By Becky Hardin
Updated Oct 13, 2025
This Christmas crack recipe is a great festive treat, and I absolutely love it! I’ve taken saltine crackers and topped them with a buttery, rich toffee and melted chocolate chips, and finished them with crunchy pecans and festive sprinkles for an easy holiday treat I guarantee will disappear in minutes.
Pin this recipe for later!
5-Star Review
“My first time making it. 😃 Super easy! Super yummy and elegant enough for the holidays.” -Michelle
Christmas Cracker Toffee Recipe
I just can’t get enough of this Christmas crack recipe! Perfectly sweet and crunchy, it’s a breeze to make, and I have to admit, I can never stop at one square! I’ve slathered the salty crackers in a butter and brown sugar combination that’s topped with melted semi-sweet chocolate chips and then finished with pecans. I decorated this batch with red, white, and green sparkles for a fun and festive snack, but you can easily adapt the sprinkles for any occasion.
Tips for Beginners
- Leave an overhang of foil . Let the foil hang over the sides of the baking sheet so that the Christmas crack is easy to remove, and you don’t get the buttery toffee stuck to the edges.
- Stir the toffee . While the toffee boils, stir continuously or it will burn and stick to the bottom of your pan.
- Spray your spatula. Spray your spatula or spoon with non-stick cooking spray as the caramel mixture is very sticky.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 32 saltine crackers 102 g
- ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter 226 g (2 sticks)
- ▢ 1 cup brown sugar 213 g
- ▢ 2 cups chocolate chips 340 g, white or semi-sweet also work
- ▢ 1 cup pecans 125 g, try pretzels or your favorite nut
- ▢ sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line a 9×13-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place rows of crackers on the baking sheet, covering it completely. Set aside. 32 saltine crackers
- In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir continuously and bring to a boil until it reaches 275°F. 1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup brown sugar
- Pour the hot mixture over the saltine crackers.
- Bake for 4 minutes. Turn off oven.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over top. 2 cups chocolate chips
- Put pan back in warm oven for 1 minute to melt chocolate chips.
- Using a spatula, smooth chocolate chips out.
- Sprinkle pecans and sprinkles over top. 1 cup pecans, sprinkles
- Cool and allow chocolate to harden.
- Break into pieces and enjoy.
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9×13 Baking Pan
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Christmas Crack Step by Step
Prep oven and ingredients: Gather your ingredients. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a 9×13-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Heat butter and sugar: Heat 1 cup of butter and 1 cup of brown sugar over medium heat, stir continuously, and bring to a boil until it reaches 275°F.
Place 32 saltine crackers on the baking sheet, covering the sheet completely.
Pour the hot butter mixture over the saltine crackers.
Bake toffee: Bake the crackers for 4 minutes and then turn off the oven.Take the tray out of the oven and sprinkle with 2 cups of chocolate chips.
Return the pan to the oven for 1 minute so that the chocolate chips can melt. Use a spatula to smooth the chocolate chips out over the crackers.
Decorate: Sprinkle 1 cup of pecans and decorative sprinkles over the chocolate.
Let the chocolate cool so it hardens.
Break into pieces and enjoy.
How to Store Christmas Crack
Transfer uneaten Christmas crack to an airtight container and store for up to a week. Christmas crack can be enjoyed straight from the fridge.
This Christmas treat freezes pretty well, so be sure to make a double batch! Either wrap the whole slab or individual pieces in plastic wrap and foil and place in a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge or quickly at room temperature.
Serving Suggestions
I love placing this Christmas crack on my holiday dessert table along with copycat Pepperidge Farm Milano slices cookies , this decadent Christmas bark , and some festive splatter paint Christmas cookies.
more sweet treats
Crockpot Turtle Candy
Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Crockpot Candied Nuts
Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge
Christmas Crack (Cracker Toffee Recipe)
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 9x13 Baking Pan
Ingredients
- 32 saltine crackers 102 g
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226 g (2 sticks)
- 1 cup brown sugar 213 g
- 2 cups chocolate chips 340 g, white or semi-sweet also work
- 1 cup pecans 125 g, try pretzels or your favorite nut
- sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line a 9x13-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place rows of crackers on the baking sheet, covering it completely. Set aside. 32 saltine crackers
- In a medium saucepan, heat the butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Stir continuously and bring to a boil until it reaches 275°F. 1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup brown sugar
- Pour the hot mixture over the saltine crackers.
- Bake for 4 minutes. Turn off oven.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over top. 2 cups chocolate chips
- Put pan back in warm oven for 1 minute to melt chocolate chips.
- Using a spatula, smooth chocolate chips out.
- Sprinkle pecans and sprinkles over top. 1 cup pecans, sprinkles
- Cool and allow chocolate to harden.
- Break into pieces and enjoy.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
