The Most Popular Holiday Dessert of 2024 Is Perfect For Gifting

I made my first batch of Christmas cracker candy a few years ago and quickly fell in love with the classic holiday treat. Until then, cookies had always been my go-to edible gift, but this recipe won me over with its sweet-salty crunch and super-easy prep. I now make a big batch every winter to share with family and friends and—considering it’s Simply Recipes’ top holiday dessert recipe—I wouldn’t be surprised if our readers do, too.

What Is Christmas Cracker Candy?

If you have yet to experience the magic of Christmas cracker candy, it’s an irresistible confection featuring saltine crackers, toffee, and chocolate. You pop it into the fridge and out comes a toffee candy that’s sweet and salty, buttery and crisp.

Not only is it delicious, but this candy is quick to make with a handful of pantry staples, and doesn’t require any fancy equipment or baking know-how—perfect for the busy holiday season.

Tips for Making Christmas Cracker Candy

To make Christmas cracker candy, start by covering a sheet pan with nonstick aluminum foil, followed by a layer of saltines. Next, you’ll cook a simple caramel sauce, pour it over the crackers, and bake it for a few minutes. Finally, smooth on a layer of melted chocolate and pop the pan into the fridge to cool. The beauty of this recipe is how easy it is to make, but a few tricks can make it even better. Here’s what I’ve learned over the years:

• Use nonstick aluminum foil. The caramel sauce is sticky and it’s no fun trying to pry your candy off the pan (trust me, I’ve been there!). Lining it with nonstick aluminum foil will make it far easier to remove. If you only have regular foil, be sure to spray it with baking spray.

• Opt for chopped chocolate instead of chips. Chocolate chips are covered in a non-melting coating that can prevent them from sticking to the toffee. You should also avoid high-cacao chocolates since they tend to be more brittle and will separate from the cracker layer.

• Don’t let the toffee cool for too long. The recipe calls for letting the caramel cool for no more than a minute since it needs to be warm for the melted chocolate to stick.

• Cool in the fridge, not the freezer. It may be tempting to stick the Christmas cracker candy in the freezer, especially if you’re in a hurry, but we recommend chilling it overnight in the fridge. Freezing can cause the chocolate and cracker layers to separate when you break the candy. If you need to freeze it, let the crackers warm up for about 10 minutes before cracking.

• Customize it to your heart’s content. My favorite thing about Christmas cracker candy is how easy it is to make it my own. Sprinkle on some flaky sea salt to amp up the salty notes or decorate it with a generous handful of holiday sprinkles. Top with chopped nuts, crumbled pretzels, crushed candy canes, shredded coconut, mini marshmallows, or M&Ms—you get the idea!

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