This Cracker Toffee Recipe is such a breeze to make! Salty crackers and buttery toffee topped with chocolate creates the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Also known as, Christmas Crack and Saltine Cracker Toffee, this recipe is an irresistible sweet treat.
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Why We Love This Cracker Toffee Recipe
- Such an easy recipe to make with no candy thermometer needed.
- Only 5 simple ingredients needed.
- Perfect for any level of baker, beginner to expert.
- Has the perfect combination of sweet and salty flavors.
- A great addition to holiday cookie trays. Perfect for parties, bake sales and holiday cookie exchanges.
- These make great homemade gifts for the holiday season. Put them in a cute jar or festive treat bag with ribbon or a bow, and give them to your friends and family.
Cracker Toffee Recipe Ingredients
- Saltine Crackers
- Light Brown Sugar
- Salted Butter
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
- Decorating Sprinkles
Substitution Suggestions
- Saltine Crackers: This is also tasty with graham crackers, butter crackers like Ritz or Club crackers and pretzel twists.
- Light Brown Sugar: You can use dark brown sugar for a more richer flavor in the toffee.
- Salted Butter: Feel free to use unsalted butter. I suggest adding ¼ teaspoon of salt to the toffee.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Use your favorite! Dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips are great options!
- Sprinkles: Any festive sprinkle will make this candy appealing.
- Topping Variations: You can also used chopped nuts: pecans, walnuts, peanuts or pistachios are all delicious options. Another option is mini M&Ms or roughly chopped M&Ms and even chopped candy canes.
This saltine cracker candy is such a simple recipe with very easy steps. A delicious treat to cure any sweet tooth!
How to Make Saltine Cracker Toffee
The complete printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post.
- First, preheat oven to 350°F and line a jelly roll sheet pan (15x10 rimmed baking sheet) with parchment paper or aluminum foil. If using foil, spray it with a bit of nonstick cooking spray.
- Next, lay 40 saltine crackers in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar together whisking so it doesn't separate while melting.
- Once it's combined bring the butter and sugar to a boil. Once it is at a full boil, boil for 3 minutes without stirring or whisking.
- Then evenly pour the toffee mixture over the crackers. Use an offset spatula to spread it out over all the crackers.
- Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips.
- Place back in the oven and bake for 1 minute.
- Remove and gently spread the chocolate out in an even layer with an offset spatula.
- Top with sprinkles or chopped nuts, and let cool to room temperature.
- Then chill the toffee for at least an hour to set the chocolate and toffee.
- Break candy into pieces and enjoy!
Serving Ideas
This cracker toffee is ideal for a make ahead dessert, sweet snack and gifting. Here are some ideas:
- Pile the toffee high on a platter and serve it for dessert at dinner parties or as a sweet snack in between courses.
- Wrap candy in cellophane bags or plastic wrap and send it in your kids or spouse's lunch box.
- Add the toffee to your holiday cookie tins and gift to your family, friends and neighbors. Or give it as a hostess gift.
- This cracker toffee is gorgeous on cookie platters or dessert charcuterie boards during any holiday season!
Try my other toffee recipe for S'mores Cracker Toffee! All the flavors of a classic S'mores but as toffee!
Storing Cracker Toffee
Storing: Store any extra toffee in an airtight container or zip top bag at room temperature. It will last at least 2 weeks on the counter. If your house is on the warmer side, store it in the fridge so it doesn't melt.
Freezing: Place cracker toffee in a freezer safe air tight container or freezer bag in between layers of wax paper or parchment paper. Label, date and freeze. It will last 3 months in the freezer.
Thawing: Simply thaw at room temperature or in the fridge. I haven't had any issues with my cracker toffee after thawing, but I have heard that sometimes the toffee and crackers can get soft.
Heather's Favorite Tools for this Recipe
- I love these nestled mixing bowls for prepping ingredients.
- Long ago, I used to be a Pampered Chef consultant and I still prefer their baking tools and pans to any others. Their baking sheets are the only ones I use. Find yourself a consultant, host a party and treat yourself to a set.
- These aluminum sheet pans from Nordic Ware are a great option too.
- I love the sprinkles from Supernatural. There's a lot of fun festive ones and they're all dye-free.
Tips for Saltine Cracker Toffee Recipe
- Gather all the ingredients and tools you'll need before you start. It is so much easier to avoid mistakes when all the ingredients are ready.
- Read the recipe from start to finish before you start. That way you are already familiar with each step and can avoid any errors.
- Line the sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Line it up the sides of the pan too, to make it easy to remove the candy and break it into pieces. Easier clean up too!
- If using aluminum foil, spray it with a light coating of nonstick cooking spray.
- When melting the butter and brown sugar, whisk it together so the butter gets incorporated with the brown sugar. Once that happens stop whisking.
- Once the butter and brown sugar is at a full boil set a timer for 3 minutes and let it boil undisturbed. Do not stir or whisk it while it's boiling.
- Add the sprinkles or chopped nuts right after you spread out the chocolate so it adheres. If you wait the toppings will fall right off.
- For clean pieces, break or cut the toffee after it has completely cooled and chilled.
- Use the rows of crackers as a guide for breaking or cutting.
FAQs
Most cases if it's too chewy the butter and sugar mixture wasn't boiled enough. Start the timer for 3 minutes once the butter and sugar has started bubbling all the way through and is at a constant boil. Do not stir at all once the boiling and timer has started.
If the toffee was whisked too much or boiled too long the sugar will crystalize and become hard when cooled. When making fudge that is ideal but not for toffee. Make sure to set a timer when the boiling begins and resist the urge to stir or whisk it.
Nope. This recipe was made so no thermometer would be needed. The boiling time and baking time does the trick to make delicious cracker toffee.
Most likely, the toffee was either not boiled long enough for the sugar to fully dissolve or it was boiled too long and the sugar crystalized. Make sure to set a timer for 3 minutes once the toffee has come to a full boil.
Christmas crack, or cracker toffee, is made of saltine crackers covered in toffee and chocolate then decorated with sprinkles or chopped nuts. It's an addicting sweet treat!
More Holiday Cookies:
- Peanut Butter Temptations
- Hot Cocoa Cookies
- Gingerbread Cookie Bars
- Spritz Butter Cookies
- Italian Almond Cookies
- Frosted Sugar Drop Cookies
- Gingerbread People
- Chewy Molasses Cookies
- Russian Tea Cakes
- Frosted Pumpkin Drop Cookies
- Raspberry Almond Thumbprints
- Sugar Cookie Cut Outs
- Chocolate Peppermint Drop Cookies
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Cracker Toffee Recipe
Ingredients
- 40 saltine crackers, 1 sleeve
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup salted butter
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- decorating sprinkles
Instructions
- Lay 40 saltine crackers in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan.
- In a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar together whisking so it is completely combined.
- Bring the butter and sugar to a boil. Once it is at a full boil, boil for 3 minutes without stirring or whisking.
- Evenly pour the toffee over the crackers and spread it out over all the crackers with an offset spatula.
- Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Place back in the oven and bake for 1 minute.
- Remove and gently spread the chocolate out evenly with an offset spatula. Top with sprinkles or chopped nuts, and let cool to room temperature.
- Once cooled, chill in fridge for at least an hour to set the chocolate and toffee. Break or cut candy into pieces and enjoy!
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