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Sweet and Salty Treat

Featured in Snacks and Bites Everyone Loves.

This treat's got it all—crispy crackers, chewy toffee, and smooth chocolate topped with M&Ms. The caramelized sweetness paired with the salty base and crunchy finish makes it super hard to stop at one bite.
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Updated on Tue, 15 Apr 2025 20:54:41 GMT
A sweet-salty holiday treat Pin it
A sweet-salty holiday treat | mecooking.com
Holiday Toffee Brittle combines the addictive crunch of saltines with gooey caramel and smooth chocolate. This sweet-meets-salty snack makes a fantastic homemade gift or party treat that'll have everyone coming back for seconds.

What You'll Need

  • 1 sleeve saltine crackers (about 40): They bring that essential salty crunch to the base.
  • 1 cup salted butter: Gives the caramel its luxurious texture.
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar: Works with butter to make that yummy, sticky caramel coating.
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips: Form a decadent layer that sets up beautifully on top.
  • 1 cup chopped red and green M&Ms: Add festive pops of color and crunch throughout.

Cooking Steps

Step 1:
Get your oven hot at 400°F. Put parchment paper or foil on a baking sheet and give it a light spray with cooking oil.
Step 2:
Lay out the saltines flat in one layer across your prepped baking sheet.
Step 3:
Grab a small pot, add the butter and brown sugar, and cook on medium heat. Keep stirring until you see bubbles. Let it bubble gently for 3-4 minutes until it looks like caramel.
Step 4:
Pour your hot caramel all over the saltines, trying to cover them evenly.
Step 5:
Stick the tray in your hot oven for 5-6 minutes, watching for the mixture to get nice and bubbly.
Step 6:
Take the tray out and scatter chocolate chips all over the top. Wait about 5 minutes so they get soft and melty.
Step 7:
Take a flat utensil and smooth the melty chocolate across the whole surface.
Step 8:
Toss the cut-up M&Ms on top of the warm chocolate layer.
Step 9:
Put the whole tray in your fridge for 3 hours (or freezer for 30 minutes) until the chocolate isn't soft anymore.
Step 10:
Once it's firm, grab the tray and break everything into random chunks. Time to dig in!

Keeping It Fresh

  • Pop leftover pieces in an airtight container in your fridge and they'll stay good for a week.
  • Want to make it way ahead? It freezes great for up to 3 months. Just let it warm up a bit before you eat it.
  • These treats look super cute tucked into holiday containers as homemade presents for neighbors and friends.

Quick Tricks

  • Watch that butter-sugar mix like a hawk while it's cooking. It goes from perfect to burnt in seconds.
  • Love extra chocolate? Go ahead and throw on more chips before you spread them out.
  • Make it your own by topping with broken candy canes or colorful sprinkles for more holiday cheer.

Expert Advice

  • Martha Stewart says splurging on fancy chocolate will make the flavor much richer and smoother.
  • Ina Garten likes adding just a tiny bit of sea salt on the chocolate for an amazing taste combo.
  • Jamie Oliver recommends using a bendy rubber spatula to get that chocolate layer perfectly smooth.

Reasons to Try This

  • You won't spend hours in the kitchen. It's super fast and uses stuff you probably already have.
  • Nobody can turn down that killer combo of salty and sweet in one bite.
  • You can fix it days ahead when you've got time, then pull it out when guests show up.

Mix It Up

  • Sprinkle smashed candy canes on top for a cool minty kick.
  • Try it with white chocolate instead for a totally different look and taste.
  • Skip the M&Ms and go with chopped walnuts or cranberries for something unexpected.

Christmas Crack

A mix of salty crackers, buttery toffee, melted chocolate, and colorful M&Ms for the holidays.

Prep Time
10 Minutes
Cook Time
10 Minutes
Total Time
20 Minutes
By: Mariana


Difficulty: Easy

Cuisine: American

Yield: 40 pieces

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

01 About 40 saltine crackers (1 sleeve).
02 1 cup of salted butter.
03 Packed 1 cup of light brown sugar.
04 2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
05 1 cup chopped red and green M&Ms.

Instructions

Step 01

Set your oven to 400°F. Cover a baking sheet with foil or parchment and coat with cooking spray.

Step 02

Lay all the saltine crackers flat on the prepared baking tray in a single layer.

Step 03

Melt butter and stir it together with brown sugar in a small saucepan on medium heat. After it starts bubbling, let it simmer for 3–4 minutes.

Step 04

Spread the hot butter-sugar mix all over the crackers evenly.

Step 05

Pop the tray in the oven for 5–6 minutes, just until the mixture bubbles up.

Step 06

Take the crackers out of the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Let them sit for around 5 minutes so the chocolate melts.

Step 07

Grab a spatula and evenly spread the melty chocolate over the crackers.

Step 08

Scatter the chopped M&Ms across the melted chocolate, making sure they’re evenly spread.

Step 09

Put the baking tray in the fridge for 3 hours, or into the freezer for 30 minutes, until firm.

Step 10

Take the firmly set treat out of the fridge or freezer and break it into smaller chunks.

Notes

  1. Let the chocolate fully harden in the freezer or fridge before cracking into pieces.

Tools You'll Need

  • Sheet for baking.
  • Parchment or foil.
  • Cooking spray.
  • A small pot for cooking.
  • A spatula for spreading.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 120
  • Total Fat: 7 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 15 g
  • Protein: 1 g