Mini Peanut Butter Cup Christmas Crack aka Chocolate Saltine Toffee is the ultimate chocolate treat for the holidays. It is incredibly easy to make and impossible to resist. Whip up a batch today!
Honestly, this crack recipe is so addictive, in the best way possible. It will have everyone reaching for seconds and thirds.
If you love this recipe, I’d highly recommend making my S’mores Christmas Crack or Oreo Bark for the holiday season.
A holiday tradition known as Chocolate Saltine Toffee to some people, and more recently known as Christmas Crack. I don’t care what you call it as long as you share some with me!
Another day, another holiday treat. This one is a bit unusual for me. I tend to shy away from trends. I really don’t care for the trend of calling all food “crack”. To be honest, it irks me.
Yet here I am calling this Christmas Crack. I mean, the only reason I’m calling it that is because it’s what people know it as.
So, I apologize if anyone hates the name. Or if anyone else is as irked by the “crack” trend as I am. I named it both names that I know it as in the hopes people would know what it was.
I will warn you to watch the caramel mixture as you are warming it up on the stove. Honestly, it can go from a beautiful golden brown to a hideous burned mess in no time flat.
In other words, keep your eyes on it and be ready to pull it off the stovetop quickly. Don’t cook it at high heat. You’ll scorch it!
Now that I’ve scared the crud out of you, and likely offended some people with the name of this treat let’s move on.
What is Christmas Crack:
- This delicious candy is made with saltine crackers, toffee, chocolate and nuts. I wanted mine to have a bit of a twist so instead of just using chocolate chips, I used mini peanut butter cups.
- There are so many variations of this recipe online. You will see people top it with everything from nuts to M&M candies. The possibilities are endless so let your imagination run wild when you make this.
Ingredient Notes:
- Butter – Either salted or unsalted butter work in this recipe.
- Sugar – I used brown sugar for this candy.
- Crackers – Saltine crackers are the way to go for this recipe. Personally, I love salted Premium Plus crackers.
- Peanut Butter Cups – I used mini peanut butter cups for this one.
- Walnuts – Crushed walnuts can be added to the top of this candy.
How to Make Christmas Crack:
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First, heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
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Then, spray a 11 x 7 baking pan with non-stick spray generously. Set aside.
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Next, combine the butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the butter melts and the mixture is very well combined. Stir the mixture occasionally.
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Increase heat a tiny little bit, and bring the mixture to a low boil, you want to cook it for about 2 to 3 minutes, just so it starts to thicken a bit and turn golden brown. Don’t stir it during the process, but you can lightly swirl the pan.
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Then, place the crackers in layers in the pan while the mixture is cooking. I used 30 crackers to line my 11 x 7 pan. It made two layers.
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Next, pour the sugar mixture over top of the crackers as evenly as you can. Place the pan in the oven and cook for about 7 minutes. Remove from oven.
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Toss peanut butter cups over top and cover the pan with foil to help them melt a bit more. Leave covered for about 5 to 7 minutes.
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Then, uncover the pan.
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Next, top with walnut pieces.
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Allow the bars to cool completely.
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Then, break or cut into pieces.
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Serve with a big old chocolate loving smile!
Variation Options for Christmas Crack
Base layer variations:
- Graham Crackers
- Ritz Crackers
- Animal Crackers
- Pretzels
Variations for toppings:
- M&M’s
- Coconut
- Peanut Butter Cups
- Any type of Nut
- Sprinkles or jimmies
- White Chocolate
- Peppermint
- Mini Pretzels
How to Store Christmas Crack
- First of all, make sure the crack is hardened before storing it. To clarify, you can speed up that process by placing it in the fridge for about 30 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes.
- While the crack is setting up and hardening, you can break or cut it into pieces.
- Christmas Crack can be stored in an airtight container and placed in a cool, dry place for 1 week.
- You can also store it in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks.
- You can also store it in the freezer for up to approximately 2 to 4 weeks as well.
- Personally, I like making this about a month before the holidays then storing it in the freezer until I’m ready to gift it to all my friends and family!
More Christmas Recipes:
- Oreo Bark
- Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cookie Stacks
- Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
- Snowflake Oreo Cookie Balls
- Red Velvet Swirl Fudge
- Pistachio Roca
- Chocolate and Peppermint Fudge
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Mini Peanut Butter Cup Christmas Crack aka Chocolate Saltine Toffee
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 30 saltine crackers
- 8 oz mini peanut butter cups
- 1 cup walnut pieces crushed
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Spray a 11 x 7 baking pan with non-stick spray generously. Set aside.
- Combine the butter and brown sugar in a medium saucepan and cook on medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the butter melts and the mixture is very well combined. Stir the mixture occasionally.
- Increase heat a tiny little bit, and bring the mixture to a low boil, you want to cook it for about 2 to 3 minutes, just so it starts to thicken a bit and turn golden brown. Don't stir it during the process, but you can lightly swirl the pan. Keep a really close eye on it because it can go from a beautiful golden brown to a burnt mess in no time flat. As soon as it turns amber turn off the heat and swirl so it doesn't overcook.
- Place the crackers in layers in the pan while the mixture is cooking. I used 30 crackers to line my 11 x 7 pan. It made two layers.
- Pour the sugar mixture over top of the crackers as evenly as you can. Place the pan in the oven and cook for about 7 minutes. Remove from oven.
- Toss peanut butter cups over top and cover the pan with foil to help them melt a bit more. Leave covered for about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Uncover and top with walnut pieces.
- Allow the bars to cool completely. Then break or cut into pieces.
- Serve with a big old chocolate loving smile!
Notes
Nutrition
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Toodles! xx
Karen Weaver says
Rum Balls or anything PB and chocolate are favorites of my gang!
Isabelle @ Crumb says
Dear Kim,
Please send a big box of this to my office ASAP. It’s an emergency. And by emergency, I mean I’m having a massive craving for chocolatey deliciousness after reading this post and I just realised I cleaned out my work chocolate stash a couple of days ago. Surely you wouldn’t want your bestest Toronto buddy to suffer? Sniff sniff.
Sincerely,
Isabelle
Liz says
Now this is the kind of crack I like talking about! Especially with pb cups—it wouldn’t last long around here!
Pamela Gurganus says
My favorite sweet treat to make for the holidays if fruitcake!
MaryAnne JK says
jelly thumbprints and fruited coffee cake like raspberry …mmmm, in the morning with coffee, can’t beat it!
Lisa says
Easily my favorite treat to make for the holidays is Ricotta cookies with Maple or Cinnamon frosting.
heather says
I love to make fudge for the holidays.
Danielle says
My favorite thing to make are chocolate-raspberry truffles!
Laureen says
what a great roundup of recipes!
Laureen says
I love to make White Chocolate Candy Cane popcorn
Linda K says
Hi Kim,
These look delicious! Pinning for sure. My favourite sweet treats are cookies but I never turn my nose up at anything chocolate! Happy holidays!
Teresa says
Christmas means Ricotta cookies and angel wings………..which will be made this weekend/ Awesome giveawy, thanks for the chance to win.
Annie says
Love Christmas Crack
Marcia S. says
Peanut butter fudge, my Grandma’s recipe, it’s a must have!
Linda says
I like making chocolate cake during the holidays.
Dawn Monroe says
I always make my moms fudge recipe, it’s always a favorite. My grandpa use to make popcorn balls and pulled taffy which I would love to make with my grandkids but I don’t have a good recipe and its probably frowned upon these days to cover a kids hands in butter and give them scalding hot taffy to pull. 🙂
Dionne Baldwin says
I’ll take two batches. Mailing you a blank check. 🙂 Curious about this saltine toffee craze and you caught my eye with the magic words “peanut butter cup”!
Betsy @ Desserts Required says
I could get addicted to this kind of crack! It’s interesting that you use saltines. During Passover I make something similar to this using matzo which is very bland. I have to try this to find out how the salt ramps the flavor up a few notches!
Faye Dopking says
I love to make Almond Puff for my husband, friends and family. Everyone gets their own batch so it is a real workout on the arms! I love to follow as many food blogs as I can and Christmas is one of the best times, thanks to all for being so generous with their time and talents.
Faye
Kim Beaulieu says
Thanks so much Faye. You are so sweet. We love when people follow us too, so it’s a win-win situation.
Almond Puff is amazing. I have a feeling you know your way around a kitchen. I love that.
Angela | Mind Over Batter says
Now this is my kind of crack!! It’s definitely not the wack kind!! I’m making this the second I get home today!!
Cathleen @ A Taste Of Madness says
I love making cookies all throughout the holidays. This “Christmas Crack” looks so good!!
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
First off, I love the name of this!! I seriously can’t wait to make this! I bet everyone LOVES it!
Kirsten says
Kim,
I’m ok with either name–it’s delicious and I’ll just eat it all! The first Fall we lived here in Ohio our street had a block party. I brought a salad since I had a bunch of farm share ingredients to use up. Story of my life. A few hours before the party a new neighbor expressed concern that there wouldn’t be enough desserts. I rummaged around in my pantry and had the ingredients for saltine toffee–so I made it and yes, as usual, it was a hit. Very nice to make a batch and get it all eaten the same day!
Thanks for introducing me to a new variation!
jane werthmann says
my favorite thing to make is the seven layer bars and homemade truffles
Tracy Quebral says
Thumbprints!
Anne says
I’ve been hearing friends talk about “Christmas Crack” recently and know I just have to make some with the peanut butter cups. I have Club crackers on hand and wanted to know if I could use them, and if so, how many would I line the pan with? Thanks!
Kim Beaulieu says
Hi Anne, I’ve never tried it with Club Crackers but I assume it would work. Not sure how many, because the size of them is different than saltines. A box is more than enough, you might use half a box, if even that many. I’d layer one layer if the crackers are super thick. If the crackers are thin you could lay two layers of crackers on the bottom. I’ve used saltines in crack recipes, and also chocolate graham crackers. Graham crackers work beautifully. Hope that helps a bit. I wish I could give you a count but I’ve never used that particular cracker so I’m not sure their size. Typically you just lay 1 to 2 layers of crackers on the bottom of the pan. So 1 box is more than enough. You won’t even use them all. Let me know if you have any more questions.
Laura @MotherWouldKnow says
I just happen to have some saltines in my pantry that need to be used up. Would it be such a shame if I made a boatload of this toffee and hid it from the rest of my family? Oops, guess I let my secret out. Making it right after I do the pistachio brittle on your site:)
Deanne Patterson says
My favorite holiday goodie to make is peanut butter blossoms. With 12 children not a lot make it til Christmas day but we make dozen and dozen of other cookies as well.
Sandra L Garth says
Not bothered by the name and this would disappear in a heartbeat!
Kim Beaulieu says
Thanks Sandra. I love this stuff.
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Love chocolate and peanut butter, and peanut butter cups may be the best of the best when it comes to that flavor combo. This does look like crack — but in a good way. 🙂 Happy Holidays!
Kim Beaulieu says
I completely agree John. Have you tried the mini ones from Trader Joe’s yet? I bought some years ago when we were in the states and fell in love with them. Unfortunately we don’t have any Trader Joe’s here so I don’t get to buy them regularly.
Happy Holidays!