan. Some recipes suggest using a jelly roll pan which may allow for a slightly bigger batch, i.e. 40 crackers, but it’s a bit too shallow for my comfort zone and didn’t want any bubble-overs.
- In a saucepan on the stovetop, combine butter and sugar and bring to a boil while stirring constantly.
- Once a boil is reached, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until mixture has thickened some. Take care not that your simmer is not too fast/too high because it will be prone to bubbling over or scorching. Stir mixture frequently while it simmers to avoid bubbling over or scorching. The taste of burnt butter and sugar is awful so don’t burn it.
- After mixture has thickened a bit, remove it from the heat, wait 30 seconds, add the vanilla extract and stir.
- Pour mixture over the prepared pan with the saltine crackers.
- Bake in for 5- 7 minutes, or until toffee/liquid becomes bubbly.
- After removing the pan from the oven, let it rest for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle on the chocolate chips and wait for 3 to 5 minutes, letting them soften and melt a bit, and then spread and smooth them into an even layer with a spatula. * (see note below)
- Let cool very well and if desired for expediting purposes, refrigerate or freeze until hardened. Break into pieces the size of your choice.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Notes
- *Optional: After smoothing the chocolate, add nuts, seeds, graham cracker crumbs, toffee bits, dried fruit, candy bits, or swirl in some peanut butter or other nut butter. Or use other types of chips, such as butterscotch, white, peanut butter, etc. either in addition to or in a half-and-half combination with the dark chocolate chips for your top layer.
- To keep this recipe gluten-free, use GF crackers or make your own GF saltine crackers. To keep vegan, use margarine/Earth Balance and use a vegan cracker.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Edited to add: This Chocolate Saltine Toffee was featured on FoodGawker where the editors of Martha Stewart and Martha’s Circle noticed it and featured it on Martha Stewart’s site. See this post for more info. The news and feature made for one of my happiest and proudest blogging moments. To say I was shocked, but incredibly honored, is an understatement.
i make a similar ‘toffee candy’. it’s made with condensed milk, no vanilla.
i’d be willing to omit the extra calories & try your recipe…sounds good too!
thanks!
Hi,
I made these 2 times in the last week and both times, the toffee was grainy and smooshy even after I left them in the fridge. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. I thought the first time I made it, I didn’t simmer and stir enough and I didn’t bake in the oven long enough (3 min and 5 min, respectively) so I did them longer (5 min simmer+ stir, 7 min bake) but it still turned out grainy. :( Do you have any suggestions?
I would venture to say you have undissovled sugar. If you have undissolved sugar, even 1 crystal, it can start a chain reaction and basically the whole thing will begin to crystallize. I would say to be very meticulous about scraping the sides of your saucepan or pan you’re using to cook with on your stovetop. Scrape it down with a spatula, make sure everything has been properly added to the body of the liquid, so it’s all cooking and there are no stray bits. That’s really the only thing I can think of – you are making candy here. Candy *can be* a very fussy process. Do some googling about crystallization, caramel-making, and lots of recipes will pop up and maybe you can self-correct your own issues from there. It’s so hard for me from afar to diagnose the problem! Good luck!
Could I use Splenda brown sugar and sugar free chocolate ??? Im making big batches for gifts for family and friends but have a few people who are on low sugar diets.
I really don’t know because the caramelization from the sugar is key for this recipe and I don’t know if brown sugar splenda will caramelize properly. Sugar free chocolate I’m sure will be fine. You can trial the splenda and see if it works or not…but honestly, there is no delicate way to put this – this is a rich, indulgent, special treat and if at all possible, make it as I instruct in the recipe with the ingredients I list. Just tell those individuals to eat a little less :)
PS. I saw this recipe, or versions of, on many blogs… but your pictures always look the best, descriptions are so thorough, so I know exactly what I should be expecting, and recipes are clear and easy to follow!!
THANK YOU! I try really hard to write my recipes in such a way that there are as little shades of gray as possible and if necessary/helpful, include step-by-step pics. I appreciate the feedback on why you chose my version and blog :)
And I am so glad you had success with the recipe & loved the toffee!
Made these earlier today – SO EASY and turned out great!!
What is the best thing to top these with? Any specific candy bar peices that go well with them? Or nuts?
Honestly, it’s ridiculously decadent on it’s own. I am a huge fan of toppings, dips, sauces, frostings – the more the merrier – except this. This truly needs nothing! You could add anything from toffee bits to nuts but I promise, it’s really not needed!
I use Skor toffee bits,nuts and Andes peppermint crunch baking chips (can usually find at Christmas)on top. Kids loved them. Have also used mini M&Ms with the nuts and toffee bits.
I love the sounds of this! The Skor bar factor, mmmm, so good! And mini MMs and the mint Andes. All GREAT ideas!
I’m makin’ these puppies today!! Will let you know how they turn out!
Can’t wait!
Made a vegan version of these to give to family and friends, to say they were a HUGE HIT, is an understatement. These are beyond delicious! Thank you so much!
Dana – thanks for the field report & so happy they were a HUGE hit! I love comments like this & thanks for taking the time to LMK! It gets the name Xmas Crack for a reason as I’m sure you know now!
I just tried making these and, even though they taste exactly like crack should taste like, they’re gooey on the bottom instead of crisp. Any ideas on what I did wrong? Thanks!
It’s hard to say…maybe your caramel sauce was a bit thinner/runnier/more quantity than mine with, thus flooding the bottom more than mine. Maybe they should have been baked longer? Without photos or more info, hard to tell. I would say either increase baking time or reduce sauce, slightly, next time based on what you told me. Hard to tell from afar though! Thanks for trying the recipe and glad you enjoyed the taste!
I’ll try reducing the amounts by 1/4 cup next time. Thanks for the help!
Ok sounds good – if you remake them, LMK how it goes the next time!
Mine did this too. I think I should have boiled/baked for longer. I was so afraid to scorch it that maybe I didn’t get it going enough.
Yes it’s likely undercooked by just a tiny bit..a bit longer should do the trick next time!
I’m going to try this, thank you. Loved reading your editorialized recipe and congrats on the shout out in Martha Stewart!