This Saltine Toffee is next-level good! With buttery brown sugar toffee topping crispy saltine crackers, all topped by a layer of chocolate, this addicting holiday treat is also known as “Christmas Crack” for a reason.
It’s super simple to make, too! With only four ingredients (plus any optional toppings) and only about 10 minutes hands-on time, it makes a nice big batch of holiday deliciousness with not a lot of effort.
Table of Contents
- The Story Behind the Recipe
- Why You’ll Love Saltine Toffee
- Ingredients
- Adaptations/Variations
- How to Make Saltine Toffee
- Tip for Success
- More Christmas Sweets Recipes
The Story Behind the Recipe
I first shared this recipe back in 2010, on my first blog. It was called “pine bark” back then, which understandably is a name that didn’t stand the test of time, considering pine bark is more commonly known as, you know, the bark of a pine tree.
There are a few recipes that didn’t make the transition from my first blog to Kitchen Treaty, and this saltine toffee, sadly, was one of those casualties. But, today, I’m here to remedy that, with a classic, off-the-charts delicious treat that I make every Christmas without fail.
I remember the first time I made this recipe, many years ago, I wasn’t sure about the idea of using saltine crackers as the base. I thought it was weird. I WAS WRONG. Because it is glorious. The crispy crunch of the crackers + the salt + toffee + chocolate?! Nirvana.
Why You’ll Love Saltine Toffee
This saltine toffee recipe is SUPER easy to make. Sugar cookies and gingerbread people have their place, sure, but they take some effort.
Saltine toffee, meanwhile, makes an awesomely large quantity of Christmas goodness with very little hands-on effort. Okay, so it’s not quite as easy as classic peppermint bark, but it’s darn close!
Ingredients
- Saltine crackers – You’ll need one sleeve of saltine crackers, or about 35 crackers. Make sure you get salted crackers!
- Butter – I almost always buy unsalted butter just so I can better control the salt level in my recipe. In this case, the salt on the crackers is plenty.
- Brown sugar – Light or dark both work. Make sure it’s packed into your cup!
- Chocolate chips – I go with plain ol’ classic semi-sweet chocolate chips. Milk chocolate or dark chocolate are also good!
Adaptations/Variations
- Mix up the toppings: Top the chocolate with flaky sea salt (as pictured), M&Ms, or colorful sprinkles.
- Add extract: A dash of almond or vanilla in the cooked toffee is always a great addition!
How to Make Saltine Toffee
First, you’ll line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then you’ll line your saltine crackers up on the baking sheet. Then, you’ll create your toffee in a saucepan by boiling the butter and brown sugar together.
Pour the toffee over the saltine crackers, then slip it into the oven to bake for a few minutes. As soon as you pull it out of the oven, pour the chocolate chips over the top, then let them rest for a few minutes to get melty.
Once the chocolate chips have melted, use an offset spatula or butter knife to evenly spread the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with toppings, if you want (I’m partial to an extra dose of salt in the form of flaky Maldon sea salt).
From there, let your saltine toffee cool to room temperature. The chocolate and toffee will solidify, and you’ll be left with a glorious slab of saltine toffee! Just lift the parchment off of the pan, and use a big chef’s knife to cut the toffee into smaller pieces.
Tip for Success
- Take care when cooking your toffee. This is really the only tricky part about this recipe. If you undercook the toffee, it might end up grainy. Overcooked toffee can be crystalized and burned tasting. So follow the directions exactly: As SOON as it comes to a full boil, set a time for 3 minutes, then remove it from the heat at exactly the 3 minute mark.
I hope you’re as big a fan of saltine toffee as we are! It’s a must-have for our holiday cookie platters and I’d be so honored if some of this toffee found its way to yours.
More Christmas Sweets Recipes
- Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies (coming soon!)
- Gingerbread Trees
- Fruit & Nut Chocolate Clusters
- Oreo Bark
Saltine Toffee (Christmas Crack) Recipe
Ingredients
- 35 salted saltine crackers (1 sleeve)
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Optional toppings
- Christmas themed sprinkles
- Red & green mini M&Ms or regular size M&Ms
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a 15"x10" cookie sheet with rims with parchment paper.
- Lay a single layer of crackers in the pan.
- Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. As soon as it comes to a full boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for exactly 3 minutes (set a timer!), stirring constantly.
- Pour the brown sugar butter mix over the saltine crackers, so that it's evenly distributed.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. It will be very bubbly when you pull it out. Place it on a cooling rack and immediately sprinkle with the chocolate chips.
- Wait a couple of minutes for the chocolate chips to begin melting, then use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread the melted chocolate evenly over the saltines and caramel.
- If you'd like, you can add Christmas themed sprinkles and/or M&Ms. I love to use mini M&Ms on these. A light layer of flaky sea salt is always good, too!
- Let the saltine toffee cool until hard (this may take an hour or more). If you want to accelerate the process you can place it in the fridge to cool.
- Cut into squares to serve.
Hi! I’m Karen – I’m a real person with real recipes. No A.I. here! Since 2009, every recipe on Kitchen Treaty is thoroughly tested and loved before I hit “publish.” I’m a home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m a vegetarian married to a carnivore, and my goal is to coexist deliciously.
Made a double batch of these and they didn’t disappoint! Shared with coworkers, friends and family. Some asked what drugs were in the goodies! Definitely great combo and flavors. Definitely make these again for Christmas goodies and gifting.
I originally made these with my mom from an old fashioned country cookbook and I always try to find the right recipe online every Christmas. This one was definitely it. Thanks for helping me recreate memories of me and mom at Christmas time.
I love that this saltine toffee recipe helped bring back those memories – nothing better. Thank you so much for the review, and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!