Christmas Cracker Candy
A classic treat that satisfies every sweet-salty craving, Christmas Cracker Candy has crisp Saltines, soft caramel, melted chocolate, and all the toppings your heart may desire. Besides the absolutely irresistible taste, my favorite thing about this treat is how easy it is to make in a big batch — perfect for sharing!

A classic Christmas treat.
Christmas cracker candy — or “crack candy,” presumably named for the play on words between the salty crackers that comprise its base plus its extremely addictive tendencies — is a classic Christmas treat that only came on my personal radar a few years ago. Since then, however, I’ve made more batches than I’d really like to say, and consumed an amount bordering on outrageous.
While most recipes for this treat are essentially the same — pour soft-boiled caramel over a tray of Saltines, top with chocolate — this is the version I’ve settled on as our family favorite. I knew it was a winner when my Mom and older brother both asked for this exact recipe after sampling some last Christmas.
This is one of the first candies I think of when filling treat bags for neighbors or school events, because it’s so delicious and easy to make in bulk. Even one tray yields about 40 pieces, but it’s barely more work to make two trays at a time.

How To Make Christmas Cracker Candy
Prepare the Pan. You will want a large rimmed sheet pan, such as this half sheet pan that is a real workhorse in my kitchen. Lining the pan is an absolute necessity for this recipe! Many recipes suggest doing so with aluminum foil, but I try to limit the use of foil when possible, and have found that parchment paper works perfectly here — it will literally and easily peel off the bottom layer after cutting the candy, even if caramel has seeped underneath. A silicone baking mat can work, as well.
Arrange Crackers. Lay Saltine crackers out in a single layer over the parchment or silicone mat. Get them as close to the edge as possible, breaking crackers in half if you need to.

Make Caramel. Don’t be intimidated by this: you will literally just melt a lot of butter and brown sugar together over medium heat and let the resulting mixture bubble for roughly two minutes. We’re not going for a hardened caramel, just a soft, pourable layer. Remove from the heat and stir in a smidge of salt and vanilla. Pour this gently over the crackers — ideally gently enough that it doesn’t slosh the crackers around — and smooth as best you can into an even layer.
Pro Tip
Don’t worry if a lot of the caramel mixture runs under the crackers. This used to stress me out and now I know it doesn’t matter at all, as long as you lined the pan!
Bake Momentarily. Pop the pan into a 300 degree F oven for just about 4 minutes. This helps the caramel to set just a touch more.
Top with Chocolate. Scatter chocolate chips over the caramel layer. It’s important to do this immediately after removing the pan from the oven, so the residual heat will melt the chocolate chips. If you waited too long for any reason, or your chocolate chips are just extra stubborn, pop the pan back into the oven for a minute or two, then smooth out the chocolate.
Pro Tip
An offset spatula is the best tool for smoothing out caramel and chocolate in recipes like this. It’s also ideal for frosting cakes and cookies and completing many other kitchen tasks with ease!
Chill and Cut. Let the pan rest on the counter until it is close to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours, or overnight. After this you can cut or break apart the candy into bite-sized pieces.
Topping Ideas for Christmas Cracker Candy
Although this candy is absolutely delicious with nothing more added, it can also be super fun to sprinkle on toppings for added flair. Some ideas we have tried:
- Chopped pecans, almonds, pistachios, or hazelnuts.
- Chopped peanuts (admittedly we haven’t tried this because my daughter is allergic but doesn’t it sound good!?)
- Festive seasonal sprinkles.
- Small pretzels.
- Miniature M&Ms or other small candies.
Just be sure that you add these toppings right away after smoothing out the chocolate. Once the chocolate sets even a little bit they will no longer stick.
Related Recipes
- Christmas M&M Blondies
- Shortbread Toffee Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Christmas Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
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Christmas Cracker Candy
Ingredients
- 40-50 saltine crackers
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks, see note
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- pinch kosher or sea salt
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups chocolate chips
- optional toppings such as sprinkles, chopped pecans, pretzels, M&Ms, or other candy
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a 15”x10” rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Arrange saltines in a single layer in rows on the sheet.40-50 saltine crackers
- Melt the butter and brown sugar together in a medium saucepan, stirring frequently. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it bubble for about 2 minutes, stirring almost constantly once it is boiling. Stir in salt and vanilla, then remove from the heat.1 cup butter, 1 cup light brown sugar, pinch kosher or sea salt, 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the butter mixture over the crackers right away, and use a spatula to spread it into a thin, even layer. Don’t worry if a lot of the caramel mixture runs under the crackers, just distribute it as best you can. Place baking sheet in the oven and bake for 4 minutes, then remove from the oven.
- Right after removing the pan, sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel layer. Let sit for 1-2 minutes, then use a spatula to spread chocolate into another thin, even layer. (If the chocolate is not melting enough to spread easily, pop the baking sheet back in the oven for another minute or so.)2 cups chocolate chips
- Quickly sprinkle any toppings on top of the chocolate. Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to the fridge to set for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Cut or break the candy into bite-sized pieces, then store tightly-covered at room temperature for up to a week.optional toppings
Notes
- Butter: I typically use unsalted butter but using salted butter is no problem and will only very marginally change the taste of this recipe. If worried about excess salt, just leave out the pinch that is added with the vanilla.