Description
Christmas Crack Cookies, also known as Cracker Toffee Cookies, combine buttery toffee with crunchy Ritz crackers, topped with melted chocolate and festive sprinkles. This easy no-fuss holiday treat is perfect for gift-giving or festive parties, featuring a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and crunchy textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Base
- 24 Ritz crackers
Toffee
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks, salted or unsalted)
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
Topping
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or a combination)
- 1/4 cup sprinkles (or crushed candy canes, M&M’s, etc.)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (175℃) and place a cupcake or muffin liner into each cup of a muffin tin for easy cleanup and shaping.
- Arrange Crackers: Place one Ritz cracker into each muffin cup, lining the base evenly for the toffee layer.
- Make Toffee: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine 1 cup butter and 1 cup packed brown sugar. Stir occasionally and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Continue boiling for 3 minutes or until the toffee is bubbling vigorously and turns an amber color, indicating caramelization.
- Pour Toffee: Remove the pan from heat and carefully ladle about 2 teaspoons of the hot toffee over each Ritz cracker, covering them evenly.
- Bake Toffee: Place the muffin tins in the preheated oven and bake for 3 to 5 minutes, until the toffee just starts bubbling, ensuring the sugar is set and the crackers absorb some of the buttery flavor.
- Add Chocolate: Remove the tins from the oven and immediately sprinkle 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly over the hot toffee layer. Let the chocolate chips sit for 1 to 2 minutes to soften and begin melting, then use a spatula to spread the chocolate smoothly over the toffee. If the chocolate resists melting or smoothing, return the tin to the oven for another 1 to 2 minutes, then spread again.
- Decorate and Cool: Sprinkle 1/4 cup of sprinkles or your choice of crushed candies evenly over the melted chocolate while still warm. Let the cookies cool completely at room temperature or refrigerate them for 30 minutes to 1 hour to set the chocolate firmly.
- Serve and Store: Once cooled and hardened, pop each cookie out of the muffin tins and enjoy. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for longer freshness.
Notes
- Using salted or unsalted butter will slightly alter the saltiness of the final cookie; salted butter adds an extra savory touch.
- You can customize the chocolate chips by using milk chocolate, white chocolate, or a mix for different flavors.
- Sprinkles can be swapped out with crushed candy canes, M&M’s, or chopped nuts for variation and festivity.
- Be careful when handling hot toffee as it can cause severe burns.
- These cookies are best stored in an airtight container to maintain their crispness and prevent chocolate from blooming.
