Saltine cracker toffee, a.ok.a. Christmas crack, is a vacation custom in our home! My model has buttery toffee, melted white chocolate, and sweet-tart cranberries set on prime of crispy salted crackers. It’s fast, straightforward, and ideal for events and gifting.
Searching for less difficult Christmas treats? Attempt my festive Christmas bark, these chocolate caramel popcorn balls, and my straightforward kolacky cookies, too.
This Christmas crack recipe has saltine crackers coated with sticky-sweet caramel toffee, melted chocolate, and a sprinkling of chewy dried cranberries. It’s my snack of option to pair with Macedonian Bambus (crimson wine + cola, don’t knock it ‘til you attempt it!). I really like the distinction of the salty crackers with the candy toffee and chocolate, and it’s really easy to make and customise with enjoyable, festive toppings.
I prefer to assume that they name this Christmas crack as a result of it’s a) simply as addictive as, say, crack rooster, b) it’s made with crackers, and c) it “cracks” whenever you break it up earlier than serving. It’s one among my favourite vacation traditions, and I can’t wait so that you can attempt it, too!
Why I Love This Christmas Crack Recipe
- Tasty toppings. With its white chocolate and sweet-tart cranberries, my model of Christmas crack is semi-inspired by the Cranberry Bliss bars from Starbucks. Coincidentally, it’s nice washed down with a cinnamon dolce latte. You possibly can simply change up the toppings and flavors relying on what you and your loved ones like.
- Make-ahead. This Christmas sweet is an ideal make-ahead deal with for the vacations. It shops like a dream and makes an ideal snack all season lengthy.
- All events. Saltine cracker toffee additionally makes an ideal stocking stuffer, classmate present, social gathering deal with, and cookie tray add-on. In my home, a plate of Christmas crack + scorching chocolate + a Netflix Christmas film = vacation bliss!
What You’ll Want
You wish to seize simply 5 elements, plus any toppings, to make a beneficiant batch of this cranberry white chocolate Christmas crack. Take a look at my notes right here, and scroll right down to the recipe card for a printable elements record with the complete recipe particulars.
- Saltine Crackers – That is our crispy, salty cracker base. When you don’t have saltines in the home, Ritz crackers or Graham crackers make a very good substitute.
- Butter and Brown Sugar – You’ll soften the butter and brown sugar collectively to make a simple do-it-yourself toffee. You need to use mild or darkish brown sugar.
- White Chocolate – White chocolate bars will soften extra easily, nonetheless, chocolate chips additionally work nice right here. You too can use darkish chocolate, milk, or semisweet chocolate. The higher high quality you employ, the higher your Christmas crack might be! Chop the chocolate up beforehand in order that it melts simply.
- Vegetable Oil – Or coconut oil. Oil helps the chocolate soften easily and harden to a shiny, snappy end. You would additionally use Crisco right here.
- Dried Cranberries – Or any toppings you’d like! Chopped nuts, crushed sweet canes, mini chocolate chips… there’s no incorrect solution to adorn your saltine toffee.
The right way to Make Saltine Christmas Crack
Collect your saltines and let’s do that! Christmas crack is a snap to make, and it’s prepared in ~quarter-hour, give or take.
- Put together the saltine crackers. Begin by lining a jelly roll pan with foil and giving it a spritz with cooking spray. Then, organize the saltine crackers in a single layer contained in the pan.
- Make the toffee. Soften the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium warmth. Subsequent, carry the combination to a boil and prepare dinner for a minute, stirring incessantly, till the colour deepens. Pour that evenly over the saltines. Your crackers would possibly transfer round right here, and in the event that they do, use a rubber spatula to scootch them again into place.
- Bake. Pop the saltine toffee into the oven to bake at 400ºF for 4-5 minutes, till bubbly.
- Soften the chocolate. Within the meantime, soften the white chocolate with oil in a double boiler. Stir always whereas the chocolate melts, and take it off the warmth simply earlier than it’s totally easy. It’ll proceed to soften as you stir it off the warmth.
- Assemble. Take out your saltine cracker toffee and pour half the chocolate over prime, spreading it out into a fair layer. After a minute, pour the remaining chocolate over and easy that out, too. Lastly, sprinkle over the dried cranberries.
- Chill. Place the Christmas crack into the freeze for 20 minutes to set. Afterward, break the crack into items, and luxuriate in!
Recipe Suggestions
- Line the pan. Lining the jelly roll pan with aluminum foil earlier than you begin makes clean-up a lot simpler afterward.
- Use a sweet thermometer. Ensure that to not over or underheat the butter and brown sugar combination for the toffee. I often look ahead to the colour to darken to know when it’s able to pour. When you aren’t snug eyeballing it, use a sweet thermometer to examine that the temperature of the toffee reaches 270ºF earlier than you pour it over the saltines.
- Light fingers. Watch out when pouring the toffee over the crackers and spreading the chocolate after baking. You don’t need the crackers to maneuver round an excessive amount of on the baking sheet. In the event that they do, nonetheless, do your greatest to nudge them again into place with a spatula.
Christmas Crack Variations
- Extra toppings. I discussed it earlier, however there are a great deal of toppings which you can attempt. Along with the dried cranberries I exploit right here, prime your Christmas crack with crushed sweet canes, pretzels, mini M&Ms, sprinkles, or chocolate chips.
- Add nuts. Sprinkle over crushed pecans, peanuts, almond slivers, hazelnuts, or candied spiced nuts.
- Swap the crackers. Use Graham crackers or Ritz crackers as an alternative of saltines.
- Change up the chocolate. As an alternative of white chocolate, prime your toffee with melted semisweet, milk, or darkish chocolate as an alternative. You too can mess around with melting mint chocolate chips or peppermint chips, like Andes mints.
The right way to Retailer
- At room temperature. Retailer Christmas crack in an hermetic container or Ziploc bag on the counter for as much as 5 days. In case your kitchen is very heat, although, take into account conserving it within the fridge and serving at room temperature as an alternative. It stays contemporary within the fridge for as much as 2 weeks.
- Freeze. I LOVE freezing Christmas crack for last-minute treats down the highway. Freeze the cooled toffee hermetic for as much as 1 month and thaw at room temperature. Separate any layers with a sheet of parchment paper to stop them from sticking.
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Prep. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and grease it with cooking spray.
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Begin with the saltine crackers. Prepare the saltines over the greased foil, one subsequent to a different, in a single layer; put aside.
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Make the caramel. In a small saucepan, mix the butter and light-weight brown sugar. Cook dinner over medium warmth, stirring incessantly, till the butter is melted. Improve warmth to medium-high and produce to a boil; proceed to prepare dinner, stirring incessantly, till it turns a caramel colour; about 1 minute.
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Cowl the crackers. Take away from warmth and pour it over the crackers. The crackers will begin to transfer round; use a rubber spatula to set them again in place. Bake within the oven for 4 to five minutes or till the combination is bubbly.
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Soften the chocolate. Within the meantime, arrange a double boiler and mix chopped chocolate chips and vegetable oil within the prime bowl. Soften the chips, stirring always, till most of it has melted however take away from warmth whereas a couple of lumps are nonetheless current. The chocolate will proceed to soften when you proceed to stir it.
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Assemble. Take away the saltine toffee crackers from the oven. Pour HALF of the melted chocolate over the crackers and easy it out with a knife; let it stand for 1 minute. Then, slowly pour the remainder of the melted chocolate and easy it out once more utilizing a knife or an offset spatula. Add dried cranberries on prime.
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Cool & serve. Place the Christmas crack into the freezer for 20 minutes, or till chilly. Afterward, break it up into items for serving.
- Retailer in an hermetic container.
Energy: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fats: 21g | Saturated Fats: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 6g | Trans Fats: 0.4g | Ldl cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 127mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 294IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 1mg
Dietary information is an estimate and supplied as courtesy. Values might differ in response to the elements and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed information.
