Melt in your mouth, sweet and salty, this Christmas Crack Candy recipe is perfect for the holidays. If you haven’t tried Saltine toffee yet, what are you waiting for?
Love homemade candy? Try our delicious Divinity candy, peanut butter fudge, and turtles candy next!
Why this Christmas Crack Candy Is Best
Saltine Toffee. Otherwise known as Christmas Cracker Candy. Or Christmas Crack for short.
I’ve been making varieties of saltine toffee for years, but when I’m in a hurry, this holiday favorite is a cinch to whip up!
The first time I tried Christmas Crack, I thought, wow, this is a different texture of toffee than my traditional English Toffee recipe. But, I was intrigued. In love. And I knew I had to try more.
Thus began my love of easy cracker candy recipes.
- No candy thermometer
- Easy to make ahead of time
- Loved by kids and adults
How to make Christmas Crack
Making this holiday saltine cracker toffee recipe is really easy. From start to finish you’ll need less than one hour!
- Prep the Pan. Place a piece of parchment paper (or aluminum foil) on a 15 x 10 x 1-inch baking sheet. Line with 40 saltine crackers in a single layer. This is about 1 sleeve of crackers. Set aside.
- Make toffee. Melt your unsalted butter in a small pan, over medium heat, then add your granulated sugar. Bring this mixture to a rolling boil. Remove from heat once boiling. Pour the melted butter and sugar mixture over the saltine crackers, slowly, making sure that all the crackers have been covered in butter.
- Bake. Bake toffee for about 13 to 15 minutes. You want to make sure that the crackers look lightly browned and caramelized.
- Melt White Chocolate. Remove from oven. In a small bowl, melt the chocolate (I use Ghirardelli white chocolate wafers for best results). Using an offset spatula spread over warm toffee and immediately add sprinkles.
Set and Store. Allow the toffee to set up and harden (about 30 minutes) then use a sharp knife to break into pieces.
PRO TIP: Store Christmas Crack in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days (if it lasts that long). ENJOY!
Variations
There are so many great varieties of Christmas Crack. Choose one of your favorites! Or bake a whole bunch and serve the assortment on a large tray.
- This Peppermint Cracker Toffee is ridiculously easy and delicious. Crisp, buttery toffee topped with white chocolate and peppermint candy! Make the toffee the same way as above, except instead of sprinkles, top with crushed candy canes.
- Another easy recipe variation would be this White Chocolate Pecan Saltine Toffee recipe. Again, using the same saltine toffee recipe as your base, top this cracker toffee with melted white chocolate and chopped pecans. So buttery and nutty, you’ll love the sweet and salty combo!
- Love Cookies and Cream desserts? This Oreo Toffee is topped with a combo of semi-sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips. Once you’ve swirled your chocolates, add your crushed Oreo cookies for a finishing touch!
- This Peanut Butter Cracker Toffee recipe is downright delicious. Add some peanut butter to your butter and sugar mixture and you’ll have a new melt in your mouth treat. Top with melted white chocolate and enjoy!
- Another holiday Christmas Crack recipe: Cranberry Pistachio Saltine Toffee. Salty and sweet, tart and delicious.
- These Brickle Bars (graham cracker toffee) were actually the first cracker toffee recipe I ever ate…and then made for the blog!
Homemade Candy Recipes
Christmas Crack Recipe
Ingredients
- 40 saltine crackers
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 10 oz Ghirardelli white chocolate wafers
- sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Line a 15x10x1-inch baking sheet with parchment paper then with the saltine crackers. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add in sugar and bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Once it begins to boil, remove from heat.
- Pour over saltine crackers. Place in a 375°F oven for about 13-15 minutes, until crackers are browned and caramelized.
- Remove from oven. Melt white chocolate and spread over the top of warm toffee. Add sprinkles immediately (if desired).
- Allow chocolate to set and break into pieces. Store in airtight container for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Check your oven temperature. Cracker toffee can go from not ready to burnt in a minutes. Keep your eye on the toffee and remove when lightly browned.
- Instead of removing individual pieces of crackers to cool, instead allow to cool as a whole on baking sheet. When set, crack into bite sized pieces.
- Don’t worry about melting chocolate separately. Instead, put white chocolate on hot toffee and place in oven for one minute. Use an offset spatula to smooth evenly.
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
Video
Nutrition
Melt in your mouth, sweet and salty, this Christmas Crack Candy recipe is perfect for the holidays. If you haven’t tried Saltine toffee yet, what are you waiting for?
This turned out soooooooo well. An absolute hit and super easy to make. I used crushed cany canes instead of sprinkles.
Everyone loves this! I like it without the chocolate topping. Just made a batch for daughters choir bakesale. Put in cute Temu boxes. Easy recipe.
I was looking for a sweet treat to make for a Super Bowl party using ingredients I already had in the house. This is a winner! Thank you for the recipe.
Can I use almond bark instead?
Sure can 🙂
I realize I may be the only person stupid enough to use a baking sheet with no sides. In case there are others, that’s a really bad idea!!
About half way through the 13-15 minute baking process, the butter mixture turns into a lazy river and the crackers float off the pan.
The house fills with smoke and the fire detectors start screaming the hallelujah chorus. Oy vey!! Waiting for house to air out and oven to cool off so I can clean it and start over.
Are there any other tips for a non– baking bubble head like myself?
Second batch worked out just fine. Thanks for this recipe. Delicious!!
Loved your post! Made my day!
I found this recipe last year (2021). My family and I have loved it ever since!
It’s not just good at Christmas time.
It’s an all-year-round candy.
My absolute favorite recipe for it as well!!
can i use digestive cookies that are in my pantry?
Absolutely!
could I use my Ritz crackers that are sitting in the pantry ?
Yes you can!
TY !
Have you ever tried freezing portions of this? I’m hoping I can freeze some of it.
Would Triscuit crackers work in this recipe? It’s all I have right now.
I haven’t tried with triscuits…they might be too “cracker-y” 🙂
I never tried it ,, but I will though for sure ,,all kinds of different ways to fix it I see ,, thanks for sharing
How long does it take for the chocolate to set? I used milk chocolate and it’s been half an hour and the chocolate is still soft to the touch…putting it in the freezer for a bit…🙏🏽
Maybe your home is too warm 🙂 Here in midwest we stick everything in garage or outside, haaha!
Mine did that before…I realized I left it to “cool” on the stove top that was warm from the oven. Lol
Holy cow. This stuff is amazing. I sprinkled the top with crushed candy canes. And now running out to buy more supplies.
Great recipe!
Does this freeze well?
Hi!
I know it says “melt in your mouth” but is it truly? I love toffee & caramel type things. I’m so leery as I had major dental done.
Could this become a go to for me?
Thank you!
No nevermind someone ate the Saltines.. Grrr
I have used almond bark for the several times I made it at Christmas and now when I made a double batch for Valentines. Worked perfectly! I also used chocolate bark once. So yum! Such an easy recipe! Thank you!
I’m going to use Almond bark… hope this works.
Did almond bark work?
I love the sweet and salty combination to this! It’s exactly what I crave at night after putting the kids to bed. Perfect little me time.
I make this every Christmas! Seriously so delicious and perfectly sweet and salty!