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This post is all about Christmas Cracker Toffee.
The Ultimate Sweet-and-Salty Holiday Treat You’ll Make on Repeat
If there’s one holiday recipe that everyone talks about, craves, and fights over the last piece of it’s Peppermint Candy Cracker.
Also known as Peppermint Christmas Cracker Toffee, this easy-as-can-be recipe combines crispy saltine crackers, buttery toffee, melted chocolate, and crushed candy canes into one irresistible festive bite.
It’s the perfect blend of sweet, salty, crunchy, and minty and it only takes about 20 minutes of hands-on time.
Whether you’re baking for a cookie exchange, packaging holiday gifts or just want something you can’t stop snacking on while wrapping presents this recipe’s got your back.
⭐ Why You’ll Love Peppermint Candy Cracker
- 5 ingredients, 20 minutes, no candy thermometer. That’s holiday magic right there.
- Beautiful and festive. The red-and-white candy cane topping gives it major Christmas sparkle.
- Make ahead friendly. It stays crisp and delicious for up to two weeks in the fridge.
- Crowd-pleaser. Great for cookie trays, class parties, neighbor gifts, and snack tables.
- Customizable. You can add nuts, drizzle white chocolate, or use graham crackers instead of saltines.
🎅 Ingredients You’ll Need
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Saltine crackers | About 1 sleeve (35–40 crackers) | Can also use club crackers or grahams |
| Unsalted butter | 1 cup (2 sticks / 225 g) | Salted butter works too, just reduce extra salt |
| Brown sugar | 1 cup (200 g) | Light or dark; dark gives a deeper caramel note |
| Chocolate chips | 2 cups (340 g) | Semi-sweet, milk, or white — or a mix |
| Crushed candy canes | ½ cup (about 4–5 large canes) | Or peppermint baking chips for less crunch |
| Optional | Pinch sea salt, white-chocolate drizzle | Adds balance and contrast |
🍬 Equipment
- 10 × 15 inch baking sheet (with rim)
- Aluminum foil or parchment paper
- Saucepan
- Rubber spatula
- Offset spatula or knife for spreading chocolate
🎄 Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat and Line
Preheat your oven to 400 °F (200 °C).
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment, and lightly grease it (or spray with non-stick). Arrange your saltines in a single, tight layer — no overlapping, no gaps. You want a nice even base for your toffee.
Pinterest SEO tip: Include “saltine toffee” or “Christmas crack” in your image alt text when you upload process photos.
2. Make the Toffee Layer
In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar.
Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, whisking occasionally. Once boiling, cook for 3–4 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
👉 Tip: Don’t stir constantly; just give it a swirl now and then. Over-stirring can cause graininess.
Pour the hot toffee evenly over the crackers and spread it quickly with a spatula to coat all corners. Work fast — the mixture sets fast!
3. Bake Until Bubbly
Slide the tray into the preheated oven and bake for 5–6 minutes, or until the toffee is bubbling all over and looks caramel-colored.
Remove from the oven and set on a heat-safe surface.
4. Add Chocolate
Immediately sprinkle your chocolate chips evenly over the hot toffee layer. Let them sit for 2–3 minutes to melt from the residual heat.
Then use an offset spatula to gently spread the melted chocolate into a smooth layer, covering all the crackers.
Optional twist: Use a mix of dark and white chocolate, swirling them together for a marble effect.
5. Sprinkle Crushed Candy Canes
While the chocolate is still warm, sprinkle crushed candy canes or peppermint chips evenly on top. Gently press down so they adhere to the chocolate.
This is where the Christmas magic happens — the shiny bits of red and white sparkle like holiday confetti.
6. Chill and Crack
Let the tray cool completely at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour (or freeze for 20 minutes) until fully set.
Once hardened, lift the entire sheet out of the pan using the foil edges. Break into pieces with your hands — big shards for gifting, smaller bites for nibbling.
Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 1 week, or refrigerated up to 2 weeks.
🍭 Tips for Peppermint Candy Cracker Perfection
✅ Use fresh candy canes. Old ones absorb moisture and become sticky.
✅ Don’t over-bake. The toffee should be bubbling, not dark brown. Burnt sugar = bitter.
✅ Line the pan properly. Foil or parchment makes removal and cleanup easy.
✅ Play with flavors. Add mini marshmallows, drizzle white chocolate, or sprinkle crushed Oreos.
✅ Package like a pro. Stack pieces in clear bags or tins, add ribbon + tag, and you have the cutest edible gift!
💡 Variations to Try
- Double Chocolate Peppermint: Use dark chocolate as the base and drizzle melted white chocolate on top before adding candy canes.
- Mint Oreo Cracker: Sprinkle crushed mint-Oreo cookies instead of candy canes.
- White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cracker: Skip semi-sweet and use white chocolate with red-and-green sprinkles.
- Hot Cocoa Cracker: Top with mini marshmallows and drizzle dark chocolate for that cozy cocoa vibe.
🎁 Gifting & Storage Ideas
Peppermint Candy Crack makes the perfect holiday edible gift. Try these ideas:
- Layer different flavors (Peppermint, Gingerbread, Maple-Pecan) in small tins for a Toffee Sampler Box.
- Use clear treat bags, tie with twine and a candy-cane charm.
- Add printable “Made With Love” or “Santa Approved” tags (you can make these in Canva or Word).
- Keep the container sealed — humidity is toffee’s worst enemy.
🍫 Recipe Card
Peppermint Candy Cracker
Yields: 35–40 pieces | Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 10 min | Chill time: 1 hr
Ingredients:
- 1 sleeve saltine crackers
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- ½ cup crushed candy canes
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C). Line a baking sheet and arrange saltines in one layer.
- In saucepan, melt butter and sugar, boil 3–4 min until thick. Pour over crackers and spread evenly.
- Bake 5–6 min until bubbling. Remove and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let melt, then spread smooth.
- Add crushed candy canes. Press lightly.
- Cool, chill 1 hour, then break into pieces. Store airtight.
🍥 Nutrition (Approx. per piece)
| Calories | Fat | Carbs | Sugar | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160 | 9 g | 19 g | 15 g | 1 g |
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use graham crackers instead of saltines?
Yes! The toffee will be slightly sweeter but still crunchy and delicious.
Q: Can I make this gluten-free?
Absolutely — just use gluten-free saltines or matzo crackers.
Q: My chocolate separated from the toffee — why?
It’s usually from spreading before the toffee cooled slightly. Next time, let it sit 1–2 minutes before adding chocolate chips.
Q: How far in advance can I make it?
It keeps beautifully for up to two weeks in an airtight container, so go ahead and make it ahead of Christmas.
Q: Does it freeze well?
Yes — freeze in layers separated by parchment for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
❤️ Final Thoughts
Peppermint Candy Cracker is the holiday treat that never fails. It’s nostalgic, easy, and wildly addictive the kind of dessert that makes people ask, “Can I have this recipe?” before they’ve even swallowed their first bite.
So go ahead grab that sleeve of saltines, melt some butter, crush those candy canes and let your kitchen smell like the holidays.
Because nothing says Christmas joy quite like a tray of peppermint cracker candy glistening, crunchy and ready to be devoured.
