The Best Christmas Cracker Candy (easy recipe)

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a Christmas Crack recipe! This saltine toffee recipe is a perennial favorite, especially for gifting.

This chocolate saltine toffee recipe is a sweet treat with salty flavor from the crackers and a ton of rich flavor from the buttery toffee! Once you try it, you won’t be able to stop eating it. Sometimes, I’ll have to have my husband hide it from me to stop myself from grabbing a piece every time I walk by!

“I’ve tried a lot of recipes, but this is by far the best I’ve found yet. If followed correctly it doesn’t sugar as some recipes will. It gives you that toffee flavor you’re looking for as well as the crunch. Make certain to store it in a cookie tin and not something that’s totally air tight as the toffee will soften…….if it lasts that long.”

– Suzanne

I don’t possess the skill OR the patience to make candy, so you won’t find me making traditional Christmas candy recipes! This saltine cracker candy recipe is the exception because it’s SO dang easy to make. No candy thermometer required!

I love to put a stack of this Christmas candy on my Christmas cookie tray alongside a few of these Italian Christmas desserts, my Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies, Reindeer Rice Krispies, and some Candy Cane Peppermint Chocolate Bark!

If you’re making a special tray for the kiddos, I think this Christmas candy looks SO festive served next to a bowl of green (and red) Grinch Popcorn and some beautiful white Oreo Balls with holiday sprinkles!

To make this easy chocolate saltine toffee, all you need are crackers, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and chocolate chips!

The brown sugar, butter and vanilla form a toffee bark layer, which is then topped with a chocolate layer made from the melted chocolate chips.

“Holy cow these are amazing! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!”

– Rachel R.

What do I need to make Christmas Cracker Candy? And frequent substitutions:

• Saltine crackers: You can also use graham crackers, ritz crackers or club crackers.
• Light brown sugar: You can also use dark brown sugar
• Butter: If you use unsalted butter add ¼ teaspoon sea salt to the recipe to balance out the sweetness
• Vanilla extract
• Milk chocolate chips: I used Ghirardelli chips. Make sure to use a high-quality brand so they melt smoothy and the chocolate is easily spread. You can also use a high-quality chocolate bar, or white chocolate.
• Sprinkles: I used red and green sprinkles to keep with the Christmas theme of these treats. You can use any color and shape of sprinkle or even replace the sprinkles with crushed nuts, shredded coconut, red and green M&M candies, or just stick with the plain chocolate topping.

You will need measuring cups, a large baking sheet, non-stick aluminum foil, a saucepan and whisk.

How can I store this recipe?

Store the Christmas Crack candy in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Why is my Christmas Crack chewy?

If you find that your candy is very sticky and chewy it’s most likely because you didn’t cook the brown sugar and butter long enough.

Make sure it comes to a good roiling boil and continues to boil for the entire 3 minutes. This toffee will be slightly chewy, but it shouldn’t be very sticky or super soft.

Why is my chocolate not setting?

If you find your chocolate to still be melted and not hardening after sitting overnight, it may be too warm in your kitchen.

You can place the Christmas Crack in the fridge or freezer for up to 1 hour to harden. Note that your chocolate may change color a bit after being cooled but it will still taste delicious! 

Serving Suggestions

I recommend serving this candy on a platter alongside other homemade holiday treats like these Bourbon Balls, Candy Cane Peppermint Chocolate Bark and some Reindeer Chow {Christmas White Chocolate Chex Mix}.

For gifting, add to a Christmas tin along with some festive tissue paper!