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, simple, and excellent for events and gifting.
On the lookout for simpler Christmas treats? Attempt my festive Christmas bark, these chocolate caramel popcorn balls, and my simple 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 (pink wine + cola, don’t knock it ‘til you attempt it!). I 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 suppose that they name this Christmas crack as a result of it’s a) simply as addictive as, say, crack hen, b) it’s made with crackers, and c) it “cracks” once you break it up earlier than serving. It’s one in all 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’ll be able to 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 awesome snack all season lengthy.
- All events. Saltine cracker toffee additionally makes an awesome stocking stuffer, classmate present, celebration 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 substances, plus any toppings, to make a beneficiant batch of this cranberry white chocolate Christmas crack. Try my notes right here, and scroll all the way down to the recipe card for a printable substances listing with the total recipe particulars.
- Saltine Crackers – That is our crispy, salty cracker base. In case you don’t have saltines in the home, Ritz crackers or Graham crackers make an excellent substitute.
- Butter and Brown Sugar – You’ll soften the butter and brown sugar collectively to make a straightforward home made toffee. You should use gentle or darkish brown sugar.
- White Chocolate – White chocolate bars will soften extra easily, nonetheless, chocolate chips additionally work nice right here. It’s also possible to use darkish chocolate, milk, or semisweet chocolate. The higher high quality you utilize, the higher your Christmas crack will probably 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 improper technique to beautify your saltine toffee.
Tips on how 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 continuously, till the colour deepens. Pour that evenly over the saltines. Your crackers may 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 consistently whereas the chocolate melts, and take it off the warmth simply earlier than it’s absolutely 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 good 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. Be certain 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. In case you aren’t comfy 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 finest 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 that you may 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 a substitute of white chocolate, prime your toffee with melted semisweet, milk, or darkish chocolate as an alternative. It’s also possible to mess around with melting mint chocolate chips or peppermint chips, like Andes mints.
Tips on how 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, contemplate conserving it within the fridge and serving at room temperature as an alternative. It stays recent within the fridge for as much as 2 weeks.
- Freeze. I LOVE freezing Christmas crack for last-minute treats down the street. 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 forestall 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. Organize 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 continuously, till the butter is melted. Enhance warmth to medium-high and convey to a boil; proceed to prepare dinner, stirring continuously, till it turns a caramel shade; 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 consistently, till most of it has melted however take away from warmth whereas a number of lumps are nonetheless current. The chocolate will proceed to soften whilst 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 offered as courtesy. Values might differ based on the substances and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed information.
