Gingerbread Christmas Crack Candy

Gingerbread Christmas Crack Candy is a festive, flavorful take on the holiday treat you know and love. Made with gingerbread spices, you get a holiday kick with the cracker candy – coated with chocolate of course! 

Christmas crack candy is addictive AF. It’s basically saltine cracker toffee, if you aren’t familiar with the recipe.

Seriously, the more you eat it, the more you want it!

I personally love this super simple recipe because it is a fantastic and EASY treat to make this time of year.

Of course, just like my king cake crack candy, I had to put my own holiday twist on the recipe! And that twist is…

Gingerbread.

Instead of just plain ol’ caramel, this candy has a gingerbread toffee flavor that makes it even better than the Christmas crack candy you may have had in the past! It’s downright delightful and perfect for holiday gatherings. You get the flavor of gingerbread, along with chocolate and salty crackers. It’s got all the flavors you love, plus a cracker texture that is just the right CRUNCH.

Not to mention, it’s easier to make than gingerbread LOL. Curl up with some pieces and a glass of Christmas gin or, for a non-alcoholic option, a gingerbread latte for the perfect holiday treat.

Other yummy holiday treats: Christmas Shortbread Cookies | Crockpot Cinnamon Almonds | Ginger Cranberry Orange Loaf Cake | White Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Cookies

ingredients

crackers. Saltine crackers are preferred for this recipe! However, you could also use Ritz crackers if you prefer.

butter. All you need is unsalted butter for this recipe.

sugar. We recommend using light brown sugar, but you could also use dark brown sugar if that’s all you have on hand.

spices. You will need a combination of ground allspice, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and ground cloves to get the gingerbread flavors!

vanilla. Use a high-quality vanilla extract for all of your favorite recipes! We make our own homemade vanilla extract. You can also buy this Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract.

chocolate chips. I like to use mini chocolate chips for the chocolate topping! They melt super quickly so you can easily spread them over the top. There’s no need to temper the chocolate this way! It makes it really simple. Mini chocolate chips are usually semi-sweet chocolate chips, but I believe you can also track them down as mini milk chocolate chips too!

sprinkles. These are completely optional but they make it look a lot more festive!

this recipe’s must-haves

To bake the cracker candy, you’ll need a half sheet baking pan (make sure it’s rimmed!). 

For the caramel sauce, you’ll need your favorite saucepan and wooden spoon!

here’s how to make gingerbread christmas crack candy! 

Prep Crackers

Line a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spray it lightly with cooking spray. I recommend using parchment paper here. Do not use wax paper or aluminum foil as I’ve had trouble with those sticking too much. It can be hard to remove once everything is hardened!

Add the crackers in rows in a single layer to the pan, placing them side by side. Set aside for later.

Make Caramel Sauce

Melt the butter with the sugar and spices in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the brown sugar mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for about 3 minutes until smooth and thick. Remove from heat.

Stir in the vanilla extract – be careful as the mixture will bubble up! Stir until combined.

Bake

Pour the caramel over the crackers slowly, spreading it evenly over the crackers with a spatula. Bake for 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and top with chocolate chips. Let it sit for 5 minutes and the chocolate chips should be melted. If not, you can place it in the cooling oven for about 1 to 2 minutes. Spread the chocolate to coat the candy crackers evenly. 

Decorate with your favorite sprinkles!

Chill

Chill for 30 minutes in the freezer and break the candy into pieces. Store in the fridge in an airtight bag or container!

Need some more inspiration for dessert? Check out my dessert recipes page!

can I use a different cracker?

If you want to change things up, you can use Ritz crackers or even cinnamon graham crackers as the base for this recipe. The saltine cracker is our personal preference though!

how long does Christmas crack candy last?

This candy will last in the refrigerator for about 1 to 1 1/2 weeks! I doubt it’ll stick around that long though… But it’s an easy recipe to make ahead of time for a party or for a snack on Christmas Day!

why did my toffee come out grainy?

There are two possibilities if your caramel sauce came out grainy. The first is that it didn’t cook long enough to dissolve the sugar. The second is that it was cooked too long and became clumpy. You need to keep a close eye on it when you make it!

can I add nuts?

You certainly can! You can use chopped nuts like pecans, peanuts, or walnuts on top of the melted chocolate instead of sprinkles. You could also use chopped up toffee bits, candy canes, or whatever else you think would taste good. Even a little sprinkle of flaky sea salt can be an elegant finishing touch. Heck, even chopped pretzels are delish on top.

Need another holiday treat? Cranberry white chocolate oatmeal cookies are festive and spiced! Alternatively, go with a classic like milk chocolate shortbread… Really any Christmas cookies will work! Or simply ditch the idea of another cookie and make Christmas Rice Krispies.

how to store

Store. Store in an airtight container or in a resealable bag in the refrigerator or in a cool place at room temperature. The candy will last about 3 to 4 days at room temperature. It will last up to one week in the refrigerator.

Finally, if you make this gingerbread christmas crack recipe, please be sure to give this recipe a star rating on the recipe card and/or leave a comment! I love to hear when you all make recipes, and I do take the time to respond to every single comment.

Feel free to drop questions below too, if you have them!

Oh and be sure to tag me on Instagram if you make the recipe! I love being able to see these recipes come to life in your homes – it’s my favorite thing to look through those photos. It really means the world to me!