Saltine Toffee aka “Christmas Crack” just got easier with this 10 minute microwave recipe!
Last year I shared with you my family’s famous 10 minute microwave toffee recipe. It’s gone a bit viral on Pinterest since then, and has been super popular over the past few months. I think everyone appreciates a great quick gift or office treat this time of year. I’ve seen a few recipes for saltine toffee here and there over the interwebs, but when I read through them I just keep seeing how much work they require. You have to melt butter on the stove, boil in the sugar, make sure it doesn’t burn, coat the saltines, bake them in the oven, top with chocolate, then refrigerate. It takes about an hour of continuous work. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have time for that when I’m busy running all over town playing Santa and getting ready for holiday entertaining.
So, I’m here to tell you that you can have all the same goodness of “Christmas Crack” with this quick microwave version! It’s especially great if you’re trying to make a huge amount of toffee. I made 8 batches of this toffee in just a couple hours on Wednesday – a few for a Christmas party with the women at church and the rest to send with my hubby to work. I heard it was a huge hit at the office. Nobody believed it came from the microwave, and many of them were happy/upset that it was so addictive. Sorry (but not sorry) y’all! I’ll pull out the healthy recipes in January, I promise.
To make this microwave saltine toffee, you lay out the saltines on a parchment lined cookie sheet, microwave the base toffee ingredients, and then pour the toffee over the saltines when it comes out of the microwave. Melt on some chocolate chips and make it festive with the sprinkles and you’re ready to party after a quick chill in the fridge! I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing the salty/sweet combo of this toffee is. I mean, I love the original toffee recipe, but this takes it to an all new level. Who knew that saltines could do that?!
I also wanted to make a gluten-free version to share (since I have so many gluten-free friends) so I made a variation on my original microwave toffee recipe (which is also gluten-free) and created a white chocolate, cranberry, pistachio version. It was pretty dark outside when I decided to create it, so I only have this slightly blurry photo (sorry!). It’s super festive with the red cranberries, green pistachios, and snow-colored chocolate. Plus, pistachios and cranberries were just made for each other.
Microwave Saltine Toffee (aka “Christmas Crack”) plus Cranberry Pistachio Toffee
- Prep Time: 1
- Cook Time: 9
- Total Time: 30
Description
Saltine Toffee aka “Christmas Crack” just got easier with this 10 minute microwave recipe.
Ingredients
For Saltine Toffee
- 1/2 C Butter (1 stick)
- 1 C Sugar
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1/4 C water
- 24 saltine crackers (about 3/4 of a sleeve)
- 1/2 C Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- holiday sprinkles (optional)
For Cranberry Pistachio Toffee
- 1/2 C Pistachios – roughly chopped
- 1/2 C Butter (1 stick)
- 1 C Sugar
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1/4 C water
- 1/2 C white chocolate chips or white candy melts
- 1/2 C diced dried cranberries (for topping)
- 1/2 C Pistachios – roughly chopped (for topping)
Instructions
For Saltine Toffee
- Arrange the 24 saltines in a 4×6 grid on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and set aside.
- Coat the top 2″ of a 2 quart glass pyrex measuring bowl (or other microwave safe bowl) with butter.
- Add butter, sugar, salt and water to bowl- but DO NOT STIR!
- Microwave on high 8 1/2 – 9 1/2 minutes, or until the mixture just begins to turn light brown (paper bag color). You can always quickly add an extra minute if you need to, but can’t undo burned sugar, so start with 8 1/2 minutes and proceed with caution from there.
- Carefully pour over the saltines on the cookie sheet. (Mixture will be *VERY HOT*)
- Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot toffee and let melt for 1-2 minutes.
- Spread melted chips over toffee with knife and decorate with sprinkles.
- Chill in fridge until chocolate is firm again (20-30 minutes).
- Break up into bite-sized pieces.
For Cranberry Pistachio Toffee
- Sprinkle 1/2 C pistachios in a 9″ circle on a cookie sheet and set aside.
- Coat the top 2″ of a 2 quart pyrex measuring cup (or other microwave safe bowl) with butter.
- Add butter, sugar, salt and water – but DO NOT STIR!
- Microwave on high 8 1/2 – 9 1/2 minutes, or until the mixture just begins to turn light brown (paper bag color). You can always quickly add an extra minute if you need to, but can’t undo burned sugar.
- Carefully pour over the pistachios on the cookie sheet. (Mixture will be *VERY HOT*) Sprinkle white chocolate chips over hot toffee and let melt for 1-2 minutes.
- Spread melted chips over toffee with knife and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 C pistachios and 1/2 C diced cranberries..
- Chill in fridge until firm (20-30 minutes).
Notes
- Store in an air-tight container. Yields 1lb of toffee
- Be sure to review the step by step photos and tips for cleaning the bowl on my original microwave toffee post.
- Gluten-free: The cranberry pistachio toffee is gluten-free.
- Vegetarian: This is vegetarian.
- Vegan: This can be vegan if you use vegan chocolate and vegan butter. (I like the buttery sticks from Earth Balance.)
Recipe Remix: Crumbs make great ice cream topping or toffee bits for cookies.
Looking for another holiday treat? Check out these Sugared Cranberries:
These rocky road brownies:
And these Two Ingredient Pumpkin Streusel Muffins:
Have you tried Saltine Toffee before? Are you as crazy about it as we are?
Stephanie, where have you been all my life?
Haha. I’m pretty sure you ask me this every time I post a new recipe. I was raised in the south where all the best food comes from. 😀
Oooh, saltine toffee is SO GOOD! I love the salty and sweet combo. I want to try your version! Thanks for sharing it with Hump Day Happenings.
I love, love, love it too! My husband looked at me like I was crazy when he walked into the kitchen and saw me pouring toffee over saltines, but then he couldn’t stop eating it. This one is way simpler than the oven method. I don’t think I’m going back! Thanks for hosting a lovely party!
SO SMART! Love, love, love this idea!
I’m glad you like it!! You know I’m all about the work smarter, not harder. 🙂
Salty, sweet… chocolate… this looks DELICIOUS!