Of all of the many, many things I cook and bake, for my husband, one thing reigns supreme.  “Christmas Crack” or Saltine Toffee Candy.  It is the thing he requests on his birthday, or any time I give him an option about what I should make for dessert.

Christmas Crack is the perfect name for it.  Yes, it’s a play on the “crack”er on the bottom, but it is also highly addictive.  Dish soap addictive.

Several Christmases ago, my husband brought me home one of these delicious “cookies” to try: somebody had brought them to a potluck at his work, and he wanted me to figure out what they were and how to make them.  For the LIFE of me, I couldn’t figure out what the crunchy part on the bottom was made of.

A couple of years ago, I was perusing through allrecipes.com, and I saw them.  The exact same thing.  Wouldn’t you know it, the bottom of it is a Saltine cracker!  This delicious, savory candy is THE perfect combination of sweet and salty.

Did I mention that this absolutely could NOT be easier, and that it will make you very, very popular at whichever event you bring it to?

Enjoy!

Ingredients
40 saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped nuts, sprinkles, or crumbled toffee for topping. (my favorite combo is crushed, salted almonds)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Arrange the crackers in a single layer on the baking sheet so that there are no empty spaces in between them. 

Place the butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir while the butter melts, and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Once boiling, carefully pour the sugar-butter mixture over the crackers on the baking sheet in an even layer, trying to cover most of the crackers. If you miss some spots, don’t worry as the toffee will spread in the oven. 

Bake the toffee crackers at 350 degrees for five minutes, or longer,  until the toffee is bubbling all over. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for one minute. 

Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the hot toffee, and allow them to sit for one minute to soften and melt. Once softened, use an offset spatula or knife to spread the melted chocolate over the entire surface of the toffee in an even layer. While the chocolate is still sticky, sprinkle the top whatever you are using for a topping.

Refrigerate the pan to set the toffee and chocolate for about 30 minutes. Once set, break into small uneven pieces by hand, and enjoy! Store uneaten saltine toffee in an airtight container for up to a week.