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Saltine Cracker Toffee, also known as Christmas Crack, is the ultimate holiday treat made with only five simple ingredients. A layer of buttery crackers gets topped with caramelized brown sugar, melted chocolate, and a swirl of peanut butter, creating that perfect balance of salty, sweet, and crunchy in every bite. This easy Christmas crack recipe is a holiday staple that’s quick to make and absolutely addictive.
Whether you call it saltine Christmas crack or saltine toffee, it’s a treat that always disappears fast from cookie trays. Perfect for holiday gifting or serving alongside classics like our Best Fudgy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, Rum Balls, or even a Churro Christmas Tree, this is the easiest Christmas candy you’ll ever make.
What Makes Saltine Cracker Toffee Work
The beauty of Saltine Cracker Toffee lies in its simplicity: just five pantry staples come together to create a candy that tastes far more indulgent than the effort it takes. The saltine crackers form a crisp, buttery base that balances the rich sweetness of the caramel and chocolate.
What makes this easy Christmas crack recipe truly shine is the contrast of flavors and textures. The caramel seeps into the crackers for a melt-in-your-mouth crunch, the chocolate adds smooth richness, and the peanut butter swirl gives it a nutty, irresistible finish. It’s the perfect mix of salty, sweet, creamy, and crunchy, all in one festive bite.
What Goes Into Saltine Cracker Toffee
This Saltine Cracker Toffee comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients, each one playing an important role in creating that irresistible salty-sweet crunch. Here are the stars of the recipe:
- Saltine Crackers: The crisp and lightly salted base that holds everything together while adding just the right amount of crunch.
- Butter and Brown Sugar: These melt down into a rich caramel layer that soaks into the crackers, giving the toffe e its signature sweet chew.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Smooth, melty chocolate balances the sweetness of the caramel and creates a luscious topping.
- Peanut Butter Chips (Reese’s): Swirled into the chocolate, they add nutty flavor and a creamy finish that makes this version extra special.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How To Make Saltine Cracker Toffee
- Prep Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment and lightly spray with non-stick spray.
- Arrange Crackers: Lay saltine crackers in a single layer to cover the tray. Break a few in half if needed to fill any gaps.
- Make Toffee: Melt butter over low, then stir in sugar and increase to medium. Bring to a boil and cook until deep caramel in color.
- Coat Crackers: Immediately pour the hot toffee over the crackers. Working quickly, spread it into an even layer with a spatula.
- Bake and Melt: Bake for 4–5 minutes until the toffee is bubbling. Remove, sprinkle chocolate chips over the top, return to the oven for 2 minutes to soften, then spread into a smooth layer.
- Swirl and Set: Scatter peanut butter chips over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes, then swirl with a fork. Cover and refrigerate until firm, peel off the foil, break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.
A batch of Saltine Cracker Toffee is even more irresistible when paired with cozy holiday treats. Try it alongside Cappuccino French Toast with Coffee Cream for a sweet breakfast-style indulgence that doubles as dessert.
For drinks, keep things festive with a mug of Nutella Hot Chocolate or the extra-indulgent Peanut Butter Nutella Hot Chocolate. The creamy richness of these drinks balances the salty-sweet crunch of the toffee, making the whole spread feel warm, cozy, and holiday-perfect.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! While classic saltines give the perfect salty crunch, graham crackers, Ritz, or even matzo can be used for a fun twist.
Not at all. The peanut butter swirl is optional; you can swap it with white chocolate, butterscotch, or leave it as classic chocolate saltine toffee.
Make sure the caramel is hot and spread evenly before topping with chocolate chips. Let the heat from the toffee melt them before spreading.
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Christmas Crack
Ingredients
- 35-40 saltine crackers broken into individual squares
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 8 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
- 4.5 oz peanut butter chips Reese's
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with aluminium foil or parchment paper (baking paper). Spray with non-stick spray.
- Arrange crackers in a single layer in rows on the tray. (You may need to break some crackers in half to fit the last column.) Set aside.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter on low heat. Add the brown sugar and increase heat to medium. Bring the toffee to a boil while continuously stirring, then allow to boil for 3 minutes until it turns caramel in colour (set a timer if you need too).
- Pour the toffee over the crackers. Working quickly, spread the toffee evenly over the crackers with a spatula.
- Bake in hot oven for 4-5 minutes or until beginning to bubble. Remove from the oven and top with chocolate chips. Return to the oven for a further 2 minutes (for the chocolate chips to melt), remove, then spread the melted chocolate over the top with a clean spatula or knife.
- Add the peanut butter chips on the chocolate, let sit for 2 minutes to melt, and using the end of a fork, swirl the melted peanut butter chips through the chocolate.
- Cover with foil and refrigerate until set or freeze for 15 minutes until chilled.
- Peel the foil off of the back of the crackers; break up into pieces and serve or store in an airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve made toffee many times but with salted butter. Why the unsalted butter in this recipe?
Thank you!
Hi Debi!
You are welcome to use salted butter with this recipe as well. It all depends on what you like for taste. Thanks for following along with me! xo
What size baking sheet to you recommend
Hi Michele, I use an 11×17-inch baking sheet!
Do not use mini chocolate chips! I ruined the whole batch with them! They don’t melt the same as the regular ones and get gritty when spread! I’ve made a similar recipe before with good results. Not the recipes fault. That’s just all I had at the time.
Sandy!
Thanks for the comment and for following along with me. xo
Easy and soooo delicious! Next time, instead of peanut butter, I’m going to try walnuts on half the pan and crushed Oreos on the other…
LaSonia,
I am so glad that you like the recipe. Your substitutions sound great. Please give me feedback on how it tastes. I would love to know. Thanks for following along with me!! xo
Hello! Is there any thing else you can use in place of toffee?
Unfortunately the toffee is the main ingredient but you could try chocolate and caramel but it will change the taste and texture of the end product. Please let me know if you try this and what it tastes like. I would love to hear. Thanks for following along with me!! xo
love your recipes
Thanks for the feedback. I am so happy you enjoy them!!
Do you continue to stir the toffee during the 3-minute boiling period?
Hi Lisa,
Yes, you will want to continue to stir it so that it does not burn. Thanks for following along! xo
Wondering if actual peanut butter can be used!! For some reason I LOVE peanut butter but can’t stand the taste of pb chips! 🙂
Hello Amy!!
I have not tried it that way but you could try to melt peanut butter, then make your own chip from that. Please let me know if you try it and how it turns out! Thanks for following along. xo
Are peanut butter chips available in Australia? I’ve never seen them here.
Yes! They are in the baking isle. Sometimes it is hard not to eat the whole bag ;)!
Okay, so I made this the other night and can I just say WOW. This is properly called “crack” because I had ONE PIECE when I got hot from work last night and that turned into dinner. This is a dangerous recipe that I will be repeating (when I have unsuspecting people to share the portions with)!