Saltine Toffee Grandma Nicknamed Christmas Crack: 14 Cracker Toffee and Chocolate Bark Recipes for Holiday Tins

Saltine toffee is the cheap, crunchy holiday treat that keeps filling Facebook feeds this season, and most families know it by its nickname, Christmas crack. One Passion For Savings reel of the classic version passed 39,000 shares, and a Global Genius clip pulled in more than 17,000 likes. The idea is simple: crackers, a bubbling layer of butter and brown sugar, and melted chocolate on top. About 15 minutes of hands-on work gives you a whole tray to break into shards. Below are 14 versions to fill your cookie tins, starting with the original and moving on to graham, pretzel and matzo toffee, then easy chocolate barks like peppermint swirl, gingerbread and orange hazelnut. There is no fudge, no truffles and no candy thermometer needed, just a sheet pan and a little patience while it chills..

Classic Saltine Toffee With Pecans (the Original Christmas Crack)

This is the recipe everyone means when they say Christmas crack. A single layer of salty saltine crackers soaks up a boiling butter and brown sugar mixture, bakes for five minutes until bubbly, then gets blanketed in chocolate chips that melt on contact. Toasted pecans and a pinch of flaky salt finish it. The sweet and salty crunch is why one tray never lasts. Allrecipes has a well loved version with thousands of reviews if you want to compare notes. Chill it fully before breaking so the layers stay together..

You will need: 40 saltine crackers, 1 cup butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans, flaky sea salt, foil and nonstick spray.

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 400°F and line a rimmed sheet pan with sprayed foil, then lay the crackers in one layer. 2. Boil butter and brown sugar together for 3 minutes, stirring, and pour evenly over the crackers. 3. Bake 5 minutes, scatter the chocolate chips on top, wait 5 minutes and spread smooth. 4. Add pecans and salt, chill 1 hour and break into pieces.

Graham Cracker Toffee, Saltine Toffee’s Sweeter Cousin

Swap the saltines in classic saltine toffee for graham crackers and the toffee turns a little sweeter, with a honey and cinnamon note from the crackers. Many grandmothers made it this way because graham crackers were always in the pantry for pie crusts. The squares break along the cracker lines, so you get neat bars instead of jagged shards. Milk chocolate works especially well here, and a heavy sprinkle of chopped pecans or walnuts keeps the top from being too sweet. These bars travel well in tins.

You will need: 12 full graham cracker sheets, 1 cup butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups milk chocolate chips, 1 cup finely chopped pecans.

How to make it: 1. Line a sheet pan with foil and fit the graham crackers in a single layer. 2. Boil butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes, stir in vanilla and pour over the crackers. 3. Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes until bubbling. 4. Top with chocolate chips, spread when melted, add pecans and chill before cutting.

Pretzel Saltine Toffee Twist With Flaky Sea Salt

Mini pretzel twists make an even crunchier base than crackers, and their salty coating balances the sweet toffee perfectly. Lay them close together so the toffee has something to grab onto, then finish with a thin caramel drizzle and big flakes of sea salt. It is the version people ask for at office parties because every bite has a little crunch. You can even mix pretzels and saltines on the same tray if you run short, since the method is exactly the same as saltine toffee.

You will need: 4 cups mini pretzel twists, 1 cup butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, 1/3 cup thick caramel sauce, flaky sea salt.

How to make it: 1. Spread pretzels tightly in one layer on a foil lined sheet pan. 2. Boil butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes and pour over the pretzels. 3. Bake at 375°F for 5 minutes, add chocolate chips, wait 5 minutes and spread. 4. Drizzle with caramel, sprinkle salt, chill and break into chunks.

Buttery Round Cracker Toffee With White Chocolate and Cranberries

Buttery round crackers are a richer stand-in for saltines in saltine toffee, with a flaky base that tastes almost like shortbread under the toffee. Instead of dark chocolate, this version uses white chocolate and a festive topping of dried cranberries and chopped pistachios, so the tray looks red and green without any food coloring. Because the crackers are round, the toffee fills the gaps between them and bakes into a lacy sheet. Break it into clusters of two or three crackers. It is a pretty choice for gift boxes and cookie swaps.

You will need: 1 sleeve buttery round crackers (about 36), 1 cup butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 cups white chocolate chips, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup chopped pistachios, red and green sanding sugar.

How to make it: 1. Arrange crackers snugly on a foil lined sheet pan. 2. Boil butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes and pour over the crackers. 3. Bake at 350°F for 6 minutes, top with white chocolate chips and spread once soft. 4. Sprinkle cranberries, pistachios and sugar, chill and break into clusters.

Matzo Toffee, the Spring Favorite That Works at Christmas Too

Matzo toffee started as a Passover treat, but it is so good that many families now make it every December as well. Large sheets of matzo are thin and crisp, so the toffee layer feels extra crunchy and the pieces snap cleanly. The method matches classic saltine toffee, just with fewer, bigger crackers to arrange. Many bakers add a pinch of cinnamon to the toffee, or scatter toasted almonds over the chocolate. It keeps for a week in a cool tin, if it lasts that long.

You will need: 4 to 5 sheets plain matzo, 1 cup butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, pinch of cinnamon, 2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds, flaky salt.

How to make it: 1. Cover a foil lined sheet pan with matzo, breaking pieces to fill the gaps. 2. Boil butter and brown sugar for 3 minutes, then stir in vanilla and cinnamon. 3. Pour over the matzo and bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes. 4. Add chocolate, spread when melted, top with almonds and salt and chill.

Salted Caramel Saltine Toffee Triangles

Cutting the toffee into neat triangles instead of breaking it makes it look like it came from a candy shop. The trick is to score the chocolate with a sharp knife while it is still slightly soft, then snap along the lines after chilling. A swirl of salted caramel on top adds a buttery, glossy finish that makes this saltine toffee feel fancy for very little extra work. Serve it on a plate with a little bowl of extra caramel for anyone who wants more.

You will need: 40 saltine crackers, 1 cup butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 2 cups milk or semisweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce, 1/4 cup toffee bits, flaky sea salt.

How to make it: 1. Make classic saltine toffee: crackers on foil, 3 minute butter and sugar boil, bake 5 minutes at 400°F. 2. Melt chocolate on top and spread smooth. 3. Swirl caramel over the chocolate with a spoon, sprinkle toffee bits and salt. 4. Score into triangles, chill 1 hour and snap apart.

No-Cracker Brown Sugar Toffee Bark

If you skip the crackers in saltine toffee entirely, you get a thin English style toffee bark that shatters like glass. The butter and sugar are cooked a bit longer on the stove until they turn deep amber, poured onto parchment, then topped with chocolate and chopped nuts. Pile the pieces into small bowls on the dessert table or pack them in bags for teachers and neighbors. A digital timer is your friend here: once the mixture smells like caramel and darkens, pour it right away.

You will need: 1 cup butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips, 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or almonds.

How to make it: 1. Line a sheet pan with parchment. 2. Cook butter, sugars, water and salt over medium heat, stirring, until deep amber, about 10 to 12 minutes. 3. Stir in vanilla and pour onto the pan, spreading thin. 4. Sprinkle with chocolate, spread when melted, add nuts, cool and break.

S’mores Toffee Bark With Graham and Marshmallows

All the flavor of a campfire treat, made in the oven. Graham crackers form the base, the toffee layer adds caramel crunch, and mini marshmallows go on top of the chocolate at the very end so they stay soft and fluffy. A quick swirl of white chocolate makes it look marbled. Cut it into squares instead of shards so the marshmallows hold together. Kids love helping with this one because the topping step is basically sprinkling. Store it in a single layer so the marshmallows do not stick.

You will need: 12 graham cracker sheets, 1 cup butter, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips, 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, 1 cup mini marshmallows, 1/3 cup crushed graham crumbs, 1/4 cup chopped almonds.

How to make it: 1. Bake graham crackers with the boiled butter and brown sugar at 350°F for 8 minutes. 2. Add milk chocolate chips, wait 5 minutes and spread. 3. Dot with melted white chocolate and swirl with a toothpick. 4. Press in marshmallows, crumbs and almonds, chill and cut into squares.

Peppermint Swirl Bark for Every Holiday Tin

Peppermint bark is the classic holiday chocolate bark, and making it at home costs a fraction of the fancy boxed kind. A dark chocolate layer is chilled first, then covered with white chocolate flavored with peppermint extract. A few drops of red candy melts dragged through the top give it that candy cane swirl. Crushed peppermints add sparkle and crunch. For more old fashioned treats to pack beside it, see our homemade fudge and Christmas candy recipes, which are just as easy to share.

You will need: 12 ounces dark chocolate, 16 ounces white chocolate, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, 1/4 cup red candy melts, 1/3 cup crushed peppermint candies, coarse sparkling sugar.

How to make it: 1. Melt the dark chocolate, spread it on a parchment lined pan and chill 15 minutes. 2. Melt white chocolate with peppermint extract and spread over the dark layer. 3. Drop melted red candy melts on top and swirl with a toothpick. 4. Sprinkle peppermints and sugar, chill and cut or break.

Three-Ingredient White Chocolate Candy Cane Bark

When you need a gift in twenty minutes, this is the one. Melt good white chocolate, stir in a little peppermint extract, spread it on parchment and shower it with crushed candy canes. That is it. The pink and red bits look like snow confetti, and the flavor tastes like a cool winter morning. Use white chocolate bars rather than chips if you can, because they melt smoother. Crush the candy canes inside a zip bag with a rolling pin so the pieces stay small.

You will need: 16 ounces white chocolate, 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, 6 candy canes or 3/4 cup peppermint candies, crushed.

How to make it: 1. Line a sheet pan with parchment. 2. Melt the white chocolate gently in short bursts in the microwave, stirring often. 3. Stir in peppermint extract and half the crushed candy, then spread about 1/4 inch thick. 4. Top with the remaining candy, chill 30 minutes and break into pieces.

Cranberry Pistachio Marble Bark

Red cranberries and green pistachios turn plain chocolate into a holiday bark without any sprinkles. This version marbles dark and white chocolate together, so every piece looks a little different. Drop spoonfuls of each chocolate onto parchment, then drag a knife through them to make swirls before adding the toppings. It is one of the most giftable barks on this list because it looks expensive but costs very little, and it sits beautifully beside saltine toffee in a tin.

You will need: 8 ounces dark chocolate, 8 ounces white chocolate, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, flaky sea salt.

How to make it: 1. Melt dark and white chocolate in separate bowls. 2. Drop alternating spoonfuls onto a parchment lined pan. 3. Swirl together with a knife into a 1/4 inch layer. 4. Press in cranberries and pistachios, add a pinch of salt, chill until firm and break.

Gingerbread Cookie Bark

This bark tastes like a gingerbread cookie dipped in white chocolate. Crushed gingersnaps or leftover gingerbread cookies are folded into creamy white chocolate warmed with cinnamon, ginger and a pinch of nutmeg. Bits of crystallized ginger add a little spicy chew, and a few white sugar pearls make it sparkle. It is a smart way to use broken cookies from your holiday baking. A swirl of melted caramel or milk chocolate on top makes it look extra special for gift tins.

You will need: 16 ounces white chocolate, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, pinch of nutmeg, 1 1/2 cups broken gingersnaps or gingerbread cookies, 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger, 2 ounces milk chocolate, white sugar pearls.

How to make it: 1. Melt white chocolate and stir in the spices. 2. Fold in half the cookie pieces and spread on parchment. 3. Drizzle melted milk chocolate and swirl lightly. 4. Top with remaining cookies, crystallized ginger and pearls, chill and break.

Dark Chocolate Orange Hazelnut Bark

Chocolate and orange is a classic Christmas pairing, and this bark makes it easy. Fresh orange zest stirred into melted dark chocolate gives a bright, fragrant flavor, and toasted hazelnuts add crunch. For a grown up twist, add a tiny pinch of chili or cinnamon to warm things up. Spread it thin on parchment and break it into jagged shards once firm. It pairs well with coffee after a big holiday dinner, and it is a nice choice for anyone who finds other treats too sweet.

You will need: 12 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70 percent), zest of 1 large orange, 3/4 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts, pinch of chili powder or cinnamon (optional), flaky salt, 2 tablespoons chopped candied orange peel (optional).

How to make it: 1. Melt the chocolate gently and stir in the orange zest and spice. 2. Spread 1/4 inch thick on a parchment lined pan. 3. Scatter hazelnuts, candied peel and a pinch of salt over the top. 4. Chill 30 minutes until firm and break into shards.

Toasted Almond Dark Chocolate Bark

Sometimes the simplest bark wins. Rich dark chocolate covered in toasted sliced almonds has a clean, nutty flavor and looks elegant in a tin beside brighter treats. Toasting the almonds first is the key step, because it brings out their oil and makes them taste buttery. Sprinkle some into the chocolate and press the rest on top so every bite has crunch. Finish with a little flaky salt. Like the saltine toffee that opens this list, it takes only minutes of real work.

You will need: 12 ounces dark chocolate, 1 cup sliced almonds, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional), flaky sea salt.

How to make it: 1. Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until golden, then cool. 2. Melt chocolate and stir in almond extract and half the almonds. 3. Spread on parchment and top with the remaining almonds. 4. Add a pinch of salt, chill until firm and break into pieces.