Description
The classic five-ingredient holiday candy—salty crackers, quick brown-sugar toffee, and a smooth chocolate top—that breaks into crisp, giftable shards.
Ingredients
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Saltine crackers, ~180 g (about 40 crackers)
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Unsalted butter, 226 g (1 cup/2 sticks)
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Packed light brown sugar, 200 g (1 cup)
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Pure vanilla extract, 5 ml (1 tsp), optional
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Semisweet/dark chocolate chips or chopped bars, 340 g (2 cups/12 oz)
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Flaky sea salt or chopped toasted pecans, 30–60 g (2–4 Tbsp), optional
Instructions
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Heat oven to 175 °C / 350 °F. Line a 9×13 in / 23×33 cm metal pan with foil and parchment. Arrange crackers in a tight single layer.
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In a saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar over medium, stirring to combine. Bring to a steady boil and cook 3 minutes (about 115–120 °C / 240–248 °F), glossy and foamy. Stir in vanilla off heat.
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Pour syrup evenly over crackers. Bake 5–8 minutes until the surface is bubbling everywhere.
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Remove pan; immediately sprinkle chocolate over the hot toffee. Rest 2 minutes, then spread smooth. Top with flaky salt/pecans.
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Cool 10 minutes, then chill 30–45 minutes until firm. Lift out and crack into shards.
Notes
Bake to full-surface bubbles for a crisp set; under-baked toffee stays tacky. For a room-temp-stable snap, temper chocolate before spreading. For slow-cooker candy clusters, see Crockpot Christmas Crack.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10–12 minutes