If you've never tried Christmas Crack- Pretzel Toffee Bark, get ready for your new favorite holiday treat. This sweet and salty candy has the perfect crunch, rich caramel flavor, and melt-in-your-mouth chocolate topping - it's completely addictive in the best way.
Why This Recipe is the Best
We love this version because it takes the classic Christmas crack candy and makes it even better with pretzels! The combination of buttery toffee and melted chocolate coating crunchy pretzels hits every flavor note - sweet, salty, rich, and crisp. Using flat pretzels makes it easy to get an even caramel layer, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt or Christmas sprinkles on top makes them look as festive as they taste. Plus, this recipe is totally foolproof and comes together in about 15 minutes!
For more Christmas treats like Christmas Crack Made with Pretzels, try our White Chocolate Peppermint Muddy Buddies, Christmas Popcorn, and Crockpot Christmas Crack.
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Key Ingredients
Skip the saltines; once you've made it with pretzels, you can't go back. It's that good!
- Pretzel Twist- These work better than pretzel sticks because they get the toffee and chocolate in between each bite.
- Butter - If you use unsalted butter, be sure to add a dash of salt.
- Sprinkles- It's not required, but the festive Christmas sprinkles really add a lot to this Christmas Crack-Pretzel Toffee Bark.
How to make Christmas Crack Made with Pretzels
Learn how to mix Christmas Crack made with pretzels with these easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions.
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Spread pretzels out evenly on the parchment paper.
- Melt the butter and brown sugar together over medium heat, stirring until it begins to boil, then stop stirring and let it cook for 3-5 minutes until foamy.
- Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and quickly pour the toffee evenly over the pretzels - any gaps will fill in as it bakes.
- Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top. Let them sit for about 3 minutes to melt, then spread the chocolate smoothly over the toffee and pretzels.
Common Mistakes
One of the most common issues when making Christmas crack is letting the toffee mixture boil too long - that can make the caramel overly hard or burnt. You want it to bubble for about three minutes until it thickens slightly and turns a rich golden color.
Don't skip the salt if you use unsalted butter. Always add a generous ¼ teaspoon salt to your caramel mixture to balance the sweetness.
Top tip
if your chocolate chips don't melt easily after sprinkling them on top of the hot toffee, place the pan back into your turned-off oven for 30-60 seconds - just long enough to help them soften. Don't overheat, or your chocolate can seize or separate.
Recipe
Christmas Crack with Pretzels- Toffee Bark
Ingredients
- 8 oz mini pretzel twists
- 1 ¼ cups brown sugar
- 1 cup butter salted, see note 1
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 12 oz package semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk, if you like a lighter chocolate
- Christmas sprinkles or coarse sea salt optional, for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, making sure it goes up the sides. Spray with cooking spray.
- Spread pretzels out evenly on the baking sheet and set aside.
- Place butter and brown sugar in a small, heavy bottomed sauce pan over medium heat. It's important not to use a higher heat or your toffee could split or be grainy. Stir while bringing to a boil. As soon as it starts to boil, stop stirring. Once it comes to a full rolling boil cook for 3-5 more minutes until it starts to foam up. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and immediately pour over the pretzels as evenly as you can. Don't worry if there are any holes or spots that don't have much, they will get filled in as you bake it.
- Place in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips evenly across on top. Allow to sit for about 3 minutes, then spread evenly over the toffee and pretzels. See note 2 if they aren't spreading well. Allow to cool completely, then break into chunks for serving.
Notes
- If not using salted butter, add a generous ¼ teaspoon salt to your toffee mixture.
- Sometimes the chocolate chips don't melt well enough and need a little more heat. If this is the case, place the pan back in turned off oven for about 30-60 seconds then remove and finish spreading. We recommend you do this only if they need more heat to spread. If you do it when it isn't needed you could change the texture of your chocolate and/or toffee.
Nutrition
Variations
This recipe is super flexible and easy to customize.
- Saltine Crackers- Try swapping the pretzels for saltine crackers or graham crackers for a twist on the texture.
- Chocolate- You can also mix up the chocolate - white chocolate, dark, or even a swirl of both looks beautiful and tastes amazing.
- Peppermint- Add crushed peppermint candies or chopped nuts on top for extra crunch and holiday flair.
Storing Christmas Crack Made with Pretzels
Once cooled and broken into pieces, store your Christmas Crack in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If you're gifting it, pack it in festive tins or clear bags tied with ribbon - it makes such a fun and easy homemade holiday gift!
FAQ
Spread a single layer of pretzels on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then make your quick toffee by boiling butter and brown sugar together for about three minutes. Pour the hot caramel over the pretzels, spread it evenly, and bake until bubbling. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over the top, let them soften, then spread into a smooth layer. Finish with sea salt or sprinkles and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.
Holiday crack, sometimes called Christmas crack, is a sweet and salty candy made with layers of pretzels (or crackers), homemade caramel, and melted chocolate. It's called "crack" because it's so irresistibly good - and because it cracks apart into delicious, jagged pieces once cooled.
Andrea says
We love this Christmas crack pretzel toffee bark way more than traditional christmas crack with saltines!
Terri Arnott says
What size baking pan?
Nicole says
I used a baking sheet that was 13x18