Description
These Christmas Crack Cookies combine the irresistible crunch of saltine crackers topped with buttery toffee and melted chocolate, folded into a soft, brown-butter cookie dough. Finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt, these festive cookies deliver a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and rich buttery flavors, ideal for holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Christmas Crack Toffee
- 9 saltine crackers
- 6 tbsp salted butter
- 6 tbsp brown sugar
- 3/4 cup (150g) chocolate chips
- flaky sea salt, for garnish
Brown Butter Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (222g) salted butter, browned
- 1 cup (246g) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (115g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups (342g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Christmas Crack Base: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper and arrange the saltine crackers evenly to cover the bottom. Set aside.
- Make the Toffee Coating: In a small saucepan, combine 6 tablespoons of salted butter and 6 tablespoons of brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, then stop stirring. Let it boil for 2 1/2 minutes to thicken the toffee, then immediately pour it evenly over the arranged saltine crackers.
- Bake the Toffee Crackers: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 6 minutes until the toffee is bubbly and fully coats the crackers.
- Add Chocolate Topping: Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle 3/4 cup of chocolate chips evenly over the hot toffee layer. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the chocolate to melt, then spread smoothly over the surface. Cool completely, then place in the freezer while preparing the cookie dough.
- Browns the Butter: Melt 1 cup of salted butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Continue heating, stirring constantly, until the butter bubbles, turns golden brown and emits a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl.
- Mix the Cookie Dough: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Add 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar to the browned butter and mix thoroughly for 1 minute. Add 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, mixing until smooth and fully combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sift together 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Gradually add the dry mix to the wet ingredients and stir until combined into a very soft dough.
- Incorporate the Toffee Pieces: Remove the toffee cracker slab from the freezer and chop it into small, bite-sized pieces. Fold these toffee chunks gently into the cookie dough to distribute evenly.
- Shape the Cookies: Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, portion out 3 tablespoon-sized dough balls onto parchment or silicone-lined baking sheets, leaving space between each. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt to enhance flavor.
- Rest the Dough: Let the cookies rest at room temperature for 10 minutes to allow the dough to settle for even baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for 9-11 minutes or until cookies have spread and the surface is no longer glossy but still soft in the center.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet to set completely before enjoying.
Notes
- Ensure to cook the toffee mixture for the full 2 1/2 minutes boiling time to achieve the right hard crack texture.
- Brown butter adds a rich, nutty flavor to the cookie dough – do not skip this step.
- Resting the cookie dough before baking helps control spreading for perfect cookie shape.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Be careful when handling hot toffee on the crackers to avoid burns.
