Toffee has been a historic part of Christmas celebrations for a minimum of a century. However, the discovery and availability of saltine crackers forever changed how this famous treat was made. I was hooked on crack candy at my first taste years ago! The toffee is light and crisp with a delicious caramel flavor. Often known as Toffee Bark, Saltine Toffee, Xmas Crack, and Saltine Cracker Candy, the recipe is the same regardless of the name. While I love my Easy Shortbread Cookies, they take a while to make and decorate. This Crack candy and my holiday-chex-mix are quick and easy to make, look festive, and make cute and affordable Christmas gifts to share.
Why you’ll love this recipe
No thermometer needed - Some recipes for toffee require constant stirring and candy thermometers to ensure a perfect texture. This recipe requires no extra tools or gadgets. Delicious - The perfect balance of crunchy, sweet, and salty, you won’t be able to stop eating this. It’s addictive! Customizable - There are many ways to switch up the recipe with different crackers and toppings. It can taste like a brand-new candy each time. Perfect for gifting - This is a great addition to a cookie plate or to package and gift independently.
Ingredient notes
Crackers - I like to use saltines as they’re thin and crispy, adding to the texture of the toffee. Butter - My favorite butter to use for most desserts is Kerrygold. Its high-fat content gives it a depth of flavor that works great for the toffee. Brown Sugar - I like to use dark brown sugar as it has a higher molasses content, almost double that of light brown sugar, which gives the toffee a richer taste. Chocolate - I use Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use any brand or variety. Dark chocolate, white chocolate, a mix of 2 different types of chocolates, everything works. Mints - I use any hard red and white mint candy I can source. It can be crushed candy canes or the small round variety I have in the picture. Tahitian vanilla Sea salt flakes- This is not essential, but both the vanilla and sea salt flakes enhance the taste of the toffee and chocolate and take the crack candy to the next level. I highly suggest using this if you can source it.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
No chocolate - Make the crack candy with just the crackers, toffee, and toppings. Different flavors - Add a drizzle of white chocolate, peanut butter, or butterscotch to the chocolate before you sprinkle the toppings. Different crackers - Try the crack candy with graham crackers, Ritz crackers, or Carr’s table water crackers. Different toppings - I love using peppermint for Christmas, but coconut, nuts, candy, or plain old sprinkles work great for the rest of the year. No toppings - Sometimes, keeping it simple works best, and crack candy without any toppings works great.
Step-by-step instructions
First step - Add the butter and brown sugar to a saucepan and cook on high heat. Second step - Watch the mixture as it melts, stirring periodically to mix it well. Third step - Cook until it reaches a boiling mixture, then reduce the heat to medium-high. Fourth step - Cook undisturbed at this point for exactly 3 minutes. This is essential for the toffee to form.
Fifth step - Line a baking sheet with foil, spray it with nonstick spray, and place the crackers in neat rows. The crackers should be evenly lined up and touching but not overlapping. Sixth step - Pour and then spread the prepared toffee evenly over the crackers and bake it in a 350-degree oven for 5 minutes so that it can become a hard and sticky toffee. Seventh step - When you remove the pan from the oven, the toffee will be bubbling, and the crackers may have separated slightly. Gently move them back into alignment and sprinkle the chocolate chips on them as evenly as possible. Eighth step - Within 30 seconds to a minute, you will see the chocolate chips turning glossy. Use a wide spatula and spread them into a thin, even layer over the toffee.
Ninth step - Place the peppermints in a tightly sealed Ziploc bag. Tenth step - Use a rolling pin to break the candy into small pieces. Eleventh step - Sprinkle the crushed peppermint over the slightly melted chocolate. Twelfth step - Place the pan with this prepared crack candy in the fridge for 2 hours. Once completely chilled, remove the foil and cut it into even pieces or break it into jagged pieces for a more rustic look.
Expert Tips
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture then tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
