Several years ago I stumbled upon this glorious recipe, someone made on television.  I had come into it late on a news segment and missed the ingredients.  So I searched low and behold for this recipe and then tweaked it my way.  I have made this with Shortcread cookies crushed with butter and pressed into the sheet pan, as well as Ritz crackers, I love the Ritz crackers because they are so buttery, but I think you get more bang for your buck with the saltines as they are a bit larger and yield a better ratio of candy.

This recipe is so addictive, thus garnering the name “Christmas Crack.” I usually make about four batches throughout the holidays and find myself making a batch here and there for Fourth of July, and other occasions as well.  You can vary this recipe in what you top your bark with.  I love the combination of chocolate chips with crushed pecans and toffee chips, but it’s equally good with walnuts, and hazelnuts, and just chocolate chips.  You will definitely want a crunch factor, so use some type of nut with the chocolate.  I even use Christmas colored sprinkles in the mix, for a more festive look.

If you have never had these, you will be hooked with the first bite, even if you are not a big fan of the chocolate and nuts, something about the salty, sweet treat is addictive.  I hope you give these a try, but don’t say I didn’t warn you how flippin’ good they are!

Sinfully,

Susan xoxo

Christmas Crack aka Saltine Toffee Bark

• Servings: 6-8
• Time: 1 hr.
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

A simplified version of a Christmas bark, that's quick, easy, and oh so tasty you will be hooked!

• My sheet pan holds about a sleeve and a quarter, so I upped my chocolate to 2 cups, my butter to 1 1/2 cups and brown sugar to 1 1/2 cups, but my recipe is standard.

Credit: CrazySexySavor.com

 

Ingredients

• 1 sleeve of saltine crackers, I use salted tops
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 1 cup of packed brown sugar, light or dark, I use light
• 1 12 oz package of semi sweet or dark chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup of crushed pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts,
• 3/4 cup of toffee chips (I use Heath Bar Brickle chips)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°  Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.  Lay crackers salt side up on pan, making sure to tightly place them next to one another. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan over medium high heat, heat butter, sugar, bring to boil and continue boiling for 3 minutes.  You can let this go without stirring.  With gloves on, becasue this stuff is hot like lava! Pour evenly over your crackers, try to coat all the crackers but the oven will cause it to spread so don’t stress if it doesn’t appear to go over the crackers evenly.
3. Bake for five minutes.  Remove from oven, immediately sprinkle the chocolate over the hot crackers, let sit for about five minutes to melt.  Then spread the melted chips evenly over the crackers, and toffee layer.  Make sure to cover the evenly with chocolate, top with toffee chips if using, and nuts, sprinkle evenly.  Place tray in refrigerator to cool, or if you have a large freezer like I do, place the whole sheet pan in there to cool rapidly for about 15 to 20 minutes, then break off in using a sharp knife into various shapes and pieces.  It will tend to take on a life of its own as you cut into it, in terms of shapes.  They don’t need to be uniform, that is the beauty of this.  Place in decorative tins, or other airtight container.  Eat at your own risk!! xo