christmas cracker recipe

 This salty, sweet, crunchy, and chewy treat, often called Christmas Crack, is sure to become a favorite! Made with just five ingredients, you can whip it up in only 15 minutes.

Every Christmas, Saltine Cracker Candy was a cherished staple in our home, a treat that instantly brought the holiday spirit to life. Back then, we didn’t have fancy tins or decorative boxes for our holiday goodies. Instead, we relied on practical solutions—leftover ice cream pails or plastic tubs—storing them on the patio where the chilly winter air acted as nature’s refrigerator. If the temperature dropped to extreme lows, the stash was safely tucked away in the garage.

One of my favorite traditions was assembling the ultimate Christmas morning cookie plate. It felt like an art form, carefully selecting a little bit of everything from my mom’s annual baking marathon. I’d pile a few of each delicious treat onto our special large glass Christmas plate, creating a vibrant, sugary mosaic of holiday flavors. Every bite was a testament to the love and effort my mom poured into making the season magical.

Christmas Crack always went on top and it was always the first treat to disappear. To this day, the cookie plate remains my favorite holiday tradition.

Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Chocolate: Sometimes chopped bar chocolate works better than chocolate chips. To melt the chocolate, you can either 1). melt it in the microwave and pour it over the top, or 2). sprinkle the chips on the hardened caramel topping, let them sit for a minute to melt, and then spread the softened chocolate chips with a spatula.
• Toppings: Try chopped pecans, pretzels, OREOs, M&Ms, toffee bits, peanut butter cups, toasted coconut, coarse sea salt, candy canes, or drizzles of white chocolate. Or, just leave it plain!

Step-by-step instructions

I highly recommend a candy thermometer so you know when the caramel hits the right stage in hardness.

  1- Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a 15” x 10” x 1” pan with parchment paper, foil, or a silicone mat. Line up crackers in a single layer in rows on prepared sheet.

  2- Meanwhile, using a candy thermometer, melt butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 to 3 minutes (270 to 290 degrees if using a candy thermometer).

  3- Immediately pour over crackers and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake 5 minutes or until the candy hardens. Remove from oven.

   4- Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second increments at 50% power until melted. Spread over hardened caramel. (You can also sprinkle the chocolate chips over the hardened candy, pop it back in the oven until melted, and spread after that).

   5- Sprinkle nuts or other toppings and press into the chocolate using a greased spatula. Cut into squares while warm. Cool completely for at least 15 minutes and store in the refrigerator.

Recipe tips and variations

Yield: This recipe makes about 12 servings of Christmas Crack.

Storage: Depending on the season and the humidity, Christmas Crack should keep well in an airtight tin or container for about a week or longer at freezing temps (like on your patio or in your garage, Midwestern friends!).

Freezer: Christmas Crack freezes well! Break or cut it into pieces and store it in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months.