If you're a fan of Christmas crack, then these Christmas Crack Cookies will be your new favorite holiday dessert. They are so easy to make, and every bite is full of crispy Saltines, toffee bits, and decadent chocolate. These ingredients, combined with a delectable homemade cookie, create an unforgettable experience.
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 15 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 24
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Sweet, salty, buttery, and ultra-crunchy with a caramel-toffee base and chocolate topping.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Hot cocoa, coffee, milk, peppermint desserts, holiday cookie trays, or as a sweet-salty pairing after a savory meal.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes! Stays crisp for up to a week when stored in an airtight container. It can also be refrigerated or frozen to extend freshness.
Summarize and Save This Content On
I adore the saltiness and crunchiness of Christmas crack combined with chocolate (or however you like to make it at home). These chocolate crack cookies take it to the next level. Who knew that those ingredients would be absolutely divine in a soft, sweet cookie? This treat is a stroke of genius, and you have to make it to fully understand what I mean!
Some more amazing holiday cookie recipes include easy stuffed gingerbread cookies and Christmas sugar cookie bars.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It combines two tasty treats: You can enjoy a yummy chewy cookie combined with salty crackers and chocolate, just like with Christmas crack. It's the best of both desserts!
- It has balanced flavors: The mix of savory and sweet is perfectly balanced for a bite that's not too sugary or salty.
- It's budget-friendly: These Christmas cracker cookies are super affordable to make, too. The recipe turns cheap ingredients into a stunning holiday treat.
Ingredients
Here are the most important ingredients needed for this Christmas crack cookie recipe. These give them the texture and flavor to make them true crack cookies!
- Butter: I use softened unsalted butter for this recipe. I let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes or until it's not ice cold. If you only have salted butter, omit the extra salt in this recipe so you don't have salty cookies.
- Sugar: To get the perfect balance of chewy cookies and crispy edges, I use half granulated sugar and half brown sugar.
- Corn syrup: This is an important ingredient in this recipe to help the cookie retain moisture as it bakes. It also aids in the cookie dough spreading evenly in the oven.
- Mix-ins: I add chocolate chips, crushed Saltine crackers, and toffee bits to the cookie dough to add that sweet and salty combo. Of course, you can't forget the Christmas sprinkles as well. Reserve some for garnishing on top, too!
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Peppermint: Top the cookies with crushed candy canes to add some extra holiday flair and minty flavor.
- White chocolate cranberry: Add some dried cranberries to the dough and some extra for sprinkling. Swap the chocolate chips for white chocolate chips for a different look!
- Pretzels: Swap the Saltines or use less and add some crushed pretzels for even more crunch.
How to Make Christmas Crack Cookies
Below are the steps needed to make these chocolate toffee Christmas cookies. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line your cookie sheet with parchment before you start mixing!
Step 1: Beat the wet ingredients. Cream the butter and sugar until it's smooth and fluffy, and then beat in the egg, corn syrup, and vanilla until it's all combined.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients. Next, whisk the dry ingredients in a separate bowl until they are well incorporated.
Step 3: Form the cookie dough. Then, gradually beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms.
Step 4: Fold in the mix-ins. Now you can grab a silicone spatula and fold in the crushed crackers, chocolate chips, and toffee bits.
Step 5: Make the dough balls. Next, separate and roll the dough into 2-tablespoon balls and place about 6 on a cookie sheet.
Step 6: Bake and cool the cookies. Pop the pan into the oven and bake the cookies for about 15 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool.
Step 7: Melt the chocolate. Put the remaining chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl and heat them at 30-second intervals, stirring often until they're melted and smooth.
Step 8: Decorate the cookies. Spread a small amount of melted chocolate on top of each cookie and then sprinkle some Saltine crumbs, toffee bits, and Christmas sprinkles on them. Allow them to set and then enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Use a cookie scoop: I like to use a cookie scoop to ensure that every cookie is the same size. A 2-tablespoon scoop would be perfect for this recipe.
- Any electric mixer works: Whether you use a hand mixer or a stand mixer, either works great. Avoid going old school with a whisk because it takes longer and often doesn't reach the right consistency.
- Let the chocolate set: Allow the chocolate plenty of time to set on top of the cookies. This will make it easier to serve them or transfer them to a container for storage.
If you enjoy Christmas crack recipes, try this pretzel Christmas crack.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store these Christmas chocolate cracker cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature. You may freeze them for up to 2 months!
- Make Ahead: If you like, you can prepare and bake these Christmas cookies a day or two in advance, and then add the melted chocolate and decorations a couple of hours before serving! This is super helpful if they are for a party.
Serving Suggestions
- Some other sweet and salty treats you can serve alongside these Christmas cracker cookies include Thin Mints pretzels, and white chocolate cake popcorn.
- Looking for another fun topping? Try adding some chocolate Cool Whip candy as a decoration for these cookies.
- A hot beverage like cinnamon hot chocolate would pair perfectly!
- For an adult drink, I recommend a winter sangria to complete the holiday experience.
Recipe FAQs
Keep your pan on the middle or top rack of the oven. If it's too close to the bottom, it can cause the cookies to burn on the bottom.
This happens if the butter is too warm. You want it just soft enough to mix with the sugar, but not almost melted.
I don't recommend it because it can make the chocolate topping hard, and that will make the cookies difficult to eat.
More Delicious Christmas Treat Recipes
Do you like Christmas treats? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Christmas Crack Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 cup all-purpose flour divided
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups chocolate chips divided (1 cup for dough, 1 cup for topping)
- ½ cup chopped toffee plus extra for topping
- 1 cup crushed saltine crackers divided (½ cup for dough, ½ cup for topping)
- Christmas sprinkles for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the wet ingredients. Mix in the eggs, corn syrup, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 ¾ cups flour (reserving ¼ cup), salt, and baking soda.
- Form the dough. Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Add mix-ins. Gently fold in 1 cup chocolate chips, ½ cup toffee pieces, and ½ cup crushed saltine crackers. Stir just until combined.
- Shape the cookies. Roll the dough into 2-tablespoon-sized balls and place 6 at a time on the prepared baking sheet, spacing evenly.
- Bake. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set but still slightly soft.
- Cool. Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Melt the chocolate. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the remaining 1 cup of chocolate chips in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
- Decorate. Spread a layer of melted chocolate over each cooled cookie, then top with Christmas sprinkles, additional toffee bits, and remaining crushed saltine crackers.
- Set and serve. Let the cookies cool completely until the chocolate hardens before serving or storing.
Notes
- Store these crack cookies on the counter rather than in the refrigerator, as the chocolate gets hard when it's cold.
- An electric mixer is your friend! Whether it's a hand or stand mixer, both are much better at getting the perfect cookie than your standard whisk.
- Allow the chocolate topping to set before serving to ensure the decorations stay on, and they're easy to move for serving or even storage.
Melinda C. says
Hello,
This is a Wonderful Holiday Recipe, I am going to make these the whole month of December and Beyond!!!!
Thank You So Much
Happy December & Merry Christmas to you Both
Karin and Ken says
Merry Christmas to you too! I’m so glad you like these cookies! I make them all year ‘round. All the best. Karin