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While I was surfing around the internet the other day, I came across a recipe for a candy with an intriguing name: Christmas Crack. I now know that the name is accurate not just because you crack the candy into pieces. After I glanced at the 4 ingredients (crackers, butter, sugar, chocolate), I was smitten. Fortunately we have a party to go to tonight that made for a good excuse to make some.
I made up my first batch yesterday, and whoa nelly, is this stuff bad news bears. Just look at the first thing you do:
You get yourself one whole packed cup of dark brown sugar. Good start, right? Then you cook up the brown sugar with a friend.
Those things swimming in there that look like hot dogs? That’s the butter. Two entire sticks. Paula Deen would be proud.
While that’s boiling, you arrange the crackers in a lined jelly roll pan. The original recipe calls for saltines, but on advice from a trusted source, I used Club crackers. Because they are more buttery. And this recipe needs more butter.
Pour the caramelly, buttery goodness over the crackers and bake. Try not to drool like Hootch as the smell of ambrosia fills your house.
Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle with an entire bag of chocolate chips. Let ’em get all melty-like. ~sigh~
Ohhh, momma.
Whoa, daddy.
After the chocolate is all smoothed out, let it cool for awhile. Then put the pan in the freezer for two LONG hours. During this time I may or may not have retreated to a dark cave to bemoan my loss of The Precious.
Take the pan out of the freezer, peel off the tin foil, and crack it up into little bite-sized pieces. Of course, I had to sample some of it to make sure it wasn’t poison.
Have mercy.
At this point, I was seriously considering running away with the crack and marrying it like Pee-Wee did with the fruit salad.
I tried to package up the crack as fast as I could to ensure there would actually be some to take to the Christmas party tonight.
These are the leftovers that wouldn’t fit in the pretty tin. Any guesses as to how long it will last? I’ll give you a hint: Two of those pieces were already gone before I put the lid on the container.
I paid the price though. All that butter and fat gave me an attack of the GERD like you wouldn’t believe. If any of you actually know what that acronym stands for, you have probably experienced the agony I am talking about. Just a stern reminder from my body that crack is bad, m’kay?
Editor’s Note: I apologize for all the random, obscure references to pop culture and my medical history in today’s post. It’s the crack talking.
Christmas Crack
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
a sleeve of club crackers
12 oz. chocolate chips
In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar in the butter and bring them to a boil. Boil for three minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil. Cover the foil with a layer of club crackers.
Pour the buttery/sugary mix over the crackers, making sure they are all saturated. Put pan in the oven for 10 minutes.
Take pan out and sprinkle chocolate chips over the crackers. Let sit until chips soften. Spread the chips with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Freeze for two hours.
Remove the pan from the fridge and peel off the aluminum foil. Crack it up into pieces, whatever size you’d like. Store in a container and refrigerate until you’re ready to eat!
Check out all my crack candy recipes:
One would think htat parchment paper would work better. Did the foil tear at all?
I actually use the foil to help bend the pieces where I want to crack the crack lol. Really helps allot. Never had a problem with the foil, I think parchment paper would maybe make the crack soggier since it will kind of absorb the grease and get wet.
This stuff is SOOOOOO good!! I tried to introduce my in-laws to said goodness over Thanksgiving, but we only had margarine. Yeah…you should always use the real butter, or you end up with a big gooey mess of stuff.
Paula – The foil did tear but it peels off of the bottom of the candy very easily. I broke the candy into rows (along each row of crackers) and then I peeled the foil off. Then I broke the rows into smaller pieces. It only took a few minutes.If you try it with parchment paper, let me know how it turns out!
I've made this recipe for many years. When I got the recipe it was called "Magic Toffee Brittle". No one can ever guess that the bottom layer is crackers! I also add chopped pecans to mine. You put them on right after you spread the melted chocolate. If you have grandkids (or kids) that don't like nuts you can do half and half. And I've never had any trouble with it sticking to the foil. There's too much butter in it to stick.Debbie
Oooh, Jessica. That is MY kind of crack! Darnit! Now I have something else to try and make for Christmas!
When this recipe first came out it was called something like "Poor Man's Toffee," but after sampling it, "Christmas Crack" is more descriptive. And accurate.Give this as Teacher's Gift and watch Little Poindexter's grades go up! Not that I'd do that, but, well, I keep this in my bag of "Just In Case".
OMG, references to Hooch AND Pee Wee marrying the fruit salad? I heart you!
Looks delish! I was giggling all the way through your post. It was Pioneer Woman worthy.
Ok my mouth is watering. Need to get the ingredients!
I finished my crack today! I added some sprinkles to the top, and it's in the freezer right now 🙂
I just made this this evening! YUM! My whole family enjoyed our crack 🙂
Normally, recipes make my eyes cross. I get lost in boredom before I get to the end…but this! You have changed the game! From now on, only you should be allowed to write recipes. 🙂 I loved all the random pop culture references and humor. And….I'm even inspired to try and make this. Thank you!vanessa
Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this again 🙂 Can't wait to make some tomorrow!!
I will always have a special place in my heart for Christmas Crack 🙂
I tried this for the first time not long ago and was determined to find the recepie so i can make my own…im definatly gunna make mounds of this for christmas!
It's SO good! You might end up having to hide it from yourself!
OMG! This blog entry had me in stitches! I thoroughly enjoyed your obscure references of pop culture! Oh yes, I will be trying this version of the crack, because more butter makes it taste better ya’ll!
I decided to try tnis..it is worth ever penny…as i cooked this i got busy an left it alittle to long so oven started smoking, fire alarm went off , an alarm people called …I answered phone they wanted to know if i needed a firetruck…I told them NO,i was cooking Crack an i burnt. The crack…they called the police. I had to tell them Christmas Crack……so i shared the reciepe….but it a day to remember….
Hi Jessica, wondering if there is alternative to soda crackers for this Christmas Crack recipe? Anything else you have tried or can suggest? I am worried I won’t be able to find these in my local store…
Thanks for your help and can’t wait to try this very soon! ( Bake swap coming up…I think I want to try this!)
You can use saltines, club crackers, or even graham crackers!
so good added some pecan pieces to mock turtles. Soooo good!!
Decided to make this at the last minute before a dinner party. Several of my guests are gluten intolerant but the only gluten free crackers I had in the house were round shaped Rosemary garlic……….ah, what the heck. I tried it. OMG. They were freaking amazing and NO ONE could tell….in fact so many ppl wanted the recipe that I had to come clean…….no one believed me and thought I was purposely sabotaging the recipe
Jessica,
Hands down, you are my favorite blogger! I read your posts not only to get your recipes and fabulously creative ideas, but to get a good laugh! You should do “stand up.” You are freaking HILARIOUS!!!
Oh, and I’m going to make the “Christmas Crack” tonight…you know, the Holidays are coming and I need to start experimenting. Thanks also for the “heads up” on the GERD reaction. I’ve purchased a Gigantic Bottle of Rolaids, just in case.
Your Greatest Fan, Jennifer
Thank you for the sweet comment! It made my day!
Lol…I always test my food and tell my family I have to check it isn’t poisoned! Great minds right???
Did you use milk chocolate chips or semi sweet
For my classic version, I use semi-sweet chips. I’ve used both milk chocolate and dark chocolate chips for other batches, and they were yummy too!
Why do I have to keep the Christmas in the Fridge until ready to serve? Some of the other recipes do not say to keep in fridge? Thanks
You don’t have to refrigerate it. I just keep mine in there to make sure it doesn’t melt since the chocolate isn’t tempered.
I’ll tell you what’s easier than foil… I’ve used this recipe for years and it became so much easier when I discovered silicone cookie pans! No more peeling. Just dump and break!
A great idea!