Need a dessert that comes together in almost no time at all and disappears in mere moments? Look no further than this chocolate and toffee cracker bark! This toffee bark is a perennial holiday favorite in my husband’s family. I call it ‘disappearing toffee bark’ because of just how delicious and addicting it feels. The crack of the toffee, the crunch of the nuts, and the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate pretty much guarantee that this treat won’t last long. One bite and I am sure you will agree.
When I first started spending Christmas with my husband’s family, they introduced me to something called “Christmas Crack.” Saltine crackers topped with caramel, chocolate, and chopped nuts. It only took one crunch for me to immediately fall in love. Complete chocoholic love. That said, I do not love the trend of referring to foods as “crack” (this article can shed a bit more light on that if you are interested, so I call it toffee bark. Or cracker bark. Same great dessert with a slightly different name(s).
Through the years, this chocolate and toffee cracker bark became such an expectation at the holiday table that I never bothered to make it myself. But then my bridal shower happened, and my wonderful mother-in-law gathered recipes from every woman in the family. And it was here that I was given the recipe for the Christmas crackers. Behold! I finally possessed the recipe for the cracker bark! But…the original recipe card is not vegan. Not to worry! With a few swaps, you can make vegan chocolate toffee cracker bark and it will be just as delicious as its omnivorous counterpart.
Making Chocolate And Toffee Cracker Bark
One thing that I adore about this recipe is how quickly it comes together! It is the kind of recipe that you can whip together to round out an assortment of holiday baked goods: it is a quick (but impressive) bolster for when you need just one more cookie for a gift or spread. You know, after you have already made double chocolate cookies. Or peanut butter cookies. Or classic chocolate chip cookies.
You only need five ingredients:
- saltine crackers
- vegan butter (for this recipe, I have used both Earth Balance and Country Crock Plant Butter and have had success with both)
- brown sugar
- chocolate chips
- chopped nuts (I have used both pecan and walnuts. Baker’s choice!)
Toffee Bark Assembly Method
- spread out your crackers
- make the toffee
- pour it over your crackers
- melt chocolate over crackers
- spread said chocolate
- add nuts
- allow the bark to set
Truly. That is it. And I am going to walk you through the whole (fast) process from start to finish.
Line a half-sheet pan with aluminum foil and then spread out saltine crackers over the foil in one thing sheet. This usually takes about 40 crackers.
In a small saucepan, melt the brown sugar and butter together and bring it to a boil for three minutes. Stir continuously as it cooks as this will keep the toffee from burning or sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Pour the candy over the crackers and spread it around with the back of a spoon.
Place your sheet pan in a 400-degree oven for five minutes. Immediately turn off the oven and remove the tray. Sprinkle semi-sweet chocolate chips over the candy mixture.
Place the tray as-is back into the oven, which will still be warm even though you have turned it off. This will allow the chocolate to melt. Remove the pan from the oven once again when the chocolate becomes shiny and begins to look gooey. Spread the chocolate over the toffee with the back of a spoon once more.
Sprinkle your chopped nut of choice over the melted chocolate and place your tray in the refrigerator to set for at least one hour.
Or, do what we did in the frozen tundra of Western New York and stick the tray out in the snow. It’ll set much faster. Really.
The toffee will harden the crackers and become one solid sheet of candy and chocolate and crackers. Once set, break the bark up with your hands or gently bang it against the baking sheet to break apart.
I am going to level with y’all. It took some effort not to demolish this bark before it made it into gift bags for socially distant treat drop-offs this year. Like, woah. I would absolutely recommend using two sheet pants and making a double batch!
Chocolate & Toffee Cracker Bark
Equipment
- Half sheet baking pan
- Aluminum foil
- Small saucepan
Ingredients
- 40 saltine crackers (about one and a half sleeves)
- 226 grams (1 cup) vegan butter
- 213 grams (1 cup) brown sugar
- 240 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips one 12-ounce bag
- 115 grams (1 cup) pecans or walnuts roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Line a half-sheet baking pan with foil. Arrange saltines neatly on the foil in one layer, the crackers touching each other.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook at a boil for three minutes, stirring the mixture continuously.
- Carefully pour the toffee mixture over the crackers and spread over the crackers with the back of a spoon.
- Bake the toffee coated crackers in the oven for five minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and turn off the oven.
- Sprinkle all of the chocolate chips over the toffee and place the tray back into the oven, which will still be warm.
- Remove the pan from the oven once the chocolate appears shiny, gooey, and has partially melted. Spread the melted chocolate over the toffee with the back of a spoon.
- Sprinkle the chopped nuts over the chocolate.
- Let your bark set in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
- Once the bark has set, it will be one large piece. Break apart to your preferred size and enjoy!
The major cookie baking holidays might be over, but do not let that stop you from indulging! If you want to make these, give the recipe a share on Pinterest or tag me on Instagram @kettleandkale. I love seeing what y’all create!
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