Ritz Cracker Toffee combines buttery brown sugar toffee, crisp crackers, smooth chocolate, and colorful sprinkles for just $0.28 per serving. This Ritz version is often called “Christmas Crack” just like the saltine version because it is genuinely hard to stop eating once you start.
In our house, holiday baking is a family affair with eight kids, so I’m always looking for ways to make the kitchen part of our Christmas traditions. This is one of those recipes that brings everyone together because there is always someone ready to grab a piece as soon as it is ready.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Sweet and Salty. The buttery toffee and chocolate balance the salty, crispy Ritz crackers.
- Budget-Friendly. At just $0.28 per serving, it is an affordable treat to make for a crowd.
- Great for Gifting. Break it into pieces and package it in tins or bags for homemade gifts.
- Makes a Big Batch. With 36 servings, there is plenty to share at holiday gatherings.
- Just 5 Ingredients. Ritz crackers, butter, brown sugar, chocolate chips, and sprinkles, all things you can grab at any grocery store.
- No Candy Thermometer. The toffee only boils for a few minutes, so you’re watching the pan, not a temperature.
Creating recipes for my family has taught me that some of the most memorable desserts don’t need to be complicated or elaborate. I enjoy developing recipes that use familiar ingredients in unexpected ways, and this one is a fun example of how a few simple ingredients can become something people remember.
You may also want to make Grinch Bark and Christmas Fudge.
Ingredients
- Ritz Crackers. You’ll need about 60 crackers (2 sleeves) to cover a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan in a single layer. Use a fresh box so the crackers stay crisp under the toffee.
- Butter. Use real butter, not margarine, so the toffee sets up firm and tastes rich. Salted or unsalted both work. Since Ritz crackers are already salty, unsalted is what I use.
- Brown Sugar. Pack the brown sugar firmly into the measuring cup for an accurate amount. It creates the rich, caramel-like toffee layer over the crackers.
- Chocolate Chips. Use semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate depending on how sweet or rich you want the finished toffee.
- Sprinkles. Sprinkles add a colorful, festive finish and can be changed to match Christmas, birthdays, or any special occasion.
Skip to the bottom and find the complete ingredient list and recipe.
How To Make Ritz Cracker Toffee
Preheat the oven. It needs to be set to 350 F. Then line a jelly roll pan with foil and spray with a non-stick cooking spray.
Step 1. Lay the crackers on the baking sheet in an even layer. If there is a gap in the tray of crackers, you can break the crackers to get a single layer.
Step 2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
Step 3. Once it’s completely melted, add the brown sugar and stir until combined.
Step 4. Bring the mixture to a full boil and let it boil for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly. It’s ready when it looks thick, bubbly, and a shade darker, and pulls together instead of looking thin and buttery. Remove it from the heat.
Step 5. Right away, pour the hot toffee over the crackers and quickly spread it to the edges with a spatula. It thickens fast as it cools. Bake for 3–5 minutes, just until the toffee bubbles around the edges. This short bake helps the toffee soak into the crackers and set evenly. Watch closely, because it can go from bubbly to burnt quickly.
Step 6. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips on the crackers.
Step 7. Let the chocolate chips sit for about 5 minutes, until they look glossy and soft. Then spread them into an even layer with a spatula. If some chips are still holding their shape, pop the pan back into the warm oven for a minute.
Step 8. Top with sprinkles. I like to let the kids help with this step. Next, place the pan in the refrigerator to allow the toffee to harden. It should take about 1 to 2 hours.
Step 9. Then remove the toffee from the pan. Break it apart into pieces with your hands.
Step 10. Serve and enjoy this delicious treat.
Chewy or Crunchy? How Boil Time Changes Your Toffee
The longer the butter and brown sugar mixture boils, the more moisture cooks out, which creates a firmer, crunchier toffee. Our 2–3 minute boil gives you a crisp toffee layer that sets firmly over the crackers. For a softer, chewier texture, a shorter cooking time can leave more moisture in the mixture, while a longer boil produces a firmer finish.
Pro Tips
- Arrange crackers tightly. Place the Ritz crackers in a snug single layer with the edges touching so the toffee spreads evenly and the slab holds together when you break it.
- Leave a foil overhang. Let the foil hang over the short ends of the pan. Once the toffee is chilled, you can lift the whole slab out in one piece.
- Watch the oven. Pull the pan as soon as the edges bubble. Overbaked toffee tastes bitter.
- Add toppings while the chocolate is soft. Sprinkles, nuts, or sea salt need to go on right after spreading so they stick.
- Keep it cool for serving. The chocolate softens at warm room temperature, so keep it chilled until just before serving on a party table.
Variations
- Nuts. Sprinkle chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds over the melted chocolate for added crunch.
- Chocolate. Use white, milk, or dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet. You can also drizzle a second type of chocolate over the top.
- Candy. Add crushed peppermint candies, Heath bars, or Butterfingers for extra flavor and texture.
- Sea Salt. Sprinkle a little sea salt over the chocolate for an extra sweet and salty finish.
- Seasonal. Change the toppings to match any holiday. Try candy corn for Halloween, pastel M&M’s for Easter, or heart sprinkles for Valentine’s Day.
- Saltine vs. Ritz. Saltines give a thinner, crispier base with a more pronounced salty crunch, while Ritz crackers add their own buttery flavor that makes the toffee taste even richer. Both work well and it really comes down to whether you want a more neutral, crunchy base (saltines) or extra butteriness built right in (Ritz). If you’d rather go with saltines, here’s our classic Christmas Crack.
Frequently Asked Questions
Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, with parchment paper between layers so the pieces don’t stick together. At cool room temperature, it keeps for up to 5 days. Keep it away from heat and sunlight so the chocolate doesn’t soften.
Yes. Place the pieces in an airtight freezer-safe container with parchment paper between the layers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
The butter and brown sugar mixture may not have boiled long enough. Make sure it reaches a full boil and cooks for 2–3 minutes so it thickens properly.
The chocolate may need more time to soften. Let the chips sit on the hot toffee for about 5 minutes before spreading. If necessary, place the pan in the warm oven briefly to soften them.
Arrange the crackers tightly in a single layer before pouring on the toffee. Pour the hot mixture gently and spread it rather than moving the crackers around.
Yes. It’s a great make-ahead treat. Make it up to 2 weeks ahead and keep it in the fridge or freeze it for up to 3 months. That makes it easy to get holiday gifts or cookie trays done early.
More Chocolate Christmas Desserts
Make this easy Ritz cracker Christmas crack recipe for your next holiday, party, or sweet craving and watch it disappear fast! Share it with friends and family, and don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating to let others know how much you loved it.
Ritz Cracker Toffee
Ingredients
- 60 Ritz Crackers (2 sleeves)
- 1 cup Butter
- 1 cup Packed Brown Sugar
- 11.5 oz Chocolate Chips semi-sweet, milk or dark chocolate will work
- 3 tablespoons Sprinkles
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Line a jelly roll pan with foil. Spray with a non-stick cooking spray.
- Fill the bottom of the cookie sheet with the Ritz crackers. If there is a gap, you can break the crackers to get a single layer. Set the pan aside.
- In a saucepan, melt the butter over low-medium heat. Add brown sugar once butter is completely melted and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 2-3 minutes until the mixture has thickened.
- Immediately remove from heat and pour bubbly mixture over crackers covering the crackers completely.
- Place the pan in the oven for 3-5 minutes, or just until the edges of brown sugar mixture gets bubbly.
- Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the crackers.
- Allow the crackers to sit for 5 minutes to melt the chocolate. Then use a spatula to spread the melted chocolate over the cracker layer.
- Top with sprinkles.
- Place the pan in the refrigerator to allow the toffee to harden (1-2 hours).
- Then remove the toffee from the pan and break it apart into pieces with your hands. Enjoy!
It was my first time making it and it came out great.
Tamara – Wahoo! So happy to hear! Thanks for letting me know! It made my day!